Lyn Collins

This biography originally appeared on the back of the UK re-release of "Check Me Out If You Don't Know Me By Now".

Following in the high-heeled footsteps of Yvonne Fair, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Anna King, Vicki Anderson and Marva Whitney, throughout the first half of the seventies Lyn Collins - "Mama Feelgood, The Female Preacher" - was the principal voice of the James Brown Revue.

Lyn was born in Abilene, Texas on June 12th 1948. During her late teens she sang proffessionally locally but didn't get an outside break until, after seeing the James Brown show a time or three, she decided to hone in on the Godfather sending a demo to him c/o King records. At first he didn't react but there must have been something memorable about the demo, for when Marva Whitney left his show in January 1970 he contacted Lyn and instructed "Be ready".

It still wasn't immediate acceptance because Vicki Anderson, who had been with the revue in the mid sixties, rejoined the team for a further two years. During this period James first recorded five tracks on Lyn at Bobby Smith's Studio in Macon, Georgia, February 15th 1971. Two cuts from the session, Wheels of Life and Just Won't Do Right, were twice scheduled for release on the King and People labels but only finally emerged on Polydor in December 1971, when it was clear that Vicki was packing up and shipping out again.

(This is a recurring pattern with James, and an object lesson for all aspiring band/revue leaders. Always have a replacement - whether a singer, an appropriate musician or an entire band - on hold in the wings, ready to immediately forward to fill a void.) When Vicki left again, Lyn Collins stepped into the spotlight to become soul sister No. 1.

The most commercially succesful of all of James Brown's funky femme fatales, Lyn's JB-produced hits included Think (About It) and, in duet with James What My Baby Needs Now (both 1972); Mama Feelgood, How Long Can I Keep It Up, Take Me Just As I Am and We Want to Parrty, Parrty, Parrty, (1973).

This album, her second, contains several of her most popular recordings a fine mix of funk and soul balladry. If you don't know her by now, check it out. And watch the announcement columns: at the time of writing it seems likely that Lyn Collins will be back to party very soon.

Cliff White
January 1988
http://www.thefunkateers.com/lyncollins/biography.html

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