STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - RUFUS THOMAS and DIANA ROSS

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Good morning gang and welcome to the return of Saturday's Singles, a Birthday edition. First up we remember Cayce, Mississippi born  rhythm-and-blues, funk, soul and blues singer, songwriter, dancer, DJ and comic entertainer, Rufus Thomas, on what would have been his 105th Birthday. He passed away on December 15, 2001, age 84, from heart failure. We honor his legacy by spinning this song, "Do The Funky Chicken". "Do The Funky Chicken" was released November 1969 on Stax Records and Al Bell and Tom Nixon. It is the title track to his second record and it peaked at #28 on the Hot 100, #18 in the UK, and #5 on the R&B charts. It's B-side is "Turn Your Damper Down" from the same album. 

Vocals - Rufus Thomas

Arranged By – Andrew Love, Rufus Thomas, Wayne Jackson
Engineer – Bobby Manuel, Henry Bush, Ronnie Capone
Producer – Al Bell, Al Jackson, Tom Nixon

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Our second set of Birthday candles belongs to 78 year old Michigan born singer, actress, and producer, Diana Ross. Happy Birthday Diana ! To get her party started we just pushed play on this cassette single version of the title track to her 21st album, "Take Me Higher". The tune was released August 5, 1995 on the Motown label and was written by Narada Michael Walden, who also co wrote the song with Sally Jo Dakota and Nikita Germaine. The single peaked at #77 on the Hot R&B/ Hip Hop charts, #32 in the UK, #14 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, and #1 on the Dance Club survey. It's flip side is "Don't Stop", also from the Take Me Higher LP.

Patti Austin – background vocalist
Angela Bofill – background vocalist
Sally Jo Dakota – writer
Nikita Germaine – background vocalist, writer
Allen Gregorie – mixing engineer
Sandy Griffith – background vocalist
Kevin Hedge – mixing
Tony Lindsay – background vocalist
Mike Mani – associate producer
Timmy Regisford – mixing
Diana Ross – lead vocals
Narada Michael Walden – producer, writer

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