On this all-music episode of Sitting in the Park, Bob Abrahamian curates a coast-to-coast journey through rare and regional ’60s soul—from early Chicago doo-wop to lost L.A. dancefloor burners. Highlighting overlooked groups like The Staccatos and The Scientists of Soul, and tracing Mandrill’s roots through The Wilson Brothers, Bob connects the dots between obscure singles and the wider soul landscape. Without interviews, the show becomes a sonic archive, capturing forgotten voices and offering a heartfelt tribute to late artists like Sonny Monroe of The Falcons and Radiants frontman Maurice McAllister.
Staccatos - Who's to say - Rocket
James McCleese - A million tears - Marco
Bennie Turner and the Armourettes - Morning teardrops - Skymac
Tony Outten - Do the jack-ask - Moneytown
Sylvia Hill - Make me know it - Capitol
Betty Turner - I believe in you - Infinity
Chauntes - Love that guy - Tonix
Demures - Raining teardrops - Brunswick
Dynels - Call on me - Atco
Mixed Sugar - Fifteen ain't young no more - FGS
Scientists of soul - Be's that way sometimes - Kashe
Seven souls - I still love you - Okeh
Charles Lamont and the Extremes - Doing Mickey's Jerk - Challenge
Perfections - Am I gonna lose you - SVR
Prominents - Just a little - Lummtone
Wilson Brothers - I'll always love you - RCA
Lee Williams and the Cymbals - Please say it isn't so - Carnival
Peter Ortiz - Loser - R'cade
Falcons - In time for the blues - Big Wheel
Miracle Walkers - Stranger to love - Scamm Sound
Vanguards - It's too late for love - Lamp
Opus 1 - Smiles - Drean
Daytons - A broken heart - Dayton
Four Perfections - Hold on - Party Time
Radiants - Heartbreak society - Chess
Radiants - Ain't no big thing - Chess
Radiants - One day I'll show you - Chess
Radiants - Don't it make you feel kind of bad - Chess
Bob Abrahamian’s June episode of Sitting in the Park—absent interviews but brimming with rare grooves—offers more than just a listening session. It’s an immersive plunge into the sonic soulscape of the 1960s, a decade that reshaped American music through voices often forgotten by the mainstream. This show reveals Bob at his best—not just as a collector or DJ, but as a preservationist and detective, reviving the cultural threads that connect regional soul with the larger movement that shaped Black music history.
The program opens with a record shrouded in mystery: “Who’s to Say?” by The Staccatos. Likely from Chicago but almost completely undocumented, the record reflects one of the key values of the Sitting in the Park project: honoring music that existed outside the commercial machine. These “lost” 45s, often pressed in micro-quantities and circulated locally, are reminders that the soul movement wasn’t just happening at Motown or Stax—it was alive in every neighborhood that had a basement studio and a dream.
Bob’s commitment to geography matters. He bookends each track with regional context: Sylvia Hill from New York, The Shantays from L.A., The Demures from D.C., The Dynels from Philly. By doing so, he doesn’t just play music—he charts a map of American soul. It’s in these lesser-known acts that we hear the echo of segregated club scenes, high school talent shows, and independent radio play. Betty Turner’s “I Believe in You” and The Mixed Sugar’s “15 Ain’t Young No More” may not have topped national charts, but they speak directly to the lived experiences of Black America during the Civil Rights era—hope, heartbreak, and resilience distilled into three-minute records.
A highlight of the episode is the inclusion of The Scientists of Soul with “Be’s That Way Sometimes”—a record that, although recorded outside of Chicago, resonated enough to get airplay in the city. This speaks to the way soul music moved across state lines, often carried in record boxes by DJs and independent distributors. It also illustrates the importance of community radio in preserving and amplifying these voices long after the industry moved on.
Then there’s the historical gem: The Wilson Brothers’ “I’ll Always Love You.” As Bob notes, this group would later evolve into Mandrill, a groundbreaking Afro-Latin funk collective. This cut reveals the embryonic stages of a band that would go on to blend soul, rock, and Afro-Caribbean sounds in revolutionary ways. To trace that lineage back to a tender soul ballad is to understand the genre’s fluidity—how doo-wop harmonies could morph into Afro-futurist funk.
In the final third of the show, Bob pays tribute to the late Sonny Monroe of The Falcons—a group whose lineage includes not only Monroe but also Wilson Pickett. Playing “In Time for the Blues,” Bob not only preserves Monroe’s legacy but reminds us of the spiritual roots that informed soul’s depth—blues, gospel, and pain. The tribute carries special resonance considering Bob’s known dedication to honoring the people behind the grooves, often tracking them down for oral histories.
No Sitting in the Park show would be complete without a nod to the Chicago scene, and Bob closes out with a Radiants tribute dedicated to Maurice McAllister. The Radiants were a staple of the Chicago soul sound—clean harmonies, bittersweet lyrics, and a gospel-informed delivery that captured the tension between sacred and secular. Cuts like “Heartbreak Society” and “Don’t It Make You Feel Kind of Bad?” exemplify this duality.
What emerges from this episode is not just a love for the music, but an implicit argument: this music matters. It mattered to the communities that made it, the small labels that risked pressing it, the DJs who gave it a spin, and the listeners—then and now—who find their lives mirrored in it. Bob’s voice, calm and understated, acts as a bridge between the past and present, guiding listeners not just through records, but through the living history of soul.
Bob Abrahamian 00:00
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You are now tuned to the Sitting in the Park show. Today, just like last week, I don't have an interview. I do have interviews planned for the next few weeks—some pretty cool ones, actually—but today I have an all-music show.
Last week, I did all ’70s stuff, so today I'm going to do the opposite and play almost all ’60s stuff. I'm going to start off the show in the early ’60s. This first record is by a group I think is actually from Chicago, but I'm not sure—the record was definitely pressed in Chicago. So if anyone knows anything about this group, you should call me up. The number here is 773-702-8424.
This record is by a group called The Staccatos, and this track is called Who's to Say?
[music playing – The Staccatos, "Who's to Say?"]
Bob Abrahamian 11:17
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You're listening to the Sitting in the Park show—no interview today, which means I'm playing all music.
Last week I played all ’70s music, so today is going to be mainly a ’60s theme. Started off that set with a Chicago group that I know nothing about—I don't even know if it's a white group or a Black group—it was a nice cut called Who's to Say?
After that, a singer named James McLeese with A Million Tears. Then a group—Benny Turner and the Armorettes—with Morning Teardrops. And the last cut, I think, was from the west side of Chicago. That was a singer named Tony Outen, and that was a dance track called Do the Jackass.
Anyway, the show is just getting started. If you want to call me up, the number here is 773-702-8424. I’ve got a lot of nice records coming up, so you should keep it tuned.
This next record is by a female singer named Sylvia Hill. This track is called Make Me Know It.
[music playing – Sylvia Hill, "Make Me Know It"]
Bob Abrahamian 26:40
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You're listening to the Sitting in the Park show. My name is Bob, and this show happens every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9:00 PM.
Started off that set with a track I think was from New York—that was a singer named Sylvia Hill with Make Me Know It. After that, from L.A., Betty Turner with I Believe in You, a group called The Shantays with Love That Guy, a group from D.C. called The Demures with Raining Teardrops, from Philly, The Dynels with Call on Me, and the last cut was from Michigan—that was The Mixed Sugar with 15 Ain’t Young No More.
We’ve got about an hour left in the show. I don’t have an interview today, but I have a bunch of cool interviews in the next few weeks. Next week I’ve got an interview lined up with a guy who sang in a whole bunch of groups from Gary. He even sang extra backup on the Jackson Five’s Big Boy record—he’s one of the extra voices in the background. So he should have an interesting story.
Today I’m playing mainly ’60s records, because last week I played all ’70s records. If you want to call me up, the number is 773-702-8424.
This next record I'm going to send out to Kenny. It’s by a group I think is from New York, but this record got played in Chicago. The group is called The Scientists of Soul, and this track is called Be's That Way Sometimes.
[music playing – The Scientists of Soul, "Be's That Way Sometimes"]
Bob Abrahamian 40:00
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You're listening to the Sitting in the Park show. My name is Bob, and this show happens every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9:00 PM.
Today I’m doing an all-music show because I don’t have an interview, although I do have interviews planned for the next few weeks that you should plan to listen to. If you want to hear any of my past interviews, you can go to the Internet at www.sittinginthepark.com. I also have audio from a lot of my past shows from the past few years online that you can listen to.
Started off that last set with a group I think was from New York, but the record is definitely one that people remember from Chicago because it got airplay here—that was The Scientists of Soul with Be's That Way Sometimes, and I sent that out by request to Kenny.
After that, from L.A., a group called The Seven Souls with I Still Love You. That was actually a band—a mixed-race band—and believe it or not, Bob Welch, who was later in Fleetwood Mac, was in that group.
Then from L.A. again, Charles Lamont and The Extremes with Doin’ Mickey’s Jerk. A member of that group was Bobby Sanders, who passed away about a year ago. I think he might have left by the time that record was recorded, but he was definitely an earlier member.
From Detroit, The Perfections with Am I Gonna Lose You?, and the last cut was from L.A.—that was The Prominents with Just a Little.
Okay, I have to give you some information before I play more music.
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Another show you should check out is called The Dusty Party. It’s a soul show that airs every Thursday night from 9 to midnight. On that show, DJs play soul, funk, blues, and even jazz from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. It’s an awesome show, and there’s a rotating lineup of DJs, so you never know what you’re going to hear.
And another show you should check out is called From the Subway to the Street Corner. That show happens every Sunday night from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. The host plays doo-wop music from the ’50s to the early ’60s.
Okay, we’ve got about half the show left. If you want to call me up, the number is 773-702-8424.
This next record is by a group called The Wilson Brothers, which might be interesting to you because this group actually became Mandrill. This is a really nice track called I'll Always Love You.
[music playing – The Wilson Brothers, "I'll Always Love You"]
Bob Abrahamian 58:20
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You're listening to the Sitting in the Park show. My name is Bob, and this show happens every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. The radio station also streams live on the internet at www.whpk.org.
I also have a website just for this show—www.sittinginthepark.com. If you go to my website, I have audio of all my shows from the past few years and all of the interviews I've done with Chicago-area groups. You can email me to make requests or get added to my email list, where I send out the playlists for my shows and links to the MP3s of each episode.
In that last set, I started off with a group called The Wilson Brothers—that's actually an early version of Mandrill. A really nice cut called I'll Always Love You.
After that, from New Jersey, Lee Williams and The Cymbals with Please Say It Isn’t So. From California, Peter Ortiz with The Loser. Then The Falcons with In Time for the Blues—that’s the same Falcons who did Standing on Guard. I have to send that one out in memory of their lead singer, Sonny Monroe, who passed away in March. Sad news.
And the last cut was by a group from L.A. called The Miracle Walkers. That track was Stranger to Love.
Okay, we've got a little less than half an hour of the show left. If you want to call me up, the number is 773-702-8424.
This next record is, in my opinion, one of the greatest soul records of all time. This is from Indianapolis—The Vanguards with It's Too Late for Love.
[music playing – The Vanguards, "It’s Too Late for Love"]
Bob Abrahamian 1:13:41
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You're listening to the Sitting in the Park show. My name is Bob, and this show happens every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9:00 PM.
Started off that set with one of the greatest soul records of all time—The Vanguards with It's Too Late for Love. After that, a really nice but really obscure record from Chicago by Opus One—that was called Smiles. From D.C., The Daytons with A Broken Heart. And the last record was from Philly—The Four Perfections with I'll Hold On.
Okay, I’ve got to send out a shout-out to Arkansas Red. You should check out his show—he does a blues show every Saturday night from 7:00 to midnight, playing all the newest blues music. So you should check it out.
This last set I’m going to send out to Maurice McAllister—I hope you feel better soon. These are all Radiants records.
This first one is called Heartbreak Society.
[music playing – The Radiants, "Heartbreak Society"]
Bob Abrahamian 1:22:32
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You have been listening to the Sitting in the Park show.
That last set was a group of Radiants records, sent out to Maurice McAllister. Started off with Heartbreak Society, after that Ain’t No Big Thing, then One Day I’ll Show You, and the last cut was Don’t It Make You Feel Kind of Bad?
Thanks to everyone who listened, and thanks especially to everyone who called up.
Next week, hopefully I’ll have an interview with a guy who sang in a lot of groups from Gary. He should have an interesting story—he cut a lot of great records.
And to the person who called up with a very obscure request from California—thanks for calling. I’ll play your record at the end of the show next week.
Keep it tuned, because The Bob and With Bob Show is up next.
