During this Mother’s Day broadcast of The Sitting in the Park Show, Bob Abrahamian takes listeners on a soulful journey through rare tracks and heartfelt dedications. Kicking off with Jan Bradley’s Mama Didn’t Lie and Prince Curtis’ Mama’s Little Girl, the show delivers a blend of Chicago soul, Dusty records, and rare gems. With a commitment to spotlighting local talent and rare records, Bob reintroduces his Classic Chicago Dusty segment, playing Ain’t Got No Problems by Sunday Williams. He weaves in soulful narratives of the mothers who inspire these tracks while effortlessly transitioning to a set including Ruby Jean, The Planets, and Jimmy Conner. By highlighting the local scene and rare tracks, this show serves as both a celebration of soul music and a tribute to its often-overlooked contributors.
Jan Bradley - Mama didn't lie - Chess
Prince Curtis - Mama's listtle girl - Chess
Rufus Wonder and the Additions - So Upset - Lando
Compliments - Beware Beware - Midas
Ebo-nees - Doll age - Midas
Sunday - Ain't got no problems - Al-teen
Ruby Jean - Roving Girl - Monster Masters
Towanna and the Total Destruction - Wear your natural baby - Romark
Decisions - Color me blue - York
Jimmy Connor - The reality of life - Shelly
Planets - Everybody's getting high - Planets
Willie West and the High Society Brothers - The devil gives me everything except what I need - Timmion
President's Council - I don't want to lose you - Lujuna
Sapphire - How've you been getting' along - Blue Ash
THAT - Baby don't you hold me - Bobby Fulton
Blue Magic - Can I say I love you - Liberty
Reverb Ltd - Please love me - Mus-i-col / Numero
Beck Brothers - The bells - Seaweed
Curt Darin - Two on a cloud - Buddah
Westwing - Falling in love is a no-no - 20th Century
Blue Magic - You won't have to tell me goodbye - Atco
Billy Butler and Infinity - Storm - Pride
Eugene Smiley and the Essence of Love - We're lovers by day and night - K-City
During the May 8, 2011, broadcast of The Sitting in the Park Show on WHPK 88.5 FM, Bob Abrahamian blends soul music and heartfelt commentary to honor the uncelebrated yet impactful voices of soul. By thoughtfully curating his Mother’s Day playlist, Bob goes beyond mainstream hits to highlight tracks from artists who defined a movement but never made it to the broader spotlight. This deliberate focus on the local, the rare, and the soulful embodies Bob’s approach to celebrating the legacy of soul music and its deeply emotional roots.
One standout moment in the broadcast is the reintroduction of his Classic Chicago Dusty segment. A listener’s suggestion prompts Bob to play Ain’t Got No Problems by Sunday Williams, a track that had once reverberated through Chicago’s South Side but never reached wider acclaim. The song choice reveals Bob’s dedication to nurturing the memory of these fleeting moments in music history, treating every record like a piece of a larger narrative that Chicago’s soul scene constructed through the decades. This sense of place and memory permeates the entire broadcast, especially when Bob emphasizes how these songs connect not only to the city's history but also to moments of personal reflection, such as Mother's Day.
The broadcast opens with Jan Bradley’s Mama Didn’t Lie and Prince Curtis’ Mama’s Little Girl, two soulful nods to the day’s maternal theme. But the journey doesn’t end there. Throughout the show, Bob intertwines stories of artists like Ruby Jean, Towana and the Total Destruction, and The Compliments, offering rich anecdotes about each track. He goes beyond merely spinning records; he curates emotions, memories, and shared experiences that transcend the typical radio show format.
One of the show's most striking moments is the transition from the classic Dusty segment into newer and previously unreleased gems. He introduces a newly pressed 45 from a group called Reverb Limited, a Chicago band whose track Please Love Me had been shelved until Numero Group revived it for Record Store Day. This act of musical resurrection is central to Bob’s mission. Through thoughtful selections, he connects new listeners to forgotten artists and songs, creating a bridge across time and space that allows soul’s echoes to resonate once more.
Bob’s passion for the deep cuts doesn’t merely stop at rare 45s; he introduces Sapphire’s How You’ve Been Getting Along and humorously recounts The Beck Brothers’ cover of The Bells, noting its uncanny resemblance to the Jackson Five. His detailed commentary about these songs underscores an essential narrative thread: the incredible breadth of talent within the soul music community. These moments provide listeners with context, history, and a deeper appreciation for records that might otherwise go unnoticed.
An essential aspect of this broadcast is Bob’s reflection on the contemporary impact of the music he plays. He mentions Willie West’s 2009 track Dollars with the Devil Gives Me Everything Except What I Need, a poignant reminder that the struggles and emotions of classic soul have not dissipated but have instead transformed and found new voices in modern iterations. This connection between past and present gives the show a timeless quality, reflecting Bob’s commitment to preserving the soul narrative as a living, breathing story.
The final portion of the show highlights artists like Curt Darin, Blue Magic, and Billy Butler and Infinity, illustrating the geographical and stylistic diversity within the soul genre. Bob’s shoutouts to listeners and mentions of other WHPK programs like Dusty’s Party demonstrate his collaborative approach to building a community of soul enthusiasts. It’s not just about playing the music; it’s about bringing people together to share in its history, evolution, and collective spirit.
In essence, this episode of The Sitting in the Park Show offers more than just a radio experience. It’s a celebration of the artists, the stories, and the memories that soul music carries with it. From the revival of a Classic Chicago Dusty track to shining a light on Reverb Limited’s lost gems, Bob Abrahamian’s show is a heartfelt tribute to soul’s unsung heroes and a call to preserve their legacies for future generations.
Bob Abrahamian 09:30
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You are now listening to The Sitting in the Park Show. My name is Bob, and this is a weekly soul show that happens every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. We started off this set with a couple of songs about mothers, wishing everybody a Happy Mother's Day. First was Jan Bradley with Mama Didn't Lie. After that, there was Prince Curtis with Mama's Little Girl. Next, it was Rufus Wonder & The Additions with So Upset—sending that out to Rufus in California. After that, we had Beware by The Compliments, dedicated to James Conley. Finally, the last track in this set was from a group called Ebo-nees, who may have been from Chicago as they were on a local label. The track was Doll Age.
Okay, we are just getting started. If you want to call me up, the number here is 773-702-8424. A few weeks ago, a caller asked why I had stopped doing my Classic Chicago Dusty segment, and I agreed that I should start it up again. Not sure why I stopped, but usually, I do it around 8 p.m. However, I'm going to do it right now. This is Classic Chicago Dusty, where I play a record that got some play in Chicago. This next track is from around 1969 by a singer named Sun, well, this is Ain't Got No Problems by Sunday Williams.
Bob Abrahamian 27:16
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You are listening to The Sitting in the Park Show. I hope everybody is having a fantastic Mother's Day. Started off that set with my Classic Chicago Dusty, and it definitely was from 1969 because I was looking at the label. That was Sunday Williams with Ain't Got No Problems. After that, we had a singer named Ruby Jean with Roving Girl from California—an awesome record. Then came Towana and the Total Destruction with Wear Your Natural, Baby—a great name for a group. Following that, we played Color Me Blue by The Decisions, which is the flip side of a record I played a few weeks ago. Lastly, we had a track called The Reality of Life by Jimmy Conner from California.
We have about an hour left in the show. If you want to call me up, the number here is 773-702-8424. The next record probably isn't the best fit for Mother's Day, but it's a good one. This is a group called The Planets, and the track is Everybody's Getting High.
Bob Abrahamian 39:20
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You are 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 p.m. I hope everybody is having a great Mother's Day. We started off with a record from a Macon, Georgia, group called The Planets with Everybody's Getting High. After that, we played a new recording from 2009 by Willie West from New Orleans. It was Dollars with the Devil Gives Me Everything Except What I Need, and finally, we had a track called I Don't Want to Lose You by The President's Council, a group from Chicago.
I have to give you some information: Do you want to be a real-life superhero? Well, you can, just by donating blood. Did you know that one pint of blood can save up to three lives? Donating blood is a real way to make a big difference. Be a hero—go to www.bloodsaves.com to find out more.
Also, when you’re a mentor, there are a lot of things you can do together. Sometimes the most important thing you can do with a child is just spend time together. Be a friend. Be a mentor. Just be there. Go to BigBrothersBigSisters.org.
One other show you might like on this station is called Dusty’s Party. That show airs every Thursday night from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. On that show, there’s a rotating lineup of DJs playing soul, funk, blues, and jazz from the '60s, '70s, and '80s. That’s Dusty’s Party, every Thursday night from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.
Okay, we are halfway through the show. If anyone wants to call me up, the number here is 773-702-8424. I’m going to send a shoutout to Alene Wade, who called up. This next record is really nice. It’s one of the best records that I got, maybe in the last couple of months. If you’re listening live, you should listen to this in stereo because they do the harmony in different channels. This is a group from Ohio called Sapphire, and the track is How You’ve Been Getting Along.
Bob Abrahamian 56:09
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You are listening to The Sitting in the Park Show. This is a weekly soul show that happens every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., and my name is Bob. If you like my show, you might like my website, which is www.sittinginthepark.com. On the site, I have audio of all the interviews I've done, and I've actually put audio of my shows up there since like 2005 or something like that. I’ll have tonight's show online later tonight. That's www.sittinginthepark.com.
We started off that set with an awesome record from Columbus, Ohio, from 1977. That was a group called Sapphire with How You've Been Getting Along. After that, we played a track from Pittsburgh by a group called That with Baby, Don't You Hold Me. Then came a song by Blue Magic—but not the Ted Mills group—called Can I Say I Love You. We followed that up with a track from Columbus again; this one was actually unreleased until about a month ago when it got pressed on a local Chicago label called Numero Group. They pressed it on a 45 and gave it away for Record Store Day. That was a group called Reverb Limited with Please Love Me. And the last cut was an awesome cover by a kiddie group called The Beck Brothers. It was a cover of The Bells, and it was from Philadelphia, from 1972. The other side of the record is actually kind of more awesome because it’s an original, but it’s like a straight-up Jackson Five rip-off. They sound exactly like the Jackson Five. It's pretty funny.
Okay, the number here, if you want to call me up, is 773-702-8424. I’m going to send a shoutout to Tony. Thanks for calling up; I appreciate it. This next record is by a singer from Detroit named Curt Darin. The track is Two on a Cloud.
Bob Abrahamian 1:18:15
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You’re listening to The Sitting in the Park Show. I hope everybody is having a wonderful Mother's Day. I'm going to send a shoutout to Tony C in California. We started off that set with a Detroit record by Curt Darin. The track was Two on a Cloud. After that, we played a song by a group that I know nothing about, but Barry White produced it. That was a group called West Wing with Falling in Love is a No-No. Next, we had a song by the Ted Mills-led Blue Magic called You Won't Have to Tell Me Goodbye. I didn’t even realize while planning out the show that I was playing two different Blue Magic groups!
Then, we played a record from Chicago by Billy Butler and Infinity with Storm. And lastly, we played a track from Kansas City by Eugene Smiley and the Essence of Love called We're Lovers by Day and Night.
