In this segment of The Sitting in the Park Show, Bob Abrahamian honors two recently deceased soul icons: Jesse Smith, a founding member of The Mighty Marvelows, and Bobby Sanders, an influential L.A. producer. Abrahamian commemorates their contributions by playing hits from The Marvelows and The Young Hearts, reminding listeners of their indelible mark on soul music. The show then transitions to a nostalgic “back-to-school” set, capturing the seasonal spirit with rare records from artists like Dee Clark, The Impressions, and The Cashmeres. It’s a celebration of soul’s past while engaging the present audience with meaningful tunes and tributes.
Mighty Marvelows - In the morning - ABC
Mighty Marvelows - Wait be cool - ABC
Younghearts - I've got love for my baby - Minit
Younghearts - Sweet soul shakin - Minit
Delicates - You say you love me - Pulsar
Dee Clark - I'm going back to school - Vee Jay
Morocco Musik Makers - Back to school again - Motown
Impressions - Little young lover - ABC
Ripples and the Waves - Let me carry your schoolbooks - Steeltown
Cashmeres - Back to school again - Hubba Hubba
Arabians - Please take a chance on me - Lemans
Soul Purpose Group - Dry your eyes - no label
Charades - You better believe it - Harlem Hitparade
Tommy Andre - One more try - Broadway
Temptones - Say these words of love - Arctic
Enchanting Enchanters - No one in this world - Benmokeith
Chapparals - Burning up in love - Moneytown
Conservatives - That's all - Ebonic Sound
Flairs - All I need - Southtown
Manhattans - Till you come back to me - Carnival
Delfonics - My new love - Philly Groove
Dells - Just as long as we're in love - Cadet
Miracles - I wanna be with you - Tamla
On a quiet Chicago evening, Bob Abrahamian’s The Sitting in the Park Show opens with a poignant tribute to two fallen giants of soul music. Jesse Smith, an original member of The Mighty Marvelows, and Bobby Sanders, an influential figure in L.A.’s soul scene, were both essential contributors to the evolution of soul music in their own unique ways. Abrahamian's show isn't just a radio program; it’s a curated experience that brings the history, spirit, and emotional weight of soul music into listeners’ living rooms.
Jesse Smith and his group, The Mighty Marvelows, were pioneers in the sweet soul scene of the late 1960s. Known for their harmonic blends and heartfelt lyricism, The Marvelows earned recognition for songs like “In the Morning,” which Abrahamian selected as a fitting tribute. These tunes embodied the ethos of doo-wop-inspired soul, bridging earlier vocal traditions with the emerging styles of the era. Smith’s passing marked the loss of a foundational figure whose voice was both an anchor to tradition and a harbinger of soul’s blossoming.
Transitioning from Chicago to L.A., Bob shifts focus to Bobby Sanders, a man who wore many hats as a record producer, label owner, and occasional vocalist. Sanders’ contributions to L.A. soul cannot be overstated, having shaped the careers of many artists, most notably The Young Hearts. His work was a prime example of L.A. soul’s rich diversity—drawing from rhythm and blues roots while embracing contemporary developments in harmony and lyricism. Abrahamian’s playlist honoring Sanders includes the group’s standout hits like “I Got Love for My Baby,” followed by other iconic tracks that Sanders produced. By juxtaposing the two tributes, Abrahamian deftly ties together the Midwest and West Coast scenes, emphasizing the nationwide resonance of these figures.
The musical commemoration of these two legends shifts seamlessly into another thematic set focused on “back-to-school” songs, timed to the season. The transition might seem unexpected to some, but in the world of soul music, moments of commemoration often dovetail with expressions of joy or reminiscence. Abrahamian’s selections capture the lighthearted and nostalgic atmosphere of back-to-school season while subtly reinforcing the show's theme of soulful remembrance. Tracks like Dee Clark’s “I’m Going Back to School” and The Impressions’ “Little Young Lover” evoke a simpler time, when school was a central thread in the fabric of life. The choice of back-to-school songs, including rarities like “Back to School Again” by The Morocco Music Makers, showcases Abrahamian’s knack for uncovering hidden gems, preserving them as cultural artifacts.
As the segment progresses, Abrahamian continues to share lesser-known tracks with detailed commentary, demonstrating his encyclopedic knowledge and passion for soul music. His interludes often blend stories with public service messages, creating a sense of community and continuity. For instance, he takes time to raise awareness about safety and healthcare, balancing the mood of the show with important life lessons—a testament to how the radio was, and still is, a conduit for more than just music.
Towards the end of the segment, Abrahamian’s reflections guide the listener to a rare soul track out of Detroit by Edward Hamilton and The Arabians, highlighting the cross-regional influences within the genre. By weaving in these tracks, Abrahamian underscores the interconnectedness of the soul community, from Chicago to Los Angeles to Detroit. The set culminates with a record by The Temptones, featuring a young Daryl Hall, whose later mainstream success with Hall & Oates showed how the seeds of soul could bear fruit in unexpected ways.
Ultimately, The Sitting in the Park Show serves as an audio tapestry of soul’s past, present, and future. Abrahamian's dedication to preserving and celebrating the legacy of artists like Jesse Smith and Bobby Sanders is not just an act of tribute but an ongoing mission to educate and engage listeners with the depth and richness of soul music. In reflecting on their lives and legacies, Abrahamian invites listeners to feel the resonance of these voices long after the last notes have faded.
Bob Abrahamian 00:00
Okay, you're tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago. You are now listening to The Sitting in the Park Show, and I've already been on the radio for an hour and a half, but I’ll be going until 9 p.m. If you want to call me up, the number is 773-702-8424. I have to start off the show recognizing a couple of people who passed away last week. Jesse Smith, an original member of The Mighty Marvelows, passed away. So, I'm going to play a couple of Marvelows records in recognition of him. This first record is their big hit, "In the Morning."
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Bob Abrahamian 06:04
Okay, those last records I played were in memory of Jesse Smith of The Mighty Marvelows, who passed away last week. Some more sad news is that another person who died last week is Bobby Sanders. Bobby Sanders was a record producer, singer, and record label owner in L.A. He produced and wrote a lot of records from L.A. artists. The most famous of these were from The Young Hearts, so I'm going to play a couple of their records, and another that he produced in memory of Bobby Sanders. This first record is their big hit, "I Got Love for My Baby."
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Bob Abrahamian 14:40
Okay, you’re tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago, and you are listening to The Sitting in the Park Show. My name is Bob. The show airs every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9 p.m., and we are now streaming live on the internet at www.whpk.org/stream. In the last set, I just played three records in memory of Bobby Sanders, the L.A. producer, label owner, and singer who passed away last week. First, I played two records by The Young Hearts that he produced. The first was "Hey There," followed by "I’ve Got Love for My Baby." After that, I played "Sweet Soul Shakin’." And the last record was by a group called The Delicates; it was a cover of the Dee Edwards song, "You Say You Love Me."
Okay, the show is just getting started. The number here is 773-702-8424. This next set, I’m going to play all back-to-school records, since it’s that time of year. This first record is by Dee Clark, "I’m Going Back to School."
[music playing]
Bob Abrahamian 30:40
Okay, you’re tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago, and you are listening to The Sitting in the Park Show. The show airs every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9 p.m., and WHPK is also streaming live on the internet at www.whpk.org/stream, so you can tell your friends outside the listening range who have internet access. That entire last set was back-to-school songs, as it’s that time of year. I started off with Dee Clark’s "I’m Going Back to School." After that, an obscure record on the Motown label, "Back to School Again," by The Morocco Music Makers, a group actually from Ohio. Then, "Little Young Lover" by The Impressions, followed by "Let Me Carry Your School Books" by The Ripples and The Waves, which a lot of people mistake for The Jackson 5. However, it wasn’t The Jackson 5, though it was released on the same label as their early records. Lastly, we heard "Back to School Again" by The Cashmeres from Washington, D.C.
If you have any requests, questions, or comments, you can call me up. The number here is 773-702-8424. This next record is a really nice one out of Detroit. This is Edward Hamilton and The Arabians with "Please Take a Chance on Me."
[music playing]
Bob Abrahamian 45:48
Okay, you’re tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago, and you are listening to The Sitting in the Park Show. The show airs every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9 p.m., and we are also streaming live on the internet at www.whpk.org/stream. Additionally, I’ve archived all the interviews I’ve done at www.sittinginthepark.com. If you want to listen to any interviews I’ve done with Chicago groups, or if you want to send me an email, you can reach me there.
In the last set, we started off in Detroit with Edward Hamilton and The Arabians with "Please Take a Chance on Me." After that, we heard "Dry Your Eyes" by The Soul Purpose Group. Then, an unusual record because it’s one of the very few pro-Vietnam soul songs. That was "You Better Believe It" by The Charades, with Tommy Andre singing "One More Try." Lastly, we heard "Say These Words of Love" by The Temptones from Philly, a group that included Daryl Hall before he was in Hall & Oates.
Now, before I play more records, I have to give you a little bit of information. When you’re just driving around the block or up the street, you don’t need to wear your seatbelt, right? Wrong, because anyone who’s ever been in a car crash can tell you they never saw it coming. So, always buckle up—always. Also, medical mistakes claim tens of thousands of lives every year. The healthcare community is working on it, but you can help. Doctors can’t answer if you don’t ask. Help reduce your risk; questions are the answer. Learn the ten questions you must ask at www.ahrq.gov.
Another show you might want to check out on this station is Dusties Party. On that show, the DJs play soul and funk music mainly from the ‘70s but also from the ‘60s and ‘80s. That show airs every Thursday night from 9 p.m. to midnight.
We have a little bit less than half of the show left. You can call me up here with any requests, questions, or comments. The number is 773-702-8424. This next record is by a group, I think, from the East Chicago area, and they’ll be up here in a couple of weeks. So, you should definitely plan to listen to that. They’re going to send this record out to Jorge. This is The Enchanting Enchanters with "No One in This World."
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Bob Abrahamian 1:16:08
Okay, you’re tuned to WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago, and you are listening to The Sitting in the Park Show. My name is Bob, and the show airs every Sunday night from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Unless I start off with The Delfonics’ "My New Love," I said that the Dells are "Just as Long as We're in Love." And the last record was "I Want to Be with You" by The Miracles, one of their early records with Billy Griffin after Smokey left.
We have about 10 minutes of the show left if you want to call me. The number here is 773-702-8424. This next record is going out by request to Ray. This is Bobby Hutton with "Come See What’s Left of Me."
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