Joe South Feels Potential Club Review Of Music Still Unrealized5th DimensionLetSunshine In NEW YORK - Personalitypetition. The act is of the slick- Southwenton:"WhenI plays a major role in the suc-er "now" variety, complete with Triple Threat started writing music about 12cess of the Fifth Dimension,flashing lights (for the Dimen- years ago,I had no idea howwho let the sunshine in to thesion as well as the agile open- Artist Touring much one could communicateRoyal Box of the Americanaing dance trio, Byron and Co., Capitol Records' Joe South,with the world. The songs ofHotel last week (13). The eventwhich also could have used a whose"GamesThatPeoplethat time were things like 'Coolwas given the unique niterylittle more variety). A parti- Play" single and LP "Intro-Water' and 'Hernando's Hide-distinction of a title: "The Agecular plus was the solid soloing spect" are a smash all over theaway.' Just songs. Today song -of Aquarius" - which justof pretty Miss McCoo. world, is currently on a tourwriting is something powerful.happens to be the title of their The Dimensiondidallof of Holland, Germany and Eng-You can put somethingintonew album, too. their hits, including the Laura land. His chart -climbing single,people's minds they will never Nyro-composed "Stone Soul forget. It's like writing a three - The boys(Lamonte McLe- "Leanin' on You," provided a more,BillyDavis,Jr.,Ron Picnic" and "Sweet Blindness," hot send-off. minute book. Townson),colorfully suitedas well as other peoples', like A highlight of the tour will "The songwriting of todaywith huge bow ties that gaveJimmy Webb's "MacArthur be South's appearance on thehas no way of growing old.them thelookof charactersPark,"wrappingthings,of Bobbie Gentry British TVer,The songs of 10 years ago arefrom a Pearl Bailey "Alice incourse,withtheircurrent and he will also do video shotscertainlydated,but I don'tWonderland,"andthegirlssmash, "Aquarius Let the Sun- in Holland and Germany.think that the songs of the last(Marilyn McCoo, Florence La-shine In." The latter "Hair" Where doesJoeSouthhailthree years will be thought ofRue), more contemporarily, dia-medleyprovednotonlyan from? The American South, ofas being so definitely 'period.'"phanously garbed, are charm-audience -rouser(some joined course;Atlanta,Ga.,specifi- ers indeed. Not only do theythe group on stage for a dance - cally, where for over a decade Need to Express Himself effervesce as performers and in),butalsoacomposer - he has been one of the best "Iwritetogivepeoplea personalities, but they also con-rouser:theshow'screators known studio musicians, com-chance to listen to my hostili-vey a downrightclean-cutJames Rado, Gerome Ragni and posers and producersintheties so that they can deal withpleasantness of being that isGalt MacDermot popped up on music business. He has writtentheir own. I only write songsboth disarming and refreshing.to the stage, too. sixmillionsellers,andhaswhen I need to express myself. So did Soul City's National played guitar on many major And they Work. Their intri- Nature creates a vacuum andcately staged act is an exhaus-Sales and Promotion Director recordings. I have tofillit by writing. I Executive producer for Souththink people listen to and ap-tinglyfrenziedone,withtheMacey Lipman, who presented is Atlanta's Bill Lowery, whopreciate my songs becauseI fivesome almost never lettingthe Fifth Dimension with gold is also South's manager, bookeridentify with my audience.I up the pace, or the volume. Itrecordseachcommemorating and publisher of all his mate-feel as though I bring them in-might be to their advantage-theirmillion -selling"Aquari- rial. (Lowery also heads 1-2-3to the conversation I am hav- us Let the Sunshine In" single. Records.) ing with myself," he added. constitutionally and effect- wise-to vary things alittleIn this season of award -giving, South has some strong opin- "No one in particular has in- ions on the music scene today.fluenced my music. My guitarmore: their hand -clapping, un-this had to be one of the more "We have only scratched theplaying may have been influ-deniably infectious rhythms be-popular citations. surface of how much musicenced a little by others, but mygin to wear with too much re- -Doug McClelland. can really do for people. Theresongwriting is just my way of is so much it could do to bringcommunicating. Ifindit hard people together in this world.to answer allthe 'how' and It has not been used in the'why' questions I am now being proper way yet.It should beasked.Ijust write from my Scheible Decca Phsiting with Phynx utilized in communications andexperiencesand my dreams, education, not justinenter-and I hope that I am makingDetroit Sales Manager tainment.Thereissuchasome valid contribution to the Tony Martell, of Market- vacuum.IhopeIcanhelpworld." ing, Decca Records, announced other people to find out how Since Joe South has beenthatJeffScheiblehas been to fill it," South recently said. called "a one-man Lennon andnamed Sales Manager for the company's Detroit operation by One Step at a Time McCartney," it is clear that his contribution to therecord William Glaseman, District "EnthusiasmisavirtueI businessisvalid indeed. To-Sales Manager, North Central really admire in somebody," hemorrow, probably the world. Division. continued. "I have been an ap- Scheible began his career in prentice for so long in the mu- the record business as Sales sic business that I can't make Representative for Continental myself move any faster than I Jack's Mom Nominated RackinPittsburghin1965. have in the past. Everything Irene Hervey, actress motherTwo yearslaterhejoined mustbetakenveryslowly,of RCA songster Jack Jones,Decca as sales and promotion such as recording sessions.I hasbeen nominated foran representativefor thePitts- must totally involve myself forEmmy Award, Actressina burgh territory, a position he aperiod of a month tosixSupporting Role, for her workhas held until his new promo- weeks. I will think of nothingon CBS -TV's "My Three Sons."tion. During a recentvisit to the West butwriting,producingand ('oaststudios of Warner Brothers creating the end product dur- Pictures, Record World publisher ing such a time.Ican only BobAustin visited the set of the move one step at a time. Roberta on TVer Dome Distrihs Shelley Tune forthcoming film "The l'hynx" and Dome RecordDistributors, withthegroup knownasthe "I find that many people are NEW YORK-Roberta Flack, I'hynx. The film, which features frightened of enthusiasm andAtlantic singer/pianist whoseheaded by Bernie Block and many "Golden Age" movie stars this tends to stop some of thefirst LP will be out in June,Stan Drayaon, are now distrib- in a kind of contemporary "Around most creative ideas that mightappeared with her trio on theuting the Mara Lynn Brown the World in 80 Days" cameo for- come out in the world. PerhapsSouthernLeadershipCouncilrecord of Gladys Shelley's "He mat,isbeing produced by Bob this mistrust is a form of jeal-track meet TVer on Saturday,Will Call Again" on Spiral in Booker and George Foster, with ousy or despair." May 17, at 2 p.m. on CBS -TV.the New York area. ascreenplay by Stan Cornyn.

16 RECORD WORLD-May 24, 1%9