Beverly & Duane – Beverly & Duane CD (Expansion)

Vintage 1978 gem from Beverly Wheeler and Duane Williams. Original vinyl copies are among the rarest on the UK soul scene, so rare in fact that only a handful of people until now have experienced the joy of such delights as the definitive two stepper ‘I Wanna Be With You’. The album is produced by Will Hatcher, an artist in his own right who met Beverly & Duane through appearing on a Detroit TV show ‘The Scene’ on station WGPR. Having performed ‘You Haven’t Seen Nothing Yet, ‘Till The Love You’re Gonna Get’ he was interviewed about his singing and record company Wheelsville. He told viewers he was looking for outstanding singers to record, and after giving his phone number out on air was contacted immediately by Duane.

At the time Duane played piano and organ on his father’s church where Beverly regularly sang. As Beverly & Duane they also performed in and around the Detroit club scene while pursuing a record deal.

After hooking up with Will Hatcher they collaborated on the songs for this album which when finished got overheard by Will’s record company executive friend Woody Wilson. Another Detroit act Chapter 8 had landed a deal at Ariola through Woody, so through this connection Will Hatcher leased Beverly & Duane to the same major label and put them on tour with The Floaters.

Beverly & Duane had two American hits from this album, ‘We Got To Stick Together’ and ‘Glad I Gotcha Baby’ after which they got married and moved to California and settled down.  – Expansion