Charlie Rich – Don’t Tear Me Down / Hotels, Motels 45 (Kent) 7″ Vinyl

Country singer Charlie Rich has previous on the rare-soul dance scene with ‘Love Is After Me’, the Hayes/Porter track recorded in Memphis for Hi Records, being popular in mod-frequented soul discotheques of the 60s. ‘Don’t Tear Me Down’ was recorded around the same time, but was unissued until a 1988 LP collection of Rich’s Hi-recorded tracks. Astute DJ Dean Anderson picked up on the powerful beat ballad and played it in the 90s, making it very popular – leading to a Kent 45 release in 2007. That pressing is long-gone and the record continues to be spun at Northern Soul venues, thereby causing this second issue of the superlative soul song.

We have coupled it with ‘Hotels, Motels’, another great soul dance track from the same sessions; it debuts on 45 here. – Ace Records