Elgins Special (Saundra Mallett/Edwards)

The Elgins

Over the years I 've had the opportunity to interview many wonderful soul artists and thanks to the foresight and hard work of my friend of over 30 years Mr Mickey Nold, who has retained the original reel-2-reel master tapes of these interviews. Mickey has painstakingly started a mission to restore them and convert them to a digital format. At the time of these interviews I never really fully realized there true worth, thankfully Mickey did. We have previously made some available as Podcast only Specials on the Science of Soul web site. There are so many of them, some of them I/Mickey had forgot, so please bear with us as we try to find time to restore them. This SOS Special, mid-week edition, features an interview with the late Saundra Edwards, original lead singer of Motown legends The Elgins, Sandy was the voice on "Stay in My Lonely Arms"," Heaven Must Have Sent You","Put Yourself In My Place" and countless others.

recorded with vintage ex-BBC recorder Uher 4000L

This interview was recorded in London back around 1990, and as far as I am aware, is the only recorded interview with Saundra Mallett later Edwards ..... been so long since the last time I heard it! A real slice of Motown history and, as with all the interviews that I did back then, I tried to avoid the question and answer route, so trying to record a conversation where both myself and the guest were comfortable to talk freely, most cases it worked well, this I think was due to fact I had already established a strong relationship before recording them. All the interviews were originally broadcast on Mickey's own PCRL radio's Basement Soul Show where I was a regular guest, but has remained unheard for close-on 25 years. I wish we had today's technology back then, (splicing tapes and finding vinyl was a nightmare.) Enjoy this piece of soul music history and keep a look out for more Science of Soul Specials. Read on if you have no audio on your computer/phone:-

The Elgins were an American vocal group on the Motown label, active from the late 1950s to 1967. Their most successful record was "Heaven Must Have Sent You", written and produced by the Holland–Dozier–Holland team, which was a hit in the US in 1966, and in the UK when reissued in 1971.  Founding members Robert Fleming, Johnny Dawson, Cleo "Duke" Miller and Norbert McClean recorded together for various small labels in Detroit prior to their Motown days, as the Sensations, the Five Emeralds, and the Downbeats, and also recorded as the Downbeats for Motown in 1962. The record company suggested that they add female lead vocalist Saundra Mallett, who had recorded unsuccessfully for the label, backed by The Vandellas; she later married and became Saundra Edwards.

The new group's first single release was "Darling Baby", issued in December 1965; early copies credited the record to the Downbeats, but Berry Gordy wanted to use the name Elgins, which had previously been one of the names used by The Temptations. The record rose to no. 4 on the Billboard R&B chart and no. 72 on the pop chart, and its B-side, "Put Yourself in My Place", also made the pop chart. Several months later, they issued "Heaven Must Have Sent You", which again reached both the R&B and pop charts, becoming their biggest pop hit. They also released an album, Darling Baby. However, their follow-up single, "I Understand My Man," was less successful, and the group broke up in 1967.

With the continuing popularity of Motown records in the UK, "Heaven Must Have Sent You" was reissued in 1971 and rose to no. 3 on the UK singles chart. "Put Yourself in My Place" was also reissued and made the chart. With Saundra Mallett Edwards being unwilling to rejoin the group, the Elgins toured the UK with former session vocalist Yvonne Vernee Allen taking her place. In 1989, Allen, Dawson, McClean and Jimmy Charles recorded a new arrangement of "Heaven Must Have Sent You" for producer Ian Levine, and made several further recordings for Levine's Motorcity label in the 1990s. Saundra Edwards also made separate recordings for the same label. Recordings of the group, including the album, Darling Baby, all the singles and unreleased recordings up to 1968, can be found on The Motown Anthology released in 2007. (bio from wikipedia)

At the request of Bridge Radio's Northern Soul DJ, Garry Edwards the following interview has been restored, made in 1990/1 by Bill Randle. This recording contains some stereo and extended versions of their early recordings. The Tamla single shown above is one of the labels hardest to find on vinyl.


Re-Uploaded for Jeff 20-05-15
Re-uploaded for Stan 27-07-16
Re-uploaded for all 19-09-19