group soul ~ Florida 1971

Listen Music - Listen Audio - Purple Mundi ~ Stop Hurting ...

A 2011 UK press - Outta Sight/CAT label

First press original Cat label from 1971


This fantastic group soul 45 has been a mystery to me (and many others I'm sure) for many years.
Originally released in 1971, it was consequently pressed three more times, with different flip sides in the early 70s.
Northern soul, crossover soul, group sweet soul...
It now stands out as an obscure, overlooked, lost soul beauty, pressed on Henry Stone's Cat label out of Miami, Florida.

Producer, promoter, talent scout, label owner, distributor, and music mogul Henry Stone (1921-2014) is not only a legend in the development of the "Miami sound" and Florida soul, but soul music period.
Starting in 1948, he founded many R&B/Soul labels including; Chart, Dade, Alston, Cat, Glades, T. K., Drive, Dash, Marlin to name a few.

Who was/is 'Purple Mundi' ?
Still don't know. It has been documented that the 1973 third press flip, 'Man From The Sky' was in fact by soul singer Betty Wright and her many talented siblings, including her brother Charles Wright aka "Carlos Wright"...
(Note: not the same 'Express Yourself' 103rd Street Rhythm Band...Charles)

From what I could find, Jeannette, Phillip, Milton, Charles, and Betty Wright all or partially sang backup on 'Stop Hurting Me Baby'.

But my biggest question has still not been answered...
Who was the lead vocal/singer on 'Stop Hurting me Baby'?

Is this Milton Wright? Don't think so...I've listened carefully to Milton Wright's recordings and it doesn't sound like him...
Lead vocal could also be James Knight. From 1970 to 1978, James Knight & the Butlers recorded four 45 rpm singles, also on the Cat label. Does sound a lot like him. Just don't know for sure.

This recording is superb in its' production and arrangement. To my ears, really a perfect performance by a soul singer few soul sides achieve.
Perhaps others agree. In October 2015 a first press 1971 Cat label 45 sold for $1293.

This record has really been impossible to find. But the 'Outta Sight' record label in the U.K. has reissued the original recording with the 1973 flip.