Geater Davis
Vernon "Geater" Davis (29 January 1946 – 29 September 1984) was born
in Kountze, Texas, the youngest of five children born to the late
DeWitt and Cornella Davis (1908–1996). In the late 1960s he was
heard performing, along with Reuben Bell, by record producer Allen
Orange. Orange arranged for them to record in Birmingham, Alabama,
and started his own House of Orange label to release their output.
Geater's first release, "Sweet Woman's Love", in 1970, reached # 45
on the Billboard R&B chart. His follow-up singles on the House of
Orange label, including "I Can Hold My Own" and "Best Of Luck To
You", were less commercially successful, but he recorded an album, "Sweet
Woman's Love", which is now considered a classic of the deep
soul genre. He often wrote or co-wrote his own material.
After Orange closed his label in 1972, Davis recorded for the Luna
label, and then for John Richbourg's 77 label, where several of his
recordings such as "I'm Gonna Change" and "A Whole Lot Of Man" were
made at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. His 1973 single, "Your
Heart Is So Cold" reached # 64 on the R&B chart. However, Davis'
records did not generally sell well, despite heavy touring on the
blues and chitlin circuits. He recorded for the Ace label in the mid
1970s, and later issued some disco singles on the revitalized House
Of Orange label. In 1981 he joined the MT label run by James Bennett
in Jackson, Mississippi, which issued several singles and an album,
"Better Days".
Davis died of a heart attack in Dallas, Texas in 1984 at the age of
42.
Album Discography
"Sweet
Woman's Love" (House Of Orange 1971)
My Love Is So
Strong For You
For Your Precious Love
I Love You
I Can Hold My Own
Cry, Cry, Cry
Don’t Marry A Fool
St. James Infirmary
Wrapped Up In You
Sweet Woman’s Love
"Better Days" (MT 1983)
A1 Better Days 3:25
A2 The Children 5:00
A3 Baby Love 3:35
A4 Go Your Way 3:41
B1 Don't Give Up 5:57
B2 Sad Shades Of Blue 3:00
B3 You The One 3:21
B4 I Got To Know 4:34
"Sad Shades Of Blue" (Charly 1986)
A1 I Ain't Worried About Jody
A2 You Heart Is So Cold
A3 I Know My Baby Loves Me
A4 I'll Meet You
A5 Why Does It Hurt So Bad
A6 A Whole Lot Of Man
A7 A Sad Shade Of Blue
B1 Will It Me Or Him (Part One)
B2 Will It Me Or Him (Part Two)
B3 Long Cold Winter
B4 I've Got To Pay The Price
B5 I'm Gonna Change
B6 Two That Sticks Together
B7 I'm So In Love With You
"Sadder Shades Of Blue: The Southern Soul
Sessions 1971-1976" (Westside 1998)
1 Your Heart Is So Cold 3:47
2 I've Got To Pay The Price 3:18
3 I Don't Worry (About Jody) Pt. 1 4:39
4 A Whole Lot Of Man 3:27
5 I'm Gonna Change 4:47
6 Two That Sticks Together 2:49
7 Don't Walk Off (And Leave Me) 4:04
8 I'm So In Love With You 3:40
9 I Know My Baby Loves Me 3:08
10 I'll Meet You 3:30
11 You Made Your Bed So Hard 5:06
12 Why Did It Hurt So Bad 2:33
13 A Sad Shade Of Blue 4:13
14 Will It Be Me Or Him Pt. 1 3:33
15 Long Cold Winter 2:56
16 Nice And Easy 3:05
17 Strange Sensation 2:56
18 There's Gotta Be Some Changes Made 3:26
19 Tired Of Busting My Brain 4:00
20 I'll Play The Blues For You 3:33
21 I'll Get By 2:52
22 Nice And Easy (alt. take) 3:59
"The Lost Soul Man" (AIM 2005)
1-1 Ain't Worrying About Jody Pt.
1
1-2 A Sad Shade Of Blue
1-3 Don't Walk Off (And Leave Me)
1-4 A Whole Lot Of Man
1-5 Don't Want To Lose You
1-6 I'll Meet You
1-7 I Know My Baby Loves Me
1-8 Heavy On My Mind Pt. 1
1-9 Heavy On My Mind Pt. 2
1-10 Hot Buttered Love Version 1
1-11 Hot Buttered Love Version 2
1-12 Chained And Bound
1-13 Ain't Worrying About Jody Pt. 2
2-1 Two That Stick Together
2-2 I'm Gonna Change
2-3 I'm So In Love With You
2-4 I've Got To Pay The Price
2-5 Long Cold Winter
2-6 Why Does It Hurt So Bad Version 1
2-7 Why Does It Hurt So Bad Version 2
2-8 Will It Be Me Or Him Pt. 1
2-9 Will It Be Me Or Him Pt. 2
2-10 You Made Your Bed
2-11 Your Heart Is So Cold Pt. 1
2-12 Your Heart Is So Cold Pt. 2
**** There's
certainly more than one "lost soul man or woman" but this great
singer is like a hybrid of O.V. Wright and Bobby 'Blue" Bland! Like
Wright, Geater died way too young (38) but not before leaving some
serious deep soul & blues. The nomadic Davis recorded for various
labels (House Of Orange, Ace) but arguably his best sides were cut
for Luna/Seventy 7. This two disc 25 track set includes his entire
output for the label, including a handful of alternate takes. The
set opens with the hard soul blues "Ain't Worrying About Jody" (aka
"I Don't Worry (About Jody))" with Davis' sandpaper squall and some
fantastic Stax-like horns (think Albert King circa 1972). The
Bland-like "Your Heart Is So Cold" was Geater's only chart hit (#64
R & B) but other smoky slow blues gems like "Sad Shade Of Blue",
"Long Cold Winter" & "I'm Gonna Change" rate just as high. On the
upbeat you got some funky soul/blues like "Two That Sticks Together"
and Southern Soul ("I've Got To Pay The Price"). Collector's should
note that this collection has tracks ("Heavy On My Mind", "Hot
Buttered Love", "Chained And Bound", "You Made Your Bed", "Don't
Want To Lose You") not included on the compilation "Sadder Shades
Of Blues: The Southern Soul Sessions 1971-1976" (now
out-of-print). Conversely this comp doesn't include other Davis
goodies like "Tired Of Busting My Brain" & "Strange Sensation" which
were recorded for Ace. Further nothing was used from the 1984 LP
"Better Days" recorded with James Bennett. Once again this set focus
on one label and one period and being that it contains all the
material you can't find fault with that. Hopefully the other labels
will be inspired to do the same.
"I'll Play The Blues For You: The Legendary House Of Orange
Sessions" (Soulscape 2008)
1. Sweet Woman's
Love
2. Don't Marry a Fool
3. My Love Is So Strong for You
4. I Can Hold My Own
5. For Your Precious Love [Album Version]
6. Wrapped Up in You
7. Cry, Cry, Cry
8. I Love You
9. St. James Infirmary
10. I Know (My Baby Loves Me)
11. Best of Luck to You
12. I'll Play the Blues for You
13. Cold Love [Long Version]
14. I'll Play the Blues for You [Second Version]
15. Breath Taking Girl
16. I'll Get By
"Lost
Soul" (Luv N' Haught 2012)
My Love Is So Strong For You
For Your Precious Love
I Love You
I Can Hold My Own
Cry, Cry, Cry
Don't Marry A Fool
St. James Infirmary
Wrapped Up In You
Sweet Woman's Love
I Know (My Baby Loves Me)
I'll Play The Blues For You
I'll Play The Blues For You [2nd Version]
Cold Love [Long Version]
Breath Taking Girl
I'll Get By
Best Of Luck To You
Wilson Meadows
