Marion Black
Encyclopedia
Marion Black is an American
soul
singer and songwriter
from Columbus, Ohio
, best known for his 1970 song "Who Knows". The track was prominently sampled by the American musician RJD2
in the song, "Smoke and Mirrors," from his 2002 album, Deadringer
.
Black’s career began in 1969, when he approached local music operator Bill Moss, with his self-penned song "Who Knows". The resultant single launched Moss' Capsoul record label. The A-side
, "Go On Fool," became a minor hit in 1971, peaking at #39 on the US
Billboard
R&B
chart. Black continued his job as a head waiter, and only toured lightly in support of the single. After a dispute over royalties with Capsoul founder Bill Moss, Black left Capsoul for another local label, Prix Records. where he later recorded at Harmonic Sounds. His releases there included "Listen Black Brother", "I'm Gonna Get Loaded", and "(More Love) Is All We Need", but all were commercial failures.
Later in the 1970s, Black recorded at Jack Casey's Rome Studio on East Broad Street, which yielded another nationally distributed single, "Off The Critical List" on Shakat Records.
Three decades later, a tape with a previously unreleased song entitled "Come On and Gettit" was found at an estate sale in Columbus.
Black's recordings have featured on two compilation album
s issued by The Numero Group
. He is represented on Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label
(2004) by two tracks, "Who Knows" and "Go On Fool". The compilation Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label (2007) features "Listen Black Brother", along with the unreleased track "Come On and Gettit".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
from Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, best known for his 1970 song "Who Knows". The track was prominently sampled by the American musician RJD2
RJD2
RJD2 is an American music producer, singer and musician. RJD2 was born in Eugene, Oregon, and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was signed to the Definitive Jux label where he released two largely instrumental hip hop albums and has produced tracks...
in the song, "Smoke and Mirrors," from his 2002 album, Deadringer
Deadringer (album)
Deadringer is the debut album of RJD2. It was released on July 23, 2002 on Definitive Jux.-Track listing:# "The Horror" – 4:11# "Salud" – 0:38# "Smoke & Mirrors" – 4:26# "Good Times Roll Pt.2" – 4:57# "Final Frontier" – 4:25...
.
Black’s career began in 1969, when he approached local music operator Bill Moss, with his self-penned song "Who Knows". The resultant single launched Moss' Capsoul record label. The A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, "Go On Fool," became a minor hit in 1971, peaking at #39 on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart. Black continued his job as a head waiter, and only toured lightly in support of the single. After a dispute over royalties with Capsoul founder Bill Moss, Black left Capsoul for another local label, Prix Records. where he later recorded at Harmonic Sounds. His releases there included "Listen Black Brother", "I'm Gonna Get Loaded", and "(More Love) Is All We Need", but all were commercial failures.
Later in the 1970s, Black recorded at Jack Casey's Rome Studio on East Broad Street, which yielded another nationally distributed single, "Off The Critical List" on Shakat Records.
Three decades later, a tape with a previously unreleased song entitled "Come On and Gettit" was found at an estate sale in Columbus.
Black's recordings have featured on two compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s issued by The Numero Group
The Numero Group
The Numero Group is an archival record label that creates reissue compilations of previously released music, reissues original albums, and creates album reconstructions from a variety of musical genres...
. He is represented on Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label
Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label
Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label is the first compilation by The Numero Group and first volume in the Eccentric Soul series.Short for Capital City Soul, the Columbus, Ohio Capsoul label's history spans only five short years throughout the 1970s...
(2004) by two tracks, "Who Knows" and "Go On Fool". The compilation Eccentric Soul: The Prix Label (2007) features "Listen Black Brother", along with the unreleased track "Come On and Gettit".
Discography
| Title (A-side/B-side) | Label | Year |
|---|---|---|
| "Go on Fool"/"Who Knows" | Capsoul | 1970 |
| "I'm Gonna Get Loaded"/"You're Not Alone" | Prix | 1971 |
| "Listen Black Brother"/"Listen Black Brother - Pt.2" | Prix | 1972 |
| "(More Love) is All We Need"/Inst. | Prix | 1973 |
| "Off The Critical List" Part 1/Part 2 | Starr/Shakat | 1973 |
| "He Kept it For His Self"/"You Don't Want Me" | Rome | |