Darrell Banks (July 25, 1937 – February 24, 1970) – We'll Get Over (1969)
The hopeful message of this rare soul, inspirational anthem is especially poignant because the year following its release, Banks was killed by a Detroit police officer.
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Darrell Banks' promising career as a singer was tragically cut short at age 32 when he was killed by an off-duty Detroit police officer, and he laid buried for years in an unmarked grave.
Born Darrell Eubanks in Mansfield, Ohio, halfway between Columbus and Cleveland, he was raised in Buffalo, New York and began singing gospel songs in church.
His first single “Open The Door To Your Heart” went to #2 R&B in 1966. The song was written by Banks’ friend Donnie Elbert, and originally titled “Baby, Walk Right In.” But Banks completed the track and changed its title while Elbert was touring, and left Elbert’s name off the song clearance form. Elbert sued and the two of them were eventually credited as co-writers. The single’s B-side was "Our Love (Is in the Pocket)," co-written by George Clinton. Mike Terry of Motown’s Funk Brothers played the baritone sax on both songs.
Banks signed with ATCO Records and released several more singles and a debut LP, Darrell Banks Is Here (1967). He then switched to Stax Records who put out his second album Here To Stay in 1969. It was produced by Don Davis, and co-arranged by Burt Keys and Rudy Robinson. Two singles were released from the LP, the second of which was the album opener “Just Because Your Love Is Gone” b/w “I'm The One Who Loves You,” a great non-LP track. Neither single charted.
The highlight of Here To Stay was its superb inspirational anthem “We’ll Get Over.” It was written by the songwriting team We Three, aka Bettye Crutcher, Homer Banks and Raymond Jackson. They mostly penned songs for Stax artists including Carla Thomas, the Staple Singers, Booker T. and the M.G.’s, and Johnnie Taylor, for whom they wrote “Who’s Making Love” and “I Could Never Be President.” The latter song was also covered by David Ruffin on Feelin’ Good, his second solo LP.
The hopeful message of “We’ll Get Over” is especially poignant because the year following its release, Banks was killed on the morning of February 24, 1970 by an off-duty Detroit police officer, Aaron Bullock, who was having an affair with Banks’ girlfriend. For years, Banks was buried in an unmarked grave before soul fans raised funds for a memorial bench marker.
#soul #Detroit #DarrellBanks #BlackLivesMatter #BlackHistoryMonth