Eddie Campbell (December 23, 1940 – July 10, 1994) – Contagious Love (1966)

This ultra-rare jam was the only record the unsung singer/songwriter who was half of the R&B/soul duo Eddie & Ernie ever released under his own name.

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Eddie Campbell was an unsung singer/songwriter who was one half of the duo Eddie & Ernie, best known for their 1965 minor R&B hit “Time Waits For No One.”

Born in rural Texas but raised in Phoenix, Arizona, as a teenager William Edgar Campbell began singing with a gospel group called the Heavenly Travelers. His brother Lloyd introduced him to Ernie L. Johnson Jr., who sang alongside his father Ernest Johnson Sr. in another gospel group, the Crusaders. The two singers started writing songs together, and formed the duo Eddie & Ernie. In 1963 their first single was released on both Checker Records and Nightingale Records, the upbeat jam “Who's That Knocking At My Door,” which they co-wrote.

In 1964, they partnered with local producer Hadley Murrell and co-wrote the superb, loneliness anthem jam “Self Service” with him. It was released as the B-side to “Found A Love, Where It's At,” credited to the New Bloods, a name chosen since they were already releasing records as Eddie & Ernie on other labels. It was co-produced by Ray Jackson and Murrell.

In 1965, they put out their biggest-ever hit, “Time Waits For No One,” which they co-wrote. Released on Eastern Records, it went to #34 R&B on the Billboard charts.

The only single Campbell ever released under his own name was the ultra-rare, funky jam “Contagious Love” (1966) on the tiny Phoenix-based soul label Artco Records, owned by producer Art Barrett. Its B-side was the heartfelt “Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do,” with both sides written by Campbell.

In the early seventies, they released a final few funky singles. One was the phenomenal funky jam “You Give Me Love To Go On” (1971) which they co-wrote with songwriter Pete James, b/w a superb cover of Aaron Neville’s 1966 classic love song “Tell It Like It Is.”

One of their tracks originally recorded in 1967 was picked up five years later by the UK label Jay Boy, the socially conscious “Beautiful World” (1972) with the stellar jam “Indication” on the flip, both sides co-written with Pete James. Original copies today sell for $300 and up on Discogs.

Rest in Power, Eddie Campbell.

#soul #funk #R&B #Eddie&Ernie #EddieCampbell