Herb Fame (born October 1, 1942) – You're Messin' Up My Mind (1966)
This superb jam was the first single ever recorded by the Peaches and Herb co-founder after he was discovered by Van McCoy while working at a D.C. record store.
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Herb Fame is a singer best known as half of the long-running soul and R&B duo Peaches & Herb.
Born Herbert Feemster in Southeast Washington, D.C., he sang in church and vocal groups in his Anacostia neighborhood during childhood. He was discovered by Van McCoy while working at a D.C. record store.
The first single they cut together was the superb jam “You're Messin' Up My Mind,” released in 1966, and credited to his new stage name Herb Fame. McCoy wrote, arranged, and co-produced the track.
At the suggestion of A&R executive Dave Kapralik, who along with McCoy had signed Fame to Columbia’s subsidiary Date Records, he was paired with singer Francine “Peaches” Barker (aka Francine Day). Their first single, “We’re in This Thing Together,” was not a hit until DJ’s began playing the B-side, “Let’s Fall In Love.”
Peaches & Herb released roughly a dozen singles and two full-length albums over the next few years, with most of them enjoying moderate success on the R&B charts. Barker quit after two years, tired of life on the road, and was replaced by Marlene Mack (aka Marlene Jenkins). In 1970, Fame also quit the act, enrolled in the Washington, D.C. police academy, and became a city police officer.
Six years later, Fame decided to return to the music industry. He re-connected with Van McCoy who suggested a singer named Linda Greene should take over as Peaches. McCoy produced their comeback LP, which was their third studio album. The self-titled Peaches & Herb was released on MCA in 1977.
The duo struck gold with their next record, produced by former Motown songwriter and producer Freddie Perren. 2 Hot was released in 1978 and peaked at #1 R&B and #2 on the Billboard album charts on the strength of its smash singles “Shake Your Groove Thing” and “Reunited,” the latter of which topped both the R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts for a month in the spring of 1979. The album also contained the killer jam “All Your Love (Give It Here),” which was issued as the B-side to “Shake Your Groove Thing,” the album’s lead single.
Their follow up to 2 Hot was Twice the Fire, released in 1979. It was again produced by Perren, but did not live up to 2 Hot’s mega-success. The LP did feature the super funky opening cut “Roller Skatin’ Mate,” co-written by Perren and his songwriting partner Dino Fekaris. The album’s stellar backing band included Melvin “Wah Wah Watson” Ragin on guitar, Paulinho Da Costa on percussion, and James Gadson on drums.
Further info:
“Off the Force and Onto the Charts,” Washington Post, January 1, 1979.
“Half of Peaches & Herb duo counts his blessings,” Philadelphia Tribune, January 24, 2020.
#soul #funk #disco #VanMcCoy #PeachesAndHerb #HerbFame