Jerome Teasley (August 13, 1948 – June 16, 2016) – Let's Do It Today (Procrastination) (1970)

This epic, funky jam by The "Us" was co-written by longtime Junior Walker & the All Stars drummer Teasley with fellow songwriters Jack Hill and Larry Scurlock.

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Jerome Teasley was a drummer and songwriter who backed Junior Walker & the All Stars for several years and also worked with legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, Al Green, Wilson Pickett, and Sonny Stitt.

Born in Detroit, one of the first of Teasley’s songs to be recorded was a rare single by his group the Soul Continentals, released when he was 19 years old. He co-wrote “Moovin A'Na Groovin” (1967), the funky B-side to the slow jam “Ooh I Love You” (written by Robert aka Jackey Beavers, who was also in the group with Teasley) and came out on Beavers’ Michigan-based label Jaber Records.

Another group he went on to play with were called The “Us.” Besides Teasley, other members were Doug Cassens on tenor sax, Philip Wright on guitar and vocals, and Larry Scurlock on bass and vocals.

Their sole single was released in 1970 on Jaber. The epic funky jam “Let's Do It Today (Procrastination)” was co-written by Teasley, Scurlock, and songwriter Jack Hill, b/w ”Peace,” a laid back instrumental that Teasley, Hill, Scurlock, and Wright co-wrote. Both sides were produced by Beavers.

After Teasley joined Junior Walker & the All Stars, he co-wrote their 1973 anthem “Peace And Understanding (Is Hard To Find)” along with Ronald Harville and Walker (credited to his real name Autry DeWalt). It came out on the Motown subsidiary Soul and was produced and arranged by Walker.

It became the title track to Walker’s next album, also released in 1973. Teasley and Walker co-wrote another of its tracks, the instrumental jam “Soul Clappin’.”

Rest in Power, Jerome Teasley.

#soul #funk #Detroit #JuniorWalker #JeromeTeasley