Ray Shanklin (June 4, 1947 – March 6, 2015) – What You Sow (1973)

The unsung arranger/songwriter/producer co-wrote and produced this phenomenal funky jam for Ralph Bakshi's cult animated film Heavy Traffic.

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Ray Shanklin was an unsung, multi-talented soul and R&B arranger, songwriter, and producer who worked on several cult classic albums and soundtracks during the early 1970s.

Born in Oakland, California, Bobby Ray Shanklin began working with producer and label owner Jesse “J.J.” Jones in 1962, and soon became the principal arranger for Jones’ independent R&B label Four-J Records. He helped create more than a dozen Four-J releases over the next few years.

One of the first records Shanklin co-wrote and produced on his own was by Rodger Collins, who had a hit in 1966 with “She’s Looking Good,” later recorded by Wilson Pickett. Shanklin, Collins, and Lee Williams co-wrote both sides of his 1967 follow up single “Ain't Going To Forget It” b/w the stellar funky jam “She's A Good Woman,” produced by Shanklin and released on the Fantasy Records subsidiary Galaxy. The B-side peaked at #44 R&B and just bubbled under the Hot 100 at #101.

The same year, Shanklin also produced a single on Galaxy that he and Williams co-wrote for Gail Anderson, the beautiful “Born To Be Loved” (1967) with the upbeat soul/funk jam “I Can’t Stop It” on the flip, written by Collins.

In 1972, Shanklin and Ed Bogas co-produced and co-wrote most of the Fantasy Records soundtrack for animator Ralph Bakshi’s big screen debut, the infamous animated film Fritz The Cat. It was the first X-rated cartoon movie, and remains the all-time highest-grossing independent animated feature film. One of the highlights co-written by Shanklin and Bogas was the funky workout “House Rock.” Another standout cut was the funk jam “The Riot,” which they also co-wrote.

Shanklin and Bogas also composed and co-produced the soundtrack to Bakshi’s next film, Heavy Traffic (1973). It was full of more great funk cuts like “Carol’s Theme,” the film’s swinging title track, and the phenomenal jam “What You Sow,” which was later included on the soundtrack to the HBO series The Deuce.

Happy Heavenly Birthday to the great Ray Shanklin.

Further info:

“Four-J — The Hard Way,” NumeroGroup.com.

#soul #funk #RalphBakshi #RayShanklin