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Carl Davis Dead: Famed Chicago Soul Producer Dies at Age 77

Carl Davis dead diesAmazon.com

Chicago music impresario Carl Davis has died at the age of 77. The record producer was known as the King of Chicago Soul for his work in the 1960s, including his first No. 1, which was Gene Chandler's "Duke of Earl," and Jackie Wilson's "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher."

Born in Chicago on Sept. 19, 1934, Davis began his music career as an assistant to a radio DJ, later getting into music marketing, then working as an A&R for Columbia Record's subsidiary label OKeh.

Davis went on to produce for everyone from Curtis Mayfield to Major Lance and founded two record labels of his own, Dakar and Chi-Sound.

The music industry veteran passed away at his home in Summerville, S.C., on Aug. 9 from pulmonary fibrosis. He is survived by his wife Dedra and seven children.

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Watch Jackie Wilson Perform "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher," Produced by Carl Davis

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19 Comments

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brennemanbelkin

I really enjoyed this man's work.
RIP Mr. Davis.

August 17 2012 at 11:55 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
mhdjl

While I have never heard of Mr. Davis, I grew up enjoying the songs he produced. May he rest in peace and condolences to his family.

August 17 2012 at 11:38 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Larry D. Smith

Thanks for the many memories.....The Regal in Chicago!!!

August 17 2012 at 10:23 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
bigcatdaddy

WHO?

August 17 2012 at 8:25 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
mily469

R.I.P.

August 17 2012 at 7:25 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
K White

I'm pretty young and have never heard of Carl Davis, but I like the above Jackie Wilson song. I bet the song with Curtis Mayfield is great, too. And someone should really make a film about Jackie's life; seems like he was such an exciting man. Oh well. RIP, Mr. Davis.

And what an interesting tale, Dytimmys.

August 17 2012 at 5:58 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Shan

who?

August 17 2012 at 2:27 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
dytimmys

Him and a Bar owner named Big Bob were the only two men in the world known to be able to stand completely still and without any leg movement at all would start sliding sideways as if on rollers...Scientist researched both of them and could not figure it out...Big Bob was a Bar owner in Illinois that owned a Bar called "Big Bob's Place" and if you would order a drink or ask him a question he didn't want to answer he would look you dead in the eye, start letting slobber form in his mouth and start running down his chin, dripping off of it hold his arms out as to say "So What" and with no wheels or movement slide sideways all the way to the other end of the bar...
Another thing many don't know about that is creepy and VERY unusual is Sal Mineo..What I'm about to tell you is not a joke. When Sal Mineo died, he died so fast,yet still had so much life force in him, that his brain continued to fire and his body would roll over to his side hold his arm up as in to get a hand up and says (slurs)" I'm OK"...It repeats itself over and over, scientist studied him and he is incased in a glass room on an elevated floor, the room is humidity and temp. controled and his body has not stopped doing this still to this day...The location and list of people who have seen him is very secretive, but there are red velvet ropes that are there that you would see when you are waiting in a line for a ride at an amusement park, you can actually hear him saying the last thing he said before he died "I'm OK" ...He is in what is called Involentary Perpetual Movement Suspended Animation. Had they not got him into a climate controlled enviroment immediately he would have (in time) ceased to move...But his body is about 5 stories under a bar in Hollywood, its a space once used as a bomb shelter...36 years have passed, he looks exactly the same as he did the day he died, blood soaked clothes and all...Through an old company I worked for I inavertedly was taken down to see this. Several stars (Only Major Celebs) like Clint Eastwood, Michael Jackson and other A listers have been given the opp. to witness him. Liz Taylor and Natalie Wood are just 2 of the celebs said to have passed out due to fear after seeing this...I can assure you it is NOT anamitronic. There are several who have thought this to sound so beyond the realm of belief they pawn it off to non-sense, as a private driver for a Celeb (I will not say who) was taken to see this...It is horrible, it is the thing nightmares and hooror movies produce...But I will SWEAR that it is very real...If you live in Hollywood start asking around, I will say one actor who is not afraid to talk about it is Chris Lloyd (Taxi, Back to the Future)...Select MIT professors and their student are allowed to study him along with Johns-Hopkins and Mayo Brothers...I understand most of you won't believe this..Heck I would think a person was a nut if I read this and not seen it..I just feel this story needs told

August 17 2012 at 2:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sanya Rae

Wasn't Bunky Sheppard the Producer of Gene Chandler's
"Duke of Earl" ??? RIP Carl.

August 17 2012 at 1:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Sanya Rae's comment
sunchld0

That's correct. Carl Davis never worked for Vee-Jay Records.

August 20 2012 at 12:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lloyce

He carved a place in musical history for himself; RIP, Mr. Davies.

August 17 2012 at 1:39 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
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