Creative Source -

Creative Source was an American soul group from Los Angeles that released four albums between 1973 and 1976 on Sussex and Polydor. Producer Mike Stokes shaped their early studio identity around close male-female vocals, strings, brass, and fuzz guitar across lengthy sections. Their key songs include “You Can’t Hide Love,” “Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?,” “Migration,” and “Pass the Feelin’ On.” Later work spread their lead rotation across ballads and dance cuts.

Members: Donald Lee Wyatt [aka Don Wyatt] (vocals), Barbara Lewis (vocals), Steve Flanagan (vocals), Celeste Rose (vocals), Barbara Berryman (vocals)

Background

Creative Source formed in Los Angeles in 1972 when 5th Dimension member Ron Townson assembled a vocal quintet around Barbara Lewis, Don Wyatt, Barbara Berryman, Steve Flanagan, and Celeste Rose.

Lewis recorded with The Elgins, an LA vocal group on Lummtone (not the Motown act). Wyatt first sang in late-Fifties doo-wop combos (The Fortunes, The Colts), followed by a stint in the backing group of Nat King Cole.

Townson worked with songwriter-arranger Skip Scarborough during the act’s move toward Sussex Records, which signed Creative Source and linked them with producer Michael Stokes.

Creative Source

Creative Source released its self-titled debut album in 1973 on Sussex.

The album includes their inaugural hit, “You Can’t Hide Love,” and three songs co-written by Earl Thomas and producer Michael Stokes. Creative Source also features covers of hits by Bill Withers (“Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?),” Steppenwolf (“Magic Carpet Ride”), and Skylark (“Wild Flower”).

“You Can’t Hide Love” snaps through fuzz-guitar accents while Barbara Berryman, Barbara Lewis, and Celeste Rose fold lead parts into stacked replies. “Let Me In Your Life” glides under strings and broad vocal blend, with the lead held close to the arrangement. “Lovesville” bounces through shared male-female leads, then closes on fuzz-guitar punctuation. “You’re Too Good To Be True” lopes around a baritone lead and electric-sitar tone, with the refrain drawn into a clean mid-tempo cadence.

“Wild Flower” drifts into an electric-sitar solo. “Magic Carpet Ride” charges through group vocals and heavier guitar emphasis. “Who Is He and What Is He To You” coils through an extended loop, with fuzz guitar, Moog, brass, and repeated vocal phrases pressing the suspicion text. “Oh Love” places female leads over a soft ballad refrain.

A1. “You Can’t Hide Love” (3:22) — Skip Scarborough
A2. “Let Me in Your Life” (3:03) — Bill Withers
A3. “Lovesville” (3:58) — Stokes, Thomas
A4. “You’re Too Good to Be True” (3:30) — Stokes, Joe Thomas
A5. “Wild Flower” (4:39) — Doug Edwards, David Richardson

B1. “Magic Carpet Ride” (3:10) — Rushton Moreve, John Kay
B2. “Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?” (11:45) — Bill Withers, Stanley McKenny
B3. “Oh Love” (3:24) — Michael Stokes, Joe Thomas.

Sessions occurred at G.M. Studios in East Detroit, with overdubs at Record Plant in Los Angeles, under producer Mike Stokes.

“You Can’t Hide Love” became an August 1973 single (b/w “Lovesville”) and reached No. 48 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 114 on the Hot 100. “You’re Too Good to Be True” followed in January 1974 (b/w “Oh Love”) and reached No. 88 R&B and No. 108 pop.

In March 1974, “Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?” became the third single, backed with an instrumental version. It reached No. 21 R&B and No. 69 on the Hot 100.

Migration

Creative Source released its second album, Migration, in 1974 on Sussex.

The album expands the Creative Source studio lineup with bassist James Jamerson, drummer Kenny Rice, multiple keyboardists, paired guitarists, and horn and string sections.

Migration places the quintet inside Paul Riser charts and Skip Scarborough vocal arrangements, with strings, brass, synthesizer, clipped guitar, percussion, and close five-part entries as the album’s working taxonomy. “Harlem,” “Corazon,” and “Let Me Be the One” carry outside repertory into that arranged-vocal chassis. “I Just Can’t See Myself Without You” centers Scarborough material within the group’s longer-form vocal cut. “Keep On Movin’” lopes at an andante dance pulse. The title track returns the group lead to sectional brass and string support.

A1. “I’m Gonna Get There” (2:27) – Stokes–Thomas–Wyatt
A2. “Harlem” (4:57) – Withers
A3. “I Just Can’t See Myself Without You” (7:30) – Scarborough

B1. “Keep On Movin’” (2:35) – Stokes–Thomas–Scarborough
B2. “Migration” (4:22) – Stokes–Thomas
B3. “Corazon” (4:41) – King
B4. “Let Me Be the One” (3:27) – Williams–Nichols

Creative Source recorded Migration at Record Plant in Los Angeles with producer Mike Stokes and engineer Phil Schier.

Sussex issued “Harlem” as a 1974 single (b/w “Migration”). “Migration” itself followed as a February 1975 a-side (b/w “I Just Can’t See Myself Without You”) and reached No. 62 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Pass the Feelin’ On

Creative Source released its third album, Pass the Feelin’ On, in 1975 on Polydor.

Pass the Feelin’ On features Wade Marcus horn-and-string charts and rhythm/vocal arrangements split among Earl Thomas, Skip Scarborough, Jerry Hardy, and producer Mike Stokes.

“Thanks for Loving Me” glides through string lines and a close, low-pressure vocal lead. “Funky Luvah” snaps into the album’s clipped dance cut, the track singled out in a 1975 trade capsule. “Pass the Feelin’ On,” “I Want Ya (Loving Me),” “Rainbow on the Ground,” and “Turn On to Music” sit under the same ensemble-vocal apparatus.

A1. “Pass the Feelin’ On” (5:01) – Stokes–Thomas
A2. “Thanks for Loving Me” (4:45) – Stokes–Thomas
A3. “Sincerely” (3:01) – Stokes–Thomas
A4. “I Want Ya (Loving Me)” (3:52) – Scarborough–Gatlin

B1. “Funky Luvah” (4:35) – Scarborough
B2. “Rainbow on the Ground” (3:57) – Stokes–Thomas
B3. “Don’t Be Afraid (Take My Love)” (3:46) – Stokes–Thomas
B4. “One Happy Song” (4:34) – Stokes–Thomas
B5. “Turn On to Music” (3:35) – Stokes–Thomas

Creative Source recorded Pass the Feelin’ On at Broadway Recording Studios in New York and Studio Masters in Los Angeles with producer Mike Stokes and engineers Don Blake and Pat Jacques. Wade Marcus wrote the horn and string arrangements. George Devens added vibraphone and percussion.

Desmond Strobel designed the sleeve with photography by Albert Watson.

Polydor lifted “Pass the Feelin’ On” as a December 1975 single (b/w “Turn On to Music”), which reached No. 92 on the Billboard R&B chart. In the UK, “Pass the Feelin’” appeared on the back of “Don’t Be Afraid (Take My Love).”

Consider the Source

Creative Source released its fourth album, Consider the Source, in 1976 on Polydor.

Consider finds them under the direction of Brad Shapiro with enhanced lead rotation and tempo contrast. “Under Your Spell” splits leads among Celeste Rose, Don Wyatt, and Steve Flanagan. “There’s No Substitute” gives Barbara Lewis a steadier lead slot. “Good Lovin’ Is Good Livin’” pairs Lewis and Rose over a quicker track. “Singin’ Funky Music Turns Me On” assigns Wyatt a slower vocal center. “I’d Find You Anywhere” places Lewis over one of the album’s slowest tempos. “Magic” closes on a firmer pulse.

A1. “Under Your Spell” (3:34) – Johnson
A2. “There’s No Substitute” (3:53) – Powell–Gatlin
A3. “Good Lovin’ Is Good Livin’” (5:40) – Thomas
A4. “Singin’ Funky Music Turns Me On” (4:54) – Shapiro

B1. “Troubled Lady” (4:48) – Thomas
B2. “I’d Find You Anywhere” (3:19) – McLeod–Sawyer
B3. “I Never Thought It Would Come to This” (4:14) – Fritts–White
B4. “Magic” (3:22) – Powell–Gatlin

Shapiro arranged and produced Consider the Source at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Criteria Recording Studios, and Wally Heider Studios for Aaron Bradley Productions. Brad Shapiro produced the album. Mike Lewis shared arrangement credits.

Discography: