Detroit Emeralds -

The Detroit Emeralds were an American soul group from Little Rock, Arkansas. Ivory Tilmon and Abrim Tilmon formed the core lineup with James Mitchell after the group relocated to Detroit and cut “Show Time” for Ric-Tic in 1968.

They signed to Westbound in 1970 and issued Do Me Right in 1971, followed by You Want It, You Got It in 1972. Those albums placed “Do Me Right,” “You Want It, You Got It,” and “Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)” among their main R&B singles.

I’m in Love With You followed in 1973 with “You’re Gettin’ a Little Too Smart” and the widely circulated “Feel the Need in Me.” The later albums Feel the Need and Let’s Get Together closed their original album run during the late 1970s.

Members: Abrim Tilmon, Ivory Tilmon, James Mitchell (lead vocals), Marvin Willis, Jimmy Scott, Michael Henderson, Dave Dean (keyboards), Simon Gardner (guitar), Andy Avent (bass), Martin Kautz (drums)

Background

The Emeralds formed in Little Rock, Arkansas, in the early 1960s when four Tilmon brothers — Ivory, Abrim, Cleophus, and Raymond — assembled a vocal group. The brothers worked local Little Rock venues for several years. Cleophus and Raymond Tilmon left before the Detroit move. Ivory and Abrim Tilmon continued with singer James Mitchell, a childhood friend from Perry, Florida. The trio moved to Detroit and renamed the act the Detroit Emeralds.

The Detroit Emeralds cut “Show Time” for Ric-Tic Records in 1968. The single reached the R&B chart, but the group lost momentum after Motown absorbed Ric-Tic. Armen Boladian signed the trio to Westbound Records in 1969. They recorded “Holding On” for Westbound, then worked with producer Willie Mitchell during a 1970 Memphis tour. The Memphis rhythm tracks and Detroit overdubs produced “If I Lose Your Love,” which gave Westbound its first Detroit Emeralds chart single. “Do Me Right” followed in 1971 and gave Westbound the basis for the group’s first album.

Do Me Right

Detroit Emeralds released their debut album, Do Me Right, on March 11, 1971 on Westbound.

The album presents vocal soul and R&B, performed by singers Abrim Tilmon, Ivory Tilmon, and James Mitchell. Its tracklist includes a cover of the Beatles song “And I Love Her.”

Do Me Right sets close lead-and-response singing against Memphis-cut rhythm tracks, brass replies, and string lines. “Do Me Right” rides a smooth, driving dance pulse, with the vocal refrain locked to a compact rhythm figure. “Just Now and Then” lowers the tempo into ballad phrasing, with light brass and strings under the lead. “Wear This Ring (With Love)” expands that ballad setting through fuller harmony and brass-string support. “If I Lose Your Love” and “I Can’t See Myself Doing Without You” place the lead vocal at the front of restrained rhythm tracks.

A1. “Do Me Right” (2:47) – Tilmon, Mitchell
A2. “Wear This Ring (With Love)” (3:13) – Tilmon, Mitchell
A3. “Long Live the King” (3:30) – Tilmon, Beatty, Grazcyk
A4. “What You Gonna Do About Me” (3:17) – Garrett
A5. “You Can’t Take This Love for You, from Me” (3:12) – Tilmon, Beatty, Grazcyk
A6. “Just Now and Then” (3:21) – Tilmon

B1. “Lee” (2:48) – Tilmon, Beatty, Grazcyk
B2. “If I Lose Your Love” (3:16) – Tilmon, Mitchell
B3. “And I Love Her” (3:15) – Lennon–McCartney
B4. “I Can’t See Myself (Doing Without You)” (3:18) – Garrett
B5. “Holding On” (2:42) – Toney, Weems
B6. “Admit Your Love Is Gone” (3:11) – Tilmon, Beatty, Grazcyk

Katouzzion produced Do Me Right. The LP credits arrangers Abrim Tilmon, Sonny Sanders, and Willie Mitchell as conductors. Do Me Right appeared in a sleeve with cover design by Paula Bisacca and the Graffiteria and photography by Joel Brodsky.

Westbound issued “If I Lose Your Love” in December 1969 (b/w “I Bet You Get the One (Who Loves You)”), and the single reached No. 32 on Hot Soul Singles. The label followed in May 1970 with “I Can’t See Myself (Doing Without You)” (b/w “Just Now and Then”), which reached No. 41 on Hot Soul Singles.

“Do Me Right” became a January 1971 single (b/w “Just Now and Then”) and reached No. 7 on Hot Soul Singles and No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100; RPM ranked it at No. 95 on Top 100 Singles. “Wear This Ring (With Love)” followed in June 1971 (b/w “I Bet You Get the One (Who Loves You)”) and reached No. 18 on Hot Soul Singles and No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Do Me Right reached No. 23 on Billboard Top Soul LPs and No. 151 on Billboard Top LPs.

You Want It, You Got It

Detroit Emeralds released their second album, You Want It, You Got It, in January 1972 on Westbound.

The album presents vocal soul and funk, performed by singers Abrim Tilmon, Ivory Tilmon, and James Mitchell. Abrim Tilmon wrote eight songs; he co-wrote “I Bet You Get the One You Love” with James Mitchell.

You Want It, You Got It sharpens the earlier group format through higher-tempo dance material, clean vocal replies, and ballads with concise brass-string punctuation. “You Want It, You Got It” revisits the title-song mechanics of Do Me Right at a quicker tempo, with a repeated riff under the main vocal. “Till You Decide to Come Home” uses a rueful lead line and brass-string backing. “Feel the Need in Me” sets repeated title text over a steadier dance pulse. “There’s a Love for Me Somewhere” lowers the dynamic into ballad cadence.

A1. “You Want It, You Got It” (2:56)
A2. “There’s a Love for Me Somewhere” (2:23)
A3. “I’ll Never Sail the Sea Again” (3:34)
A4. “Take My Love” (3:37)

B1. “Feel the Need in Me” (3:37)
B2. “I’ve Got to Move” (3:01)
B3. “Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)” (3:46)
B4. “I Bet You Get the One You Love” (2:09) – Tilmon, Mitchell
B5. “Till You Decide to Come Home” (2:43)

Katouzzion produced You Want It, You Got It. The LP credits arrangers Abrim Tilmon and Johnny Allen as conductors. You Want It, You Got It appeared in a sleeve with art direction by David Krieger and photography by Joel Brodsky.

Westbound issued “You Want It, You Got It” in December 1971 (b/w “Till You Decide to Come Home”), and the single reached No. 5 on Hot Soul Singles and No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. The label followed in May 1972 with “Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)” (b/w “I’ll Never Sail the Sea Again”), which reached No. 4 on Hot Soul Singles and No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Feel the Need in Me” became an October 1972 single (b/w “There’s a Love for Me Somewhere”) and reached No. 22 on Hot Soul Singles. Janus issued “Feel the Need in Me” in the UK in February 1973, where it reached No. 4 on the Official Singles Chart. “You Want It, You Got It” reappeared in the UK in May 1973 and reached No. 12 on the Official Singles Chart.

You Want It, You Got It reached No. 37 on Billboard Top Soul LPs and No. 78 on Billboard Top LPs.

I’m in Love With You

Detroit Emeralds released their third album, I’m in Love With You, on January 31, 1973 on Westbound.

The album presents vocal soul and funk, performed by singers Abrim Tilmon, Ivory Tilmon, and James Mitchell. Abrim Tilmon wrote nine songs; he co-wrote “I Think of You” with James Mitchell.

I’m in Love With You concentrates on ballads and mid-tempo songs, then interrupts that pace with compact dance tracks. “Shake Your Head” opens with a lighter dance tempo and horn figures around the refrain. “So Long” stretches the ballad form through gospel-marked group harmony. “You’re Getting a Little Too Smart” starts with a breakbeat intro and a bass figure, then locks the lead vocal to a hard dance pulse.

“I Think of You” places Abrim Tilmon against a brighter mid-tempo setting. “You Control Me” extends the medley with a heavier rhythm. “Heaven Couldn’t Be Like This” uses punchy horns and a clipped transition into “Without You Baby.” “I’m in Love With You” slows the title phrase into an extended ballad cycle. “My Dreams Have Got the Best of Me” ends the album with close group harmony.

A1. “Shake Your Head” (3:01)
A2. “So Long” (6:03)
A3. “You’re Getting a Little Too Smart” (3:39)
A4. “I Think of You” (4:25) – Tilmon, Mitchell
A5. “You Control Me” (3:28)

B1. “Whatcha Gonna Wear Tomorrow” (4:14)
B2. “Heaven Couldn’t Be Like That” (2:22)
B3. “Without You Baby” (1:34)
B4. “I’m in Love With You” (6:39)
B5. “My Dreams Have Got the Best of Me” (2:48)

Katouzzion produced I’m in Love With You. The LP credits arrangers Abrim Tilmon and Johnny Allen as conductors. I’m in Love With You appeared in a sleeve with art direction by David Krieger and photography by Joel Brodsky.

Westbound issued “You’re Gettin’ a Little Too Smart” in May 1973 (b/w “Heaven Couldn’t Be Like This”), and the single reached No. 10 on Hot Soul Singles and No. 101 on the Billboard Hot 100. “I Think of You” followed in July 1973 (b/w “So Long”); the single reached No. 27 on the Official Singles Chart.

I’m in Love With You reached No. 27 on Billboard Top Soul LPs and No. 181 on Billboard Top LPs.

Feel the Need

Detroit Emeralds released their fourth studio album, Feel the Need, on May 19, 1977 on Westbound.

Feel the Need recasts the group in a later dance format, with “Set It Out,” “Take It or Leave Me,” and the title remake placed across side one. “Set It Out” uses the up-tempo vocal setting that followed the A.C. Tilmon split period. “Feel the Need” smooths the 1972 title idea into a straighter pulse and streamlined track design. “Wednesday,” “Love for You,” “Look What’s Happened to Our Love,” “Sexy Ways,” and “Love Has Come to Me” make the second side a shorter sequence with thinner public song-level detail.

Abrim Tilmon wrote seven songs and co-wrote “Set It Out” with Belda Baine and Louis Crane.

A1. “Set It Out” (5:02)
A2. “Take It or Leave It” (6:03)
A3. “Feel the Need” (7:03)

B1. “Wednesday” (3:31)
B2. “Love for You” (5:15)
B3. “Look What’s Happened to Our Love” (3:12)
B4. “Sexy Ways” (2:15)
B5. “Love Has Come to Me” (5:00)

Abrim Tilmon produced and arranged Feel the Need. The LP credits engineer Artie Fields, mixing engineer Arthur Stoppe, mastering engineer José Rodríguez, art director Bob Defrin, and photographer Joel Brodsky.

Westbound issued “Feel the Need” as a 1977 single (b/w “Love Has Come to Me”), and the single reached No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 73 on Hot Soul Singles, No. 14 on the Billboard dance chart, and No. 12 on the Official Singles Chart.

Let’s Get Together

Detroit Emeralds released their fifth studio album, Let’s Get Together, on February 23, 1978 on Westbound.

They recorded the album with roughly twenty players, including percussionist Lorenzo Brown, bassist Eddie N. Watkins Jr., keyboardist Gary Schunk, and guitarists Dennis Coffey and Bruce Nazarian. Brandye added backing vocals. Johnny Trudell led the horns, and Gordon Staples led the strings and woodwinds. Tom Moulton mixed the album.

“Let’s Get Together” opens with brass bursts, a pounding rhythm section, and call-and-response vocal work. “Turn On Lady” adds breathy backing parts, brass rasp, a stripped-down break, and a return to full-band pressure. “Traveling Man” shifts to a lower register through harpsichord figures, dark strings, and a half-spoken lead.

“I Can’t Seem to Forget” raises the tempo with brass, strings, and traded harmony lines. “What’s the Deal” uses tougher vocal accents, guitar stabs, and horn hits. “I Just Don’t Know About This Girl of Mine” sets a troubled lead against softer backing-vocal entries and string support.

A1. “Let’s Get Together” (5:30) – Cunningham, Mitchell, Willis
A2. “Turn On Lady” (5:22) – Tilmon, Mitchell, Theodore
A3. “(Call Me) Traveling Man” (6:52) – Sanders, Westley, Deloney, Wrightsil, Hutchins

B1. “I Can’t Seem to Forget” (4:17) – Theodore, Mitchell, Willis
B2. “What’s the Deal” (4:46) – Tilmon
B3. “Treat Her Like a Lady” (3:48) – Horne, Jones, Tilmon
B4. “I Just Don’t Know About This Girl of Mine” (3:46) – Horne, Pruitt, Tilmon
B5. “Have a Good Day” (3:25) – Horne, Tilmon

James Mitchell shares the production credit on Let’s Get Together with Marvin Willis, Mike Theodore, and Abrim Tilmon. The LP credits arrangers Mike Theodore, James Mitchell, Abrim Tilmon, David Van De Pitte, and Johnny Allen.

Westbound issued “Turn On Lady” as an April 1978 single (b/w “I Just Don’t Know About This Girl of Mine”), and the single reached No. 11 on the Billboard dance chart. Westbound also issued “I Just Don’t Know About This Girl of Mine” as a 1978 twelve-inch single, backed with “Turn On Lady.”

Discography: