Roger Hatcher - R & Better

  
















Roger Hatcher - R & Better - 1977

from AMG

Roger Hatcher's biggest claim to fame is being a cousin to Edwin Starr (aka Charles Hatcher). Unfortunately, Hatcher's success hasn't come close to Edwin's. A prolific songwriter, Roger has written more than 1,000 songs. His two biggest successes were an album cut by the Dramatics of his "I Dedicate My Life to You," and Clarence Carter's rendition of "I Got Caught," a deep soul classic. Clarence added a rap and scored on the R&B charts with the Hatcher song. Roger Hatcher was born in Birmingham, AL, in 1946. His two older brothers, Will and Roosevelt, inspired him musically -- Will played sax and Roosevelt sang. Hatcher wrote his first song, "I Need Someone," at Hayes High in Birmingham, where he would develop tunes on the piano in the music room. Hatcher had no formal training and played by ear.

He moved to Detroit in 1964 and signed with Dotty's Records. Two singles were released: "Get a Hold of Yourself" and "Party Over Yonder." The 45s are listed as by "Little Roger Hatcher." The flop of both singles sent him traveling to Nashville, where he secured a contract with Excello Records recording "I Dedicate My Song to You," released in 1968. The flip side, "The Sweetest Girl in the World," gained some recognition in Britain, but neither it, nor the A-side, did much in the States. Disappointed, Hatcher moved on and connected with Don Davis, who had previously recorded Hatcher's "Girl Come on Home" on Major Lance for Volt Records. Davis liked Hatcher's songs and signed him to Volt. The first recording was remaking "I Dedicate My Love to You" into "I Dedicate My Life to You." Stax released it on its Volt label in 1972. Davis was working with the Dramatics at the time and had Hatcher's song killed, then had it cut by the Dramatics and placed on their Dramatically Yours LP. This didn't please Hatcher and he and Davis became bitter enemies for years. 

READ MORE HERE

01. Sleepin' On The Job
02. You Must Have Come From Heaven
03. Let Your Love Shine On Me
04. Daylight Savings Time
05. I'm A Junkie For Your Love
06. Your Love Is A Masterpiece
07. All My Love
08. Kung Fu And You Too
09. Struttin'
10. My Thang




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