Biography
An obscure vocalist from Detroit, Rose Batiste possesses an ageless quality that belies her years, appearing far younger than her actual age of more than fifty. Emmanuel Laskey found the almond-complexioned performer and secured her a contract with Thelma Records, the imprint owned by Berry Gordy’s initial spouse; Don Davis handled production on her first outing, “I Can't Leave You.” Additional material cut for the same label remained unreleased. In 1965 Ed Wingate’s Ric Tic imprint put out her follow-up, the coupling of “That's What He Told Me” with “Holding Hands,” both sides co-authored by Bob Hamilton and Joanne Bratton-Jackson while Al Hamilton also contributed to the B-side. She moved to Golden World Records the next year for the single “Sweetheart Darling,” credited to Al Hamilton, Bob Hamilton, Joe Hunter, and Richard Morris, backed by the earlier Ric Tic track “That's What He Told Me.”
Revilot Records issued two more 45s between 1966 and 1967. The better-known “Hit & Run” was actually performed by the Debonaires—Joyce Vincent Wilson and Telma Hopkins, later of Dawn—while the flip “I Miss My Baby” came from original Parliament member Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins. Revilot next paired Andrew Terry and Leon Ware compositions on “Come Back in a Hurry” backed with “I Still Wait for You.” Batiste contributed vocals to other artists’ recordings before withdrawing from the industry in the late sixties. Her own releases attracted scant sales and scant attention beyond Detroit until the Northern soul movement erupted in England. Compilations have since gathered her sides, granting belated notice after prolonged neglect.
She appears in the video anthology The Strange World of Northern Soul assembled by the controversial Ian Levine, who located 129 little-known American performers for the three-tape project. Levine captured footage of Batiste singing at the Blackpool Mecca, visibly moved to tears once her performance ended.
Revilot Records issued two more 45s between 1966 and 1967. The better-known “Hit & Run” was actually performed by the Debonaires—Joyce Vincent Wilson and Telma Hopkins, later of Dawn—while the flip “I Miss My Baby” came from original Parliament member Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins. Revilot next paired Andrew Terry and Leon Ware compositions on “Come Back in a Hurry” backed with “I Still Wait for You.” Batiste contributed vocals to other artists’ recordings before withdrawing from the industry in the late sixties. Her own releases attracted scant sales and scant attention beyond Detroit until the Northern soul movement erupted in England. Compilations have since gathered her sides, granting belated notice after prolonged neglect.
She appears in the video anthology The Strange World of Northern Soul assembled by the controversial Ian Levine, who located 129 little-known American performers for the three-tape project. Levine captured footage of Batiste singing at the Blackpool Mecca, visibly moved to tears once her performance ended.
Albums
