Arthur Conley: Difference between revisions

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'''Arthur Lee Conley''' (January 4, 1946 – November 17, 2003), also known in later years as '''Lee Roberts''', was an American [[soul music|soul]] singer, best known for the 1967 hit "[[Sweet Soul Music]]".<ref name=pc51>{{Gilliland|https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19832/m1/ |Show 51 - The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. [Part 7&#93; : UNT Digital Library}}</ref>
'''Arthur Lee Conley''' (January 4, 1946 – November 17, 2003), also known in later years as '''Lee Roberts''', was an American [[soul music|soul]] singer, best known for the 1967 hit "[[Sweet Soul Music]]".<ref name=pc51>{{Gilliland|https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19832/m1/ |Show 51 - The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. [Part 7&#93; : UNT Digital Library}}</ref>


Line 31: Line 32:


==Biography and career==
==Biography and career==
In 1964, he moved to a new label (Baltimore's [[Ru-Jac Records]]) and released "I'm a Lonely Stranger". When [[Otis Redding]] heard this, he asked Conley to record a new version, which was released on Redding's own fledgling label [[Jotis Records]], as only its second release.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stax Records |url=http://www.georgwa.demon.co.uk/stax.htm |publisher=goergwa.demon.co.uk |accessdate=July 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618063322/http://www.georgwa.demon.co.uk/stax.htm |archivedate=June 18, 2012 }}</ref>  Conley met Redding in 1967. Together they rewrote the [[Sam Cooke]] song "Yeah Man" into "[[Sweet Soul Music]]", which, at Redding's insistence, was released on the [[Atco Records|Atco]]-distributed label [[Fame Records]], and was recorded at FAME studios in [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Foxlee |first=Neil |date=December 2, 2003 |title=Obituary: Arthur Conley |url=http://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/dec/02/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> It proved to be a massive hit, going to the number two position on the U.S. charts and the Top Ten across much of Europe. "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a [[gold disc]].<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book
In 1964, he moved to a new label (Baltimore's [[Ru-Jac Records]]) and released "I'm a Lonely Stranger". When [[Otis Redding]] heard this, he asked Conley to record a new version, which was released on Redding's own fledgling label [[Jotis Records]], as only its second release.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stax Records |url=http://www.georgwa.demon.co.uk/stax.htm |website=Goergwa.demon.co.uk |access-date=July 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618063322/http://www.georgwa.demon.co.uk/stax.htm |archive-date=June 18, 2012 }}</ref>  Conley met Redding in 1967. Together they rewrote the [[Sam Cooke]] song "Yeah Man" into "[[Sweet Soul Music]]", which, at Redding's insistence, was released on the [[Atco Records|Atco]]-distributed label [[Fame Records]], and was recorded at FAME studios in [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Foxlee |first=Neil |date=December 2, 2003 |title=Obituary: Arthur Conley |url=http://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/dec/02/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries |access-date=October 13, 2022 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref> It proved to be a massive hit, going to the number two position on the U.S. chart and the Top Ten across much of Europe. "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a [[gold disc]].<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book
| first= Joseph
| first= Joseph
| last= Murrells
| last= Murrells
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}}</ref>
}}</ref>


After several years of hit singles in the early 1970s, he relocated to England in 1975, and spent several years in Belgium, settling in Amsterdam (Netherlands) in spring 1977. At the beginning of 1980 he had some major performances as '''Lee Roberts and the Sweaters''' in the Ganzenhoef, [[Paradiso (Amsterdam)|Paradiso]], [[De Melkweg]] and the [[Concertgebouw, Amsterdam|Concertgebouw]], and was highly successful. At the end of 1980 he moved to the Dutch town of [[Ruurlo]] legally changing his name to Lee Roberts—his middle name and his mother's maiden name. He promoted new music via his Art-Con Productions company. Among the bands he promoted was the heavy metal band Shockwave from [[The Hague]]. A live performance on January 8, 1980, featuring Lee Roberts & the Sweaters, was released as an album entitled ''Soulin'' in 1988.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=296}}</ref>
After several years of hit singles in the early 1970s, he relocated to England in 1975, and spent several years in Belgium, settling in [[Amsterdam]] (Netherlands) in spring 1977. At the beginning of 1980 he had some major performances as '''Lee Roberts and the Sweaters''' in the Ganzenhoef, [[Paradiso (Amsterdam)|Paradiso]], [[De Melkweg]] and the [[Concertgebouw, Amsterdam|Concertgebouw]], and was successful. At the end of 1980 he moved to the Dutch town of [[Ruurlo]], legally changing his name to Lee Roberts—his middle name and his mother's maiden name. He promoted new music via his Art-Con Productions company. Among the bands he promoted was the heavy metal band, Shockwave, from [[The Hague]]. A live performance on January 8, 1980, featuring Lee Roberts & the Sweaters, was released as an album entitled ''Soulin'' in 1988.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=296}}</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Conley was gay, and several music writers have said that his homosexuality was a bar to greater success in the United States and one of the reasons behind his move to Europe and his eventual name change.<ref>{{cite web|title=Boss Tracks, Arthur Conley, Sweet Soul Music|date=February 27, 2009|url=http://bosstracks.blogspot.com/2009/02/boss-tracks-arthur-conley-sweet-soul.html|publisher=Bosstracks.blogspot.com|accessdate=October 28, 2014}}</ref> In 2014, rock historian [[Ed Ward (writer)|Ed Ward]] wrote, "[Conley] headed to Amsterdam and changed his name to Lee Roberts. Nobody knew 'Lee Roberts,' and at last Conley was able to live in peace with a secret he had hidden—or thought he had—for his entire career: he was gay. But nobody in The Netherlands cared."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Mysterious Case of Arthur Conley, Otis Redding's Protege|website=NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/10/28/359613658/the-mysterious-case-of-arthur-conley-otis-reddings-protege|accessdate=October 28, 2014}}</ref>
Conley was gay, and several music writers have said that his homosexuality was a bar to greater success in the United States, and one of the reasons behind his move to Europe and his eventual name change.<ref>{{cite web|title=Boss Tracks, Arthur Conley, Sweet Soul Music|date=February 27, 2009|url=http://bosstracks.blogspot.com/2009/02/boss-tracks-arthur-conley-sweet-soul.html|website=Bosstracks.blogspot.com|access-date=October 28, 2014}}</ref> In 2014, rock historian [[Ed Ward (writer)|Ed Ward]] wrote, "[Conley] headed to Amsterdam and changed his name to Lee Roberts. Nobody knew 'Lee Roberts,' and at last Conley was able to live in peace with a secret he had hidden—or thought he had—for his entire career: he was gay. But nobody in The Netherlands cared".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Mysterious Case of Arthur Conley, Otis Redding's Protege|website=Npr.org|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/10/28/359613658/the-mysterious-case-of-arthur-conley-otis-reddings-protege|access-date=October 28, 2014}}</ref>


==Death==
==Death==
Conley died at the age of 57 from [[intestinal cancer]] in [[Ruurlo]], The Netherlands in November 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/dec/02/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries|title=Obituary: Arthur Conley|first=Neil|last=Foxlee|date=December 2, 2003|accessdate=December 5, 2017|website=The Guardian}}</ref> He was buried in [[Vorden]].
Conley died at the age of 57 from [[intestinal cancer]] in [[Ruurlo]], Netherlands in November 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/dec/02/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries|title=Obituary: Arthur Conley|first=Neil|last=Foxlee|date=December 2, 2003|accessdate=December 5, 2017|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> He was buried in [[Vorden]].


==Discography==
==Discography==
Albums<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arthur Conley |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/292382-Arthur-Conley |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Discogs |language=en}}</ref>
===Albums===
* ''Sweet Soul Music'' (Atlantic, 1967)
Conley released the following albums:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arthur Conley |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/292382-Arthur-Conley |access-date=October 13, 2022 |website=Discogs.com |language=en}}</ref>
* ''Shake, Rattle & Roll'' (Atlantic, 1967)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
* ''Soul Directions'' (1968)
! width="50" rowspan="2" | Year
* ''More Sweet Soul'' (1969)
! width="200" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Title
 
! colspan="2" | Peak chart positions
Singles
|-
* "I Believe" (1963, as Arthur & the Corvets)
! width="100" | <small>[[Billboard Top LPs|US 200]]</small><br/><ref name="Whitburn">{{cite book | last = Whitburn | first = Joel | title = Top LPs, 1955–1996 | year = 1996 | publisher = Record Research | page = 35 | url = https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstoplp00whit/page/52/mode/2up | access-date = 2025-07-10}}</ref>
* "Flossie Mae" (1963, as Arthur & the Corvets)
! width="100" | <small>[[Cash Box|US CB]]</small><br/><ref name=":322">{{Cite book |last=Hoffmann |first=Frank W |url=https://archive.org/details/cashboxalbumchar0000hoff/page/120/mode/2up |title=The Cash box album charts, 1955-1974 |date=1988 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=0-8108-2005-6 |location=Metuchen, N.J. |pages=40}}</ref>
* "Poor Girl" (1963, as Arthur & the Corvets)
|-
* "Where He Leads Me" / "I'm A Lonely Stranger" (1965)
| rowspan="2" | 1967
* "Who's Fooling Who" / "There's A Place For Us" (1966)
| style="text-align:left;" | "Sweet Soul Music"
* "I Can't Stop (No, No, No)" / "In The Same Old Way" (1966)
| 93
* "I'm Gonna Forget About You" (1966)
| 65
* "Sweet Soul Music" / "Let's Go Steady" (1967, co-written with Otis Redding, No. 2 R&B, No. 2 pop; No. 5 [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Vol+7%2C+No.+11+-+Week+Ending+May+13th%2C+1967.pdf| title=RPM Magazine - May 13, 1967 - Page 5}}</ref>)
|-
* "Shake, Rattle & Roll" (1967, No. 31 pop, No. 20 R&B; No. 39 [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.10079.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - July 15, 1967}}</ref>)
| style="text-align:left;" | "Soul Directions"
* "Whole Lotta Woman" / "Love Comes And Goes" (1967, No. 73 Pop; No. 76 [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.100123.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - November 25, 1967}}</ref>)
| 193
* "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" (1967)
| —
* "Funky Street" / "Put Our Love Together" (1968, No. 18 [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.100193.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - May 4, 1968}}</ref>)
|-
* "Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack" (1968)
| 1968
* "People Sure Act Funny" (1968, Top 20 R&B; No. 39 [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5849.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - July 20, 1968}}</ref>)
| style="text-align:left;" | "Shake, Rattle & Roll"
* "Burning Fire" (1968)
| 185
* "Is That You Love" (1968)
| —
* "Run On (1968)
|-
* "[[Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da]]" / "Otis Sleep On" (1968, No. 51 pop, No. 41 R&B, No. 50 [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5890.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - February 3, 1969}}</ref> Beatles cover featuring guitar by [[Duane Allman]])
| 1969
* "Star Review" (1969, with [[Tom Dowd]], written by [[Allen Toussaint]])
| style="text-align:left;" | "More Sweet Soul"
* "They Call the Wind Maria" (1969)
| —
* "[[Day-O]]" (1969, made famous by [[Harry Belafonte]])
| —
* "God Bless" (1970, Top 40 R&B, No. 84 [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5120.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - May 23, 1970}}</ref>)
|-
* "I'm Living Good" (1971)
|}
* "Walking on Eggs" / "More Sweet Soul Music" (1972)
===Singles===
* "Rita" (1972)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
* "It's So Nice (When It's Someone Else's Wife)" (1974)
! width="50" rowspan="2" | Year
 
! width="200" rowspan="2" style="text-align:left;" | Titles (A-side, B-side)
! colspan="5" | Peak chart positions
|-
! width="40" | <small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US]]<br/></small><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/148/mode/2up |title=Joel Whitburn's top pop singles 1955-2002 |date=2002 |publisher=Record Research |isbn=0898201551 |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisc. |pages=148}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnsbub0000whit/page/58/mode/2up |title=Joel Whitburn's Bubbling under the hot 100, 1959-1981 |date=1982 |publisher=Record Research |isbn=978-0-8982-0047-8 |location=Menomonee Falls, Wis |pages=38}}</ref>
! width="40" | <small>[[R&B|US R&B]]</small><br/><ref name="BillboardConley">{{cite web | last = Billboard | title = Arthur Conley Chart History | url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230901000000/https://www.billboard.com/artist/arthur-conley/chart-history/hsi/ | website = Billboard | access-date = 2025-09-01}}</ref>
! width="40" | <small>[[Cashbox (magazine)|CB]]<br/></small><ref name=":02222">{{Cite book |last=Downey |first=Pat |url=https://archive.org/details/cashboxpopsingle00down/page/74/mode/2up |title=Cash box pop singles charts, 1950-1993 |date=1994 |publisher=Libraries Unlimited |isbn=1-56308-316-7 |location=Englewood, Colo. |pages=120–121}}</ref>
! width="40" | <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br/><ref>{{cite web
| title = ARTHUR CONLEY – full Official Chart history
| website = Official Charts Company
| publisher = Official Charts
| access-date = 2025-08-20
| url = https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/12956/arthur-conley/
}}</ref>
! width="40" | <small>[[RPM (magazine)|CA]]</small>
|-
| rowspan="3" |1963
| style="text-align:left;" | "I Believe"<br/> <small>(as Arthur & the Corvets)</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "Flossie Mae"<br/> <small>(as Arthur & the Corvets)</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "Poor Girl"<br/> <small>(as Arthur & the Corvets)</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| 1965
| style="text-align:left;" | "Where He Leads Me"<br /><small>b/w "I'm A Lonely Stranger"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1966
| style="text-align:left;" | "Who's Fooling Who"<br /><small>b/w "There's A Place For Us"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "I Can't Stop (No, No, No)"<br /><small>b/w "In The Same Old Way"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "I'm Gonna Forget About You"<br /><small>b/w "Take Me (Just As I Am)"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1967
| style="text-align:left;" | "[[Sweet Soul Music]]"<br /><small>b/w "Let's Go Steady"</small>
| 2
| 2
| 4
| 7
| 5<br/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://rpmimages.3345.ca/pdfs/Vol+7%2C+No.+11+-+Week+Ending+May+13th%2C+1967.pdf| title=RPM Magazine - May 13, 1967 - Page 5|website=Rpmimages.3345.ca}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "[[Shake, Rattle & Roll]]"<br /><small>b/w "You Don't Have To See Me"</small>
| 31
| 20
| 47
| —
| 39<br/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.10079.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - July 15, 1967|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "[[Whole Lotta Woman (The Contours song)|Whole Lotta Woman]]"<br /><small>b/w "Love Comes And Goe"</small>
| 73
| —
| 92
| —
| 76<br/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.100123.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - November 25, 1967|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"<br /><small>b/w "Keep On Talking"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1968
| style="text-align:left;" | "Funky Street"<br /><small>b/w "Put Our Love Together"</small>
| 14
| 5
| 19
| 46
| 18<br/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.100193.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - May 4, 1968|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack"<br /><small>b/w "Is That You Love"</small>
| 85
| 41
| 75
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "People Sure Act Funny"<br /><small>b/w "Burning Fire"</small>
| 58
| 17
| 41
| —
| 39<br/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5890.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - February 3, 1969|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "[[Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da]]"<br /><small>b/w "Otis Sleep On"</small>
| 51
| 41
| 74
| —
| 50<br/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5890.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - February 3, 1969|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1969
| style="text-align:left;" | "Star Review"<br /><small>b/w "Is That You Love"</small><br/> (with [[Tom Dowd]])
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "They Call the Wind Maria"<br /><small>b/w "Hurt"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "Run On"<br /><small>b/w "Speak Her Name"</small>
| 115
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "[[Day-O]]"<br /><small>b/w "Nobody's Fault But Mine"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1970
| style="text-align:left;" | "God Bless"<br /><small>b/w "(Your Love Has Brought Me) A Mighty Long Way"</small>
| 107
| 33
| 91
| —
| 84<br/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5120.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 - May 23, 1970|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "All Day Singing"{{efn|Single not released in the US}}<br /><small>b/w "God Bless"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| 1971
| style="text-align:left;" | "I'm Living Good"<br /><small>b/w "I'm So Glad You're Here"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1972
| style="text-align:left;" | "Rita"<br /><small>b/w "More Sweet Soul Music"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | "Walking on Eggs"<br /><small>b/w "More Sweet Soul Music"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| 1974
| style="text-align:left;" | "It's So Nice (When It's Someone Else's Wife)"<br /><small>b/w "Bless You"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| 1976
| style="text-align:left;" | "I Got You Babe"<br /><small>b/w "Another Time"</small>
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
|}
{{notelist}}
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

Latest revision as of 17:21, 28 October 2025

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Arthur Lee Conley (January 4, 1946 – November 17, 2003), also known in later years as Lee Roberts, was an American soul singer, best known for the 1967 hit "Sweet Soul Music".[1]

Early life

Conley was born in McIntosh County, Georgia, U.S., and grew up in Atlanta. He first recorded in 1959 as the lead singer of Arthur & the Corvets. With this group, he released three singles in 1963 and 1964—"Poor Girl", "I Believe", and "Flossie Mae"—on the Atlanta-based record label, NRC Records.[2]

Biography and career

In 1964, he moved to a new label (Baltimore's Ru-Jac Records) and released "I'm a Lonely Stranger". When Otis Redding heard this, he asked Conley to record a new version, which was released on Redding's own fledgling label Jotis Records, as only its second release.[3] Conley met Redding in 1967. Together they rewrote the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" into "Sweet Soul Music", which, at Redding's insistence, was released on the Atco-distributed label Fame Records, and was recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.[4] It proved to be a massive hit, going to the number two position on the U.S. chart and the Top Ten across much of Europe. "Sweet Soul Music" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[5]

After several years of hit singles in the early 1970s, he relocated to England in 1975, and spent several years in Belgium, settling in Amsterdam (Netherlands) in spring 1977. At the beginning of 1980 he had some major performances as Lee Roberts and the Sweaters in the Ganzenhoef, Paradiso, De Melkweg and the Concertgebouw, and was successful. At the end of 1980 he moved to the Dutch town of Ruurlo, legally changing his name to Lee Roberts—his middle name and his mother's maiden name. He promoted new music via his Art-Con Productions company. Among the bands he promoted was the heavy metal band, Shockwave, from The Hague. A live performance on January 8, 1980, featuring Lee Roberts & the Sweaters, was released as an album entitled Soulin in 1988.[2]

Personal life

Conley was gay, and several music writers have said that his homosexuality was a bar to greater success in the United States, and one of the reasons behind his move to Europe and his eventual name change.[6] In 2014, rock historian Ed Ward wrote, "[Conley] headed to Amsterdam and changed his name to Lee Roberts. Nobody knew 'Lee Roberts,' and at last Conley was able to live in peace with a secret he had hidden—or thought he had—for his entire career: he was gay. But nobody in The Netherlands cared".[7]

Death

Conley died at the age of 57 from intestinal cancer in Ruurlo, Netherlands in November 2003.[8] He was buried in Vorden.

Discography

Albums

Conley released the following albums:[9]

Year Title Peak chart positions
US 200
[10] 		US CB
[11]
1967 "Sweet Soul Music" 93 65
"Soul Directions" 193 —
1968 "Shake, Rattle & Roll" 185 —
1969 "More Sweet Soul" — —

Singles

Year Titles (A-side, B-side) Peak chart positions
US
[12][13] 		US R&B
[14] 		CB
[15] 		UK
[16] 		CA
1963 "I Believe"
(as Arthur & the Corvets) 		— — — — —
"Flossie Mae"
(as Arthur & the Corvets) 		— — — — —
"Poor Girl"
(as Arthur & the Corvets) 		— — — — —
1965 "Where He Leads Me"
b/w "I'm A Lonely Stranger" 		— — — — —
1966 "Who's Fooling Who"
b/w "There's A Place For Us" 		— — — — —
"I Can't Stop (No, No, No)"
b/w "In The Same Old Way" 		— — — — —
"I'm Gonna Forget About You"
b/w "Take Me (Just As I Am)" 		— — — — —
1967 "Sweet Soul Music"
b/w "Let's Go Steady" 		2 2 4 7 5
[17]
"Shake, Rattle & Roll"
b/w "You Don't Have To See Me" 		31 20 47 — 39
[18]
"Whole Lotta Woman"
b/w "Love Comes And Goe" 		73 — 92 — 76
[19]
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
b/w "Keep On Talking" 		— — — — —
1968 "Funky Street"
b/w "Put Our Love Together" 		14 5 19 46 18
[20]
"Aunt Dora's Love Soul Shack"
b/w "Is That You Love" 		85 41 75 — —
"People Sure Act Funny"
b/w "Burning Fire" 		58 17 41 — 39
[21]
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
b/w "Otis Sleep On" 		51 41 74 — 50
[22]
1969 "Star Review"
b/w "Is That You Love"
(with Tom Dowd) 		— — — — —
"They Call the Wind Maria"
b/w "Hurt" 		— — — — —
"Run On"
b/w "Speak Her Name" 		115 — — — —
"Day-O"
b/w "Nobody's Fault But Mine" 		— — — — —
1970 "God Bless"
b/w "(Your Love Has Brought Me) A Mighty Long Way" 		107 33 91 — 84
[23]
"All Day Singing"Template:Efn
b/w "God Bless" 		— — — — —
1971 "I'm Living Good"
b/w "I'm So Glad You're Here" 		— — — — —
1972 "Rita"
b/w "More Sweet Soul Music" 		— — — — —
"Walking on Eggs"
b/w "More Sweet Soul Music" 		— — — — —
1974 "It's So Nice (When It's Someone Else's Wife)"
b/w "Bless You" 		— — — — —
1976 "I Got You Babe"
b/w "Another Time" 		— — — — —

Template:Notelist

References

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  1. ↑ Template:Gilliland
  2. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:Authority control

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