Retro Rarities Music

This is a tribute to some of the unique and forgotten music and artists of the past.
Some of this music and the artists never received the chance they deserved,
some deserve to be forgotten. None the less, enjoy my tribute to Retro Rarites

Guy – girl groups in the 70’s were plentiful, especially R&B groups. Many came and went and we never heard from them again. But there was one group that stuck around for quite some time but never were recognized and applauded for the talent they possessed. Faith, Hope and Charity started out in Tampa, Florida as the Lovelles. But they didn’t get a recording contract until record producer Van McCoy found them and got them signed to Maxwell Records. They changed their name and recorded some great memorable music.
According to Wikipedia, they were known best as a disco band with their recording of “To Each His Own”. It never got any play here in Syracuse, not even in the discos as I remember.
However the one that DID get significant play was their first single which was produced by McCoy. "So Much Love" hit #14 on the Billboard R&B chart and #51 on the Hot 100 in 1970. The follow-up "Baby Don't Take Your Love" reached #36 R&B and #96 in the Hot 100.
The group consisted of founding members Zulema Cusseaux, Brenda Hilliard and Al Bailey. Shortly after their first two releases on Maxwell, they switched labels to Sussex Records. They made several appearances on music shows of the day including Soul Train. But in 1971 Cusseaux left Faith, Hope and Charity and started a solo career. She was eventually replaced by Diane Destry in 1974. It was not too long afterward they decided to cash in on the disco craze with their other mid-chart song "To Each His Own" (1975; #1 R&B, #15 Dance, #50 Hot 100).
They recorded several other minor successes in January 1976, with “Just One Look”, reaching #38 on the UK Singles Chart from their album, Faith, Hope & Charity. It was a cover version of the Doris Troy hit. At one point Pricilla Baskerville was credited as being a member of the group on some recordings in 1977. Then their single "Don't Pity Me" reached #20 on the R&B chart in 1978.
In 1978 Destry left, but Hilliard and Bailey recorded another album before splitting up.
But for my money, “So Much Love” was a classic. It was a great, upbeat, fun song that seemed to fit nicely with all the down tempo A/C songs that were being released at the beginning of the decade. It peaked at number 12 on the WOLF Hot 30 on July 1 of 1970. Here is "So Much Love", Mono single version and LP Stereo Version.

So Much Love - Faith, Hope & Charity

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