LONNIE HILL COLD WINTER IN THE GHETTO PIC SLEEVE PRESS RELEASE 1984 MODERN SOUL

$

22

     This auction is for a rare modern soul Christmas single by LONNIE HILL -- COLD WINTER IN THE GHETTO.  It was released in 1984 on the Urban Sound record label, catalogue number US-778.   This promotional single comes with a full color picture sleeve and the original press release.

     Before you begin, check out this UK website on info regarding Lonnie Hill;   http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Lonnie Hill.html  If the link doesn't work, just go to the website and search his name.  VERY interesting!   In a nutshell, he used to sing at age 17 with a Texas group called the Gospel Keynotes (who released one album).  After five years with the band, he then went out on his own.  After a couple more singles, he wound up in Colorado recording for the Urban Sound label.  He released the album ""You Got Me Running", which spun off a much acclaimed single in the UK,  "Galveston Bay".  Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire helped do backing vocals on the album.

     The pic sleeve states that this single was a special holiday release put out in conjunction with the album "You Got Me Running".  It was not on that album, so this is the only place you can find it.  Allegedly, it was handed out at Thanksgiving outside churches in his local town to raise awareness for the plight of the poor.  This copy was sent to radio station I worked at at the time.

     Now for the particulars;   The picture sleeve is in better than excellent condition.  No seam splits, no tears along the edges...just some light yellowing of the white area, and very light creases along the top (photo #2).  If you look very closely, there are the very, VERY light beginnings of ringwear on the backside of the sleeve where there is a picture of Lonnie (photo #4).

     The press release was originally folded and slipped inside the sleeve (photos #5 & #6).  There are some brown markings on it (photo #7).  If there's any question as to the records release date,  look at the top of the release...it flatly states "December 7, 1984".

     The '45 is in excellent/mear mint PLAYING condition.  There are two different versions....one where he converses with some children, and the other where there is just an instrumental break.  The A-side/"children" side is pressed ever-so slightly off center, so it has a little "wow" sound to about the first half of the song.  I imagine, if you really wanted to, you could file a plastic '45 adaptor "off center" to alleviate this minor problem.  The B-side/"Without Children" plays fine.  I play-tested both sides all the way through, and there are no scratches or skips to be seen or heard.

    Pictures #10 and #12 show both label sides.  You can see some bubbling underneath, which is how it was received over thirty years ago.   The labels are intact.

     I had a long running college radio show from 1978 until 1990.  Every year I did a Christmas show, mostly playing songs of every genre that you really wouldn't hear on the radio elsewhere.  My Christmas collection became fairly large over the years, and even now I buy the occassional seasonal release for my own pleasure.  The records I used back then have been lying dormant in a box for the past twenty-five years....

     If you have any questions about this item, please feel free to email me.  Also, check out my other auctions going on NOW of various other items of interest (mostly more Christmas singles).  Thanks again for looking...during these most troubled times...

SHIPPING RATES (all rates include cost of shipping materials):

Shipping rates for 7" records

U.S. First Class to Media Mail ***

$ 4.00 1st record. 50 cents per additional.

*** Single 7" packages ship as First Class which only qualify to a light weight. Adding items take the package to Media Mail - a little slower - but economical. If you are adding items and want a shipping upgrade - perhaps to Priority - let me know.

US Priority Mail

$ 8.00 up to 6 singles, $ 1.00 each additional.

Canada

$ 9.95 1st single, $ 1.00 each additional

Worldwide (First Class International)

$ 14.95 1st single ***, $ 2.00 each additional (up to six total).

NOTE: ***SHIPPING UPGRADES ARE REQUIRED ON ALL INTERNATIONAL PACKAGES OVER $ 100 US. (Such as Priority with Tracking, Registered, etc. Rates and services vary by country). Please contact me in advance if you want more specifics.

Cost of postage includes $ 1.50 for shipping materials.

Record Grading:

MINT (10) Perfect! Still sealed albums are presumed MINT, but covers may not be. I will not grade any opened album as "mint", since there's obviously been some handling.

NEAR MINT (9.5) ---- Close, but one or two tiny flaws that do not impact play. Vinyl may have a barely visible scuff mark, but no scratches. Label is bright, clean and unmarked. Covers close to perfect with very minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident.

EXCELLENT (9) ----Disc plays near-perfect. There could be scuffs or a hairline scratch or two that does not impact play. Vinyl is bright and shiny. Label is clean and unmarked. Cover may have some slight corner creases or minor ringwear.

VERY GOOD PLUS PLUS (8) ---- Record handled and played occasionally, but very carefully. Very minor scratches and/or scuffs that should have little impact on the sound quality, or minor label imperfection---noted, but otherwise clean. VERY GOOD PLUS PLUS records may have some light surface noise during quiet passages or between tracks. Covers: one or two minor wear issues such as writing on cover, corner creases, some ringwear, minor staining, etc. (All noted).

VERY GOOD PLUS (7) ----The record has been cared for, but has some minor flaws. Light scratches and/or marks/scuffs that won't make a big impact. Light surface noise here and there, but nothing to overwhelm the listening experience. Covers may have a few minor defects (duly noted). Those who are looking for pristine-only might not be pleased, but most music fans would be happy to have a collectible album in this condition.

VERY GOOD (6)---- The record has been played often with some care, but also a little neglect. Record displays visible surface wear---scratches or scuffs that will cause some minor to perhaps occasionally moderate surface noise. Vinyl could be "dull" at this point and not "shiny', or still perhaps shiny, but then a little more scratched-up. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc. Most music fans would be happy to have a highly collectible album in this condition.

VERY GOOD MINUS (5) ---- Well-played with little luster and moderate surface noise, but skip-free. Lots of scratches/scuffs or fewer but more deeper marks. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork---seam splits, significant ring wear, tears, cuts, taping (all noted). I will only sell RARE "VERY GOOD MINUS" records.

GOOD (4) --- Pretty beat-up with lots of scratches, but not dead yet. Record should still appear not to skip, though it's possible it can. Surface noise is moderate to occasionally heavy. Seam splits are usually a bigger issue around this level with the records better off in a plastic sleeve. I only sell VERY RARE "GOOD" records. They are certainly "good enough" until another copy comes along.

GOOD MINUS (3) --- Even more beat with tons of scratches and LOTS of surface noise. Skips are possible, though I wouldn't intentionally sell a record that does. Given the right moment, fans could probably enjoy a GOOD MINUS record, but might also be irritated by it at times. I will only sell VERY VERY RARE "GOOD MINUS" records. Covers are hanging together by a thread (seams shot) but not intentionally defaced.

FAIR (2) ----FAIR records appear and sound lousy (significant surface noise, horrific scratches). I won't sell these, unless I find something that is SO INCREDIBLY RARE. Expect skipping or a very unpleasant listen. Covers may be defaced, seamless, stained beyond belief.

POOR (1) ---- Unlistenable and undisplayable

11-14-15