By Mike Kravinsky

Is there something you did in the early '60's that you are just now being recognized for? Loraine Rudolph is finding out what that's like.

There are plenty of stories of failure in the music business. Stories of famous musicians years earlier who are doormen today.  Initially, there's a lot of hype about a particular artist. People say this person or that will become the next this person or that. They cut a record, hopefully it goes somewhere, but often it doesn't. There are lots of reasons for this, timing, the song chosen, some other artist  gets the publics attention, whatever.  Entertainment consumers are fickle. This is why the story of Loraine Rudolph is a great vindication. 

Loraine was an  up and comer in the early '60's, with a dynamite voice, she moved from her home in Louisville to Detroit to seek her piece of Motown stardom. Loraine was able to get work as a back up singer with The Spinners, and was tight with Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross. Eventually, they all started to realize her vocal talent was impressive enough to give her a solo shot. 

She recorded a couple of records. One as a solo and one with a partner, Loe and Joe they were called. Even with that voice and the Motown machine behind her they didn't sell. Eventually Loraine decided she had had enough. After two years, she packed her bags and moved to suburban Washington, D.C. to live with her sister.  She still sung in clubs locally where she was able to scratch out a living, but with a back injury in 1981, it all ended. That is the sad part of the story. 

This is the great part of the story. Apparently unaware, there was a large and growing group of fans in the European  and Australian  club scene who traded Loraine Rudolph stories and her records on Ebay. Some of those recordings going for as much as $100. It all started in the '70's and '80's with the British Isle's Northern Soul scene which was into a revivalist movement based on soul music, particularly Motown, created years earlier. 

DJ's around the world who were into the Northern Soul Scene, couldn't find her, but still played her records. When she was told about the price of her 45's, she was floored. Sadly, she doesn't get any of that money, and Motown owns her recordings. That's the way the business is. Could Loraine start over even now? She has an audience, but does she have the desire. We'll see. 

To listen to her recordings go here.