This is another performance filmed for my now legendary documentary, "The Strange World Of Northern Soul". I filmed and interviewed over three hundred people and 131 artists performing their Northern Soul classic songs, for a six disc DVD box set extravaganza, called "The Strange World Of Northern Soul", with twenty four hours of footage, including some rare footage of the Motorcity reunion. The project started in 1997, was released on VHS tape and premiered to 1300 people at the King George's Hall in Blackburn in July 1999, then took four more years to refine and re-edit into its DVD release in 2003. A life's labour of love. And here, filmed while he was over appearing live in England in 1998, is a monumentally talented true soul legend, Sam Dees, who was born on December 17, 1945 in Birmingham, Alabama. Sam has earned a reputation of being a singer's singer, one of the all time soul greats, as well as being a renowned songwriter and producer. Dees was born into a large family and quickly distinguished himself with his voice. At the age of 9, already champion of several singing contests, he founded his own vocal group, the "Bossanovians". As a teenager he traveled to perform and, in 1968 he recorded his first single at Nashville, Tennessee's SSS International. He put out his next few singles on Birmingham-based Lolo Records. At the same time he was beginning to earn respect as a writer and producer. Chess Records producer Lenny Sachs gave him an opportunity to self-produce two singles on the Chess label, which Dees recorded in a former church in Birmingham. From there he began recording for Atlantic, which released his landmark album The Show Must Go On in 1975. Since then, Dees recording career moved to the back burner while he wrote hits for other singers, such as "Am I Dreaming" (Atlantic Starr), "One in a Million You" (Larry Graham), "Save the Overtime (For Me)" (Gladys Knight), "Love All the Hurt Away" (George Benson and Aretha Franklin), and "Lover for Life" (Whitney Houston). Dees continues to write and produce. He released recordings on his own Pen Pad label and also recorded for Ardent Records in England. This song, "Lonely For You Baby" has, over the years, become one of the most sought after mainstays of the Northern Soul scene, and it was a true honour to film such a legendary master craftsman for our documentary, which we first released back in 1999.

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