The Poindexter Brothers were a recording act as well as music producers. As a recording act, they recorded the singles, "(Git Your) Backfield in Motion" and "What I Did in the Streets (I Should've Done at Home)". Together or individually, they produced hits for artists that include The Persuaders, Pat Johnson, etc. They wrote hits for artists such as Linda Jones, The O'Jays, Timothy Wilson and The Escorts etc. Other acts who have recorded their compositions include Brother to Brother, The Hesitations, The Icemen, and Johnny Thunder & Ruby Winters. They also formed their own production company and record label Win or Lose.
Background The Poindexter Brothers, Robert and Richard were born in Newport News, Virginia to parents, Garland and Marie. Garland Poindexter was in the military service and stationed at Langley Air Force Base. Marie was a maid.
Robert Poindexter (born circa 1942) came to New York when he was aged 21. He fell in love with the city.New York Daily News, 1 Feb 2008 - Record tough time for songwriting team By Clem Richardson UPDATED: January 12, 2019 at 3:08 AM
The Poindexter Brothers were there from beginning of the formation of The Persuaders.The Blackwell Guide to Soul Recordings, By Robert Pruter, - Page 91 New York and New Jersey 82 Thin Line Between Love and Hate, The Persuaders The Persuaders were formed out of a group called the Internationals.Record Collector, 27 April 2017 - MOMENTS IN SOUL Richard and Robert Poindexter had a small record label and got the Internationals to record for them.The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Morricone, Ennio - Rich Kids Volume 6, Edited by Colin Larkin, 2006 - Page 496 The two singles that were recorded by the group and produced by the brothers were of "raw" quality. They didn't get anywhere. The Internationals then ceased. Some months later the brothers set up a deal with Atlantic Records to have their Win Lose or Draw Productions released through them. The brothers then persuaded a reformed Internationals to change their name. The group now called The Persuaders recorded "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" which became a big hit for them in 1971.
The brothers' record label, Win or Lose was formed in 1971. It was headed by Le Charles Harper with Richard Poindexter as the president and Bobby Poindexter as the vice-president and A&R chief. Other key figures in the organization in various roles were, Monroe Thomas, Ray Lewis, Jerry E. Hankins.Record World, December 4, 1971 - Page 4 Atlantic Distribs Win or Lose
Jackie Members was an aspiring singer who had lived next door to Jimi Hendrix at some point. She came to Chicago at the age of 16 in 1966. She had auditioned for Alonzo Tucker. Tucker, who wrote songs for Jackie Wilson, wanted her to go to New York to record. Tucker and Wilson asked Richard and Robert Poindexter if they could train her. She ended up marrying her mentor, Robert Pointdexter.
Singer Pat Johnson, who recorded "Love Brought You Here" is a cousin of the Poindexter Brothers.Reverb Nation - Patricia McQueen The Word Singer, Artist Bio
History and career Recording artists The Poindexter Brothers recorded the song "(Git Your) Backfield in Motion". Backed with "(Grandma) Give that Girl Some Slack", it was released on Verve VS 550 in 1966.Popsike - Poindexter Brothers - Backfield In Motion - Verve : Northern Soul Stomper According to the 17 December issue of Billboard, the song was a Chart Spotlight, one of the singles predicted to reach the R&B chart.Billboard, December 16, 1966 - Page 16 SPOTLIGHT SINGLES, R&B SPOTLIGHTS, CHART
They recorded the song "What I Did in the Streets (I Should've Done at Home)". The credited composers were, J. Members, P. Dowdy, R. Poindexter and B. Poindexter. Backed with "Never Let Me Go", a Livingston, Evans composition, it was released on Win or Lose WOL 1.45Cat - The Poindexter Brothers - Discography, USA, What I Did In The Streets (I Should've Done At Home)
Composers, producers 1960s The Icemen were a New York duo who had been around since the mid 1960s.The Old Barrio Guide to Low Rider Music 1950-1975, By Ruben Molina, 2002 - - Page 59 Icemen They were singers Gino Armstrong and James Stokes.Rolling Stone, November 27, 2017 - Jimi Hendrix: 10 Great Pre-Fame Tracks By Jordan Runtagh The Poindexter brothers wrote the song "(My Girl) She's a Fox" which was recorded by The Icemen and released in 1966. The song was arranged by Lonnie Youngblood and featured Gino Armstrong and James Stokes on vocals, Jimi Hendrix on guitar, and allegedly Richard Poindexter on piano.Rolling Stone, November 27, 2017 - Jimi Hendrix: 10 Great Pre-Fame Tracks By Jordan Runtagh, The Icemen, “(My Girl) She’s A Fox” (1966)Early Hendrix - THE ICEMEN, Recordings, (My girl) She's a fox The song was backed with "I Wonder What It Takes" and was released on the Shamar label.Ultimate Hendrix: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Live Concerts and Sessions, - Pages 16 - 17 It was mentioned in Kal Rudman's "R&B Beat Where it's At" column of Record World 4 June 1966 that Johnny Bantley keeps pushing "She's a Fox".Record World, June 4, 1966 - Page 24 R&B BEAT WHERE IT'S AT BY KAL RUDMAN The single didn't attract much attention. According to John McDermott's book, Ultimate Hendrix: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Live Concerts and Sessions, the recordings made for Brantley (Johnny BrantleyEarly Hendrix - THE ICEMEN, Recordings, (My girl) She's a fox, Producer: Johnny Brantley) that feature Hendrix, "(My Girl) She's a Fox" was possibly the strongest of his pre-Experience career. Other Icemen songs that had Poindexter involvement were, "(You’ve Got A) Style of Your Own" which was written by Robert Poindexter and LeCharles Harper, released on Vest 8008 in 1966.Northern Soul Songs Documentaries and music channel, Feb 7, 2024 - The Icemen - (You’ve Got A) Style Of Your Own - (1966) It was backed with "Let That Song Play", written by Robert Poindexter.45Cat - The Icemen - Discography, (You've Got A) Style Of Your Own And the A side of the single, "It's Gonna Take A Lot (To Bring Me Back Baby" bw "It's Time You Knew" issued on the OLE label was written by Richard Poindexter and Daisy Holland.45Cat - The Icemen - Discography, It's Gonna Take A Lot (To Bring Me Back Baby) Some years later, it was covered by The Manhattans.Genius - It’s Gonna Take a Lot to Bring Me Back, The Manhattans
The brothers wrote a song called "Hypnotized". They went to George Kerr with a girlfriend to perform the song. Kerr was impressed with the song but not the girl.The Old Barrio Guide to Low Rider Music 1950-1975, By Ruben Molina, 2002 - - Page 67 Linda Jones (It's likely that the girl who recorded the first version was Jackie MembersNew York Daily News, 1 Feb 2008 - Record tough time for songwriting team By Clem Richardson UPDATED: January 12, 2019) Kerr went to friend of his called Jerry Harris and told him he required a girl singer. Kerr said he had the ideal singer for the song. Linda Jones was the singer in question. Three days later they were at New York's A-1 Studios. Jones did a run-through of the song and was unaware that Kerr had already asked engineer Herb Abramson to turn the recording switch on. When Jones had finished, she said to Kerr that she was ready. However, she wanted to re-do it because she had mispronounced the song title, but Kerr was happy with it. Kerr did the rounds with the song before Loma Records bought it. It was selling 15,000 copies a week then peaked at no. 4 in the R&B charts on 5 August 1967 and held that position for another two weeks.Billboard, August 5, 1967 - Page 35 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 5/12/67, TOP SELLING R&B SINGLES, This Week 4, Last Week 6, Weeks on Chart 13Billboard, August 12, 1967 - Page 34 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 8/12/67, TOP SELLING R&B SINGLES, This Week 4, Last Week 4, Weeks on Chart 14Billboard, August 19, 1997 - Page 38 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 8/19/67, TOP SELLING R&B SINGLES, This Week 4, Last Week 4, Weeks on Chart 15
Also in 1967, a song "(You'd Better) Straighten Up and Fly Right" which was composed by Patricia Johnson, Richard Poindexter, Emma Thomas and Jacqueline Members was recorded by Terri Bryant with George Kerr as the producer. Backed with "Everything's Wonderful", it was released on Verve VK 10553 in the second half of 1967.Catalogue of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 21, Part 5, Number 2, Section I, Music Current and Renewal Registrations July–December 1967 - Page 2283 YOU BETTER STRAIGHTEN UP; Puff of stroke, w & m Patricia Johnson, Richard Poindexter, Emma Thomas & Jacqueline Members.45Cat - Terri Bryant - Discography, (You'd Better) Straighten Up And Fly RightJAZZDISCO.org - Verve Records Catalog: 45 rpm 10400, 10500 series, VK-10553 Terri Bryant - Everything's Wonderful / (You'd Better) Straighten Up And Fly Right 1967 Terri Bryant. It was a "Best Bet" in the 7 October 1967 issue of Cash Box. Calling the song a "spirited, thumping, mid-tempo knee slapper", the reviewer also said that Bryant could earn a sizable about of coin with it.Cash Box, October 7, 1967 - Page 22 RECORD REVIEWS, TERRI BRYANT (Verve 10553) • (YOU’D BETTER) STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT And for the same week, Billboard had it as "Chart Spotlight", a single predicted to reach the Hot 100 chart.Billboard, October 7, 1967 Page 12 SPOTLIGHT SINGLES, CHART Spotlights- Predicted to reach the HOT 100 Chart
With Ray Lewis, the brothers wrote "Baby Baby Please" for Timothy Wilson. It was released on the Buddah label in October 1967.Cash Box, October 28, 1967 - Page 20 Cash Box Record Reviews, Best Bets, TIMOTHY WILSON At the end of the year, the song got to no 46 on the Billboard Top Selling R&B Singles chart.Billboard, December 30, 1967 - Page 22 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 12/30/67, TOP SELLING R&B SINGLES, This Week 46, Last Week 47Billboard, January 6, 1968 - Page 19 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 1/6/68, TOP SELLING R&B SINGLES
With C. Harper, they co-wrote "Give My Love a Try" for Linda Jones. The arrangements were handled by Richard Tee. Backed with "I Can't Stand It", it was released on the Loma Label in December 1967. One of the Picks of the Week, it was reviewed in the 9 December issue of Cash Box, and the prediction was that it would see a lot of action in the R&B charts and have a good run in the pop charts.45Cat - Linda Jones - Discography, USA, Give My Love A TryCash Box, December 9, 1967 - Page 32 Cash Box Record Reviews, Picks of the Week, LINDA JONES (Loma 2085) Give My Love a Try It entered the Billboard Best Selling R&B Singles chart at no. 36 for the week of 20 January 1968.Billboard, January 20, 1968 - Page 30 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 1/20/68, Billboard BEST SELLING R&B Singles, This Week 36, Last Week -, Weeks on Chart 1 The following week it peaked at no. 34.Billboard, January 27, 1968 - Page 30 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 1/27/68, Billboard BEST SELLING R&B Singles, This Week 34, Last Week 36, Weeks on Chart 2Billboard, February 3, 1968 - Page 34 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 2/3/68, Billboard BEST SELLING R&B Singles It also got to no. 93 in the Billboard Hot 100.Billboard, February 3, 1968 - Page 62 Billboard HOT 100 FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 3, 1968, THIS WEEK 93, 1 Wk. Ago 94, 2 Wks. Ago 94, 3 Wks. Ago _, Weeks On Chart 3Billboard, February 19, 1968 - Page 48 Billboard HOT 100 FOR WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 10, 1968