PRE-ORDER: 2 of Clubs "Walk Tall: The Fraternity Recordings" LP (180g Vinyl, Import)

2 of Clubs may have enjoyed only a brief recording career, but Linda Parrish and Patti Valentine left behind a remarkable body of work. This 10-inch vinyl mini-album gathers their complete recordings for the first time, including every Fraternity Records release and two previously unissued tracks discovered in the label's tape archive. The duo became local favourites in Cincinnati during the mid-1960s after meeting while performing at the popular Guys & Dolls nightclub, accompanied by the Driving Winds, led by Linda's husband Carl Edmondson. Discovering how well their voices blended, they joined forces as 2 of Clubs and soon caught the attention of Fraternity Records founder Harry Carlson, who signed them to the label with Edmondson acting as producer and manager. Their debut single, a cover of Petula Clark's Heart, became a regional hit in 1966, reaching the Billboard charts. It's follow-up, Walk Tall Like A Man, proved even more successful, breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 and establishing the duo as one of Cincinnati's brightest pop acts. Over the next year they released a string of polished singles, combining strong contemporary material with original songs written by Carl and Linda. Recorded in both Cincinnati and Nashville, these releases showcased the pair's effortless harmonies and versatility. Highlights include the wistful 'Let Me Walk With You', a spirited take on 'River Deep-Mountain High' and a superb reading of Garnet Mimms' 'Look Away', which became their final Fraternity single. The collection also includes the previously unreleased recordings 'I'll Come Running Over' and 'He Calls Me Child', completing the story of every known 2 of Clubs recording. The breakdown of Linda and Carl's marriage effectively ended the group, although Linda and Patti remained close friends and occasionally reunited for live performances, including a major Cincinnati oldies festival in 1999. In an era when female vocal duos were all too rare, 2 of Clubs created a catalogue that deserves rediscovery. This collection brings together the complete recordings of one of the finest and most overlooked harmony duos of the 1960s.