Although never having one of his own recordings issued by the label, Stax Records was where Homer Banks had his greatest success. And nearly twenty years since his passing, he still remains to be one of the company's best kept secrets, despite that many of the songs he wrote for the label's artists in the 60s an 70s, have since become contemporary classics. Banks was a masterful songsmith -- a craftsman at contextualizing the subtleties and nuances of romance; forbidden or otherwise -- often referred to as 'a pioneer of the cheating song'. Not sure I would agree with that, but there's no doubt, he was one of the first to bring such subject matter to the forefront of popular rhythm n blues music. At Stax, Banks first worked closely with Allen A. Jones then went on to form the famed songwriting/production team, We Three Inc. with Bettye Crutcher and Raymond Jackson. Before the label's collapse in the mid 70s, Banks was working almost exclusively with Carl Hampton, whose partnership endured beyond Stax Records. They wrote and produced for many artists and even released an album together in 1977. Towards the end of the decade and through most of the 80s Banks was partnered with Chuck Brooks with whom he wrote, produced and released music by way of their Soundtown Records imprint. Banks was one of the great ones and I could go on but I think I'll let this whopping 3-part Songbook Collection speak for itself!
VA - Foolish Hearts Break Fast (Selections From The Songbook Of Homer Banks)
101 - Luther Ingram - 1972 - If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Want To Be Right (KoKo LP KOS-2202)
102 - Mel & Tim - 1973 - Heaven Knows (Stax STA-0160)
103 - Inez Foxx - 1972 - Watch The Dog (That Brings The Bone) (Volt VOA-4087)
104 - Little Milton - 1971 - I'm Living Off The Love You Give (Stax STA-0111)
105 - William Bell & Mavis Staples - 1969 - Hold On This Time (Stax LP STM 2-2024)
106 - Sam & Dave - 1968 - This Is Your World (Atlantic 2517) [mono]
107 - Johnnie Taylor - 1968 - Next Time (Stax 267) [mono]
108 - Wilson Pickett - 1966 - I'm Drifting (Atlantic LP SD-8129) [mono]
109 - The Mad Lads - 1965 - Nothing Can Break Through (Volt 131)
110 - Mable John - 1968 - Shouldn't I Love Him (Stax STA-0016)
111 - Darrell Banks - 196? - We'll Get Over (Unissued Stax/Volt)
112 - Eddie Floyd - 1969 - Non-Stop To Midnight (Stax LP STS-2017)
113 - Booker T. & The MGs - 1969 - Slum Baby (Stax [UK] STAX 136)
114 - Isaac Hayes - 1975 - I'm Gonna Have To Tell Her (Stax [UK] LP STX-1043)
115 - Randy Brown - 1978 - Too Little In Common (Parachute RRLP-9005)
116 - Jeanette 'Baby' Washington - 1978 - Either You Love Me Or Leave Me (AVI LP 6038)
117 - J. Blackfoot - 1984 - Hiding Place (Soundtown LP ST-8013)
118 - The Staple Singers feat. Mavis Staples - 1981 - If It Wasn't For A Woman (Stax LP MPS-8511)
119 - Banks & Hampton - 1976 - Wonderful (Warner Bros. 8199)
120 - Soul Children - 1974 - I'll Be The Other Woman (Stax LP STS-5507)
121 - William Bell - 1973 - Lovin' On Borrowed Time (Stax STA-0157)
201 - Shirley Brown - 1984 - I Don't Play That (Soundtown 0007)
202 - Randy Brown - 1980 - You're So Good (Chocolate City CCLP-2010)
203 - J. Blackfoot - 1983 - If I Don't Love You (Prime Cut 10001)
204 - Dee Dee Young - 1976 - Too Little In Common To Be Lovers (Mil-Smi NR-7611) [mono]
205 - Shack - 1970 - A Love Affair That Bears No Pain (Volt VOA-4051) [mono]
206 - Little Royal - 1973 - I'm Glad To Do It (Tri Us 916) [mono]
207 - Johnnie Taylor - 1970 - Will You Love Me Forever (Stax LP STS-2030)
208 - Soul Children - 1974 - It's Out Of My Hands (Stax LP STS-5507)
209 - Banks & Hampton - 1976 - It's Gotta Be This Way (Warner Bros. 8199)
210 - Carla Thomas - 1971 - Are You Sure (Stax LP STS-2044)
211 - The Emotions - 1972 - I Could Never Be Happy (Stax LP STX-4121) {rel;1979}
212 - Darrell Banks - 1969 - Just Because Your Love Is Gone (Volt VOA-4014)
213 - Willie Mitchell - 1968 - Who's Making Love (Hi LP SHL-32048)
214 - Jimmy Hughes - 1969 - Lock Me Up (Volt LP VOS-6003)
215 - Tommy Ridgley - 1969 - I'm Not The Same Person (Ronn 36) [mono]
216 - Homer Banks - 1968 - Foolish Hearts Break Fast (Minit 32036) [mono]
217 - Willie Walker - 1968 - A Lucky Loser (Checker 1211) [mono]
218 - Mavis Staples - 1970 - It Makes Me Wanna Cry (Volt LP VOS-6010)
219 - Luther Ingram - 1972 - I'll Be Your Shelter (In The Time Of Storm) (KoKo LP KOS-2202)
220 - Chuck Brooks - 1970 - Love's Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down [Part 1] (Volt VOA-4034)
221 - Chuck Brooks - 1970 - Love's Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down [Part 2] (Volt VOA-4034)
301 - Sam & Dave - 1967 - I've Seen What Loneliness Can Do (Stax LP SD-725)
302 - Jeanne & The Darlings - 1968 - What Will Later On Be Like (Volt 159) [mono]
303 - C.L. Blast - 1967 - Glad To Do It (Stax 229) [mono]
304 - Mitty Collier - 1970 - Lovin' On Borrowed Time (Peachtree 125)
305 - The Mad Lads - 1970 - These Old Memories (Volt VOA-4041)
306 - David Ruffin - 1969 - I Could Never Be President (Motown LP MS-696)
307 - Shack - 1971 - It's Good To Be Careful (But It's Better To Be Loved) (Volt VOA-4063)
308 - Fontella Bass - 1971 - Hold On This Time (Paula LPS-2213)
309 - Otis Clay - 1977 - Too Much Mystery (Hi HLP-6003)
310 - The Newcomers - 1974 - Too Little In Common To Be Lovers (Truth TRA-3213)
311 - The Facts Of Life - 1976 - Caught In The Act (Of Gettin' It On) (Kayvette 5126)
312 - J. Blackfoot - 1983 - I Stood On The Sidewalk And Cried (Soundtown LP ST-8002)
313 - Glen Ricketts - 1986 - I'm Gonna Have To Tell Her (Scorpio [Can] LP DK-77-73)
314 - Shirley Brown - 1984 - This Love (Soundtown LP ST-8008)
315 - Randy Brown - 1978 - I'd Rather Hurt Myself (Than Hurt You) (Parachute RRLP-9005)
316 - Banks & Hampton - 1977 - Let's Make Up (Warner Bros. LP BS-2993)
317 - Tavares - 1976 - Wonderful (Capitol LP ST-11533)
318 - Esther Marrow - 1972 - Ghetto (Fantasy LP F-9414)
319 - Z.Z. Hill - 1974 - Mr. Nobody, Somebody (MHR 221)
320 - Sandra Wright - 1974 - I'll See You Through (Unissued LP) {rel;1989}
321 - The Staple Singers - 1972 - I'm Just Another Soldier (Stax STA-0125)
