Richard 'Dimples' Fields: The Albums 1980-1985, 3CD

• Triple CD release including five early 80s Richard “Dimples” Fields’ albums.

• Featuring ‘Dimples’, ‘Mr Look So Good’, ‘Give Everybody Some’, ‘MMM…’ and ‘Dark Gable’.

• With in-depth sleeve notes by journalist Joe Marchese who has been writing about music daily at TheSecondDisc.com since 2010 (in 2015, he launched Second Disc Records which has released over 50 titles to date).

This package kicks off with ‘Dimples’ the first album he recorded after being signed to Boardwalk by Neil Bogart, who had previously run Casablanca Records, the home of Donna Summer and Parliament among others. Bogart had a lot of faith in his talent after spotting him on American Bandstand and his industry clout positioned Dimples to attract a wide, mainstream audience far beyond his previous cult independent LPs.

The standout that looms large on ‘Dimples’ is ‘She’s Got Papers on Me’ which sounds much like a stock soul ballad of the day: lush and pretty, with swooning background vocals and a sincere lead, but Dimples isn’t serenading a love, instead, he’s complaining that he’d rather be with his mistress than with his wife who, unfortunately, holds that pesky marriage license (the “papers” in question). Ironically, it was never released as a single.

‘Dimples’ was followed with the ‘Mr Looks So Good’ album, the lead cut ‘If It Ain’t One Thing It’s Another’ was his breakthrough track, reaching #1 on the R&B Chart and cracking the Top 50 on the Billboard chart. The ‘Give Everybody Some’ album followed featuring the singles ‘People Treat You Funky (When Ya Ain’t Got No Money)’ and ‘Don’t Ever Stop Chasing Your Dreams’.

After leaving Boardwalk, Dimples signed with RCA and recorded the album “MMM…” the label put its weight behind the glossy, uptempo, and double infidelity-themed ‘Your Wife Is Cheatin’ on Us’ which peaked at #32 in the R&B chart. On the follow up album ‘Dark Gable’ Fields simply became Dimples for the standout cut ‘Shake ‘Em Down’.

Sadly Richard “Dimples” Fields died in January 2000 following a stroke.