I Want Love & Affection Not the House of Correction" - Romantic Gifts for Couples, Anniversary Presents & Relationship Keepsakes - Perfect for Valentine's Day, Weddings & Special Occasions

Born in Detroit on February 10, 1944, Nathaniel Mayer was just 18 years old when he began his recording career for the local small, independent Fortune Records, which had been in operation since 1946 under the ownership of the husband-and-wife team of Jack and Devora Brown. Known affectionately as Nay Dog, his energetic antics on stage coupled with his powerfully-raw vocals put one in mind of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.But, unlike Brown who would score well over 100 hit singles and many best-selling albums on his way to the R&R Hall Of Fame (1986), Mayer is forever a member of the One-Hit Wonder Club, that being his May/June 1962 # 18 R&B and # 22 Billboard Pop Hot 100 Village Of Love, billed as Nathaniel Mayer & His Fabulous Twilights (again emulating Brown's Famous Flames) on Fortune 449 b/w I Want A Woman. The complete make-up of The Fabulous Twilights, however, has never been fully established with the only known names being Henry Ferguson, Harold Smith, Robert Coates and Robert James who, with other so far unidentified members, seemed to alternate from record to record.This Village Of Love was not only the best nationally-charted hit for Fortune, but seemingly their ONLY hit, tells you that, despite a distribution arrangement with United Artists, they simply could not compete with the big boys when it came to funding promotion. And that's too bad because they did cut some discs with artists like Nolan Strong, Andre Williams & The Don Juans, John Lee Hooker and Big Maceo. And certainly, had these releases by Nathaniel Mayer been handled by a larger independents such as the Motown empire, or one of the giants like RCA Victor or Columbia, you just know some - if not all - would have gotten him back on the national charts:Hurting Love/Leave Me Alone - Fortune 487 - 1962; My Last Dance With You/My Little Darling - Nathaniel Mayer & His Fabulous Twilights - Fortune 542 - 1962; Village Of Love (re-release)/I Want A Woman - Nathaniel Mayer & His Fabulous Twilights - Fortune 545 - 1962; Hurting Love/Leave Me Alone (re-issue) - Fortune 547 - 1962; Well, I've Got News (For You)/Work It Out - Nathaniel Mayer & His Fabulous Twilights - Fortune 550 - 1962 - some had the B-side Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby); I Had A Dream/I'm Not Gonna Cry - Nathaniel Mayer & His Fabulous Twilights - Fortune 554 - 1963; Going Back To The Village Of Love/My Last Dance With You (re-issue) - Nathaniel Mayer & His Fabulous Twilights - Fortune 557 - 1963; The Place I Knew/Don't Come Back - Fortune 562 - 1964; Village Of Love/I Want A Woman (re-issues) - Fortune 562 - 1964; From Now On/(I Want) Love And Affection (Not The House Of Correction) - Fortune 567 - 1964.All the above are in this fine collection which has great sound reproduction and comes with informative and interesting liner notes written by Michael Hurtt. It also includes a number of previously unreleased sides, some of which may have been targeted for a 1963 Fortune LP which appears never to have been released. That they put out re-issues several times while not using some of these cuts tells you they either had little imagination - or they simply didn't think they were good enough for release. You be the judge.It seems Mayer quit the business sometime in 1967, but in 2002 forged a comeback by touring and cutting albums for labels like Alive, Norton and Fat Possum. Shortly after his first tour on the European continent, where he was well received, Nathaniel began having a series of strokes, which eventually took his life on November 1, 2008. He was just 64 years of age.