Bobby Wade

Though not from Cleveland, OH, aficionados of C-Town-based music have adopted Bobby Wade as a native son. The classy singer was born in Meadville, PA, on May 19, 1942, and developed a love for soul music, listening to Porky Chadwick, an R&B DJ out of Pittsburgh. Meadville's African-American population was small and the city had little to offer in the way of soul. At 14 he started singing with the Cootie Harris Jazz Quintet, a local outfit, and still found time for school and to help his father build the family home where his mom still lives. He sang with the band until graduation from Meadville High, learning plenty, including the phrasing and techniques of easy listening crooners Frank Sinatra, Nat Cole, Sarah Vaughn, and Billy Eckstine and the stage presence of master entertainers like Sammy Davis Jr. and comedian Redd Foxx; years later, he met and befriended both in Las Vegas. In 1965, he trekked to Youngstown, OH, to record with Cootie Harris (a drummer) for Marjon Records. Wade led "You Don't Understand Me," a tune that was the B-side of Bobby Freeman's "Do You Wanna Dance"; the hard to find single was credited as the Cootie Harris Group. It didn't do much, but Wade used it as a resume when he relocated to Cleveland in 1966 where he found employment with Greyhound as a baggage handler. On his way to work one day, he saw a sign on E. 55th Street that said Way Out Records, curious and with record in car, he stopped in and met the owner Lester Johnson (Bill Branch and Little Red also owned a piece of the pie). He played the recording for Johnson and then played a song he was writing on the piano. Johnson loved his voice -- an ex-singer himself, he appreciated Wade's smooth, laid-back, classy style. Wade called in sick and worked with singer/songwriters Rod "Rico"...