Odds And Ends / Three Million / Unity


Main image

Odds And Ends consisted of Wanda (December 29, 1952) and Larry Butler (January 31, 1951), and Jim Grant (August 26, 1955); Grant had a different father but the same mother. Originally from Dorchester, GA, the youngsters sang in school and church before moving to Philadelphia when Wanda, aka Doll, was 13.
Philly's fast-talking disc jockeys Sonny the Mighty Burner Hobson and Jerry the Geater with the Heater Blavatt fascinated the Southern teens. Naturally talented, they formed Doll and the Odds & Ends and worked up some secular songs.
Robert Hawes assumed the managerial duties after observing them perform at family gigs. Hawes got the ears of Bobby Martin and Thom Bell; an audition followed, and soon the group signed with Today Records as Odds & Ends.
The group recorded with Bell & Martin and later with Patrick Adams and Maurice Irby in New York between 1970 - 72.
A total of 8 tracks were released on the Today label.

Their first single Let Me Try reached number 30 in the charts in 1970
The B-side Foot Track found some popularity on the '90s UK rare groove scene.
Love Makes The World Go Round (Today 1003) made the top 30 in '71 but after a couple of hits they fell into obscurity and Today records folded after running into financial difficulty.

In the late '70's Mark King replaced James Grant and they recorded with United Artists as Unity, and after that as Three Million on Cotillion.
Larry left music around 1991 after failing to get the Butlers, a gospel group consisting of him, Doll, and their Mom, Regina, off the ground after recording nearly an album's worth of material; Jim owns a hauling business; Doll, whose married name is Wanda Maultasby, has been inactive since 1994 when her third manager, Reggie Wilder, died -- Wilder was pushing her as a solo act, something she regretted not doing years before.

APPEARANCES +


Various
R-R-Real Rock & Roll, Vol. 8: Van Gogh's Ear For Music
2008, CDr, Album, Comp, Promo, Teenage Wasteland Records
Various
Heroes And Villains (The Sound Of Los Angeles 1965-68)
2022
DJ Spinna & BBE Soundsystem
The Best Of Perception & Today Records (Funk / Soul / Breaks / Jazz / Latin & Rock From One Of NYC's Finest Underground Labels)
2012
Various
Sweet Soul Ladies Volume 1
2008, CD, Comp, Hidden Treasures Records, ,
Rhythm & Blues
Various
Keeping The Faith: 40 Years Of Northern Soul Memories & Souvenirs
2007, 4xCD, Comp, Castle Music, Sanctuary, ,
Soul
Various
East Coast Soul Connection
2007, 2xCD, Comp, Outta Sight, Castle Music
Various
Tears Full Of Soul
2007, 2xCD, Comp, Castle Music
Various
Revenge Of The Pusherman (BaadAsssss Soul!)
2006, 3xCD, Comp, Disky
Various
Soul Sensations
2006, 10x CD, Box Set, ,
Funk/Disco/Soul
Various
Brokenhearted Dreamer Vol. 3
2005, CD, Comp, Boo-Ya Records
Various
Northern Soul (Ain't Nothin' But A Houseparty)
2005, 2x CD, ,
Soul
Various
A Treasury Of Northern Soul
2004, 3xCD, Comp + Box, Castle Pulse, ,
Soul
Ian Levine
Reaching For The Best (The Northern Soul Of Blackpool Mecca)
2004, 2xCD, Comp, Discotheque (2), Sanctuary, ,
Soul/Disco
Various
Up All Night - 32 Northern Soul Spinners
2003, 2xCD, Comp, Castle Pulse,
Various
On The Real Side - The Modern End Of Northern Soul
2003, CD, ,
Soul
Various
More Northern Soul Memories
2002, 2xCD, Comp, Castle Pie
Various
South Side Soul Vol. 4
CD, Comp, South Side Kingdom,
Various
To Every Story Vol.8
CD, Comp, Clanton Sounds, Inc.
Various
Chicano Sweet Soundz "Natural High"
CD, Comp, Chicano Sweet Soundz,
Various
Ghetto Funk 3
CDr, Comp, Unofficial, Small Potato Records,