The Flaming Ember

Flaming Ember was an American blue‑eyed soul group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1964, originally known as The Flaming Embers after a local restaurant; the lineup included drummer Jerry Plunk and guitarist Joe Sladich. Their breakthrough came in 1967 with the Ric‑Tic single "Hey Mama Whatcha Got Good For Daddy", written by George Clinton, which entered the R&B charts and attracted attention from Motown, which the band declined to sign with. In 1969 they joined Hot Wax Records, dropping the final “s” from their name, and released "Mind, Body and Soul", which peaked at Number Twenty‑Six on the United States Billboard pop singles chart. The following year the group issued "Westbound #9" and "I'm Not My Brother's Keeper", reaching Numbers Twenty‑Four and Thirty‑Four on the pop chart and Fifteen and Twelve on the R&B chart, respectively. The trio of hits appeared between late 1969 and late 1970, marking the band’s commercial apex. Subsequent releases such as 1971’s "Stop the World and Let Me Off" failed to replicate earlier success, and the group eventually performed on the Detroit bar circuit under the name Mind, Body and Soul. Flaming Ember was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 1999, and the 1999 compilation Westbound No. 9: The Hot Wax Sessions received critical attention for its blend of Southern soul and psychedelic influences. The band’s legacy continues through posthumous compilations and retrospective reviews that underscore their contribution to late‑1960s soul music.

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