(June 5, 2020) First as a doo-wop pioneer and then later as an R&B singer, through a series of marvelous singles, Little Anthony – both solo and with his group The Imperials – has established himself as one of the most beloved singers of our lifetimes, and marked a permanent place for himself in the history of soul music.
And now, at age 78, the master performer is still at it, sounding great. Not long ago, legendary songwriter Thom Bell (The Spinners, The Stylistics), teamed with George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, also known as the singing duo Boy Meets Girl and as the writers of “How Will I Know” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” for Whitney Houston. The result of their collaboration was a beautiful, emotional new ballad.
Iconic producer Preston Glass, who was once a staff writer for Bell, brought the tune to Little Anthony, and they recorded it in Los Angeles. To say the finished product is all that would be an understatement. Little Anthony shows his vocal chops and Glass and company provide a dramatic backdrop that works just right.
Check out “Just Like It Was Yesterday,” and welcome Little Anthony back to SoulTracks.
By Chris Rizik
Little Anthony
“Just Like It Was Yesterday”