TICKLED PINK

The Real Story Behind Tickled Pink
Clarence Pinckney discovered

Around the Now-Again office, one of our catalog’s most played funk tracks is Tickled Pink’s “Reach Out (And Give Me Your Hand),” the wild, raucous nugget of wah-wah funk issued on Texas Funk (NA 5019). That damn 7-inch was so rare and obscure that hardly anyone knew of its existence until it was reissued on this Jazzman/Now-Again compilation. However, as is sometimes the case in the ad-hoc world of deep-funk tracking, there has been some conjecture as to the lineage and genesis of the band, whose solitary 7-inch offered little concrete info to go on. Recently, a random email from the band’s founder, Clarence Pinckney, to Egon, lead to a series of communication with the bandlead that has since shed more light on this dynamite organization.

Clarence Pinckney: The Man and His Music
By Will James

Born and raised in Glensville, Georgia, Clarence “Pinky” Pinckney’s introduction to music originated at the United House of Prayer for All People Church where he played in his church marching band, The Grace Silver Leaf Band, and for the shout band, The Seven Blowing Angels. Pinky attended early high school in Savannah, Georgia before moving to New York City. At age 18, Pinky was booked into his first engagement as a professional musician in 1960 at legendary Madison Square Garden, as lead trumpet player for The Ross Elliott Quartet, which opened for The Count Basie Band.

Pinky continued to develop and refine his musical skills throughout the early 1960’s and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1962. Pinky’s honorable discharge in 1968 from the USAF concluded an exemplary service career. During this six-year stint in military service, Pinky served at Carswell Air Force Base in Forth Worth, Texas then was assigned TDY in Guam, before completing his service tour at McCord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington. He received numerous awards and commendations for his excellence as a Crew Chief, servicing and maintaining the first Boeing B-52 heavy bombers used during the Viet Nam war. Retiring from military service allowed Pinky the freedom to pursue his primary passion ... creating and composing music.

In 1969 Pinky formed the group The Mint Juleps, teaming with Drummer and promotional whiz Gil Ray and vocalist Marge Gregory in the Tacoma/Seattle area until 1970. That same year he originated Pinky & The Topics. As drummer and horn specialist for the group, Pinky’s captivating presence was complemented by organist Kenny Trebillcock, guitarist Mike Smith, and vocalist Vicki Teller. Soon afterward, Merlin Bell replaced Trebillcock on keyboard.
In 1971, Pinky assembled a sharp and talented trio comprised of Billy Haddon from Cleveland, Ohio on organ, Mark Breeze from Spokane, Washington on drums, and Pinky on alto and trumpet. This trio became the inaugural version of ‘Tickled Pink’ – a name that has left a lasting legacy for several American music formats.

A year later, Pinky wrote and arranged the single, “Reach Out (And Give Me Your Hand),” and recorded the song at Phil York’s studio in Dallas, Texas. Little did he know at the time, Pinky had struck gold in “Reach Out” when the red hot single became a standard highlight for a plethora of radio station play lists around the country, and became a Golden Oldies retro hit that has been widely marketed by more than a dozen commercial music distributors for the past fifteen years. After recording “Reach Out,” Pinky took his band outside the Continental U.S. to the 50th state in the union. While on the Alaska circuit in 1972, Tickled Pink captivated audiences in the prestigious Top of the World Club at the Anchorage Westward Hotel.

In 1973 Pinky recruited a brilliant guitarist, Larry Marshall, from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, while Fred Taylor from Seattle, Washington took over on drums. To enhance the attraction, diversity, and marketability of Tickled Pink, Pinky began his search early in 1974 for an elite vocalist for the group. With help from the hand of fate, Pinky was in the right place at the right time when he re-discovered fellow native New Yorker and former Morris High School classmate Joyce Diamond, while she was performing at the Evergreen Inn in Olympia, Washington as the featured vocalist for the Las Vegas style show band, “Firelight.”

Pinky pulled off the recruiting coup of the year when he signed the spellbinding and lovely Diamond, a former member of the 1960’s all-female vocal groups, The Chiffons and The Chantels, creating a dynamic and explosive front line for the group. Shortly afterward, Pinky’s brother Jerome joined the band as percussionist, and Audie Wong replaced Taylor as the group’s lead drummer, although Pinky took his regular turns on the drummer’s stool. During this period, Pinky wrote, arranged, and produced another hot single for Tickled Pink, “Do What Ya Wanna.”

With this exciting lineup, Tickled Pink embarked on a Canadian tour that thrilled audiences at some of the top nightclubs in Vancouver, British Columbia, including the famous Baceda’s, and the Kego Club. When the tour resumed, the band played before capacity crowds in the Sky Room at the CPR Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba and at the Expressway Lounge at the Landmark Hotel in Thunder Bay, Ontario. From there, Tickled Pink returned stateside and opened the lavish new Retreat Lounge at the Keystone Inn Ski Resort in Dillon, Colorado, then played a return engagement at the Spokane House in Washington.

In 1976 Tickled Pink shifted personnel again. With Pinky spending more time on drums while still blowing alto and trumpet, he and Joyce Diamond were now backed up by keyboard specialist Allan Monroe and veteran bassist Bob Noreen. This dynamite quartet electrified audiences in top clubs from Kansas City, Missouri to Seattle, Washington where they compiled another masterful live recording at the Tradewinds Resort in 1977.

After Tickled Pink disbanded in 1979, Pinky took a one-year hiatus from the road before packing up his instruments and taking his act to the high seas. For more information, please visit Pinky’s website, mrtickledpink.com

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