Marie Knight, "Come Tomorrow" c/w "Nothing in the World," Okeh 4-7141 (rel. 10/1961)
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In the fall of 1960, Columbia Records shuttered its OKeh imprint. Their attempts to release singles by Black artists on the main label and on the Epic subsidiary had, perhaps, made them feel they didn't need OKeh any longer. It was a progressive decision that failed to recognize the long-standing and built-in audience for OKeh's product.
As I learned a year ago, when I moved off Facebook to this blog, an audience will stick with a brand to the bitter end. Columbia lost customers and money in 1961; its ambitions at a unified roster were thwarted. No one bought the Black artists on Columbia. The label was too unified with pop, country and jazz.
One year after it went on hiatus, OKeh returned with today's record: a grand reboot of a great imprint. The artist chosen to break the champagne bottle was Marie Knight, a veteran of the music scene. Born in 1920 in Georgia, Knight first emerged as a gospel singer on 1946 recordings by The Sunset Four/Sunset Jubilee Singers. She was heard by the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who asked her to join her on tour. They recorded together, with a major r&b hit in 1948's "Up Above My Head." On her own, Knight had a #1 hit with 1949's "The Gospel Train."
As I learned a year ago, when I moved off Facebook to this blog, an audience will stick with a brand to the bitter end. Columbia lost customers and money in 1961; its ambitions at a unified roster were thwarted. No one bought the Black artists on Columbia. The label was too unified with pop, country and jazz.
One year after it went on hiatus, OKeh returned with today's record: a grand reboot of a great imprint. The artist chosen to break the champagne bottle was Marie Knight, a veteran of the music scene. Born in 1920 in Georgia, Knight first emerged as a gospel singer on 1946 recordings by The Sunset Four/Sunset Jubilee Singers. She was heard by the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who asked her to join her on tour. They recorded together, with a major r&b hit in 1948's "Up Above My Head." On her own, Knight had a #1 hit with 1949's "The Gospel Train."
Knight continued to record gospel into the mid-1950s. For the Mercury label, she at last went secular with the sought-after bopper "Grasshopper Baby." For Mercury's Wing imprint, she recorded the more successful "Tell My Why." At first, her precise diction and magisterial presence were at odds with the loose, free style of rhythm and blues. She sang pop and r&b like a classical vocalist; on her gospel sides, she belted with authority as needed. This schism made her post-gospel sides a mixed bag.
Her post-gospel catalog is littered with Northern Soul favorites: records that command big bucks nowadays. Her single with Rex Garvin, "I Can't Sit Down," for Carlton Records, is a superb performance by her on a single that can be found in dollar bins and is worth acquiring.
For Okeh's relaunch, Ms. Knight sang two songs penned by Bob Elgin and Frank Augustus. Both sides were covered by British performers of note a few years later. Despite some awkward lyrics, "Come Tomorrow" is a powerful song tailored to Knight's style and presented with an elegant pop-soul arrangement.
Some of the couplets make the songwriter in me cringe (songbird/wrong word, e.g.) but that doesn't detract from the beauty of this assured performance. The song's message of love and hope is ideal for the first day of this new year. I hope wisdom, kindness and community will be the themes of 2026 and that the evil, demented would-be tyrant whom neglect voted into office will be taken down, along with its foot-kissing, toe-sucking minions. 2025 was hell because of these cruel creatures; we won't let them ruin 2026. Sing it, Marie!
Her post-gospel catalog is littered with Northern Soul favorites: records that command big bucks nowadays. Her single with Rex Garvin, "I Can't Sit Down," for Carlton Records, is a superb performance by her on a single that can be found in dollar bins and is worth acquiring.
For Okeh's relaunch, Ms. Knight sang two songs penned by Bob Elgin and Frank Augustus. Both sides were covered by British performers of note a few years later. Despite some awkward lyrics, "Come Tomorrow" is a powerful song tailored to Knight's style and presented with an elegant pop-soul arrangement.
Some of the couplets make the songwriter in me cringe (songbird/wrong word, e.g.) but that doesn't detract from the beauty of this assured performance. The song's message of love and hope is ideal for the first day of this new year. I hope wisdom, kindness and community will be the themes of 2026 and that the evil, demented would-be tyrant whom neglect voted into office will be taken down, along with its foot-kissing, toe-sucking minions. 2025 was hell because of these cruel creatures; we won't let them ruin 2026. Sing it, Marie!
Cash Box reveals the reboot of OKeh Records. Columbia's publicity department only focused on hit records and performers, and they kinda-sorta dropped the ball on any big announcement. Through the efforts of Chicago's Black musical community, OKeh would become a giant as the 1960s soldiered on.
Even better, to these ears, is "Nothing in the World," a gospel-style raver with a powerful, bluesy string arrangement. Marie sings from the top of her voice on a stirring piece of big-city soul. As often happens, the recording speaks for itself. Just take a listen!
In 1965, UK group Manfred Mann revived "Come Tomorrow" in a more typical beat-group setting. They got a Top 5 hit on home soil but the single stalled at #50 on American charts. Dusty Springfield revived "Nothing..." for an album track on her A Girl Called Dusty LP. OKeh was moved to reissue Marie's single that year. In '65, for Musicor Records (a noted repository of Northern Soul monsters) she made two singles that became NS anthems and now go for high three-figure sums. On these two releases, Knight came into her own as a soul artist of the first tier. Neither record sold, though her revival of "Cry Me a River" got into the r&b Top 40 that year.
Knight didn't record again after 1965 as a secular artist. She toured, often with Sister Rosetta, who was a close personal friend. Knight arranged Tharpe's funeral after her 1973 passing and, in 2002, recorded a tribute album to her illustrious friend. Five years later came Let Us Get Together, her final album. She passed on in 2009 as a beloved figure in the music world.
I hope this single helps get your new year off to a grand start. Let's do all we can to make 2026 a year to remember--not one to regret. Peace and love to you all.
Knight didn't record again after 1965 as a secular artist. She toured, often with Sister Rosetta, who was a close personal friend. Knight arranged Tharpe's funeral after her 1973 passing and, in 2002, recorded a tribute album to her illustrious friend. Five years later came Let Us Get Together, her final album. She passed on in 2009 as a beloved figure in the music world.
I hope this single helps get your new year off to a grand start. Let's do all we can to make 2026 a year to remember--not one to regret. Peace and love to you all.
Tomorrow: Andre Williams + Fortune Records = musical joy! An excellent 1956 single with wonky sound, wonderful songs and the general bliss that Detroit's crudest label brings to the table.
The Drifters' "Up On The Roof" —to my ears stole— some melodic elements from "Come Tomorrow" which came months before. "Nothing In The World" certainly is a raver as you say. Love these both for their understated string sections—they could have overpowered these and made them too sweet. Knight had a full-bodied powerful voice that grabs you by the gut.
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