Toni Washington, "Dear Diary" c/w "Breaking Lovers Hearts," Kon-Ti 10163 (rel. ?/1965)
Toni Lynn Washington is still with us and still a vibrant performer acclaimed for her interpretations of blues music. Today's single is where her story begins. Born in 1937 in North Carolina, Ms. Washington grew up listening to all styles of music on the radio and developing a dream for the future. She relocated to Boston, Massachusetts in 1950 and began to perform in public. She had a gift for memorizing songs from the radio; this gave her a solid repertoire. While still in high school, Washington snuck into jazz and blues clubs to finagle a song with whatever band was there. She soon became a much-loved local performer.
After high school, Washington married a Navy officer and lived the itinerant life on military bases. Wherever her husband was stationed, she spent nights going to local clubs and getting in impromptu performances. Audience reaction built her confidence and her location on the Gulf Coast brought her to the attention of regional record companies. Kon-Ti, a small imprint in New Orleans, got her in the studio.
She co-wrote the A-side of her debut 45, which was released on a small scale until it built up public interest. Atlantic Records stepped in to distribute Kon-Ti and the single got into the national Hot 100, according to a couple of websites I studied. One claims it got into the Top 50, but I can find no evidence of this success.
I'd like to think that a record as good as "Dear Diary" was a commercial smash. The New Orleans vibe is evident from the instrumental opening; that relaxed, almost melancholy feeling sets the stage for an r&b confessional. One can imagine Irma Thomas doing this song for Minit Records two years earlier. Its sound was a bit retro for the start of 1966, but that's not a complaint.
Washington reminds of Barbara Lynn in her expression, though her voice is less gruff and more flexible. The recording creates a mood that's ideal for the song and for Toni's heart-baring performance of her song. Lionel Worthy and Herbert Meyers, who owned the Kon-Ti imprint, collaborated on this sweet, reminiscent ballad.
"Breaking Lovers Hearts" is the up-tempo B-side, co-penned by Worthy, Meyers and Joseph Broussard. This might have been a better pick for the A-side; it's redolent of that glorious NOLA sound, and Washington's double-tracked vocal shines in the role of a spurned lover who warns others of her toxic ex's MO. The band really swings on this light bouncy put-down gem that I'm sure modern-day soul DJs could use to get 'em moving on the dance floor. My pick to click!
This was just the beginning for a talented performer who's been there, done that and lived to tell the tale. For the rest of the story of this 88-year-old marvel, read here...
Two lovely songs! "Dear Diary" is the ultimate slow dance tune. "Breaking Lovers Hearts" has a Leslie Gore—Shelley Fabares vibe with a bit of 1965 funk.
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