Mylon

Description

Mylon is the solo debut album by the American singer and songwriter Mylon LeFevre (October 6, 1944 – September 8, 2023), released on Cotillion Records in September 1970, a division of Atlantic Recording Corporation. The album was recorded by Rodney Mills at LeFevre Sound Corp. in Atlanta, Georgia; with Allen Toussaint producing for Sansu Enterprises. Arranged by the group. (Special thanks to Paul Goddard.) All songs written or co-written by Mylon LeFevre except track B4 written by Ray Whitley.

MYLON consists of: Mylon LeFevre om vocals and acoustic guitar, Dean Daughtry on piano and organ, Barry Bailey on guitars, Auburn Burrell on guitars and bass, Ron Graybeal on bass, and Kim Venable on drums and percussion. Backing vocals by Merrie Clayton, Venetta Fields, Clydie King, and Shirley Matthews.

Mylon deliver some gritty, Gospel-influenced southern rock. Several members of the group that would become the Atlanta Rhythm Section – including Barry Bailey, Dean Daugherty, and Paul Goddard – were friends of Mylon and were invited to serve as Mylon’s backing band on this record. There was plenty of heavy rock organ, female background singers, and tasty guitar work, but the album really was a hybrid of the Gospel music Mylon was trying desperately to leave behind, and the southern rock he was so adept at creating.

Mylon LeFevre’s debut album was mentioned in the article “Trade Gets R’n’R(eligion)” by Claude Hall, featured on the front page of the November 7, 1970 issue of Billboard Magazine. “Morality – in the form of rock – has come to the music industry and many of the major groups are getting deep into the religious groove…Mylon LeFevre, formerly of the LeFevres gospel group, is carving out a niche with gospel rock on Cotillion Records.”

Mylon – Cotillion 44100. Contemplation (Mylon LeFevre, BMI) / Peace Begins Within (Mylon LeFevre, BMI).

The title describes the inward sound of this one pulled from Mylon’s album. Very reminiscent of «Gentle on My Mind» in terms of total effect. [Record World, December 19, 1970, Vol. 25, No. 1228 (Record World Single Product)]

Sometimes sub-titled We Believe, this mainstream release rocked even harder than Larry Norman’s Upon This Rock. While neither achieved significant sales, they found plenty of welcome ears among the rock-starved Jesus people. The Mylon here of course is Mylon LeFevre and those familiar with his ‘80s sound will be surprised at the gritty r&b inﬂuenced rock he delivers here, dominated by heavy organ, plenty of female bgvs, and spicy guitar work. Gospelly Southern rock if you will – a natural progression from his Southern gospel roots. In fact the original version of «Gospel Ship» can be found here. Highlight for me is the near 7-minute «Peace Begins Within», a mean mid-tempo funk endeavor. Big hunk O’ history here as well as fine music. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Old Gospel Ship” – 3:40
A2. “Sunday School Blues” – 2:48
A3. “Who Knows” – 2:45
A4. “Sweet Peace Within” – 4:44
A5. “You’re Still On His Mind” – 2:58
A6. “Trying To Be Free” – 5:10

Side Two
B1. “Searching For Reality” – 2:45
B2. “Pleasing Who, Pleases You?” – 2:00
B3. “Contemplation” – 3:10
B4. “Hitch Hike” – 2:40
B5. “Peace Begins Within” – 6:45
B6. “The Only Thing That’s Free” – 3:45

Note: Simultaneously released on 8-track tape and 12-inch vinyl LP by Cotillion.