According to Hoss Allen when he introduced her on show #16 of The Beat!!! Gwen Davis was from Montgomery, AL but apart from that, info on her remains very scarce. But Gwen was a really strong singer, with a deep dark tone and a fine sense of timing. The Northern soul fans have danced to My Man Don’t Think I Know for years, but it is the top side that I prefer. I Can’t Be Your Part-Time Baby has a better melody for my money and although it’s much more of a southern strutter than a ballad it still packs a tough emotional punch. Like the flip, this was written by that talented composer Allen Orange. I like the big horn section on this Nashville production and the way Gwen gets right into the song. With a voice that big it’s a shame Gwen didn’t record any more 45s – I wonder why it was.

Notes ~

1. The reduction in volume towards the end of “I can’t be your part-time baby” is present on all the 45s I’ve heard. Maybe it was meant to be a long false fade?
2. Is the Gwen Davis on Lu from Jackson, TN the same artist? It certainly doesn’t sound like it is.
3. You can find “I can’t be your part-time baby” on the Charly UK 3 CD set "The Sound Stage Seven Story".