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Throwback | Mitty Collier | You Cannot Serve Two Masters

Mitty Collier

Mitty-Collier

Singer Mitty Collier is best known for her sensual orchestrated ballad “I Had a Talk with My Man,” a 1964 Chess single, which ironically wasn’t her highest-charting single. A later single, “Sharing You,” was a Top Ten R&B hit.

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Born June 21, 1941, in Birmingham, AL, Mitty Collier sang in church as a teen and toured with the Hayes Ensemble, a gospel group. She attended Western-Olin High School. While in college (Alabama A&M and Miles College), Collier started singing rhythm and blues in local clubs. While visiting her brother in Chicago in the summer of 1959, a former instructor suggested that she enter talent shows. Winning WGES DJ Al Benson‘s Talent Contest at the legendary Regal Theater for six weeks straight, she was offered a record contract byRalph Bass of Chess Records in 1960.

Her first charting single was an answer record to Little Johnny Taylor‘s “Part Time Love,” a number one R&B smash in summer 1963. Collier‘s “I’m Your Part Time Love” b/w “Don’t You Forget It” hit number 20 R&B in fall 1963. Her next hit became her signature song. Inspired in part by gospel great James Cleveland‘s “I Had a Talk with God Last Night” and produced by Chess staff producer Billy Davis, “I Had a Talk with My Man” b/w “Free Girl (In the Morning)” hit number three R&B on Cashbox Magazine’s R&B chart in fall 1964. Another hit inspired by Cleveland (“No Cross No Crown”), “No Faith, No Love” b/w “Together,” peaked at number 29 R&B in early 1965.

Collier‘s other Chess singles were “Come Back Baby” b/w “Aint That Love,” the local hit “For My Man” b/w “Help Me,” “Sharing You” b/w ” Walk Away,” “Watching and Waiting” b/w “Like Only Yesterday,” “That’ll Be Good Enough” b/w “Git Out,” and “You’re the Only One” b/w “Do It With Confidence.” In 1969, Collier signed with Peachtree Records of Atlanta, GA and released the singles “True Love Never Comes Easy” and “You Hurt So Good” b/w “I Can’t Lose.” Her other releases are the single “Let Them Talk” and the CD Shades of Genius.

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In 1972, Collier left secular music and began singing gospel music. In the ’90s, she was a minister at a church in Chicago. “I Had a Talk with My Man” has been covered by Dusty Springfield (Anthology, 1997), Shirley Brown(Timeless, 1991), Inez Foxx (Memphis & More, 1996), and Marva Wright(Marvalous, 1995), among others. 

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