ReviewThis CD and its follow up "Shrine The Rarest Soul Label Volume 2" document the curious tale of Shrine Records, a label set up in Washington DC in 1965 by Eddie Singleton, Raynoma Gordy (the estranged wife of Motown boss Berry Gordy) and Stanley Ossman (Raynoma's half brother).
Shrine was a blatant attempt to replicate the format that had become so successful for Berry Gordy in Detroit, with some of the Shrine recordings having a very "Motownesque" sound, however it was a commercial disaster with only one or two records managing to get any attention, even in Washington. Needless to say, it has been suggested by some that this lack of success was a result of Motown putting pressure on Radio Stations and distributers, but that could just be sour grapes.
These two Kent CDs contain virtually everything ever recorded for the label, the booklet with the first volume has a detailed history of the label and the booklet with the second volume has an in depth discography.