Bedford-Stuyvesant Youth In Action Community Corporation Talent Hunt Winners

• 1. Rev. Horace Tyler – Introduction Of YIA Talent Hunt Winners
• 2. Carla & The Carlettes – The Thrillers Band
• 3. Carla & The Carlettes – Love Makes A Woman
• 4. The Channels 4 – I Wish It Would Rain
• 5. Sharon Seabrook – Come & Get These Memories
• 6. The United Souls – I Want To Be Sweeter To You (Than I Was Yesterday)
• 7. The Destinations (6) – Cowboys To Girls
• 8. Carla & The Carlettes – Grooving
• 9. The Channels 4 – Cross My Heart
• 10. The United Souls – The Way You Do The Things You Do
• 11. The Starlettes (4) – Dry Your Eyes

Big Crown Records is proud to present the reissue of one of Brooklyns most sought after holy grails. Youth in Action, Inc. (YIA) was formed in 1963 when the Central Brooklyn Coordinating Council received a grant to develop a youth services program in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community. It was originally organised to identify and address the social problems that were leading to the high crime rate in Bed-Stuy. What there is no mention of in either the NMAAHCs collection of YIA materials nor in the Brooklyn Public Library's also extensive collection is this talent show and the record that came to be because of it. Local vocal groups chose tunes to cover from the era (1964 - 1968) ranging from The Rascals to The Intruders, from The O'Jays to Billy Stewart. All of these groups were backed by a local act called The Thrillers Band. The winners of the talent contest were then invited into the studio to record their versions which would be pressed up on this record and given away to local radio and TV stations. The hope of the whole thing was that this would help the young groups get discovered by producers and record labels and start their professional music careers. The intro to the album is Reverend Horace Tyler congratulating the winners

What this album may lack in fidelity and production it more than makes up for in charm. The engineers at the recording sessions pump in pre recorded applause and screaming to give the it the feel of the day of the contest while the young groups sing their hearts out, clearly giving their all.

"It is with great pleasure that we make this available to the public again. This is a truly rare record, and an awesome piece of New York History."