Excerpts from Cooler Than Ice: Arctic Records and the Rise of Philly Soul:
Della Humphrey cut her Arctic debut “Don’t Make The Good Girls Go Bad” before she even hit her teens for writer/producers Clarence Reid and Jack Corbitt. The captivating slice of Miami soul gently surged over organ, horns, and heavy bass, resonating with R&B audiences to a #18 peak and climbing to #79 pop in late ‘68. “Your Love Is All I Need,” another engaging ballad from Reid and Corbitt, adorned the flip. Everette Edwards arranged both sides.
Born and raised in Miami, Della Humphrey had an early gospel upbringing. “My first experience was in church,” she says. “I was five years old, and my first church was New Hope Missionary Baptist.” She was attending Miami Edison Middle School and performing at school district functions and talent shows when she met local nightclub operator Corbitt.
“I had been doing a lot of local things, and they had been in and out of the local papers there, like the Miami Times. They were talking about this young girl, eighth grade I think at that time, winning this talent [contest],” she says. “So when he saw that, he contacted my parents. I think he contacted the school first.” Corbitt assumed Humphrey’s managerial reins and teamed with local R&B mainstay Reid to brainstorm Della’s debut single, probably recorded at Criteria Studios. Since Humphrey usually sang to tracks, she doesn’t know who played on them.
“They had a big deejay convention, and I think Jack Corbitt went to the convention to shop a deal, and I believe that’s how we came with Arctic Records,” says Della. Having Reid involved couldn’t have hurt within the halls of Jamie/Guyden; he co-wrote Phil-L.A. of Soul’s Top 20 R&B inaugural offering at the beginning of 1967, “A Woman Will Do Wrong,” by another splendid Miami soul chanteuse, Helene Smith.
“I sang that song so many times over and over. When I was asleep, I was still singing!” says Humphrey. “I was very young at that time, and it sounds like it to me. Sometimes when I’m listening to it, it kind of sounds like little Alvin and the Chipmunks! You know, the voice has not matured.” “Your Love Is All I Need” is a favorite of hers to this day. “I love that song! And I still listen to it sometimes. Most weekends I’m listening to myself!” she laughs.
