Omnivore Recordings has announced the upcoming CD and digital release of Ohio Players’ Observations In Time: The Johnny Brantley/Vidalia Production, out on April 5th, 2024. The release has packaging featuring new liner notes from Tim Dillinger-Curenton outlining the group’s story.

Formed in 1964 as The Players, and eventually The Ohio Players, they met up with producer Johnny Brantley in 1966, and the band began recording the following year. After a single on Ray Charles’ Tangerine label, they released two singles on the Compass label, and landed a contract with Capitol Records.

Observations In Time appeared in January 1969, containing a number of Ohio Players originals including “Here Today And Gone Tomorrow,” which David Bowie would make part of his Diamond Dogs tour and release it on 1974’s David Live.

Covers include Allen Toussaint’s “Mother-In-Law,” the band’s take on “Over The Rainbow,” and a version of the immortal “Summertime” from Porgy And Bess.

After the release of the Capitol album, the band parted ways with Brantley and re-emerged in 1971 with their LP Pain on Detroit’s Westbound Records.

Now, for the first time, all 24 tracks from this influential period of their long career are available on Observations In Time: The Johnny Brantley/Vidalia Productions.

Containing the entire Observations In Time LP, their two Compass singles, and the material released afterward, Observations In Time: The Johnny Brantley/Vidalia Productions is an early look at a group that would impact modern R&B multiple times, eventually becoming part of the inaugural class inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2013.