Judy Clay & William Bell – Private Number / Love-Eye-Tis 1968

 

Judy Clay & William Bell – Private Number / Love-Eye-Tis (Soul Classic Review & Story)

Stax records 1968– STA-0005

notes:

Few duets capture the raw emotion of classic soul like 

Judy Clay and William Bell on Private Number. Released 

during the golden era of Stax soul, this track blends longing, 

vulnerability, and irresistible groove.

Private Number tells the story of two former lovers reconnecting

 through a phone call—simple, but emotionally powerful.

The magic of Private Number lies in its conversational duet style.

 The chemistry between Clay and Bell feels natural, almost like 

eavesdropping on a real call. This authenticity helped 

define the sound of Southern soul.

Built on smooth instrumentation and heartfelt vocals, the track

 influenced generations of soul and R&B artists. It remains a 

staple on vintage playlists and vinyl collections.

credits:

Judy Clay – lead & backing vocals

William Bell – lead & backing vocals

Backing Musicians (Stax Session Players)

The recording features members of the legendary 

Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Memphis Horns.

Core Band (likely line-up)

Booker T. Jones – organ / keyboards

Steve Cropper – guitar

Donald 'Duck' Dunn – bass

Al Jackson Jr. – drums

Horn Section

Wayne Jackson – trumpet

Andrew Love – tenor saxophone

Recorded at Stax Studios in 1968

 Producer – Booker T. Jones

 Written-By – B. T. Jones, William Bell

tracklist:

A Private Number 2:40

B Love-Eye-Tis 2:35

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