Page 7 - You and I: The Very Best of O'Bryan booklet

and to “Soul Train’s A Comin,’” the theme song for the syndicated
dance show “Soul Train” — only to find out none of his music had
been released in the digital age.

It was those factors that led to the creation of the anthology
“You And I: The Very Best Of O’Bryan.” This 28-song retrospective
captures not only the highlights of O’Bryan’s four albums on
Capitol — “Doin’ Alright,” “You And I,” “Be My Lover” and
“Surrender” — but it includes two previously unreleased songs,
“I Wonder” and “Waiting For You.”

THE BEGINNING

Born in Sneads Ferry, N.C., O’Bryan McCoy Burnette II was playing
the piano at 6 years old and then began singing in the church and
at local talent shows. In 1974, he and his family moved to Santa
Ana, Calif. O’Bryan was singing in the Second Baptist Church young
adult choir when his friend Melanee Kersey approached him about
considering a career in music.

Melanee introduced the young singer to her husband, producer
Ron “Have Mercy” Kersey. A former keyboardist for The Trammps
and a veteran of the ’70s Philadelphia music scene, Kersey invited
O’Bryan to join a group he was putting together.