The King Pins - It Won't Be This Way (Always)
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The King Pins – It Won’t Be This Way (Always) / How Long Will It Last (1963)
A beautiful piece of deep soul from the Chicago vocal group The King Pins, better known in gospel circles as the Kelly Brothers. Released on Federal Records in 1963, “It Won’t Be This Way (Always)” draws heavily on their gospel roots, with rich, tightly arranged harmonies, a soulful lead vocal and an uplifting message delivered over a gently rolling R&B rhythm.
The group featured brothers Andrew, Curtis and Robert Kelly alongside Charles Lee and Offe Reese. Their gospel background is central to the record’s appeal, with the powerful vocal interplay giving the performance a warmth and intensity that sets it apart from much of the secular soul being recorded at the time. The song was written by Robert Kelly and producer Sonny Thompson, and became the group's biggest success, reaching No. 12 on the US R&B chart and No. 89 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The flip, “How Long Will It Last”, is a lovely mid-tempo soul ballad that provides a more intimate contrast to the A-side.
A superb example of early-'60s harmony soul, and an essential discovery for fans of deep soul and the roots of Northern Soul.