Imagine watching a movie and realizing the music in a scene is sung by your own family. Phone calls happened!
When two nieces recognized the song, they called their Aunt Yvonne who was one of the “cubs” in a family music ensemble started by the late Eddie Disnute Sr. — Papa Bear and his Cubs. Aunt Yvonne called another “cub”, her sister Helene.
A native of Hampton, Arkansas. Eddie Sr. started his music career in gospel then transitioned into secular music after moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1963. While living in Milwaukee with his wife and children, he decided to start a group of his own with his children, and they started performing together around the late 1960s. The Disnutes made their way back to the warmer climate of Hampton, Arkansas.
They performed in Arkansas then moved to Houston, Texas where they hoped to break into the music scene. After three years, the Disnutes again returned home to Hampton.
When Helene Lambert recently heard about the music in the movie, she started researching. In 2019 the family had signed a record deal with Athens of the North, a re-issue company in the United Kingdom that looks for rare recordings to reproduce on 7' vinyl records to sell and use in media productions.
Recorded at Sam Griffith’s home studio in Camden in 1975, the two songs have surpassed expectations since that 2019 contract.
“Amazon vinyl is sold out!” Lambert proudly reported. “It was good news for me!”
Some of the vinyl records, new in package, are going from $15 to $70 in the U.S. and even more in Europe. One European dealer is asking 250 Euros for a mint condition copy.
Because the vinyl format is hard to find, streaming has been phenomenal with over 30 million on Spotify alone. Apple Music, iTunes, Sound Cloud, TikTok, and other streaming services also carry the two songs with thousands of streams. Due to the songs doing so well, Athens of the North has reissued a new contract for 10 more years.
Classic soul is a big hit in Europe and the Dismute family’s music is popular worldwide, as indicated on a streaming map from Athens of the North. The songs are particularly popular in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.
“They have the rights,” Lambert said. “It all started with them just reproducing the vinyl.” Did she ever think it would be this big?
“No!” Lambert said. “Honestly, I was shocked when I found out!”
The song “Sweetest Thing on This Side of Heaven” can be heard on The AppleTV Servant series (Season 3, Episode 3), on the Prime Video movie Deep Cover, and on the Netflix documentary Daughters.
“They have the rights,” Lambert said. “It all started with them just reproducing the vinyl.”
Not bad for a one-take recording made over 50 years ago in rural Arkansas. ——— Papa and Mama Bear have passed away, but the music legacy and the Cubs (Eddie, Kenny, Christopher, Helene and Yvonne) live on.
Listen at https://aotns.bandcamp. com/album/youre-so-fine
In 2019, Helene displayed the t-shirt from her days as a 'cub'
