The Bonne Villes

The Bonne Villes were among the better white R&B-based acts to record for the Winston-Salem-based Justice label. A sextet comprising Donald W. Cartner (drums), Curtis “Buzzy” Cobb (sax, body organ), Butch “Carl F.” Steele (bass), Nelson M. Bradshaw (business lead guitar), Adam Alan Lovette (business lead vocals), and Gary Howe (vocals), they produced their method across frat celebrations and local night clubs from their indigenous Salisbury on out, playing early- to middle-’60s R&B; mainly covers of music with the Drifters, Adam Dark brown, Wilson Pickett, etc., spiced with periodic originals in an identical vein by Jim Lovette. That they had a fairly advanced vocal strike, and their instrumental abilities had been up to the repertory they decided; witness Steele’s strike over the bass on the cover of “96 Tears.”