This duo comprised of:
Bo Kirkland (b. Yazoo City, Mississippi, U.S.A.)
and
Ruth Davis (b. Arkansas, U.S.A.)
Bo Kirkland and Ruth Davis both sang independently before landing a record deal at the same label, the California based, Claridge Records imprint.
michael james kirkland / mike and the censations
Bo spent his early days singing Doo Wop and Gospel, and was part of the group Mike and the Censations in the Sixties, who comprised of Mike, his brother Robert (who owned the imprint Bryan), their sister and her husband.
hang on in there -1972 / doin' it right - 1973
He recorded two albums in the Seventies under the name of Michael James Kirland, entitled 'Hang On In There' in 1972, and 'Doin' It Right'.
He simplified his name to 'Bo' for the one Claridge album.
The label boss Frank Slay combined the two singers talents for one album, 'Bo & Ruth', which received a U.K. release in the U.K. via EMI in 1976.
The album included the track 'You're Gonna Get Next To Me', which, on release shot straight into the U.K. top twenty.
The album was produced by Bo Kirkland and arranged by Hense Powell, who both weighed in on production chores.
Claridge folded two years later.
Albums:
as Michael James Kirland:
Hang On In There (Bryan Records 1972)
Doin' It Right (Bryan Records 1973)
as Bo Kirkland and Ruth Davis:
Bo & Ruth (Claridge / EMI Records 1976)
