Various Artists - Yia Talent Contest Winners
SKU: 53607150964

Various Artists - Yia Talent Contest Winners

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Various Artists - Yia Talent Contest WinnersBig Crown Records is proud to present the reissue of one of Brooklyn's most sought after "holy grail' soul records, YIA Talent Hunt Winners. Youth in Action, Inc. (YIA) was formed in 1963 when the Central Brooklyn Coordinating Council received a grant to develop a youth services program in the Bedford Stuyvesant community. It was originally organized to identify and address the social problems that were leading to the high crime rate in Bed Stuy.

Big Crown Records is proud to present the reissue of one of Brooklyn's most sought after "holy grail' soul records, YIA Talent Hunt Winners. Youth in Action, Inc. (YIA) was formed in 1963 when the Central Brooklyn Coordinating Council received a grant to develop a youth services program in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community. It was originally organized to identify and address the social problems that were leading to the high crime rate in Bed-Stuy.

Recently the Smithsonian Museum of African American History released an archive of footage filmed by a community activist, which shows the real-world effects of the group's efforts: young people engaged in sports, the arts, and other activities to better themselves and their world.

The appearances by Jackie and Bobby Kennedy point to the group's relationship to the Great Society programs of President Lyndon B. Johnson. What there is no mention of in either the NMAAHC's collection of YIA materials nor in the Brooklyn Public Library's also extensive collection is this talent show and the record that came to be because of it. Local vocal groups chose tunes to cover from the era (1964 - 1968) ranging from The Rascals to The Intruders, from The O'Jays to Billy Stewart.

All of these groups were backed by a local act called The Thrillers Band. The winners of the talent contest were then invited into the studio to record their versions which would be pressed up on this record and given away to local radio and TV stations. The hope of the whole thing was that this would help the young groups get discovered by producers and record labels and start their professional music careers.

The intro to the album is Reverend Horace Tyler congratulating the winners and asking them "to just remember, when you reach the top and become our big stars of tomorrow, don't forget YIA'. What this album may lack in fidelity and production it more than makes up for in charm. The engineers at the recording sessions pump in pre recorded applause and screaming to give the it the feel of the day of the contest while the young groups sing their hearts out, clearly giving their all.

From today's perspective, soul music fans will lose it over the choices of covers on this record and the killer, raw, innocent performances of them by these local Brooklyn groups. The Channels 4, Carla & The Carlettes, The United Souls, Sharon Seabrook & The Starlettes, and The Destinations all won that day and got to take place in this record. It makes you wonder, and even pine for the performances of the groups who didn't make the cut, even if just to find out what tunes they covered, or better yet, were their original songs written by some of them for this contest? It is with great pleasure that we make this available to the public again. This is a truly rare record, and an awesome piece of New York History.

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SKU: 53607150964

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janet black
Belleville, US
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Indestructible toy
Color: Bacon
This is a great toy. I have a husky pit bull mix puppy that can chew anything. I swear that dog can chew the varnish off a furniture. He cannot chew this up.I highly recommend
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Jea9
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 3
Indestructible?
Color: Bacon, Color: Bacon
This is after 1 week of arrgressive chewing. Not sure if it's safe for my dog.
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Marybeth
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 4
Beloved But Beware Microplastic Chip-Offs
Color: Bacon
My doodle adores this thing and gnaws on it constantly. He has not been able to harm it, which is great. That’s the best part. Things to be aware of: 1. This is mostly molded plastic; it is a bit heavy and very hard. My dog tosses it into the air and if it lands on him, it HURTS. A lot. 2. While it’s sturdy, sharp teeth eventually gnaw pieces and little shavings off the toy. These are microplastics and could be harmful if your dog swallows them.
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Mary Lou Lafreniere
Draper, US
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Very sturdy chew toy
Color: Bacon
My Frenchy loves it! He’s not a large dog, but big for a French Bulldog. (32 lbs). He chews both ends, but prefers the snout. The eyes are cute, but began to peel off within the first week. I easily removed what was peeling. Half of the paint remained intact. When necessary, I will definitely replace it with the same toy.
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Brad Drinkwater
Lexington, US
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Great chew toy, long lasting
Color: Bacon
This chew toy has been amazing. We have had it for 2 months with 2 dogs chewy on it and it is still going strong. We have a large Golden who chews on everything and and German Shepherd. Big dogs who chew aggressively. Very impressed! Would definitely buy again!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2026

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