Rockwell T. James And The Rhythm Aces - Love Power (1968)

(Teddy Vann*)
Australia

*On this version a writing credit to C. White is added, perhaps meaning Calvin White of The Sandpebbles. He is not credited on other versions (not even on the Sandpebbles’ original), and the copyright is by Teddy Vann alone, so it’s a mystery.

Single on Festival by bass player, singer and songwriter Ronnie Peel (1946-2020) who formed The Rhythm Aces in 1967 using the stage name Rockwell T. James.

He had already been in bands that included Sydney’s R&B-styled Missing Links, Australians in NZ The Pleazers and a later line-up of Ray Brown’s band. His career after the Rhythm Kings took in Thunderclap Newman in the UK, The La De Das from NZ, and a later formation of The Rhythm Aces that was, like the original, something of a supergroup.

In the late 70s Ronnie Peel released a Rockwell T. James album, A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues, and some solo singles including Roxanne (1976, #39 Australia) and Come on Home (A Song for Anna) 1976 (#55 Australia), both co-written by Ronnie/Rockwell T.

The list of notable musicians he worked with throughout his career is impressive. See, for example, the list of Ronnie Peel Credits at Discogs.com and Kimbo’s Rockwell T. James feature.

Suggestion from Terry Stacey.
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A footnote: The La De Das song The Place on Rock And Roll Sandwich (1973) includes these lines:
Hey look back there, up against the bar,
Isn’t that Rockwell T. James, the recording star?
♫ Listen at YouTube Written by Keith Barber & Kevin Borich

Dusty Springfield - Love Power (1968)

(Teddy Vann)
UK

On Philips album Dusty… Definitely November 1968 by British singing star (born Mary O’Brien 1939-1999) formerly with her brother Tom in successful folk-pop trio The Springfields.

No arranger is credited but conducted by British arranger-conductor-composer Peter Knight, so …?

The Sandpebbles - Love Power (1967)

(Teddy Vann)
USA
Original version
#22 USA #14 USA R&B

Single on Calla by R&B vocal trio consisting of Calvin White (a gospel singer-songwriter), Andrea Bolden and Lonzine Wright. They were later known as C And The Shells after changing record labels.

The writer:
Teddy Vann (Theodore Williams, 1934-2009) sang with The Four Vanns in 1956 and wrote both sides of their single, but his subsequent career in music was mainly behind the scenes, producing, composing, and nurturing talent (see his long lists of credits at Discogs.com). Vann’s composition Love Power won him a Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues song after it was recorded by Luther Vandross in 1991.

Wanda Arletti - Love Power (1969)

(Teddy Vann)
South Africa
Later version

On Nem album Love Power!!! by South African singer Wanda Arletti, born Wanda Teresa Arletowicz von Zelinskain in Hackney, London to Polish parents, married to guitarist guitarist Richard Crouse. She also recorded as Bobby McGee.

♫ Listen at YouTube

Further reading: 1. Detailed 2019 profile of Wanda Crouse in Jewish Life (South Africa). 2. Feature on her 1970 hit Zanzibar at SA Singles Charts.

Bay City Rollers - Love Power (1977)

(Teddy Vann)
UK
Later version

On Arista album It’s a Game July 1977 by hugely successfully pop band from Edinburgh who had ten Top 10 hits in the UK 1971-76 including eight in the Top 4.

They hit #1 in 1975 with Bye Bye Baby, the Four Seasons’ 1965 hit, and made #4 with their version of Dusty Springfield’s I Only Want To Be With You from 1963, but not all of their hits were covers. For example, their other UK #1 Give A Little Love was an original, as was the biggest of their two Top 10 tracks in the US, Saturday Night (1975, #1 USA; an earlier recording was released in the UK in 1973).

♫ Listen at YouTube

Further reading: Bay City Rollers biography by William Ruhlmann at All Music.

Luther Vandross - Power of Love/Love Power (1991)

(Luther Vandross - Marcus Miller / Teddy Vann)
USA
Later version
#4 USA #45 NZ

Single on Epic by Luther Vandross (1951-2005), multi-million-selling singer-songwriter and an arranger and producer on his own albums. He also worked on the albums of other major artists, whether as producer, arranger, backing singer or some combination of those. The list includes Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, and David Bowie, just for starters: see the All Music biography for a more detailed overview.

Power Of Love/Love Power is loosely referred to as “a song” but the track is a pairing of two songs.
• First, Power of Love is an original for this recording, written by Luther Vandross with his bassist and regular writing and producing partner Marcus Miller.
• Second, Love Power, appearing around 4:20 into the track, is the Sandpebbles’ song from 1967, written by Teddy Vann.
All three writers were awarded a Grammy at the 34th Awards for Best Rhythm & Blues Song.

Willie Hutch - Love Power (1975)

(Frank Hutch)
USA
Red herring

Same title but not the same song as ‘Love Power’ by Rockwell T. James And The Rhythm Aces.

Single on Motown by William Hutchinson (1944-2005), singer-guitarist who became a house staff writer, arranger, producer, and musician at Motown. He co-wrote the The Jackson 5’s hit I’ll Be There and Al Wilson’s Who Could Be Lovin’ You (Other Than Me), recorded by others including The Dream in Australia.

I cannot find out who writer Frank Hutch is, but it’s not a misprint: the song is copyrighted by Frankie L. Hutchinson (BMI Work ID 924408).

Red herring power
Songview, the copyright database of BMI and ASCAP, lists over 90 songs entitled Love Power (excluding titles that have further words after Love Power).