A DARWEN soul artist is set to release a charity single with the help of some Northern Soul greats.

Paul Davies, co-creator of Darwen School of Music, has recorded a rendition of Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) to be released in April on vinyl.

Chris Clark features on the recording along with Sidney Barnes, who worked with the likes of The Jackson 5 and The Supremes during the 1960s.

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Dean Parrish, Tommy Hunt and Pat Lewis also make appearances as well as Johnny Boy, a soul singer from Bury, and backing singers The Signatures.

The single is the first Mr Davies will have released on vinyl and was recorded to raise money for former Northern Soul DJ Jon Bates who is suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

Mr Davies said: “As someone who listens to soul music daily, recording this song has been like being part of soul music history.

“My new friends tell me stories of working with Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and I just listen in awe.

“I’m very lucky and I loved every minute of making the record.

“I was at a gig in Hindley which was raising money for Jon a while back but not many people turned out to it so I wanted this time to try and raise more money for him.”

Mr Bates, 43, from Wigan, is confined to a wheelchair and is currently looking to raise £35,000 for his treatment.

The original recording, which many may recognise from adverts for the Happy Egg Company, is thought to be one of the rarest around.

Around 250 demos were pressed in 1965 but most ended up being destroyed after original singer Frank Wilson decided he would rather focus on production.

Only a few of the copies survived and one fetched £25, 742 in May 2009.

Over the past couple of years Mr Davies has performed and recorded songs with soul stars such as The Vandellas who were best-known for singing with Martha Reeves.

He also worked with former Flamingoes member Mr Hunt last year, who has sung with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr and James Brown.

Mr Davies, 34, said “We recorded the song at a massive Northern Soul festival at Butlins in Skegness and played it to 8,000 people while we were there.

“They all seemed to enjoy it.”

At the moment pre-orders are being taken and can be ordered from www.thesignatures.co.uk.