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There’s a whole lot of talk about Jimmy’s Long After Tonight Is Over, and I agree that song is great, but I didn’t fall in love with it at first listen. It was Feels Like Lovin’ that made my heart skip a beat or two. (Such precious gems are to be found on Barry’s Vintage Soul Radio Show)
You’ll find a detailed bio. about the artist at Barry Fowden’s Soul Cellar archives.
Lou Rawls is perhaps the quintessential R&B artist. Although he is probably most remembered for his time with Philly International, Lou was an established artist long before he found wide fame and acceptance with Gamble and Huff. See his full history Lou Rawls Bio
I didn’t know that he had a 4 octave range, wow. I think of him as a superb baritone who’s phrasing and legendary sound is immediately recognized and is unsurpassed in the music industry.
This is a song released 1969 that I absolutely love “Your Good Thing” Listen to the pathos and earnestness that Lou conveys.
If you would like to hear it on your computer Click here
POSTED BY GUA AT 11/13/2010 09:52:00 AM 2 COMMENTS
POSTED BY RAGGEDY AT 11/10/2010 12:02:00 AM 2 COMMENTS
The Sims Twins had the best-selling record that was released on Sam Cooke’s own label SAR. “A Sam Cooke composition, “Soothe Me,” first hit the charts in October 1961 and stayed there for 22 weeks, Reaching #4. Of course, the Sims Twins had been gospel singers. They started out in a 1arger family gospel group, the Sims Brothers Sextet, who recorded two obscure records for Dootone in 1952 (so obscure that no copies are known to survive of either record!). The group was active only around Los Angeles and never did much traveling.
This has been a real depressing week as far as Soul Music. First we lost Solomon Burke on Sunday and today I just found out about General Johnson. My Thoughts Goes Out to the family of General Norman Johnson. Rest peacefully General.
Chairmen of the Board – You Got Me Dangling On A String
Here’s my favorite Chairmen Of The Board Song from their second album In Session
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Playlist:
Posted by Soultaker
I think I’m going to try out something new here that I will post every once in awhile call Soul Reflections. I came up with this interesting idea the other day while just spinning some 45′s. Just something simple as One Song, Two Great Versions of it. Whether it’s the original version by a artist and a remake or just two remakes of the original. I’ve always been interested in various takes on a particular song as long as the version can hold it’s weight to other.
The first song I had in mind is a song called Trust Me written by Bobby Womack.
The original is actually recorded by Wilson Pickett for his Midnight Mover album from 1968. If you listen to the Wilson Pickett’s, you can hear Bobby on part of the chorus as well as on lead guitar.
Bobby would record this song later on in 1975 for his Saftey Zone album. Bobby’s version has female vocals in place of his guitar playing on Wilson’s original.
I feel that both versions are great, but I’m leaning little more to Wilson Pickett’s verison of the song. I love Bobby’s guitar playing on it and plus it’s the type of soul music I enjoy listening to.
I will let you be the judge on which version stands out to you. I hope you enjoyed this first edition of Soul Reflections.
First things first, I would like to thank Raggedy so much for the invitation to contribute on her blog. She’s a complete class act and I am happy to be able to call her a friend of mine.
Since this is my first official written post on Sounds Of The Soul, I thought I would write about something that I am anticipating coming out very soon and that’s the Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology from Numero.
For those that are not familar with the Numero Group, they have been putting out compilations of rare soul that is known as their Eccentric Soul series since 2005. These guys should be recognized for their work as they provide very detail and in depth linear notes about the histories surrounding such labels as Twinight, Prix, Tragar and Note just to name a few.
The newest release however will be spotlighting the very under appreciated Soul Legend Syl Johnson. Born in 1938, starting his career back in what many consider the birth years of soul(the late 1950′s) as a blues singer, Syl would begin his career singing with the likes of Jimmy Reed and Howling Wolf before setting out on his own to forge his career that is criminally slept on. Syl’s name should be right up there with the likes of James Brown and Wilson Pickett when talking about legends in Soul music. This set will hopefully help steer the ship in the right direction from the early looks of it. It will be focusing on all of his material he’s done prior to his 70′s run on Hi Records. That includes material from Federal and Twinight labels which many fans hold in high regard.
This will be a 4 CD, 6 LP set. As seen in the second You Tube video below, this set will undoubtedly do Syl Johnson justice. The release date for this beautiful set is October 19, 2010, so save up those dollars.
Garnet Mimms’ greatest (and only hit) was Cry Baby, the song that later became a steady fixture in Janis Joplin’s repertoire. He sang the original in 1963, and followed that fantastic song with plenty of other titles which were no less brilliant in my opinion. But they never reached hit status. One of these songs is I’ll make It Up To You. This record does neither lack in Garnet’s signature soulful urgent pleading nor in beautiful background vocals or a catchy arrangement.
The track has been in my post-on-blog folder for quite a while, and since I am a little slow with my posts lately, I thought it would be appropriate to promise my blog followers that i’ll make it up to them, so to speak, as soon as life gets back to normal here …
What a song! It starts with a perfect guitar introduction followed by one of the most soulful “mmmmmm’s” right before the horn section adds its world-weary sighing sound … This deepie, in my opinion, is a masterpiece.
My Tuesday is made!
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Friday night I went to the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival here in San Antonio which included some RandB tunes also. I was a little late to the show, therefore I caught only a handful of the first part. Believe it or not, but the minute I arrived, the band Fingerprints began playing “Papa Was A Rolling Stone.” My reaction: “Yay, I’m at the right place here!”
Unfortunately, this Temptations tune was part of the medley closing the first part of the concert. Just my luck! The concert’s second part consisted of a superb performance by Cindy Bradley.
The intense heat and humidity, however, had me leave the scene early … It was unbearable.
Since hubby is “on the road again,” I had to go see the concert on my own. And what can I say, I met a nice lady, Pauline, who engaged me in a great conversation, making me feel less awkward … With this post I’d like to say Hi to Pauline!
Because of my concert experience, I was so tempted to post yet another Temptations title today. But I decided to focus on something by Eddie Kendricks instead, since I’m currently getting myself acquainted with his solo material.
All I can say is that I love Eddie’s music. (Don’t tell the Ruff, though! lol)
You Loved Me Then has become a favorite of mine right away. Eddie’s voice sounds as clean and crisp as it could possibly be. In the second title, Honey Brown, Eddie is backed by subtle background vocals and a relaxed orchestra sound which creates a perfectly peaceful atmosphere around Eddie’s flawless singing: the material of which memories are woven.
Like David’s, Eddie’s true talent never was allowed to fully show during his time with the Temptations, in my opinion. His solo material proves that he had much more to offer …
Eddie Kendricks set the standard by which any falsetto singer will be judged — like it or not!
Who in the world is Sy Hightower? I heard the song, and it immediately had me want more of this gritty Bobby-Womack-like voice. So, I went hunting and found the A-side to today’s song, I Know You’re Leaving Me on a compilation called Super Cool California Soul.
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Tagged male singers 60's/70's soul,, male soul groups 60's/70's,
From allmusic.com:
Spencer Wiggins was a gifted and emotionally powerful vocalist who cut a handful of superb Southern soul singles during the mid-’60s but never scored the hits he genuinely deserved, though years later he would be lionized as one of the lost masters of the form by British and Japanese enthusiasts of deep soul. Wiggins was born in Memphis, TN, in 1942; his parents had a strong interest in music, and while in high school Spencer formed a gospel vocal group, the New Rival Gospel Singers, which also featured his brother Percy Wiggins and sister Maxine Wiggins. At the same time, Spencer and Percy were members of the glee club at Memphis’s Booker T. Washington High School when the student body included Booker T. Jones, Maurice White, and William Bell and the faculty included noted disc jockey and talent scout Nat D. Williams. In this fertile environment, Spencer and Percy first turned professional, formed an R&B vocal group calledthe Four Stars that featured David Porter, later to become a noted songwriter. In 1961, Spencer graduated from high school and began making a name for himself on the Memphis club scene; after several years of gigging he caught the attention of Quinton Claunch, a songwriter and producer who ran the soul-dominated Goldwax Records label. Claunch signed Spencer to a record deal in 1964, and while his first sides were licensed to the Bandstand USA label, he was soon releasing product through Goldwax proper. Despite cutting strong material with Claunch at the controls and some of the city’s best session players backing him up, Spencer never scored the major breakthrough hit he needed, and after Goldwax went under in 1969, he recorded material for the Fame, Pama, and Vivid Sound labels before he left Memphis for good in 1975. In 1976, Spencer had a spiritual rebirth and turned his back on secular music in favor of gospel. After relocating to Florida, he became a deacon of the New Birth Baptist Church in Miami, and was named director of two of the church’s choral groups. While a 1977 gospel album cut with the help of Al Green was never released, in 1999 Spencer released a cassette-only EP, Jump for Jesus, which received significant airplay in the Miami area. A full-length gospel album, Keys to the Kingdom, was released in 2002 and merged Spencer’s full-bodied vocals and spiritual message with tracks produced and arranged in contemporary R&B and hip-hop styles. A thorough compilation of Spencer’s work for Goldwax, The Goldwax Years, was released by the British Kent label in 2006.
Greetings from Raggedy’s patio. I am wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday on this beautiful peaceful morning. Life is good, and I am going to see O’s Temptations tonight — if everything’s going according to plan.
Before his breakthrough, Vandross was part of a singing quintet in the late ’70s, consisting former Shades of Jade members Anthony Hinton and Diane Sumler, Theresa V. Reed, and Christine Wiltshire, also called Luther, signed to Cotillion Records. Although the singles “It’s Good for the Soul”, “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)”, and “The Second Time Around” were relatively successful, their two albums, the self-titled Luther (1976) and This Close to You (1977), didn’t sell enough to make the charts. Vandross bought back the rights to these albums after the record label dropped the group, preventing their later re-release.
Enjoy!
Eddie Kendricks is also known as the Prince of Romance — and rightly so. His beautiful soft and dreamy falsetto has remained unrivaled even almost 20 years after his death.
Up to a few weeks ago, I had not heard of this album, and I must say, I am glad I found out about it. I love the mix of Eddie’s lesser known natural tenor with his famous falsetto voice. So, here is my favorite track from Vintage ’78 for all the Eddie Kendricks fans far and wide.
Und fuer alle meine deutschen Leser traellert “Ruff” auch was in Deutsch. Der song darf als Raritaet angesehen werden. Ich verdanke den track meinem buddy DC vom Generationsoul Forum.
Die Aufnahme entstand in den den fruehen Sechzigern und im Hintergrund sind vor allem Eddie und Melvin zu hoeren.
Rest in Peace, David Ruffin. Your voice brought so much joy and happiness into my world! Thanks.
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Was there ever a voice that defined the soul of Soul better than Wilson Pickett’s? I don’t believe there was — and there will never again be such a fascinating singer as he was!
From The Sound Of Wilson Pickett (Atlantic, 1967) is todays pick.
Here’s a video clip I had not seen up to now … Yes, it’s one of the awfully bad quality ones — but that doesn’t bother me. Take A Little Love
Most of us probably have wondered at some point in our lives what true love looks and feels like. I know I did. Johnny Bristol describes it in this song: Caring for someone else as if the person were yourself, not letting anything come between you and your love — not even physical distance … I just love this song.
The song is from his 1974 album Hang On In There Baby which reached # 7 in the U.S. R&B charts.
More about Johnny Bristol here.
