Category Archives: Soul
ASHFORD AND SIMPSON-STREET OPERA.
ASHFORD AND SIMPSON-STREET OPERA. Back in 1963, when Nikolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson met, they probably never envisaged that their musical partnership would last six decades, and see them write songs for some of music’s biggest names and record four albums that were certified gold. Husband and wife duo Ashford and Simpson had met in …
GLORIA GAYNOR-NEVER CAN SAY GODBYE.
GLORIA GAYNOR-NEVER CAN SAY GODBYE. The story of Gloria Gaynor is a fascinating one, how Gloria Fowles, born in New Jersey, in 1948, was transformed into a disco diva who recorded some of the biggest disco hits of the seventies and eighties. Probably, the two best known of her singles were 1974s’ Never Can Say …
DORIS DUKE-I’M A LOSER.
DORIS DUKE-I’M A LOSER. Mention Doris Duke’s 1970 album I’m A Loser, and many lovers of soul music will nod approvingly. Since its release, I’m A Loser has become regarded as one of the greatest Deep Soul albums ever released. However, who was Doris Duke, and how did she go from voice for hire to …
JON LUCIEN-PREMONITION.
JON LUCIEN-PREMONITION. Recently I wrote a review of Jon Lucien’s first album for Columbia, Song For My Lady. This was the first of two albums he recorded for Columbia after leaving RCA, for whom he recorded three album. These three albums I Am Now in 1970, Rashida in 1973 and Mind’s Eye in 1974, were …
MEL AND TIM-MEL AND TIM.
MEL AND TIM-MEL AND TIM. Every artist dreams about having a hugely successful hit single, selling so many copies that they get a gold disc to hang on their wall. This happened twice to cousins Mel Hardin and Tim McPherson. Recording as Mel and Tim, their demo tape had so impressed soul singer, Gene Chandler …
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-THE AWARE YEARS: LOLEATTA AND CRY TO ME.
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-THE AWARE YEARS: LOLEATTA AND CRY TO ME. Although one of the most recognizable voices in music is Loleatta Holloway, many people are unaware of the two legendary soul albums she recorded for Michael Thevis Aware Records in the seventies. These were Loleatta in 1973 and Cry To Me in 1975. Instead, many people …
JOHN GARY WILLIAMS-JOHN GARY WILLIAMS.
JOHN GARY WILLIAMS-JOHN GARY WILLIAMS. Sometimes, an otherwise good album is released at just the wrong time, and as a result, the album fails to do as well commercially, as it should’ve done. This was the case with John Gary Williams self-titled debut album John Gary Williams. His album was released just as Stax was …
THE STAPLE SINGERS-BE ALTITUDE: RESPECT YOURSELF.
THE STAPLE SINGERS-BE ALTITUDE: RESPECT YOURSELF. One of the most important moments in The Staple Singers career was when the Reverend Jesse Jackson advised Al Bell to produce the group’s music himself. Before this, Steve Cropper Booker T and The MG’s guitarist and producer, had been in charge of producing the groups two previous albums. …
AL GREEN-LIVIN’ FOR YOU.
AL GREEN-LIVIN’ FOR YOU. A couple of nights ago, I was sitting listening to Al Green, one of my favorite Southern Soul singers, when when I realized that it’s been a while since I wrote about his music. Previously, I’ve written about two of his best albums Let’s Stay Together released in January 1972, and …
ANITA BAKER-COMPOSITIONS.
ANITA BAKER-COMPOSITIONS. Some time ago, I wrote an article of Anita Baker’s seminal 1986 album Rapture, one of my favorite soul albums of the eighties. I’ve long been a fan of Anita’s music, and have for some time, been meaning to write another article on Anita’s music. Today, while I was listening to a number …
JIMMY HUGHES-WHY NOT TONIGHT?
JIMMY HUGHES-WHY NOT TONIGHT? Between 1962 and 1970, Jimmy Hughes only released three albums before retiring from music and withdrawing from public life. Why I hear you ask? The answer to that is quite simple, Jimmy became disillusioned that his music wasn’t being sufficiently promoted by Volt Records’ boss Al Bell, as well of becoming …
ODYSSEY-ODYSSEY.
ODYSSEY-ODYSSEY. Back in December 1977, Odyssey had a major hit on their hands with a disco classic Native New Yorker, a track which, thirty-four years later, is still a hugely popular dance-floor classic. Back then, having loved the tracks I’d heard from the album, I decided to try and find a copy of the album. …
BILLY PAUL-WHEN LOVE IS NEW.
BILLY PAUL-WHEN LOVE IS NEW. In a previous article I wrote about one of Billy Paul’s best know albums Let ‘Em In. After his hugely successful 360 Degrees of Billy Paul, released in 1972, which helped make Billy Philadelphia International Records’ first male superstar, 1976s’ Let ‘Em In is one of his best known and …
THE O’JAYS-BACK STABBERS.
THE O’JAYS-BACK STABBERS. Back in August 1972, after Gamble and Huff had previously managed to convince The O’Jays not to quit the music industry, the group released their debut album Back Stabbers. Having already released a series of singles and albums in the sixties for various labels including Minit, Imperial and Bell, nothing could’ve prepared …
HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES-I MISS YOU.
HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES-I MISS YOU. Although Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes had originally been formed back in the early fifties, as The Charlemagnes, and became The Blue Notes in 1954, it wasn’t until August 1972, that the group released their debut album, originally entitled I Miss You. However, after the success …
CANDI STATON-CANDI STATON.
CANDI STATON-CANDI STATON. Sometimes, I decide to write more that one article on an artist, if they’ve released a number of highly regarded or important albums. However, sometimes, my reasons for writing about an artist more than once are that as well as being an important and influential artist, they’re an artist whose music I …
JEAN CARN-JEAN CARN.
JEAN CARN-JEAN CARN. By the time Jean Carn signed for Philadelphia International Records in 1976, she’d been involved in the music business since the late sixties. After studying at Atlanta’s Morris Brown College, Jean became know as a hugely versatile vocalists, with a five octave range and the ability to sing in a variety of …
THE CHI-LITES -THE CHI-LITES.
THE CHI-LITES -THE CHI-LITES. The early seventies were a great time for anyone who loved soul music. It seemed that during that period, labels throughout America were consistently producing some fantastic music. Several cities had successful labels, all of which were releasing both critically acclaimed and commercially successful music. This seemed to be the case …
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