Category Archives: Southern Soul

CULT CLASSIC: CANDI STATON-I’M JUST A PRISONER.

Cult Classic: Candi Staton-I’m Just A Prisoner. By 1968, Candi Staton was twenty-eight, and still hadn’t embarked upon a solo career. However, that would soon change when Clarence Carter introduced her to Rick Hall. He would transform the former gospel singer’s fortunes. Sixteen R&B hit singles were recorded at Rick Hall’s Fame Studios, in Muscle …

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ISAAC HAYES-1969-1972.

Isaac Hayes-1969-1972. Isaac Lee Hayes Jr was born on 20th, August 1942 in Covington, Tennessee. He was the second child of Eula and Isaac Lee Hayes Sr. However, tragedy  struck when Hayes’ mother died when he was young. The situation got even worse when his father abandoned his young family. Fortunately, Hayes’ maternal grandparents Mr. …

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PAUL WELLER PRESENTS THAT SWEET SWEET MUSIC.

Paul Weller Presents That Sweet Sweet Music. Label: Ace Format: CD. Release Date: 28th March 2025. From an early age, soul music has played an important part in Paul Weller’s life. He grew up listening to, and buying soul singles. This was just the start. Then during his ten years with The Jam, the group …

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ISAAC HAYES-HOT BUTTERED SINGLES 1969-1972.

Isaac Hayes-Hot Buttered Singles 1969-1972. Label: Stax. Format: CD. Release Date: 25th October 2024. Isaac Lee Hayes Jr was born on 20th, August 1942 in Covington, Tennessee. He was the second child of Eula and Isaac Lee Hayes Sr. However, tragedy  struck when Hayes’ mother died when he was young. The situation got even worse …

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THIS IS GOLDWAX 1964-1968.

This Is Goldwax 1964-1968. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Quinton Claunch was born on December 3rd, 1921, in Tishomingo, Mississippi. However, in the early forties he moved to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where his music career began. Initially, Claunch was the guitarist in various country music groups. Then in 1943, he formed The Blue Seal Pals …

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ATLANTA: HOTBED OF 70s SOUL.

Atlanta: Hotbed Of 70s Soul. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. During the fifties and sixties, the Atlanta’s black music scene was thriving. One of the most important figures during the sixties was Bill Haney.  He was a a producer, songwriter and owner of Down South Productions, which was responsible for some of the finest Southern …

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CANDI STATON-I’M JUST A PRISONER.

Candi Staton-I’m Just A Prisoner. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. By 1968, Candi Staton was twenty-eight, and still hadn’t embarked upon a solo career. However, that would soon change when Clarence Carter introduced her to Rick Hall. He would transform the former gospel singer’s fortunes. Sixteen R&B hit singles were recorded at Rick Hall’s Fame …

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MILLIE JACKSON-MILLIE JACKSON

Millie Jackson-Millie Jackson. Growing up, life wasn’t easy for Millie Jackson. She was born in the city of Thomson, in Georgia, on July the ’15th’ 1944. Her father was a sharecropper and worked long hours for little reward. Life was tough for the Jackson family, and got tougher when Millie Jackson’s mother became ill and …

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A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING-THE DOLLY PARTON SONGBOOK.

A Way To Make A Living-The Dolly Parton Songbook. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: “31st” March 2023. On September the ‘18th’ 1967, Monument Records released Hello, I’m Dolly, the debut album twenty-one year old country singer Dolly Parton. The album reached number eleven in the US Country charts, and featured two hit singles, …

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WILLIAM BELL-THE MAN IN THE STREET.

William Bell-The Man In The Street. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Southern Soul man William Bell was born William Yarbrough on July the ’16th’ 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up, he sang in church and was inspired by the gospel group The Soul Stirrers, who at the time, were led by Sam Cooke. By the …

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WHERE SOUL BEGINS…KENT MODERN-FOR DANCERS FORTY.

Where Soul Begins…Kent Modern-For Dancers Forty. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Release Date: 25th November 2022. In 1982, a new label, Kent Records, released its first ever compilation, For Dancers Only to widespread critical acclaim. It was released to critical acclaim and was hailed a commercial success. This landmark compilation was also the start of …

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WRAP IT UP-THE ISAAC HAYES AND DAVID PORTER SONGBOOK.

Wrap It Up-The Isaac Hayes and David Porter Songbook. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD. Release Date: 30th September 2022. One of the most important songwriting partnerships in the history of Stax Records was Isaac Hayes and David Porter. They started writing together towards the end of 1964, and success came quickly for the pair when …

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MASTERPIECES OF MODERN SOUL VOLUME 6.

Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 6. Label: Kent Dance. Format: CD. Release Date: ‘29th’ July 2022. Almost nineteen years ago,  in October 2003,  Kent Soul released the first instalment in the Masterpieces Of Modern Soul series. Since then, another six volumes have been released. The first came in January 2009, when Masterpieces Of Modern Soul …

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ATLANTA SOUL ARTISTRY 1965-1975.

Atlanta Soul Artistry 1965-1975. Label: Kent Soul. Format: LP. Atlanta’s black music scene started to thrive during the fifties and sixties. However, one of the most important figures during the sixties was Bill Haney.  He was a producer, songwriter and owner of Down South Productions who was responsible for some of the finest Southern Soul …

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WILLIAM BELL-NEVER LIKE THIS BEFORE.

William Bell-Never Like This Before. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Veteran Southern Soul man William Bell was born William Yarbrough on July the ’16th’ 1939, in Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up, he sang in church and was inspired by the gospel group The Soul Stirrers, who at the time, were led by Sam Cooke. By the …

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YOU GAVE ME A REASON TO LIVE-SOUTHERN AND DEEP SOUL FROM LOUISIANA. 

You Gave Me Reason To Live-Southern And Deep Soul From Louisiana. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. During the sixties and seventies, South-West Louisiana was famous for its vibrant and music industry which was soon expanding and thriving. Initially, the region was famous for the Cajun sound and Zydeco, but soon, artists and producers started recording …

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STOP THE WAR.

Stop The War. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. When the Vietnam War began on the ‘1st’ November 1955, Americans never realised that this bloody and brutal war would last nineteen years, five months, four  weeks and one day. By the time the War ended on the ’30th’ April 1975 America was a nation divided. Those in favour of …

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EVERYBODY MAKES A MISTAKE: STAX SOUTHERN SOUL VOLUME 2.

Everybody Makes A Mistake: Stax Southern Soul Volume 2. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Satellite Records was founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton  and four years later in 1961 the label changed its name to Stax Records. The newly named label was joined by Volt Records which was its sister label. This …

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CULT CLASSIC: AL GREEN-GREEN IS BLUES.

Cult Classic: Al Green-Green Is Blues. The day that Al Green met Willie Mitchell in 1969 was, without doubt, the most important day in the twenty-two year old singer’s career. His career had stalled and he someone who could get it back on track. Willie Mitchell was the man to do that and when he …

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CULT CLASSIC: LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-CRY TO ME.

Cult Classic: Loleatta Holloway-Cry To Me. Before being transformed into a disco diva by arranger, guitarist and producer Norman Harris at Salsoul imprint Gold Mind Records, Loleatta Holloway released two albums of Southern Soul for Michael Thevis’ Aware Records. This includes her sophomore album Cry To Me, which was released in 1975. Loleatta Holloway was …

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