SAM AND DAVE

Sam & Dave were an American Soul and Rhythm & Blues (R&B) vocal duo, who performed together from 1961 through 1981. The tenor (higher) vocalist was Samuel David Moore (born Samuel David Hicks on October 12, 1935, Winchester, Georgia), and the baritone/tenor (lower) vocalist was Dave Prater (May 9, 1937, Ocilla, Georgia – April 9, 1988, Sycamore, Georgia).

Sam & Dave are members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and are Grammy Award and multi-Gold Record award winning artists. According to the Rock Hall of Fame, Sam & Dave were the most successful soul duo, and brought the sounds of the black gospel church to pop music with their string of call-and-response hit records. Primarily recorded at Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee from 1965 through 1968, these songs included "Soul Man", "Hold On, I'm Coming", "I Thank You", and other Southern soul classics. Other than Aretha Franklin, no other soul act during Sam & Dave's hitmaking Stax years (1966-1968) had more consistent R&B chart success, which included 10 consecutive top 20 singles and 3 consecutive top 10 LP's. Their strong "crossover" popular charts appeal (13 straight appearances and 2 top 10's) also played a role in the adoption and acceptance of soul music by predominantly white pop audiences. "Soul Man" has been recognized by many organizations as one of the best or most influential songs of the past 50 years, including the Grammy Hall of Fame, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone Magazine, and RIAA Songs of the Century. "Soul Man" was also used as the soundtrack and title for both a 1986 film and a 1997–1998 television series.

Nicknamed "Double Dynamite" for their electrifying, sweaty, gospel-infused performances, Sam & Dave were also considered by critics to be one of the greatest live performing acts of the 1960s. The duo has also been cited as musical influences by numerous artists including Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson and Stevie Winwood. The Blues Brothers, who helped create a major resurgence of popular interest in Soul, R&B, & Blues music in the 1980s, were heavily influenced by Sam & Dave (their biggest hit was their top 20 cover of "Soul Man", and their act and stage show was influenced by Sam & Dave).   (wikipedia)

Soul Man

Hold On I'm Coming

When Something Is Wrong With My Baby

Soothe Me

You Don't Know Like I Know

BILLY PAUL

Billy Paul (born Paul Williams, 1 December 1934, Philadelphia) is a Grammy Award winning American soul singer, most known for his 1972 number-one single, "Me and Mrs. Jones".

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Billy Paul began his singing career when he was twelve, appearing on local radio shows. Listening at home to his family's collection of 78s, Paul began developing a vocal style that would eventually incorporate traces of jazz, R&B and pop.

Paul attended Temple University, West Philadelphia Music School, and Granoff School of Music, for formal vocal training. Switching from rock music to soul to pop ballads, he soon became known through his performances on the underground musical circuit in Philadelphia. Paul's popularity grew and led to appearances in clubs and at college campuses nationally. This led to further opportunities, such as appearing in concert with such artists as Charlie Parker, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, The Impressions, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Roberta Flack.

Paul formed a trio and cut his first record, "Why Am I" for Jubilee Records before being drafted into the Armed Services. After his discharge, he joined the New Dawn record label, and was a brief stand in for one of the Blue Notes with Harold Melvin. His first Philly album, Feeling Good at the Cadillac Club combined Billy Paul and Gamble/Huff produced songs, and was released on the Gamble Label. This was followed by Ebony Woman, a more commercial release on the Gamble & Huff Neptune Label. Later still, Going East, Paul's first album released on the Philadelphia International Label, placed him into the mainstream arena. However, it was with his second album that he received both commercial and critical recognition. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul, and Me and Mrs. Jones being the most notable tracks.

"Me and Mrs. Jones" was a No. 1 hit for the last three weeks of 1972, selling two million copies (platinum single status), and went on to win Paul a Grammy Award. The gold album and platinum single broke the artist on world charts, including Britain where the single entered the top twenty of the UK Singles Chart. In addition to receiving the Grammy, Paul has won several Ebby awards (given by the readers of Ebony Magazine); has been the recipient at the American Music Awards, the NAACP Image Award and numerous proclamations and keys to cities across the United States. He has also toured internationally in the United Kingdom, and Latin America.

Paul was on the Neptune Records label for many years. He recorded much other material of note, including "Am I Black Enough For You?", "Let's Make a Baby" and an alternate version of Let's Stay Together. Other songs he recorded include "Thanks for Saving My Life", Let 'em In, Your Song, Only the Strong Survive and "Bring the Family Back".  (wikipedia)

Me And Mrs. Jones

Let 'Em In

Your Song

Interview

RARE EARTH

Rare Earth is an American rock band affiliated with Motown's Rare Earth record label (which was named after the band), who were particularly famous in the late 1960s and the 1970s. Although not the first white band signed to Motown, Rare Earth was the first big hit-making act signed by Motown that consisted only of white members, although a Chicano percussionist later joined the group.

The group formed in 1961 as The Sunliners, and changed their name to "Rare Earth" in 1967. After recording an unsuccessful debut album "Dream/Answers" on the Verve label in 1968, they were signed to Motown in 1969. The band was the first act signed to a new Motown imprint that would be dedicated to white rock acts. The record company didn't have a name for the new label yet, and the band jokingly suggested Motown call the label "Rare Earth." To the band's surprise, Motown decided to do just that.

The main personnel in the group included Gil Bridges (saxophone and vocals ), Pete Rivera a.k.a. Peter Hoorelbeke (lead vocals and drums), John Parrish a.k.a. John Persh (bass guitar, trombone and vocals), Rod Richards (born Rod Cox, guitar), Ray Monette ( guitar ), Edward "Eddie" Guzman (congas and assorted percussive instruments), Mark Olson (keyboard, vocals, some song writing), and Kenny James (born Ken Folcik, keyboards). The personnel lineup changed considerably over the years, with three members of the group dying during the 1980s and 1990s, and the only original member currently left in the group is Bridges.

Rare Earth had a number of Top Ten hits in the 1970-1971 period, including covers of The Temptations' "(I Know) I'm Losing You" (which was used in the documentary video It's Time) and "Get Ready". The cover of "Get Ready" was their biggest hit, peaking at #4 on the US pop charts, a better performance than the original. Other songs include "I Just Want to Celebrate", which peaked at #7 on the pop charts, and "Hey, Big Brother", which peaked at #19. They did not chart significantly after 1971, although they continued to record into the 1980s. Their 1973 album Ma, written and produced by Norman Whitfield, is considered their best overall work, and features their version of "Hum Along and Dance".   (wikipedia)

I Just Want To Celebrate

Get Ready  (1973)

Hey Big Brother

HARVEY SCALES

Harvey Scales is known nationally for his writing contributions to the music industry. In fact, this R&B singer, songwriter, and producer has written most of the songs on his albums--from the 1978 release of Confidential Affairs recorded on Casablanca Records to the 1997 “Somebody Else’s Somebody,” released on Four Sight Records. Scales received his national recognition for co-writing Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping single for Johnnie Taylor titled, “Disco Lady.”
"Disco Lady" is the very first platinum single, selling over two million copies, in the history of the Recording Industry Association of America. It was certified platinum on April 22, 1976. Scales is the first African American song writer to receive this status.

Harvey was well known in his home town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin before his big break as a national songwriter. Known as “Twistin’ Harvey” in the early 1960’s by local fans, Scales, an Arkansas native, grew up in Milwaukee and attended Roosevelt Middle and North Division High School. Together he and his good pal and long time friend, Al Vance (1943-2003), formed the group, Harvey Scales and the Seven Sounds. Harvey once called Milwaukee’s own Godfather of Soul by a local reporter, credits James Brown and the sound of “funk” for influencing his music career. Harvey Scales is also responsible for co-writing the hit "I can do bad all by myself" with Johnny Mills, also of Milwaukee.  (wikipedia)

Sun Won't Come Out

ERMA FRANKLIN

Erma Vernice Franklin (March 13, 1938 – September 7, 2002) was an American soul, rhythm and blues, and pop singer. Her best known record is the original version of "Piece of My Heart," written and produced by Bert Berns. The song was covered in a different arrangement by Janis Joplin, Faith Hill, British soul singers Beverley Knight and Dusty Springfield; and used as the basis of a song by Shaggy.

She was born in Shelby, Mississippi, but moved several times during her childhood before settling in Detroit, Michigan. Her mother Barbara (Erma's middle name, 'Vernice', was also her mother's middle name), who was a gospel singer, left the family when she, her two sisters, and her brother were young children. Erma and her sisters, Aretha and Carolyn, sang at their father, Reverend C. L. Franklin's, Detroit-area Baptist church. Though Aretha went on to great fame, Erma, like Carolyn, was a struggling musician. Their brother, Cecil, became a minister like their father and managed Aretha's career for a while.

Her career was hampered by misfortune and by contracts with recording companies who could not find appropriate material for her. In the 1970s she left the music business, apart from engagements with her sister Aretha. She died in 2002 after a long battle with throat cancer at the age of 64.  (wikipedia)

I Get The Sweetest Feeling

Piece Of My Heart

Hold On I'm Coming

Gotta Find Me A Lover

I Don't Want No Mama's Boy

Change My Thoughts For You

THE DRAMATICS

The Dramatics (formerly The Dynamics) are a soul music vocal group, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1962. They changed their name by 1967, when they garnered their first minor hit, "All Because of You." However, the group did not break through until their 1971 single, "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get," which broke into the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #9. Their members at this time were Ron Banks, William "Wee Gee" Howard (who died of a heart attack on February 22, 2000 at age 49), Elbert Wilkins (who died of a heart attack on December 13, 1992 at age 45), Willie Ford and Larry Demps. Shortly after the success of their first album, Howard and Wilkins left the group. They were replaced by L.J. Reynolds and Leonard "Lenny" Mayes. Through the 1970s, the group appeared on Soul Train and continued to have hits, including the #1 R&B hit, "In the Rain", "Toast to the Fool", "Me and Mrs. Jones", "I'm Going By The Stars In Your Eyes" and "Be My Girl." The group continues to tour and presently consists of Banks, Reynolds, Ford, Winzell Kelly and Michael Brock, who replaced Mayes (who died of lung cancer on November 8, 2004 at age 53).   (wikipedia)

I'm Going By The Stars In Your Eyes

Me, Myself, And I

Me And Mrs. Jones

Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get

In The Rain

Get Up & Get Down

Fell For You

ISAAC HAYES

Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. (August 20, 1942 - August 10, 2008) was an American soul and funk singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger, composer, and actor. Hayes was one of the main creative forces behind southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served as both an in-house songwriter and producer with partner David Porter during the mid-1960s. In the late 1960s, Hayes became a recording artist, and recorded successful soul albums such as Hot Buttered Soul (1969) and Black Moses (1971) as the Stax label's premier artist.

Alongside his work in popular music, Hayes was a film score composer for motion pictures. His best known work, for the 1971 blaxploitation film Shaft, earned Hayes an Academy Award for Best Original Song (the first Academy Award received by an African-American in a non-acting category) and two Grammy Awards. He received a third Grammy for the album Black Moses.
In 1992, in recognition of his humanitarian work, he was crowned an honorary king of Ghana's Ada district. Hayes also acted in motion pictures and television; from 1997 to 2006, he provided the voice for the character "Chef" on the Comedy Central animated TV series South Park.  (wikipedia)

Shaft / Soulville   (1972)

The Look Of Love  (1973)

Never Can Say Goodbye

scoring Shaft and Cafe Reggio  (1971)

Rolling Down A Mountain

Walk On By

Disco Connection

Stormy Monday

Fragile

Deja Vu  w/Dionne Warwick  (1990)

Don't Let Go  (1997)

Chocolate Salty Balls  (2002)

R.I.P. ISAAC HAYES

ISAAC HAYES 1942 - 2008

KOOL AND THE GANG

Kool & the Gang is a highly successful American jazz/R&B/soul/funk/disco group. They originally formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA in 1964. They went through several musical phases in their career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a smooth disco ensemble, and ended the successful period of their career producing pop/R&B crossovers.

The group's main members over the years included brothers Robert Bell (known as "Kool") on bass (born October 8, 1950, Youngstown, Ohio) and Ronald Bell on tenor saxophone (born November 1, 1951, Youngstown, Ohio); George Brown on drums (born January 5, 1949); Robert Mickens on trumpet; Dennis Thomas on alto saxophone; Claydes Charles Smith on guitar (born September 6, 1948, died June 20, 2006) , and Rick Westfield on keyboards. The Bell brothers' father was an acquaintance of Thelonious Monk and the brothers were friends with Leon Thomas.

In 1964 Robert formed an instrumental band called the Jazziacs with five high school friends. They changed their name to Kool & the Gang and were signed by Gene Redd to his then new De-Lite Records. They first hit the pop charts with the release of their debut, eponymous album.

Though none of the three singles from the album went far on the pop charts, their R&B success was swift and massive. Several live and studio albums followed, with 1973's Wild and Peaceful breaking into the mainstream with "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging". Many reviews see the Gang's 1974 album Light of Worlds and 1975 album Spirit of the Boogie as the greatest achievements of the band, with the 1975 single "Summer Madness" gaining much attention. However, after those album the band abandoned deep funk-music and switched to disco. Generally, the albums released after 1975 have not received the same critical recognition as their early work.

The late 1970s saw a lull in Kool & the Gang's career that ended — after new lead singer James "J.T." Taylor joined the group — with 1979's Ladies' Night, the title track from which spawned a 25-year-long tradition of ladies' nights in New Jersey dance clubs and bars. Their only #1 hit was 1980s "Celebration", off Celebrate!, produced by Eumir Deodato. More international hits followed in the early 1980s, including "Big Fun", "Get Down on It" and "Joanna". Their 1984 album Emergency yielded four top 20 hits, including "Fresh" and "Cherish." Their chart presence stopped abruptly after the Forever album, when both Taylor and Ronald Bell (who started using the name Khalis Bayyan) left the group; both would eventually return, but the hits would not.

Kool and the Gang rose to some popularity again in 1994 after "Jungle Boogie" was featured on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's hit cult classic Pulp Fiction. The band released the album "Still Kool" in 2007.  (wikipedia)

Funky Stuff

Summer Madness

Jungle Boogie

Steppin' Out  (1981)

Ladies Night

Celebration

Get Down On It

Big Fun

Too Hot

Hollywood Swingin'

Open Sesame

Cherish

Joanna

Let's Go Dancing

Hi De Hi Hi De Ho

MANDRILL

Mandrill is a funk band formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1968. The band was formed by three brothers: Carlos Wilson (trombone, vocals), Lou Wilson (trumpet, vocals) and Ric Wilson (sax, vocals). The brothers were born in Panama and grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. Parts of their songs had been sampled by many hip-hop acts such as Public Enemy, Shawty Lo, Big L, Kanye West and Jin. Beneath funk they combine many other styles like latin, salsa, rock, blues and soul to create their own colourful style.

Some of their songs have been used in the soundtracks of a couple of movies: The Greatest (1977) directed by Tom Gries and Monte Hellman; and The Warriors (1979) directed by Walter Hill. The band continues to perform live; their signature song is arguably "Fencewalk." Composite Truth (1973) was band's commercially most successful album (and also artistically - many think). Its predecessor, Mandrill Is (1972), is highly regarded recording as well.  (wikipedia)

Mandrill  (1971)

Polk Street  (1972)

Symphonic Revolution (1972)

Get It All  (1973)

Fencewalk  (1973)

Hang Loose

SADE

When Sade first came on the recording scene in the '80s, her record company, Epic, made a point of printing "pronounced shar-day" after her name on the record labels of her releases. Soon enough the world would have no problem in correctly pronouncing her name. Born Helen Folasade Adu in Ibadan, Nigeria, about 50 miles from Lagos, she was the daughter of an African father and an English mother. After her mother returned to England, Sade grew up on the North End of London.

Developing a good singing voice in her teens, Sade worked part-time jobs in and outside of the music business. She listened to Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, and Billie Holliday. Sade studied fashion design at St. Martin's School of Art in London while also doing some modeling on the side.

Around 1980, she started singing harmony with a Latin funk group called Arriva. One of the more popular numbers that the group would perform was a Sade original co-written with bandmember Ray St. John, "Smooth Operator," that would later become Sade's first stateside hit. The following year she joined the eight-piece funk band Pride as a background singer. The band included future Sade band members guitarist/saxophonist Stuart Matthewman (a key player in '90s urban soul singer Maxwell's success) and bassist Paul Denman. The concept of the group was that there could shoot-offs. In essence, a few members within the main group Pride formed mini-groups that would be the opening act. Pride did a lot of shows around London, stirring up record company interest. Initially, the labels wanted to only sign Sade, while the group members wanted a deal for the whole band. After a year, the other band members told Sade, Matthewman, and Denman to go ahead and sign a deal. Adding keyboardist Andrew Hale, the group signed to the U.K. division of Epic Records.

Her debut album, Diamond Life (with overall production by Robin Millar), went Top Ten in the U.K. in late 1984. January 1985 saw the album released on CBS' Portrait label and by spring it went platinum off the strength of the Top Ten singles "Smooth Operator" and "Hang on to Your Love." Her second album, Promise (November 1985), featured "Never As Good As the First Time" and arguably her signature song, "The Sweetest Taboo," which stayed on the U.S. pop charts for six months. Sade was so popular that some radio stations reinstated the '70s practice of playing album tracks, adding "Is It a Crime" and "Tar Baby" to their play lists. In 1986, Sade won a Grammy for Best New Artist.

Sade's third album was 1988's Stronger Than Pride and featured her first number one soul single "Paradise," "Nothing Can Come Between Us," and "Keep Looking." A new Sade album didn't appear for four years. 1992's Love Deluxe continued the unbroken streak of multi-platinum Sade albums, spinning off the hits "No Ordinary Love," "Feel No Pain," and "Pearls." While the album's producer Mike Pela, Matthewman, Denman, and Hale have gone on to other projects. The new millennium did spark a new scene for Sade. She issued Lovers Rock in fall 2000 and incoporated more mainstream elements than ever before. Debut single "By Your Side" was also a hit among radio and adult-contemporary listerners. The following summer, Sade embarked on her first tour in more than a decade, selling out countless dates across America. In early 2002, she celebrated the success of the tour by releasing her first ever live album and DVD, Lovers Live.  (allmusic.com)

Smooth Operator  (1984)

Sweetest Taboo


Hang On To Your Love  (1984)

Your Love Is King  (1985)

Is It A Crime?  (1985)

Like Paradise / I Never Thought I Would See The Day

Bullet Proof Soul  (1993)


Love Is Stronger Than Pride

No Ordinary Love

Cherish The Day

Jezebel  (1993)

Nothing Can Come Between Us  (1993)

Cherry Pie

By Your Side

Kiss Of Life

King Of Sorrow

Flow

BRENDA HOLLOWAY

One of the sexiest singers on the Motown label, Brenda Holloway was also one of its grittiest, with a strong gospel influence more typical of Southern soul than the company's usual polish. Best known for her ballad hit "Every Little Bit Hurts," Holloway also recorded (and co-wrote) the original version of "You've Made Me So Very Happy," which soon became a hit for jazz-rockers Blood Sweat & Tears.

Holloway was born in Atascadero, CA, in 1946 and grew up in the Watts section of Los Angeles; as a child, she learned violin and began singing in church with her younger sister Patrice (who later became a prominent session singer and contributed vocals to Josie & the Pussycats). After singing with the group that later became the Whispers, Holloway's first professional recording was made at age 14, backing 12-year-old Patrice on a locally released single. Brenda herself soon began cutting records on several different L.A. labels, and she and her sister also found work as session vocalists.

In 1964, Holloway performed a rendition of Mary Wells' "My Guy" at a DJ convention in Los Angeles. Motown founder Berry Gordy happened to be there, and he was so struck by the power of her vocals (not to mention her physical form) that he made Holloway his first West Coast signing, placing her on the Tamla subsidiary. Her debut single, "Every Little Bit Hurts," was an R&B smash that also reached number 12 on the pop charts, and was covered by British R&B aficionados like the Spencer Davis Group and the Small Faces; it became the title track of her first album, also released in 1964. Holloway also found fans in the Beatles, who gave her an opening slot on their 1965 American tour.

She scored several more R&B hits through 1965 -- "I'll Always Love You" and the Smokey Robinson-penned tracks "When I'm Gone" and "Operator." However, Tamla scrapped a follow-up album, which would have been called Hurtin' and Cryin', and Holloway began to feel that she was getting the short end of the stick. She frequently traveled from her home in Los Angeles to record in Detroit, and began to feel that the material she was given wasn't always up to snuff, perhaps because of her distance. She began to work more on her own writing, often in partnership with her sister, and with a bit of outside help they co-wrote "You've Made Me So Very Happy" in 1968. Holloway's version was a minor R&B hit, but Blood Sweat & Tears turned it into a major pop hit the following year.

Holloway's second album, The Artistry of Brenda Holloway, was finally released in 1968, but that year she announced her retirement from the music business, citing her disillusionment with Motown and her fears of being drawn into the stereotypical hedonistic lifestyle (which conflicted with her still-deep religious convictions). She later married a minister and raised three daughters, returning to music in 1980 with the gospel album Brand New. Holloway's records remained popular on England's so-called "Northern soul" scene, and in 1987 she traveled to the U.K. to record several Motown-style singles for producer Ian Levine's Motorcity label. In 1995, motivated by the death of Mary Wells, she returned to live performance around the L.A. area, often in tandem with fellow soul veteran Brenton Wood. She performed in the U.K. as well, and in 1999 she signed with the revived Volt label to record It's a Woman's World, which took a more contemporary urban approach.  (allmusic.com)

I Can't Help Myself  (1965)

Just Look What You've Done

You Can Cry On My Shoulder

When I'm Gone

Every Little Bit Hurts

Shake

He's Coming Home

P.P. ARNOLD

A soul vocalist who came from a family of gospel singers, Pat (P.P.) Arnold began singing as a four-year-old. She got her start backing Bobby Day before being invited to join the Ikettes, backing Ike and Tina Turner. Arnold toured with them in the '60s, including one stint with the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger persuaded her to remain in London, and she later recorded for the Immediate label (then run by the Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham). Loog Oldham, Jagger, and Mike Hurst produced Arnold's debut LP, The First Lady of Immediate, in 1967, which included the single "The First Cut Is the Deepest," which was written by Cat Stevens and later popularized by Rod Stewart.

Arnold also had moderate success with the singles "The Time Has Come," "(If You Think) You're Groovy," and "Angel in the Morning" in the late '60s, though they were hits in England and Europe rather than America. Arnold was part of the cast for the play Catch My Soul in 1969, and subsequently acted in the television shows Fame and Knots Landing, plus Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express. Arnold re-entered the music world in the mid-'80s. She sang lead on a Boy George song for the film Electric Dreams in 1984 while on 10 Records. She worked with Dexter Wansel and Loose Ends on the single "A Little Pain," which she recorded as Pat Arnold. She then had another English hit with the single "Burn It Up" on the Rhythm King label. The Beatmasters later produced her song "Dynamite."  (allmusic.com)

Angel Of The Morning  (1968)

First Cut Is The Deepest  (1967)

The Time Has Come

If You Think You're Groovy

To Love Somebody

God Only Knows

Everything's Gonna Be Alright

I Go To Pieces Everytime

SOUL STIRRERS

One of the most popular and influential gospel groups of the 20th century, the Soul Stirrers were pioneers in the development of the quartet style of gospel and, without intending it, in the creation of soul music, the secular music that owed much to gospel.

The group was formed by Roy Crain, who had launched his first quartet, which sang in a jubilee style, in 1926 in Trinity, Texas. In the early 1930s, after Crain moved to Houston, he joined an existing group on the condition that it change its name to "the Soul Stirrers." Among the members of that group was R.H. Harris, who soon became its musical leader.
Harris, also from Trinity, Texas, brought several changes to the Soul Stirrers that affected gospel quartet singing generally. He used a falsetto style that may have its antecedents in African music, but which was new to the popular jubilee singing style of the time. He pioneered the "swing lead", in which two singers would share the job of leading the song, allowing virtuoso singers to increase the emotional intensity of the song as the lead passed between them. That innovation led the Soul Stirrers, while still called a quartet, to acquire five members; later groups would have as many as seven but still consider themselves "quartets", which referred more to their style than their number.

The Soul Stirrers made other important changes in those years: ad-libbing lyrics, singing in delayed time, and repeating words in the background as both a rhythmic and emotional support for the lead singers. The Soul Stirrers dropped the "flatfooted" style of jubilee quartets before them and expanded their repertoire from spirituals and traditional hymns to the newer gospel compositions. The group also loosened the rigid arrangements that jubilee quartets had favored to permit individual singers within the group more space for individual development.

In 1936 Alan Lomax recorded the Soul Stirrers for the Library of Congress's American music project. They later moved to Chicago, where they broadcast a weekly radio show. Their nationwide touring gained them an even larger audience, as they delivered the emotional fervor that popular jubilee groups, such as the Golden Gate Quartet, did not.
The Soul Stirrers signed with Specialty Records, where they recorded a number of tracks, including "By and By" and "In that Awful Hour". Harris, the most popular member of the group, soon quit, however, in order to form a new group. He was replaced by the then-unknown Sam Cooke.

One of the first singles with Cooke was "Jesus Gave Me Water", a major hit that brought the Soul Stirrers massive acclaim. Thomas L. Breuster was replaced by Bob King and, briefly, Julius Cheeks. When Cooke left in 1957 to pursue a career in pop music, the Soul Stirrers' preeminence in gospel was essentially over, though a brief period of success with Johnnie Taylor sustained the group for a time. Various line-ups continued touring and recording throughout the last half of the century to a small and devoted following. The group — and all of its members — was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as one of rock's Early Influences, and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.  (wikipedia)

Listen To The Angels Sing  (1963)

Shelter For Me  (1963)

I'm A Soldier

I'm A Pilgrim

Wade In The Water

I'm Thankful

Lord Remember Me

Lift Him Up  (1989)

FIVE BLIND BOYS OF MISSISSIPPI

The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi was one of the most popular and influential post-war gospel quartets. Powered by the vocals of lead singer Archie Brownlee, their single "Our Father" reached the Billboard R&B charts in the early 1950s, one of the first gospel records to do so.

The group originated in 1936 as a quartet of students from the Piney Woods School for the blind near Jackson, Mississippi. The students — Brownlee, Joseph Ford, Lawrence Abrams, and Lloyd Woodard — originally sang under the name "the Cotton Blossom Singers", performing both jubilee quartet and secular material, to raise money for the school. Their teacher, Martha Louise Morrow Foxx, helped organize the blind singers at the behest of the school founder Laurence C. Jones. On March 9, 1937, Brownlee and the others recorded sacred tunes (as the Blind Boys) and three secular numbers (as Abraham, Woodard, and Patterson) for Library of Congress researcher Alan Lomax. After graduation in the early forties, they began performing professionally singing pop music as the Cotton Blossom Singers and religious material under the name the Jackson Harmoneers. They were often backed by a female jazz band which originated from the same country school known as "The International Sweethearts of Rhythm." In the early 40s, Melvin Henderson, also known as Melvin Hendrix[4], joined the group making them -- like many so-called quartets -- actually a quintet.

In the mid-40s, Brownlee and the others relocated to Chicago, and changed their name to the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi. Under the influence of R.H. Harris of the Soul Stirrers, Brownlee moved away from the jubilee style of singing and towards a more popular hard gospel style. Even though Harris' influence was pervasive -- the Blind Boys at first covered Soul Stirrers songs almost exclusively -- Brownlee's high voice, which could move from a sweet croon to a devastating scream, was one of the most recognizable in gospel. His dynamic stage presence also became legendary: though blind from birth, he would sometimes leap from a stage into the screaming audiences below .

With the addition of hard gospel shouter Rev. Percell Perkins (who replaced Henderson), the Blind Boys moved into their period of greatest fame. Perkins, who was not blind, became the groups manager, and they began to record, first for Excelsior in 1946, then for Coleman in 1948. Ford was replaced by J.T. Clinkscales, in that year, and in 1950 the group moved to Peacock Records where they recorded the hit "Our Father" at their first session.

Brownlee died of pneumonia while touring in New Orleans on February 8, 1960 at the age of 35. and not long after Perkins left as well. Brownlee was replaced by the very able lead Henry Johnson,who,like Brownlee,made devistated screams.Quartet veteran Willmer "Little Ax" Broadnax took the position of second lead. He was later replaced by Willie Mincey. Broadnax, in particular, had a high voice which was comparable, in some respects, to Brownlee's. Other singers who worked with the group for a time included Rev. Sammy Lewis, Rev. George Warren,James Watts, and Tiny Powel. By the end of the 60s, the group had released 27 singles and 5 albums for Peacock. In the 70s and early 80s they recorded some material for Jewel, and they continued to tour into the 90s. Of the two remaining members of the original group, Lloyd Woodard died in the mid-1970s, Lawrence Abrams passed on in 1982,and Henry Johnson passed in 1999.  (wikipedia)


Oh Why

Jesus Rose

Leaning On The Everlasting Arm

Lord You've Been Good To Me

Leaning On Jesus  (1965)

Lord Lord Lord

He's Using Me

FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA

The Blind Boys of Alabama are a gospel group from Alabama that first formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in 1939. The three main vocalists of the group and their drummer/percussionist are all blind. As of 2008, they continue to tour nationally and internationally, led by the soulful Jimmy Lee Carter singing lead vocals. Mr. Carter is one of the original members from the Alabama Institute for Negro Blind and the Happyland Jubilee Singers (the precursor to the Blind Boys of Alabama). In 2006, Clarence Fountain, the group's former long-time lead vocalist and founding member limited his touring for health reasons. A third founding member, George Scott, died on March 9, 2005 at the age of 75.

Releases by the group in recent years have been favorites at the Grammy Awards—they won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album every year between 2002 to 2005. The Blind Boys of Alabama were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2007.

Their rendition of Tom Waits' "Way Down in the Hole" was used as the theme song for the HBO series The Wire's first season. Their cover of Ben Harper's "I Shall Not Walk Alone" was featured in the first season of ABC's Lost, in the episode Confidence Man. The Blind Boys were featured on the Imus in the Morning radio and TV show on November 30, 2006, on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on December 20, 2006 and March 11, 2008, and on Late Night With Conan O'Brien on February 1, 2008. They have collaborated with numerous artists, including Ben Harper, Aaron Neville and Mavis Staples. They have joined Tom Petty and Peter Gabriel on tour, and will tour with Taj Mahal in 2008. In a surprise to both the band and the audience, the Blind Boys were joined by Prince on stage in a March 7th, 2008 show at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, California.  (wikipedia)

Too Close

Something Got A Hold On Me

Bless Me Jesus

Amazing Grace

Look Where He Brought Me From

Run On