Category Archives: Soul

Memphis, Music Calendar, Soul

Today: Al Green is 67

al green

I’m thankful for every moment.
~Al Green

The music is the message, the message is the music. So that’s my little ministry that the Big Man upstairs gave to me – a little ministry called love and happiness.
~Al Green

If Al decides to turn into Otis Redding after all, we may look back at this repackaging of his earliest recordings as the beginning of a great stylist. If he decides to turn into Diana Ross, as seems at least possible, we will forget it quickly enough.
~Robert Christgau (in 1972 – review of “Al Green” album)

Let’s Stay Together (Live 1972):

President Obama:

 Wikipedia:

Birth name Albert Greene
Also known as The Reverend Al Green
Born April 13, 1946 (age 67)
Origin Forrest City, Arkansas, U.S.
Genres R&B, gospel, soul, smooth soul
Occupations Reverend, vocalist, producer,songwriter
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active 1967–present
Labels Hi, Myrrh, The Right Stuff
Associated acts The Creations, Willie Mitchell
Website Official website

Albert Greene (born April 13, 1946), better known as Al Green or Reverend Al Green, is an American singer, better known for scoring a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including “Tired of Being Alone”, “I’m Still In Love With You”, “Love and Happiness” and his signature song, “Let’s Stay Together”. Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, Green was referred to on the museum’s site as being “one of the most gifted purveyors of soul music”. Green was included in the Rolling Stone list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, ranking at No. 66.

al green 2

Love and Happiness (live – HQ):

Al Green was the first great soul singer of the ’70s and arguably the last great Southern soul singer. With his seductive singles for Hi Records in the early ’70s, Green bridged the gap between deep soul and smooth Philadelphia soul. He incorporated elements of gospel, interjecting his performances with wild moans and wails, but his records were stylish, boasting immaculate productions that rolled along with a tight beat, sexy backing vocals, and lush strings.
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine (allmusic.com)

al green 3

Awards:

  • Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995
  • In 2004, Green was inducted into the Gospel Music Association‘s Gospel Music Hall of Fame
  • In the same year he was inducted into The Songwriters Hall of Fame
  • In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 65 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time
  • He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 BET Awards on June 24, 2009 

On August 26, 2004, Green was honored as a BMI Icon at the annual BMI Urban Awards. He joined an impressive list of previous Icon honorees including R&B legends James Brown, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley

Al Green Live in Chicago 78 (58min):

 Playlist of the day:

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Music Calendar, Soul

Today: Joss Stone is 26

joss stone2

I didn’t write those songs, but I can relate to every one of them… I have.
~Joss Stone

I don’t like listening to music that isn’t real.
~Joss Stone

Fell in Love with a boy:

Wikipedia

Birth name Jocelyn Eve Stoker
Born 11 April 1987 (age 26)
Dover, Kent, England, UK
Genres Soul, R&B, blues, jazz, rock
Occupations Singer, songwriter, actress
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2001–present
Labels Relentless, S-Curve, Virgin, Stone’d,Surfdog
Associated acts SuperHeavy
Website www.jossstone.com

Jocelyn Eve Stoker (born 11 April 1987), better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is a British soul singer, songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist. Her second album, the similarly multi-platinum Mind Body & Soul, topped the UK Albums Chart for one week and spawned the top ten hit “You Had Me”, Stone’s most successful single on the UK Singles Chart to date. Both the album and single received one nomination at the 2005 Grammy Awards, while Stone herself was nominated for Best New Artist, and in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2004 was ranked fifth as a predicted breakthrough act of 2004. She became the youngest British female singer whose debut album topped the UK Albums Chart. Stone’s third album, Introducing Joss Stone, released in March 2007, achieved gold record status by the RIAA and yielded the second-ever highest debut for a British female solo artist on the Billboard 200, and became Stone’s first Top 5 album in the United States and first non-Top 10 album in the United Kingdom.

joss stone

I’ve Fallen In Love With You:

Stone released her fourth album, Colour Me Free!, on 20 October 2009, which reached the Top 10 on Billboard. Stone released her fifth album, LP1, on 22 July 2011, which reached the Top 10 on Billboard. Throughout her career, Stone has sold 13 million albums, establishing herself as one of the best-selling artists of her time, best-selling soul artists of the 2000s and best-selling British artists of her time. Her first three albums have sold over 2,722,000 copies in the United States, while her first two albums have sold over 2,000,000 copies in United Kingdom. Stone has won two BRIT Awards and one Grammy Award. She also made her film acting debut in 2006 with the fantasy adventure film Eragon, and made her television debut portraying Anne of Cleves in the Showtimeseries The Tudors in 2009. Stone was the youngest woman on the 2006 Sunday Times Rich List —an annual list of the UK’s wealthiest people—with £6 million. In 2012, her fortune is estimated to be £10 million, making her the fifth richest British musician under 30. The Soul Sessions Vol. 2, a sequel to her debut album, was released on 23 July 2012.

Playlist of the day

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Funk, Soul, Video

Video Premiere: Charles Bradley – Strictly Reserved for You

charles bradley

“The Black Swan” of Soul is back with a fine new video for his new single, Strictly Reserved For You. It has a retro but fresh feel, great horns, fantastic fuzz guitar and a wonderful funky bass.

Enjoy!

Charles Bradley – Strictly Reserved for You:

From the upcoming album, Victim of Love, out April 2nd, 2013.
(Directed by Homer Steinweiss)

– Hallgeir

Bob Dylan, Country, Cover versions, Jazz, List, Soul

Bob Dylan cover version lists at alldylan

19 Comments

Dylan

This is a collection of some published Bob Dylan Cover Version posts @ alldylan.

 

Music Calendar, Soul

Today – The Late Wilson Pickett was born in 1941

Wilson Pickett was born March 18, 1941 and he died January 19, 2006.

A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100.

The early hit I Found A Love with The Falcons (audio only 1962):

Wilson Pickett was one of the rawest and sweatiest, singing  some of soul’s best  dancefloor grooves. He had hits a plenty:  “In the Midnight Hour,” “Land of 1000 Dances,” “Mustang Sally,” and “Funky Broadway” and more.

He is often a preferred alternative of fans who like their soul on the raw side. He also played an important part in establishing Southern soul as a vital part of the soul genre.

His hits were often written and recorded with the very best of the session musicians in Memphis and Muscle Shoals.

The impact of Pickett’s songwriting and recording led to his 1991 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Land of 1000 Dances – Live:

There are very few songs by “The Wicked” Picket on Spotify so we have included a fabulous radio documentary from BBC.  Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who and a Wilson Pickett fan, tells the story of the soul legend:

I have to include an audio clip of my favourite Pickett recording, Engine #9:

Fantastic song, what a groove!

Other Mar-18:

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