Jimmy Lewis - It's Getting Harder

Jimmy Lewis was born in 1939 in Nashville, Tennessee. He recorded a dozen singles in the 1960's, including a duet with Ray Charles, but he soon found that his compositional skills were much more in demand. Based in Los Angeles, he continued composing for Ray Charles and other artists. In the 80's he wrote many of Z.Z. Hill's best songs for Mississippi's Malaco Records. He reunited with Ray Charles again in the 90's.

It was also in the 90's that Lewis began his stint as primary writer, arranger and producer for Peggy Scott-Adams. His easy-going style meshed perfectly with Scott-Adams' hard-hitting style, and the collaboration resulted in a string of Southern Soul hits that as much as any other song-producing team defined the sound of Southern Soul from the mid-nineties into the new millennium.

As a musical entrepreneur, Lewis has been a human dynamo. Besides writing, arranging and producing Scott-Adams and other artists for his Miss Butch label, Lewis has cranked out solo Jimmy Lewis CD's regularly through the 90's and 00's.

Despite limited "pipes," Lewis has won over chitlin' circuit deejays and fans by composing colorful, culturally "incorrect" portraits of real life, and novelty songs enriched with modern-day folklore. Today he's regarded as perhaps the foremost storyteller in contemporary Southern Soul rhythm and blues. Daddy B Nice

Jimmy Lewis - Totally Involved 1974

Now here is another guy whom we have to cover even though he is far more important as a writer than as a performer. Despite his limitations as a singer, there is something appealing about this stripped down and laid back set of soul. Jimmy Lewis' songs are the selling point, they are like no others.

 "Jimmy Lewis was born in 1939 in Nashville, Tennessee. He recorded a dozen singles in the 1960's, including a duet with Ray Charles, but he soon found that his compositional skills were much more in demand. Based in Los Angeles, he continued composing for Ray Charles and other artists. In the 80's he wrote many of Z.Z. Hill's best songs for Mississippi's Malaco Records. He reunited with Ray Charles again in the 90's.

It was also in the 90's that Lewis began his stint as primary writer, arranger and producer for Peggy Scott-Adams. His easy-going style meshed perfectly with Scott-Adams' hard-hitting style, and the collaboration resulted in a string of Southern Soul hits that as much as any other song-producing team defined the sound of Southern Soul from the mid-nineties into the new millennium.

As a musical entrepreneur, Lewis has been a human dynamo. Besides writing, arranging and producing Scott-Adams and other artists for his Miss Butch label, Lewis has cranked out solo Jimmy Lewis CD's regularly through the 90's and 00's.

Despite limited "pipes," Lewis has won over chitlin' circuit deejays and fans by composing colorful, culturally "incorrect" portraits of real life, and novelty songs enriched with modern-day folklore. Today he's regarded as perhaps the foremost storyteller in contemporary Southern Soul rhythm and blues. Towards the end of 2004, Southern Soul deejays began using the phrase "the late great Jimmy Lewis." Jimmy Lewis entered "Soul Heaven" on September 10, 2004. May he rest (and play) in peace." Daddy B. Nice

Peggy Scott-Adams - 16 Hits!

The Chitlin’ Circuit still exists, and Peggy Scott-Adams is one of the current stars who works it.   As Peggy Scott, she had a string of hits in the late 1960s in a duo with Jo Jo Benson.  She continued to sing in the early 70s and made a few records, although with much less commercial success, finally drifting into semi-retirement.  The multi-talented songwriter/producer/singer Jimmy Lewis (who deserves a post of his own on this blog) brought Peggy Scott-Adams back in the studios in 1996, setting her up with some fine original Lewis compositions and production. 

Some things get better with age well like good wine.   Some things age even better than good wine.  The latter could be said for the voice of Peggy Scott-Adams.   If Peggy Scott was already an excellent soul singer in the 60s and 70s, her work with Jimmy Lewis elevated her to the elite of soul divas.   First, there is the vocal instrument itself, which has deepened and acquired new power.  Then there is the approach, the phrasing, the delivery.   Peggy Scott-Adams now sounds like nobody else.  She sings from the heart and will make you pay attention to the message of every song.   

 

This collection of “16 Hits” is well selected from her best work, mostly with Jimmy Lewis.   It begins with a devastating take on the Jimmy Lewis classic, “I Intend to Take Your Place.”  Bobby Bland made that song a highlight of his Reflections in Blue album.    But I consider Peggy’s version to be the once and for all definitive take.   Once you hear that track, you know that you are in the presence of a VOICE. “Bill” was a smash hit on the Chitlin’ Circuit and inspired a string of songs that play on the similar theme of a husband leaving his wife not for another woman, but for another man.   There are plenty of other highlights on this disc. 

Jimmy Lewis left us in 2004, but Peggy Scott-Adams is still going strong.  She just released a new album this month: “Life After Bill.”  Try to see her live.