Nobody Wins - Stax Southern Soul 1968-1975

Another one of those compilations like the Sound Stage Seven disc that manages to be a very entertaining listen.

"The Ace Records family has reissued numerous collector-oriented compilations from the Stax vaults over the years, and this 2012 anthology was intended as the first of a planned series on its Kent subsidiary focusing on Stax tracks from the late '60s and early '70s. The 21 tracks all focus on Stax recordings that fall into the Southern deep soul category -- not a problem as such soul abounded on the label, though these might be more deep soul-oriented than the typical Stax reissue. It's also oriented toward songs that aren't too familiar -- none of them were hits, and three of them were previously unreleased, though most of them did come out as singles between 1968 and 1975. And while some of the artists (Johnnie Taylor, Jimmy Hughes, William Bell, Inez Foxx, Eddie Floyd, Mable John, Little Milton) at various points had substantial hits (though not always for Stax), they're outweighed by acts that will largely be recognized only by those that study the fine print of Stax discographies.

None of these songs were hooky or innovative enough to be as memorable as the many hits the label had during these half-dozen or so years. Hits aren't everything, though, unless you're as rabid a capitalist as you are a collector. If some of these songs are on the average or generic side, more often they're pretty fair efforts that usually boast excellent singing and fine (if occasionally slick) production, as well as subtly testifying to the versatility of tracks released under the Stax umbrella. Particularly pleasing are some cuts that use more group harmonies than the norm for Stax productions from this era, as well as some that exhibit a bluesier bent than soul as a whole did during this period, like Little Milton's fine "Woman Across the River," Jimmy Hughes' "Let 'Em Down Baby," and Mable John's "Shouldn't I Love Him." The menu's varied enough that favorites will vary according to individual tastes, but other tracks worthy of citation include Johnny Daye's opening pleader "Stay Baby Stay" and Bettye Crutcher's previously unissued sweet soul outing "Make a Joyful Noise" (which unlike many outtakes really should have been released at the time). Sometimes it's apparent that Stax was keeping an ear open to the sounds of Hi elsewhere in Memphis -- Freddie Waters' "Groovin' on My Baby's Love" has an Al Green feel, for instance -- though no doubt some of that influence was traveling in the other direction as well. Stax obsessives will already have much of this, particularly on volumes two and three of the box sets of Stax singles. But this is a good pickup for those who don't want to make such a huge investment, yet are still interested in seeking out some of the label's deep catalog." by Richie Unterberger, AMG

Jean Knight - Mr. Big Stuff

I've read somewhere that the 'Mr. Big Stuff' session was recorded on the same day as King Floyd's hit 'Groove Me'. Both were Wardell Quezergue produced artists from New Orleans so it makes sense that he would maximize the trip to Malaco Studios in Jackson by bringing two artists. Likely the same band would have played both sessions. As you will see below, Knight ends up at Stax almost by accident.

"Jean Knight (born Jean Caliste, January 26, 1943, New Orleans, Louisiana) is an African-American soul/R&B/funk singer, best known for her 1971 Stax Records hit single, "Mr. Big Stuff".

After graduating from high school, Caliste began singing at her cousin's bar 'Laura's Place' and caught the attention of many different bands who were willing to accompany her. In 1965, she recorded a demo of a cover version of Jackie Wilson's song "Stop Doggin' Me Around." Her demo attracted record producer Huey Meaux, who signed her to a recording contract at the Jet Star/Tribe record labels. Shortly thereafter, Caliste adopted the professional name of "Jean Knight," because she felt that her surname was too hard to pronounce. She recorded four singles, making a name for herself locally, but was not able to attract any national attention. By the late 1960s, it was obvious that her career was not living up to her high expectations, so she went to work as a baker in the cafeteria of Loyola University in New Orleans.

In early 1970, she was discovered by songwriter Ralph Williams, who wanted her to record some songs. With Williams' connections, she came in contact with record producer Wardell Quezergue. In May of that year, she went to Malaco Studios in Jackson, Mississippi, for a recording session during which she recorded "Mr. Big Stuff." After the session was finished, the song was shopped to producers at several national labels, all of whom rejected it. But when King Floyd's hit "Groove Me" (also recorded at Malaco Studios) became a #1 R&B hit in early 1971, a producer at Stax Records remembered Knight's recording of "Mr. Big Stuff," and released it. The song proved to be an instant smash in 1971, reaching #2 on the pop chart and becoming a #1 R&B hit. It went double-platinum and received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female; it lost to Aretha Franklin's version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The next year, Knight was named the 'Most Promising Female Vocalist'. An album of the same name proved to be fairly successful. A couple more minor hits followed, but disagreements with her producer and her label terminated Knight's involvement with Stax.

After leaving Stax, Knight recorded songs for various small labels, but was not able to gain any more recognition. She ended up performing and touring the local oldie circuit. Things changed in 1981, when she met local producer Isaac Bolden, who signed her to his Soulin' label. Together, they came up with a song entitled "You Got the Papers but I Got the Man," an answer song to Betty Wright's hit, "I've Got the Papers on the Man"; that song was leased to Atlantic Records for national release. Soon, Knight found herself touring consistently. In 1985, she gained more recognition when she covered Rockin' Sidney's zydeco novelty hit, "My Toot Toot." Her version proved to be most successful, reaching #50 on the pop chart. Knight was then given a chance to perform it on the TV variety show Solid Gold.

Although she waited twelve years to come out with another recording, she continued touring and performing engagements all over the world, particularly in the Southern states. In 2003, she performed her biggest hit, "Mr. Big Stuff", on the PBS special Soul Comes Home. Knight has talent running in the family; her great nephews are Gerard Caliste (a visual artist) and Swedish hip hop artist Mattias Lindström Caliste who is part of the Scandinavian rap group Fjärde Världen. Knight continues to tour and make live performances, often with such artists as Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor.

In October 2007, the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame honored Knight for her contributions to Louisiana music by inducting her."

The two blatant remakes of "Mr. Big Stuff" with different lyrics are a bit tiresome, and one or two others suffer from Al Jackson over-production, but on the whole I enjoy her voice.

The Blind Boys Of Alabama - Down In New Orleans

The Blind Boys of Alabama recorded in New Orleans for the first time in their almost 75 year history. Amongst the musicians supporting include legendary pianist/producer and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Allen Toussaint and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. After performing together for over six decades, The Blind Boys of Alabama have enjoyed one of the more striking comebacks in recent memory.

    Free At Last
    Let’s Make a Better World
    How I Got Over (feat. Marva Wright)
    You Got To Move
    Across the Bridge
    You Better Mind
    Down By the Riverside
    If I Could Help Somebody
    Uncloudy Day
    A Prayer
    I’ve Got a Home
    I’ll Fly Away

Albert King - Born Under A Bad Sign

Don't think I'm done with Stax yet, oh no, not nearly!
  
Albert King (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992) One of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with B.B. King and Freddie King), Albert King stood 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) (some reports say 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)) and weighed 250 pounds (110 kg) and was known as "The Velvet Bulldozer". He was born Albert King Nelson, on a cotton plantation in Indianola, Mississippi. During his childhood he would sing at a family gospel group at a church where his father played the guitar. One of 13 children, King grew up picking cotton on plantations near Forrest City, Arkansas, where the family moved when he was eightHe began his professional work as a musician with a group called In The Groove Boys in Osceola, Arkansas. Moving north to Gary, Indiana and later St. Louis, Missouri, he briefly played drums for Jimmy Reed's band and on several early Reed recordings. Influenced by blues musicians Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lonnie Johnson, the electric guitar became his signature instrument, his preference being the Gibson Flying V which he named "Lucy". King earned his nickname "The Velvet Bulldozer" during this period as he drove one of them and also worked as a mechanic to make a living.

King moved to Gary, Indiana in the early 1950s, then to Chicago in 1953 where he cut his first single for Parrot Records, but it was only a minor regional success. He then went back to St. Louis in 1956 and formed a new band. During this period, he settled on using the Flying V as his primary guitar. He resumed recording in 1959 with his first minor hit, "I'm a Lonely Man," written by Little Milton, who was Bobbin Records A&R man, a fellow guitar hero, and responsible for King's signing with the label.

It was not until his 1961 release "Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong" that King had a major hit, reaching number fourteen on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. The song was included on his first album The Big Blues, released in 1962. He next signed with jazz artist Leo Gooden's Coun-Tree label. King's reputation continued to grow in the Midwest, but a jealous Gooden dropped him from the label. By modern standards, The Big Blues feels completely generic with little of note except King's guitar, but in 1962 it was fresh and marked a new type of clean, sharp blues over the "dirty" sound that characterized the genre during the 50s.

In 1966, King moved to Memphis, where he signed with the Stax record label. Produced by Al Jackson, Jr., King with Booker T. & the MGs recorded dozens of influential sides, such as "Crosscut Saw" and "As The Years Go Passing By". In 1967 Stax released the album, Born Under a Bad Sign, which was not technically a studio album, but a collection of all the singles King recorded at Stax. The title track of that album (written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell) became King's best-known song and has been covered by many artists (from British rock group Cream, Paul Rodgers, Canadian guitarist Pat Travers, American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix to cartoon character Homer Simpson). The production of the songs was sparse, clean, and maintained a traditional blues sound while also sounding fresh and thoroughly contemporary. Almost as important as King himself was the "menacing" bass of Donald Dunn, which at some points approached an early metal feel. Born Under A Bad Sign propelled Albert King to mainstream popularity at the comparatively late age of 44 and was one of the last albums recorded by an artist whose career began before the rock-and-roll era to be truly innovative, predictive of future music trends, and influential on young musicians of the era.

Little Johnny Taylor - Galaxy Hits & 2 Ronn's

This guy didn't make much of a ripple the first time I offered "Open House", but maybe pairing it with the earlier Galaxy disc this time will help. I would love it if someone could scare up some of his earlier gospel material.

 "Born in Gregory, Arkansas, United States, he is frequently confused with his contemporary and near namesake Johnnie Taylor, especially since the latter made a cover version of the song that Little Johnny Taylor was most famous for, "Part Time Love" (1963), and the fact that both men began their careers as gospel singers.

Little Johnny Taylor moved to Los Angeles in 1950, and sang with the Mighty Clouds of Joy before moving into secular music. Influenced primarily by Little Willie John, (and Ted Taylor), he first recorded as an R&B artist for the Swingin' record label.

However, he did not achieve major success until signing for San Francisco-based Fantasy Records' subsidiary label, Galaxy. His first hit was the mid-tempo blues "You'll Need Another Favor," sung in the style of Bobby Bland, with arrangement by Ray Shanklin and produced by Cliff Goldsmith. The follow-up, "Part Time Love", became his biggest hit, reaching #1 in the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, and # 19 on the pop chart, in October 1963. However, follow-ups on the Galaxy label were much less successful. (I can't figure out why, they seem of uniformly high quality to me.)

By 1971, Taylor had moved to the Ronn label subsidiary of Jewel Records in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he had his second R&B Top 10 hit with "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing". The following year, he had another hit with "Open House at My House". While at Ronn, Taylor also recorded some duets with Ted Taylor (also unrelated). (I have that if anyone is interested)

Though he recorded only sparingly during the 1980s and 1990s, he remained an active performer until his death in May 2002 in Conway, Arkansas."

I once saw LJT and Percy Sledge at the same mini-fest in Golden Gate Park...I felt like I was the only one there who even knew who they were.

Ted Taylor - Ever Wonderful; Okeh Uptown Soul 1962-1966 & Complete Ronn/Jewel Singles

"Austin Taylor, better known as Ted Taylor (February 16, 1934 – October 2, 1987) was an American soul musician.

Born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, United States, Taylor sang with The Cadets/The Jacks in the 1950s. He sang lead vocals on The Cadets' "Do You Wanna Dance (Hey Little Girl)" and "I Cry" and also on The Jacks' "Away" and "My Darling." He did not appear on The Cadets' biggest hit "Stranded In The Jungle" in 1955. For that session, he was replaced by singer Prentice Moreland. Taylor left The Cadets/The Jacks to begin a solo career which began with two singles on Melatone Records in 1957. He would later release singles on Ebb Records and Duke Records from 1957 to 1959; in the 1960s he recorded for Ronn Records and Okeh Records in blues and soul styles. In the 1970s he recorded disco for TK Records."

"Once heard, the exciting tenor voice of Ted Taylor can never be forgotten or mistaken for any other. With his elaborate pompadour hairstyle and pencil-line moustache, he looked a lot like Little Richard, his label-mate at Okeh Records for a spell (although Ted was far from little). Onstage he wore flamboyant pink suits, his manicured fingers heavy with ornate rings. This and his androgynous singing voice led many to conclude that Ted was gay, but appearances can be misleading: when out of the spotlight, he was a quietly-spoken family man.

He started out as a member of the Glory Bound Travelers gospel group. By 1955 he was singing with the Santa Monica Soul Seekers, soon to morph into dual identity secular combo the Cadets/Jacks. Turning solo in 1957, he notched up releases on the Ebb, Dena, Duke, Top Rank, Laurie, Top Rank, Warwick, Apt, Gold Eagle, United Artists and Soncraft labels. He then landed contract with Okeh, where he remained from 1962 to 1965, before joining Atlantic Record’s Atco subsidiary for a few singles. That brings us to the fantastic music on this CD, which stems from Ted’s lengthy tenure at Stan Lewis’ Ronn imprint out of Shreveport, Louisiana."

King Floyd of New Orleans

Our old friend Le Porc Rouge left links to the other two Atlantic King Floyd albums so I figured I owed it to you to post my FLAC rip of Cliff's perfect mint copy of the first album with the big hit Groove Me.

" King Floyd (February 13, 1945 – March 6, 2006)
King Floyd III was born in New Orleans in 1945. His musical career started as a singer at the Sho-Bar on Bourbon Street. Following a stint in the army, Floyd went to California, where he joined up with record producer Harold Battiste. His debut album, A Man In Love, featuring songs co-written with Dr. John, failed to make an impact on the charts. Floyd returned to New Orleans in 1969 and worked for the Post Office.

In 1970, Wardell Quezergue, an arranger of R&B scores, persuaded Floyd to record "Groove Me" with Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi. Jean Knight recorded her hit, "Mr. Big Stuff," in the same sessions.

At first, "Groove Me" was a B-side to another Floyd song, "What Our Love Needs." New Orleans radio DJ's started playing "Groove Me" and the song became a local hit. Atlantic Records picked up national distribution of "Groove Me," which topped the United States R&B chart and reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 & went to #41 in Britain. This disc sold over one million copies, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. in December 1970. Floyd quit his job at the post office to perform a U.S. tour. His follow-up single, "Baby Let Me Kiss You" climbed up to number 29 on the Billboard Top 40 charts in 1971.

However, differences with Quezergue soon emerged and his 1973 follow-up album, Think About It, although a fine album, failed to make much impact. However, Atlantic released a song from the album, "Woman Don't Go Astray" as a single. His 1975 album, Well Done, was released through TK Records with Atlantic distributing. "I Feel Like Dynamite" from the album, written by Larry Hamilton, became a minor hit."

Staple Singers - The Best Of The Vee-Jay Years

Sorry to be so late to church today, had some internet issues. It is difficult to wrap your mind around the fact that Mavis is a little girl here; she sounds like a 200 pound adult.

"Since the Staple Singers are best known for their hits as a secular soul act on Stax in the late '60s and the 1970s, general fans should be advised that The Best of the Vee-Jay Years includes only gospel material, released for Vee-Jay (in 1956-1961) long before they moved to Stax. If you're aware of this and are simply looking for a good single-disc overview of their early years on disc, however, this fills that bill well. Their two most well-known songs from this period, "Uncloudy Day" and "This May Be the Last Time" (speculated as a possible source for the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time"), open and close the 17-track CD, respectively. Between those cuts are both Pops Staples originals and covers of traditional tunes like "Swing Down Chariot" and "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." It's been said before, but it can be said here again: these are among the most accessible gospel recordings for rock-oriented listeners, owing to Pops Staples' distinctive tremolo-heavy electric guitar, the frequent use of light rhythmic drums, and the obvious connections to the soul music the Staples would make in their later incarnation. It's not necessarily going to be to the taste of every Staple Singers fan who loves them for their soul recordings, but it's first-rate, well-harmonized gospel with obvious links to the R&B and soul idioms."

The Best Of Sam And Dave

Sam & Dave were an American soul and rhythm and blues (R&B) duo who performed together from 1961 through to 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Samuel David Moore (born Samuel David Hicks on October 12, 1935), and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (May 9, 1937 – April 9, 1988).

Sam & Dave are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and are Grammy Award and multiple gold record award winning artists. According to the Rock & Roll 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 call-and-response records. Recorded primarily at Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1965 through 1968, these included "Soul Man", "Hold On, I'm Comin", "I Thank You", "When Something is Wrong with My Baby", "Wrap It Up", and many other Southern Soul classics. Other than Aretha Franklin, no soul act during Sam & Dave's Stax years (1965–1968) had more consistent R&B chart success, including 10 consecutive top 20 singles and 3 consecutive top 10 LPs.  Their crossover charts appeal (13 straight appearances and 2 top 10 singles) helped to pave the way for the acceptance of soul music by white pop audiences, and their song "Soul Man" was one of the first songs by a black group to top the pop charts using the word "soul", helping define the genre. "Soul Man" was a number one Pop Hit (Cashbox: November 11, 1967) and has been recognized as one of the most influential songs of the past 50 years by the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone magazine, and RIAA Songs of the Century. "Soul Man" was featured as the soundtrack and title for a 1986 film and also a 1997–1998 television series, and Soul Men was a 2008 feature film.

Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The Sultans of Sweat", and "The Dynamic Duo" for their gritty, gospel-infused performances, Sam & Dave were one of the greatest live acts of the 1960s. They were an influence on many future musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Al Green, Tom Petty, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello, The Jam, Teddy Pendergrass, Billy Joel and Steve Winwood. The Blues Brothers, who helped create a resurgence of popularity for soul, R&B, and blues in the 1980s, were influenced by Sam & Dave - their biggest hit was a cover of "Soul Man", and their act and stage show had many similarities to the duo.


When Sam & Dave arrived at Stax, they worked with producer & engineer Jim Stewart and songwriters including the MGs' guitarist Steve Cropper, who wrote or co-wrote four of their first eight recordings. The duo then moved to relative newcomer writers and producers Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Hayes and Porter wrote and produced the duo's biggest hits (although they did not receive production credits until the Soul Men LP and singles). According to Moore and Prater, they also greatly influenced the duo's singing style, and had them shift their recording style from the style of their Roulette records to a more live, more energetic gospel, call-and-response feel and beat driven soul style the group is known for today.

Sam & Dave's Stax records also benefited from the musicians and engineering at Stax. The Stax house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, and the Stax horn section, the Mar-Keys, had world-class musicians who co-wrote (often without credit) and contributed to recordings—the same musicians who recorded with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas and other soul artists. Sam & Dave's Stax recordings through 1967 were engineered by Stax founder Jim Stewart, who created the Memphis Sound by recording live in a single take. Stewart is credited for instrumental mixes that allowed for instrumental separation and the distinct contribution of each instrument to the overall feel of the song. Hayes and Porter are in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, The Mar-Keys are in the Musicians Hall of Fame, and Booker T. & the MG's, Jim Stewart, Isaac Hayes and Sam & Dave are all in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

While the first two Stax singles failed to chart, the third, the Hayes/Porter composition (with similarities, including the title, to a gospel standard) "You Don't Know Like I Know" hit #7 R&B in 1966. This was the first of 10 consecutive Top Twenty R&B chart hits over three years, and 14 R&B chart appearances during their career. The year 1969 started well, with the Atlantic release of The Best of Sam & Dave LP in January. It contained all their Stax A sides except "A Place Nobody Can Find" and several B-sides, and peaked at #24 on the R&B LP charts and #89 on the Billboard LP charts. Their first single of the year, "Soul Sister, Brown Sugar", returned Sam and Dave to the R&B top 20, and was a #15 hit in the UK.  The follow-up "Born Again", reached the lower levels of the charts, and was the last single Sam and Dave recorded at Stax.

_______________________________________________________________

During the early '80s, Atlantic released newer compilations from some of the most popular R&B artists from the '60s, including Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett. The Best of Sam & Dave perhaps works even better. Although the duo's 1969 greatest hits remains definitive from a pop culture and song choice perspective, this boasts superior sound and zero filler. Like all of their compilations of merit, The Best of Sam & Dave proves the precision of the backing from Booker T. and the MG's and the duo's most illustrious songwriting team, Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The writing team's masterwork, the amazing and kinetic "Soul Man" was in line with the burgeoning black pride of the time. While other well-known tracks like "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" and "Hold on, I'm Comin'" are here, The Best of Sam & Dave also culls other songs that are just as potent. The humorous "Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody" and the hard-driving yet quirky "Wrap It Up" all display the singular one-two punch of Moore's narrow and irascible tone pitted against Prater's woebegone baritone. Arguably the best track, the phenomenal "I Thank You" closes the compilation on a high note. Although the duo did switch officially to Atlantic by the early '70s, this compilation stops at the prime Stax material. The Best of Sam & Dave had a brief shelf life and was supplanted by more extensive overviews. As a compilation spotlighting the hits, this does the job. - Jason Elias / AMG

Sweet Soul Music 1970

And so the series comes to it's end with one last blast. With these 2 series we've journeyed through 26 amazing years. I have seen that there is a new set out from a different company that pursues the same concept with 4 discs for each year! Perhaps there is such a thing as overkill.

This final volume is every bit as magical as it's predecessors, songs straight out of my high school years, the soundtrack of my youth.

Johnnie Taylor - The Philosopher of Soul

"Johnnie Harrison Taylor (May 5, 1934 – May 31, 2000 was born in Crawfordsville, Arkansas. As a child, he grew up in West Memphis, Arkansas and performed in gospel groups as a youngster. As an adult, he had one release, "Somewhere to Lay My Head", on Chicago's Chance Records label in the 1950s, as part of the gospel group Highway QCs, which had been founded by a young Sam Cooke. His singing was strikingly close to that of Sam Cooke, and he was hired to take Cooke's place in the latter's gospel group, the Soul Stirrers, in 1957.

A few years later, after Cooke had established his independent SAR Records, Taylor signed on as one of the label's first acts and recorded "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day" in 1962. However, SAR Records quickly became defunct after Cooke's death in 1964.

In 1966, Taylor moved to Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was dubbed "The Philosopher of Soul". Whilst there he recorded with the label's house band, Booker T. & the MGs. His hits included "I Had a Dream", "I've Got to Love Somebody's Baby" (both written by the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter) and most notably "Who's Making Love", which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 1 on the R&B chart in 1968. "Who's Making Love" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

During his tenure at Stax, he became an R&B star, with over a dozen chart successes, such as "Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone", which reached No. 23 on the Hot 100 chart, "Cheaper to Keep Her" (Mack Rice) and record producer Don Davis's penned "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)", which reached No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart. "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)" also sold in excess of one million units, and was awarded gold disc status by the R.I.A.A. in October 1973. Taylor, along with Isaac Hayes and The Staple Singers was one of the label's flagship artists. He appeared in the documentary film, Wattstax, which was released in 1973.
Columbia Records

Mavis Staples - The Volt Albums

These two albums were dropped in the Shares by our new friend patsoul, thanks to him! I thought they deserved a run up front as these are the only two Stax/Volt records of Mavis as a solo artist. I'm a little concerned as to how long his Mediafire links will last with their new recognition system so I have provided an embedupload link as well.

Here is the first part of her Wiki bio:
"Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.

Mavis Staples began her career with her family group in 1950. Initially singing locally at churches and appearing on a weekly radio show, the Staples scored a hit in 1956 with "Uncloudy Day" for the Vee-Jay label. When Mavis graduated from what is now Paul Robeson High School in 1957, The Staple Singers took their music on the road. Led by family patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples on guitar and including the voices of Mavis and her siblings Cleotha, Yvonne, and Purvis, the Staples were called "God's Greatest Hitmakers."

With Mavis' voice and Pops' songs, singing, and guitar playing, the Staples evolved from enormously popular gospel singers (with recordings on United and Riverside as well as Vee-Jay) to become the most spectacular and influential spirituality-based group in America. By the mid-1960s The Staple Singers, inspired by Pops' close friendship with Martin Luther King, Jr., became the spiritual and musical voices of the civil rights movement. They covered contemporary pop hits with positive messages, including Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" and a version of Stephen Stills' "For What It's Worth."

During a December 20, 2008 appearance on National Public Radio's news show "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me," when Staples was asked about her past personal relationship with Dylan, she admitted they "were good friends, yes indeed" and that he had asked her father for her hand in marriage.

The Staples sang "message" songs like "Long Walk to D.C." and "When Will We Be Paid?," bringing their moving and articulate music to a huge number of young people. The group signed to Stax Records in 1968, joining their gospel harmonies and deep faith with musical accompaniment from members of Booker T. and the MGs. The Staple Singers hit the Top 40 eight times between 1971 and 1975, including two No. 1 singles, "I'll Take You There" and "Let's Do It Again," and a No. 2 single "Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas?"

Staples made her first solo foray while at Epic Records with The Staple Singers releasing a lone single "Crying in the Chapel" to little fanfare in the late 1960s. The single was finally re-released on the 1994 Sony Music collection Lost Soul. Her first solo album would not come until a 1969 self-titled release for the Stax label...(and) another Stax release, Only for the Lonely, in 1970."

O.V. Wright - Giant Of Southern Soul 1965-1975

This one is for Cubbs and another reader whose name I've lost. I don't have the CD's for the 3 disc Complete Backbeat set, only mp3's, but for this single disc compilation I have re-ripped to FLAC with full scans from my CD.

William Bell - Soul Of A Bell / Bound To Happen

 Another Stax guy who was both behind the scenes and out front on stage was William Bell. Bell was born William Yarborough in Memphis, TN in 1939; he took the stage name Bell as a tribute to his grandmother. He began his career as a backup singer for Rufus Thomas in 1957, had some minor success with a group The Del Rio's, followed Rufus to Stax in 1961 as a staff writer and soon as an artist as well.

Most of what was said about Eddie Floyd's role at Stax applies equally well to William Bell. He wrote, sang, produced and help to craft the Stax Sound. Bell's own "You Don't Miss Your Water" was an early hit for Stax in 1961 but just as he was getting rolling a two year hitch in the military set back a promising solo career. He returned to Stax after getting out but not until 1966-67 did he finally regain some traction with "Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need)" and "Everybody Loves a Winner", resulting in the fine LP 'Soul Of A Bell'. 1967 also saw his song (co-written with Booker T Jones) "Born Under A Bad Sign" scoring a big hit for Albert King.
 
 In 1968 Bell scored again with his "Tribute To A King" for the late Otis Redding. An album of duets yielded "Private Number" with Judy Clay but not much else that was memorable. Before the year was out Bell recorded "I Forgot To Be Your Lover", a Top 10 R&B hit for him and, 20 years later, a Top 10 Pop hit for Billy Idol. The album "Bound To Happen" followed in 1969.

 Bell stayed with Stax to the end, recording 3 or 4 more "nice" but not particularly successful albums. In 1976, the year after Stax folded, he had his biggest hit "Trying to Love Two," which topped the R&B charts for Mercury.

William Bell relocated to Atlanta and continued in the business in various capacities (including founding two labels) and recorded a number of locally successful albums. He still performs on occasion in R&B Legends shows. He has received honors as an R&B Pioneer and a W.C. Handy award.

Sweet Soul Music 1969

 And the beat goes on.....

Eddie Floyd - Knock On Wood & I've Never Found A Girl

I'm going to dedicate this post to Everette and Tyrone.

Eddie Floyd was born June 25, 1937 in Montgomery, Alabama. He was raised in Detroit and was one of the founders of The Falcons, later the launching pad for Wilson Pickett. The Falcons disbanded when the wicked one left and Eddie went to Washington D.C. to work with his pal Al Bell in founding a production company called Safice.

When Bell came to Memphis and Stax, Floyd was one of the valuable assets he brought with him. Stax got a multi-tool talent; a writer, producer and performer. Eddie wrote hits like '634-5789' and 'Ninety Nine and A Half Won't Do' for Pickett and became the frequent writing partner of Steve Cropper and Booker T. Jones. Between 1965 and 1975 virtually every artist at Stax had a hit with Eddie Floyd written and/or produced material, he would be an important figure in the Stax history even if he had never recorded anything himself.....but....he did.

Eddie's voice is that perfectly comfortable shirt or pair of shoes, not as flashy as some, but just 'right'. Having been such an integral element in the Stax sound, it isn't surprising that he wears it well as a performer. 1966's 'Knock On Wood' was intended for Otis Redding but Jerry Wexler convinced Jim Stewart that Floyd's demo deserved to be released on it's own; in very short order Stax had a new star.

As good as the 'Knock On Wood' album is, 'I've Never Found A Girl' is at least it's equal (actually I prefer it).

Ike Turner Studio Productions: New Orleans And Los Angeles 1963 - 1965

Although this CD is credited to Ike Turner, it might be more appropriately classified as a various-artists compilation, since Turner is the credited artist on just one of the 27 tracks. As the title indicates, it's devoted to recordings he produced between 1963 and 1965, an era in which his industriousness was something to behold given he was also recording many discs with his then-wife Tina, as well as extensively touring. Tina herself is the singer on a couple of these tracks, and the Ikettes are heard as a backup band on a few others. But for the most part, this material is performed by artists who never made a name for themselves, like Jimmy Thomas, Stacy Johnson, Bobby John, and Vernon Guy, though ex-R&B star Jackie Brenston (of "Rocket 88" fame) does a couple numbers. Only five of the cuts were released at the time, some others only showing up on archival compilations decades later, and over half the stuff making its first appearance ever on this disc. Though Ike Turner was undoubtedly a major figure in rock and soul music, this is ephemera when stacked against his primary accomplishments, and of most interest to rabid Ike collectors/enthusiasts. The sound is consistently gutsy and sometimes rawer than almost anything else in the bluesy R&B/rock groove at the time, and the singers usually perform with the kind of passion heard in artists hungry for a break. True to the location of some of the recordings, some of the selections have a more pronounced New Orleans feel than others. But the songs are for the most part just OK, and sometimes not too worked out, as you might expect from takes that often didn't even make it into the marketplace. There's some good playing from the Kings of Rhythm, but unless this is one of your favorite all-time kinds of music, the songs do start to roll by without making much in the way of separate impact. And the two Tina Turner tracks might have been throwaway outtakes, but she sings everyone else under the table on covers of Maxine Brown's hit "All in My Mind" and Eddie Boyd's blues classic "Five Long Years." It's more a listenable document to fill in the some of the background of Turner's resumé than a testament to his finer achievements, with some of the moodier Turner compositions that came out on 1963 singles (Vernon Guy's "You've Got Me [Just Where You Want Me]" and Stacy Johnson's "Remove My Doubts") also standing out in this crowd. - Richie Unterberger / AMG

1 Jimmy Thomas – The Darkest Hour 2:29
2 Stacy Johnson – Remove My Doubts 2:15
3 Vernon Guy With Jessie Smith – They Ain't Lovin' Ya 1:46
4 Bobby John – Too Late 2:29
5 Bobby John & Ikettes, The – Like I Do 2:37
6 Jackie Brenston & Ikettes, The – In Love 2:32
7 Jackie Brenston – I'm Tore Up 2:31
8 Venetta Fields – Through With You 3:18
9 Vernon Guy – That's All Right 1:53
10 Vernon Guy – You're So Fine 2:25
11 Jimmy Thomas – I Smell Trouble 3:40
12 Jimmy Thomas – Feel So Good 2:21
13 Tina Turner – All In My Mind 3:13
14 Ernest Lane & Ikettes, The With Tina Turner – What Kind Of Love 2:18
15 Bobby John With Jimmy Thomas, Stacy Johnson & Vernon Guy – I'm Comin' Home 2:29
16 Bobby John – Dust My Broom 2:33
17 Vernon Guy & Ikettes, The – For Your Precious Love 2:18
18 Vernon Guy – Just To Hold My Hand 2:16
19 Jimmy Thomas – Tin Pan Alley 2:51
20 Jimmy Thomas – Mother-In-Law Blues 2:09
21 Ike Turner & Ikettes, The – Walking Down The Aisle 2:13
22 Bobby John & Ikettes, The – Think 2:12
23 Tina Turner – Five Long Years 2:07
24 Stacy Johnson – Consider Yourself 3:44
25 Stacy Johnson – Don't Believe Him 2:04
26 Vernon Guy With Ike* & Dee Dee* – You Can't Have Your Cake And Eat It Too 2:23
27 Vernon Guy – You've Got Me (Just Where You Want Me) 2:36

Abyssinian Baptist Gospel Choir - Shakin' The Rafters

A classic John Hammond produced recording of Professor Alex Bradford's Abyssinian Baptist Gospel Coir from Newark, NJ in 1960. One of the few recordings ever to manage to capture the power and excitement of a large Gospel choir. If you want the experience of Shakin' The Rafters you need to turn it up real loud!

"Professor Alex Bradford (January 23, 1927 – February 15, 1978) was a multi-talented gospel composer, singer, arranger and choir director, who was a great influence on artists such as Little Richard, Bob Marley and Ray Charles and who helped bring about the modern mass choir movement in gospel.

Born in Bessemer, Alabama, USA, he first appeared on stage at the age of four, then joined a children's gospel group at thirteen, soon obtaining his own radio show. He organized another group after his mother sent him to New York City following a racial incident; he continued singing after returning to attend the Snow Hill Institute in Snow Hill, Alabama, where he acquired the title "Professor" while teaching as a student.

He moved to Chicago in 1947, where he worked briefly with Roberta Martin and toured with Mahalia Jackson, then struck out on his own with his own group, the Bradford Singers, followed by another group, the Bradford Specials. He recorded his first hit record, "Too Close To Heaven" (1954), billed as Professor Alex Bradford and his singers, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc, then followed it with a number of other successes in the rest of the decade.

Artists such as Little Richard imitated Bradford's energetic style, ranging from a gravelly bass to a whooping falsetto, and his flamboyant stage presence. Ray Charles, for his part, not only borrowed some of Bradford's vocal mannerisms but based his Raelets on the Bradford Specials. His 1962 gospel song composition "Let the Lord Be Seen in Me", recorded for his One Step & Angel on Vacation album, was also recorded in 1964 by an emerging force in Jamaican music, Bob Marley & the Spiritual Sisters. Marley later adopted the Rastafarian faith, but along with his mother, at first he sung gospel in the local Shilo Apostolic Church.

In 1961, when his recording career was in decline, Bradford joined the cast of the off-Broadway show Black Nativity, based on the writings of Langston Hughes, which toured Europe in 1962. A member of the Alex Bradford Singers at that time was Madeline Bell, who settled in England after the show ended. Bradford appeared in Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, for which he won the Obie award, in 1972. He died in Newark, New Jersey, in 1978, as the musical Your Arms Too Short to Box with God was in production." wiki

Chicago Soul - Walter Jackson & Billy Butler

A little journey into Chicago Soul courtesy of Unky Cliff, his files,his commentary, Thanks Cliff! - 

"It is always amazing to me how much great music has vanished from our collective memory. In part because radio playlists, even those of 'oldies' stations, have been pared down to a top 100 songs and in part because some labels slip into unexplained obscurity.

Mowtown and Atlantic have held onto our imaginations because they have kept much of their material in print through out all the changes in taste and format. Others like Vee Jay and Brunswick have simply muddled along with poorly planned and limited reissue programs. These once mighty labels rarely ever make a dent on the mind of younger listeners.

As a kid in Chicago during the 1960 Okeh records dominated the R&B charts with some of the finest in Windy-City Soul. Two of that labels forgotten greats are presented here to help lift your spirits.

Walter Jackson from Pensacola FL contracted polio at an early age and performed on crutches for much of his career. His earliest recordings were as the lead singer of the Velvetones (Deb 1959). As a solo act he began recording for Columbia in 1962 and moved to their Okeh subsidiary in 1964. He
made the national charts 8 times between 1964 and 1967 but never managed to crack the top 10… except in Chicago. Produced by the great Carl Davis with material from Curtis Mayfield, Jackson's husky baritone is in the mode of Arthur Prysock and Billy Eckstine but was put to superb use in a brand of pop soul far more subtle than that generated by similar Mowtown artists. A perfect sampler of Davis' 'Chicago Sound'.

Billy Butler spent much of his career overshadowed by his brother Jerry. With the Enchanters (later simply Chanters) he recorded a number of songs for Okeh in 1965/6 two of which scratched the national charts. Also working with Davis and Mayfield, the younger Butler specialized in bright, vigorous and highly melodic songs, but is equally at home with mid-tempo and ballad material. On all his songs, his controlled and slightly gospelly vocals lend just enough intensity to give the songs that rich, soulful feeling."

NOT the same guy as the guitar player.

LaVern Baker - Soul On Fire

One last one for this round of gals.

 "LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" (1955), "Jim Dandy" (1956), and "I Cried a Tear" (1958). She was born Delores LaVern Baker in Chicago, Illinois. She is occasionally referred to as Delores Williams because of an early marriage to Eugene Williams; in the late 1940s he was identified in RCA Victor record company files as "D. L. McMurley." She was the niece of blues singer Merline Johnson and was also related to Memphis Minnie.

She began singing in Chicago clubs such as the Club DeLisa around 1946, often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper, and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, and then became LaVern Baker when singing with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.

In 1953 she signed for Atlantic Records as a solo artist, her first release being "Soul on Fire". Her first hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo "Tweedlee Dee" reaching #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. Georgia Gibbs scored the bigger hit with her version of "Tweedle Dee", for which Baker unsuccessfully attempted to sue her.

Baker had a succession of hits on the R&B charts over the next couple of years with her backing group The Gliders, including "Bop-Ting-A-Ling" (#3 R&B), "Play It Fair" (#2 R&B), and "Still" (#4 R&B). At the end of 1956 she had another smash hit with "Jim Dandy" (#1 R&B, #17 pop). It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2] Further hits followed for Atlantic, including the follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married" (#7 R&B), "I Cried a Tear" (#2 R&B, #6 pop in 1959), "I Waited Too Long" (#5 R&B, #3 pop, written by Neil Sedaka), "Saved" (#17 R&B, written by Leiber and Stoller), and "See See Rider" (#9 R&B in 1963).

In addition to singing, Baker also did some work with Ed Sullivan and Alan Freed on TV and in films, including Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. In 1964, she recorded a Bessie Smith tribute album, before leaving Atlantic and joining Brunswick Records, where she recorded the album "Let Me Belong to You".

In 1966, Baker recorded a duet single with Jackie Wilson. The controversial song, "Think Twice", featured raunchy lyrics that were not considered appropriate for airplay at that time or even today. Three versions were recorded, one of which is the X-rated version with the raunchy lyrics.

In the late 1960s, she became seriously ill after a trip to Vietnam to entertain American soldiers. While recovering at the US Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines, her husband, Slappy White filed for a divorce. A friend recommended that she stay on as the entertainment director at the Marine Corps Staff NCO club there, and she remained there for 22 years.

In 1988 she returned to perform at Madison Square Garden for Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary. She then worked on the soundtracks to films such as Shag, (1989), Dick Tracy, (1990) and A Rage in Harlem (1991), which were all issued on CD.

In 1990, she made her Broadway debut replacing Ruth Brown as star of the hit musical Black and Blue. In 1991, Rhino Records released a new album Live in Hollywood recorded at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill, as well as a compilation of her greatest Atlantic hits entitled Soul on Fire. In 1992, she recorded a well-received studio album, Woke Up This Morning, for DRG Records. She continued performing after having both legs amputated from diabetes complications in 1994 and made her last recording, "Jump Into the Fire," for the 1995 Harry Nilsson tribute CD, For the Love of Harry on the Music Masters label.

She received the 1990 Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1991, Baker became the second female solo artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following Aretha Franklin in 1987. Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and was ranked #343 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time." wikipedia

Sweet Soul Music 1968

"... This volume covers the year 1968 and includes classics like Smokey Robinson's "I Second That Emotion," Sam & Dave's "I Thank You," Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," the Temptations' "Cloud Nine," and so much more. Every track shines and reveals new joys by affiliation -- listening to these 29 sides is like time traveling back to a beautiful summer's night and a long drive with the top down. This is what Bear Family does so well, turning out collections of essential music lovingly assembled, remastered, and restored. Sweet is exactly the right word for each of the ten volumes in this series." AMG