For many years, I’ve been posting this story on Christmas Eve. People seem to enjoy it so I thought I’d post it again this year. May the peace of the…
Ken Shane
844 Articles
Ken Shane lives in Narragansett, R.I. He is a freelance writer and far and away the oldest Popdose writer. In fact, he may be the oldest writer, period. He wants you to know that he generally does not share his colleagues' love for the music of the '80s, and he does not forgive them for loving it. (Ken passed away in November 2022. R.I.P. —Ed.)
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Ken Shane
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If you are a fan of classic soul and you watch America’s Got Talent you might have been surprised to see a singing trio that appeared on the show a…
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Ken Shane
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It’s a well-known story at this point. In 1968, Stax Records co-founder Jim Stewart decided to put an end to the distribution deal that his company had with Atlantic Records….
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Ken Shane
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Rick Barry enjoys working in his garden. Sometimes it seems that he’s happier getting his hands in the dirt than he is getting his hands on a guitar. And yet,…
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Ken Shane
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After nine years and well over 400 columns, I’ve decided to change Soul Serenade from a weekly to an occasional column. Obviously, there are more than enough classic soul records…
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Ken Shane
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When an artist dies too young it is always tempting to mourn not only the loss of his or her spirit but also the loss of the great work they…
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Ken Shane
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We’ve heard about one-hit wonders and even no-hit wonders but what about groups that had multiple hits and still manage to be forgotten when people talk about classic soul? The…
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Ken Shane
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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Danny White, a southern soul singer who toiled for years looking for a hit that proved elusive. This week, I’ll take a…
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Ken Shane
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Curtis Mayfield was 14 years old when he joined the group that would become the Impressions. He was born in Chicago in 1942 and by the time he was seven,…
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Ken Shane
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For every musician who becomes a household name, there are hundreds, probably even thousands who toil in clubs for many years, getting a whiff of success every now and then…
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Ken Shane
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“His music … brought a great deal of joy to the world, but his personality brought even more, conveying a message of grit, determination, indomitability, above all a bottomless appreciation…
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Ken Shane
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“Linda Creed was such a sweet young lady. She started out wanting to be a singer and she wasn’t a bad singer but she was a great, great writer. All…
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Ken Shane
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Have you seen the new Showtime documentary Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me? I recommend it with a bit of reservation related to some rather dubious accusations that are…
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Ken Shane
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Elvis Presley has been accused of cultural appropriation. Whether you believe that or not, there is no doubt that one of his breakthrough singles was a song called “Hound Dog”…
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Ken Shane
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I’ve written about the Exciters before in this column, back in 2013. But that story was more of a reminiscence about my first band and a song called “Do-Wah-Diddy” that…
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Ken Shane
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There is no doubt that Atlantic Records played a huge role in exposing a wider audience to the sound of Rhythm & Blues. The label, which was founded by jazz…
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Ken Shane
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The summer of 1966. I spent it on the beach and Boardwalk in Atlantic City. Incredible music poured out of tinny sounding transistor radio speakers everywhere I went. The…
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Ken Shane
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I chose this week’s song with some trepidation. It has been on my list of prospective features for a long time. The obvious reason is that on its surface, this…
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Ken Shane
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Happy New Year! During the holidays I decided to determine once and for all how long I’ve been writing this column. I searched the Popdose archives for that first column…
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Ken Shane
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Let’s face it, 2018 was not a very good year. The nation seemed to become even more divided and at times it felt like the whole world was about to…
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Ken Shane
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Alright, I admit it. There’s more Philly Soul covered in this column than music from any other soul capitol. There are a few reasons for that, the primary one being…
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Ken Shane
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Some glorious Philadelphia soul preceded the glory years of Philly Soul
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Ken Shane
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The Clovers long, distinguished career began in 1946 and hasn’t ended yet
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Ken Shane
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Two years after the Five Stairsteps brought a song of hope to the Top 10 the Edwin Hawkins Singers brought their gospel soul to it
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Ken Shane
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Gene Chandler’s career spanned the years from doo-wop to disco with lots of hits in between
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Ken Shane
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“Drift Away” was a smash in 1973 and then again 30 years later
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Ken Shane
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Do you remember when you first fell in love with Philly Soul? For me, it was in 1968 because that was the year when the Delfonics’ “La La Means I…
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Ken Shane
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By 1978, Brian Eno had already changed the face of art rock with his production and collaboration on David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy, as well as “invention” of ambient music. He…
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Ken Shane
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Otis Rush died recently but not before leaving a lasting blues and soul legacy
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Ken Shane
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1968 was a momentous year for the nation, the city of Memphis, and Stax Records
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