The Main Ingredient turned tragedy into triumph and left behind some of the most indelible singles of the ’70s.
Ken Shane’s Soul Serenade
465 Articles
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Ken Shane
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Jackie Wilson was a superstar in the ’50s and ’60s. His signature song was the the 1958 smash “Lonely Teardrops.”
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Ken Shane
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The Philly vocal group Blue Magic are best known for their huge 1974 hit “Sideshow,” but they sent hits up the R&B charts for several years in the 1970’s.
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Ken Shane
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Maxine Brown was one of the most respected soul singers of the ’60s. Then a fateful decision by her label left her in the lurch.
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Ken Shane
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Gladys Knight & the Pips were one of the biggest acts of the ’70s. They reached their Motown peak with a Jim Weatherly penned hit in 1973.
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Ken Shane
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Believe it or not, the Miracles only had one #1 hit while Smokey Robinson was their singer. Ken Shane recalls “The Tears of a Clown.”
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Ken Shane
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In the wake of Robbie McIntosh’s death the previous year, AWB had a tough time making their third album. Fortunately they persevered and completed Cut the Cake.
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Ken Shane
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Right in the middle of their epic hit making career, Earth, Wind & Fire delivered one of the most indelible singles of all time. Ken Shane remembers “September”
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Ken Shane
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Billy Stewart brought a unique vocal style to ’60s soul and created some of the most memorable records of the decade.
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Ken Shane
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Isaac Hayes and David Porter wrote a string of hits for Sam & Dave in the ’60s. Ken Shane recalls perhaps the greatest of them all.
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Ken Shane
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The Four Tops smash “Bernadette” was just one of the hundreds of Motown hits that featured the bass playing of the legendary James Jamerson.
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Ken Shane
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The Jarmels only had one hit, but it was a big one. “A Little Bit of Soap” climbed to the upper reaches of the Pop Chart in September, 1961.
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Ken Shane
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The world of soul, R&B, and funk lost three of its greatest artists last week. Ken Shane remembers Etta James, Johnny Otis, and Jimmy Castor.
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Ken Shane
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McKinley Mitchell was an under appreciated R&B singer who scaled the heights of the R&B charts in the ’60s with the stunning ballad “The Town I Live In.”
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Ken Shane
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Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles had a big hit in 1962 with “I Sold My Heart To the Junkman.” Or did they?
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Ken Shane
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The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band featured an ever-shifting cast of musicians until Charles Wright solidified the lineup for the funk classic “Express Yourself.”
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Ken Shane
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Deon Jackson was a one-hit wonder. He had other, lesser hits, but he will always be remembered for his 1965 smash.
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Ken Shane
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Jerry Butler has had a lot of hits over the course of his illustrious career, but it was a lesser-known 1967 single that found a place in Ken Shane’s heart.
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Ken Shane
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Tyrone Davis was another artist who had more hits than you might recall right away. His biggest by far though was 1970’s “Turn Back the Hands of Time.”
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Ken Shane
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Howard Tate died on Saturday. After making stunning records with Jerry Ragavoy in the ’60s, he spent years in the wilderness before making a triumphant comeback
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Ken Shane
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On a recent Saturday night Ken Shane caught a set by Trombone Shorty in RI. It was hot, it was sweaty, it was funky.
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Ken Shane
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On a Thanksgiving night 35 years ago tomorrow, the Band bid farewell at The Last Waltz. Among the show’s many highlights was Van Morrison’s scintillating rendition of “Caravan.”
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Ken Shane
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Ken Shane first saw Tower of Power live back in the ’70s, and he’s seen them many times since. After 44 years as a band, they can still bring the soul thunder.
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Ken Shane
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Led by vocalist Tre Williams, who can hold his own with the greats, The Revelations return with a brilliantly soulful new album, “Concrete Blues.”
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Ken Shane
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When the conversation turns to great soul singers, Joe Simon’s name is not mentioned nearly enough. Ken Shane makes the case for the legendary hit maker.
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Ken Shane
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In 1965 Little Anthony and the Imperials released the third in a string of dramatic pop soul smashes and cemented their place in rock and roll history.
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Ken Shane
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Brenda Holloway isn’t often included in the discussion of great female Motown vocalists. Ken Shane tells us why she deserves to be.
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Ken Shane
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The 1973 US release of “The Harder They Come” film and soundtrack album was a pivotal moment for reggae music and it made Jimmy Cliff an international star.
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Ken Shane
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Doris Troy may have had only big hit, the 1963 classic “Just One Look,” but she had a long and successful career working with the biggest names in rock and roll.
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Ken Shane
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Chuck Jackson followed a stint with the Del-Vikings with a superb solo career that reached its peak with his 1962 hit “Any Day Now (My Wild Beautiful Bird)”