Led by vocalist Tre Williams, who can hold his own with the greats, The Revelations return with a brilliantly soulful new album, “Concrete Blues.”
Soul Serenade
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)”
When it comes to archival reissues of classic soul music, The Numero Group is setting the bar high with a combination of great taste and brilliant scholarship.
You’ve heard all the big hits from Detroit, Memphis, and New Orleans. How about Allentown, PA? That’s the home of Jay & the Techniques who hit it big in 1967.
Otis Redding would have turned 70 tomorrow. The great New Orleans musician Wardell Quezergue died this week. Ken Shane pays tribute to both artists.
The Holland-Dozier-Holland song “Baby Don’t You Do It” had some great cover versions, but it’s hard to to to the Marvin Gaye original.
Jerry Leiber, a founding father of rock and roll, and one of the greatest songwriters in the history of popular music, died this week. Ken Shane pays tribute.
Lowman Pauling and the 5 Royales were a seminal influence on the young Steve Cropper. The legendary guitarist pays tribute to the group on a fine new album.
The Marvelettes were Motown’s first successful female group, and they scored the company’s first number one pop hit. In all they scored 21 hits in eight years.
Despite having a number of hits, Brook Benton had been largely forgotten by the mid-’60s. Then in 1970 he returned with the biggest hit of his career.
Ken Shane will be covering the Newport Folk Festival for Popdose again this weekend. Among the artists he looks forward to seeing is soul legend Mavis Staples.
Ken Shane celebrates the life and music of songwriter/producer Jerry Ragovoy who died this week at age 80.
In which our own Ken Shane and Jim Fusilli of the Wall Street Journal debate the merits of Phil Spector’s work in light of his murder conviction.
On Monday, America celebrated its 235th birthday. On Tuesday, a jury in Florida affirmed one of the principles that this country was founded on.
In 1959 Ace Records erased Huey “Piano” Smith’s vocal from a song that he wrote, substituting one by white singer Frankie Ford. So much for the good old days.
As part of a week of tributes to the late Clarence Clemons, Ken Shane features a musician who had a major impact on Clarence’s musical style.
Carl Gardner, the original lead singer of the Coasters died last week. He was the voice on a string of great singles for the group. Ken Shane pays tribute.
Caught up in the HBO series Treme, Ken Shane is in a New Orleans mood this week. He delivers up a Crescent City classic from the Wild Tchoupitoulas.
May 21 marked the 40th anniversary of the release of Marvin Gaye’s landmark album What’s Going On. Ken Shane has an appreciation.
Soul Serenade continues the Bob Dylan 70th birthday celebration with covers of Dylan songs by legendary soul artists Etta James, and the Persuasions.
Ken Shane reflects on the first birthday of his weekly Soul Serenade column and gifts another classic soul megamix to our readers.
“Dedicated To The One I Love” is a song that has been covered many times over the years. Ken Shane thinks that a 1972 version by The Temprees was distinctive.
The Stax label released many of the seminal records in soul music history. The Stax Remasters series launches next week. We have a set for one lucky reader.
Arnold McCuller calls “Soon As I Get Paid” his musical autobiography. He could haven’t chosen better songs or better players to help him to tell his story.
Just when Freddie Scott decided to give up on recording and focus on songwriting, an opportunity came along to record a song that would change his life.
The Platters scored a number of huge hits in the ’50s before problems derailed them. Unexpectedly, they returned with a pair of indelible singles in 1966-67.