True Confessions of a Soul Man

Yeah, Tube, you talkin' about "the boss with the hot sauce."

I have forgotton more than I can remember about these groups but I sure loved them at the time; late 50's -60's include The Isley Brothers; Little Anthony and the Imperials; Smoky Robinson and the Miracles; Early 70's Billy Paul (another Philly guy) And from the 70's with the big brass sound but one of the best - Earth, Wind and Fire with Maurice White and the Commodores with Lionel Ritchie. Man I'm glad you guys reminded me. Little Anthony and the Imperials did a cut of "You only Live Twice" from the Bond film, great rendition. Had it on 8 track back in the late 60's I sure would like to find a copy of that recording.

There is one group from the late 60's early 70's that is among my favorites and not mentioned. "Friends of Distinction" Grazing in the grass; love or let me be lonely and going in circles were their well known #'s but they were really a great soul group. I wish I could find more of their old albums, tough find. (Philly list includes - Teddy Pendergrass with Howard Melvin and the Bluenotes; Delphonics, The O'Jays and Stylistics. Also Curtis Mayfield and Issac Hayes (more funk) The Reverend Al Green and my personal favorite male soul singer of them all Marvin Gaye solo and with Tammy Terrill. Radio stations in Philly? WFIL (Joe Niagra) and WIBG (Hi Lit); Anyone remember Jerry Blavit - "The geeter with the heeter"

Thanks for the heads up on the box set. Was Stax an indie label or part of a major???? I think you are right about the advent of FM stations. They changed everything. The stations would pick a format/music style and limit your choices of music. Things will heat up when satellite radio hits the air.I think in five years FM radio will be close to being dead. AM radio may live a little longer because it is mostly talk/call-in shows. Just an opinion what do you think??

You guys are bringing back old memories. A while back our firm was involved in a securitization transaction for Holland/Dozier/Holland, and afterwards one of the firms involved found a bunch of promo CDs in a warehouse of 24 or so of their greatest hits, by the original artists. Quite a collection of The Supremes, The Four Tops, etc. We listen to it often. My wife lived outside Detroit in the 60s, and we went to U of M 68-72, so I do remember CKLW too. What I miss most, and it started to go with the advent of album rock and FM stations, was the CKLW or WABC format of the 60s, where you could tune in and hear ALL types of music, be it Motown, West Coast sound, British invasion, on one station and all mixed together. Now everything seems categorized for the pop stations (alternative rock/classic rock/easy listening, etc,), and I think listeners are poorer for it. Agingears, that sounds like a terrific box set, thanks for the post.

Schubertmaniac, you would enjoy a box set "Atlantic Rythmn and Blues 1947-74". It contains 203 songs on CD. It includes a book which is great reading. Allow me to quote from the intro to a section on Otis Redding. "Atlantic Records had always been one of the most respected independents in the recording industry. The companys specialty was black popular music, but it faced a formidable task as it entered the mid-60's.....The British invasion was knocking all kinds of records done the old way, off the charts. In black music powerful new developments in the nations r&b recording centers of New York, Detroit, Chicago, and the South were revolutionizing the music. Shuffle beats and doowops were giving way to a more impassioned, gospelized music called soul." It maakes you want to read on doesn't it! Soul is a wonderful form and more appreciated when you trace its roots.

Schubertmaniac: who's your favorite D960? I'm starting to play it quite seriously (still not at correct tempo, of course!), and like Radu Lupu's lately as a reference. Got a favorite D959 too? Wanderer Fantasy (I truly dislike the Kissin I own)? Danke. Ernst

I put on a best of "Supremes" CD just moments before I got to this topic (Love Child is playing at the moment) - great subject Shubertmaniac. Anyone remember CKLW out of the Motor City during the mid to late 60's, that's the kind of music a young man just getting interested in the ladies wanted to hear. Jr. High school and Sherry,Holly, Karen, Kathy, Toni, Debbie, Judy ...those WERE the good old days my friends. None of this rap trash that's out these days!

Does anyone know what soul music was derived from? The Detroit sound (Motown) was created by Berry Gordy in the very late 50s and early 60s, but how about Memphis soul? Where was James Brown from? He is the self proclaimed godfather of soul. Does anybody remember Soul Train???

Yup -- War; Marvin Gaye; Stevie; Booker T; Aretha. I have many fond memories of listening to these and others on my old Bose 901/Marantz 2270 system.

I'm with ya Shubertmanic! I love soul/funk music. My favorite group is Tower of Power from the late 60s early 70s. I'm from Detroit, grew up with Mowtown and played in a sould band. I'm at work and will write more later. Frank

I hear 'ya. I'm a big fan of the Stax/Volt sound. Otis, Booker T., Isaac Hayes/David Porter, Steve Cropper -- these people could feel a groove. Their music will live forever!

I'm with ya Shubertmanic! I love soul/funk music. My favorite group is Tower of Power from the late 60s early 70s. I'm from Detroit, grew up with Mowtown and played in a sould band. I'm at work and will write more later. Frank