Soul music reached unprecedented levels of maximalism and drama as the 1960s progressed, produced by Berry Gordy’s Tamla/Motown label and its hitmakers such as Deniece Williams, Minnie Riperton, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Supremes and Commodores.
Deep soul (and its southern equivalent, Stax) featured vibrant horn parts and an unmistakable bass drum beat, but today contemporary R&B artists from Kelela to Sampha to Childish Gambino continue the legacy of soul music.
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke was one of the pioneers of Soul music. An American singer-songwriter-entrepreneur, Cooke started off his career singing gospel with Highway QC’s before transitioning into Soul Stirrers with his distinctive singing style and youthful looks making him popular on gospel circuits as well as charismatic performances.
Cooke’s transition from gospel music to secular pop music had a dramatic impact on Black musical culture in 1957. While such moves had previously been taboo among Black musicians, Cooke reinvented himself as a romantic crooner similar to Nat King Cole with a smooth voice and songwriting prowess which allowed him to achieve considerable success within popular music’s secular realm.
Cooke rose to superstardom upon the release of “You Send Me”, becoming one of the world’s most acclaimed artists while being an accomplished entrepreneur and businessperson who owned his own record label and publishing company.
Cooke made waves in the 1960s by writing and recording numerous anti-racism songs on his SAR Records label, the most notable one being “A Change Is Gonna Come,” which had an immense effect on civil rights struggles across America – becoming one of the most iconic recordings ever.
Cooke was at his peak of popularity but still experienced personal challenges. In 1959 he divorced his wife and his 18 month-old son died unexpectedly from illness. Additionally he suffered from alcoholism.
Cooke’s fame and fortune declined during his final years, while he battled depression. During this period he recorded several gospel albums that never saw release; later that year he signed with Atlantic Records; however, they refused to allow him to create the music he desired which cost them millions in lost revenues.
The Staple Sisters
Mavis and Cleotha Staples led one of the most beloved soul groups ever, The Staple Sisters. Their music combined gospel and blues elements with contemporary influences; their message encouraged civil rights and equality – not being afraid to tackle subjects that other artists ignored or dismissed outright.
Roebuck was a singer and guitarist who moved his family north when he found employment there, performing in jubilee quartets singing gospel and country blues in a style inspired by Barbecue Bob and Big Bill Broonzy. Staple Singers were eventually formed in the late 1950s, with sister Linda joining several years later. They started off recording for secular labels United and Vee-Jay using traditional techniques before signing with Stax Records in 1968 and expanding their sound further. Memphis, Tennessee-based label Memphis Records created a distinct sound that combined R&B energy with southern United States gospel sounds. Artists like the Staple Singers and house band Booker T & the MGs helped establish this signature style of music with vocals placed further back than most contemporary R&B music tracks, vibrant horn parts, and an essential bassline.
After signing with Stax Records, the group immediately scored major hits – notably Pops’ positive message song, “Respect Yourself,” topping both R&B and pop charts and making a dent in both charts. Remade again by BeBe & CeCe Winans featuring Mavis with both versions achieving great success on charts.
This album provides many hits that are smooth, soothing, and sensual; making it the ideal collection for anyone interested in enjoying music from the 1960s and 1970s. These tunes make an excellent background to relaxing evenings alone or listening with close friends; boasting rich harmonies and memorable melodies perfect for dancing; this collection should not be overlooked for soul music enthusiasts! This is truly essential listening!
Otis Redding
Otis Redding made his mark on music with an unforgettable voice, emotive performances and timeless ballad, “Try a Little Tenderness,” that continues to be covered today by many artists. After his passing away, in 1989 he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Redding had become an international icon by the late ’70s, his charismatic presence at Monterey Pop Festival persuading hippies to embrace soul music and his musical embodiment of Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech as an antidote for generations of racism oppression.
Soul music went through various stages as its influences such as blues, jazz and doo wop shaped it; foundational soul was one such phase characterized by minimal production with emphasis placed on rhythm and lyrics; New York artists Al Green and Ann Peebles excelled at this style while in Philadelphia Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff produced exciting soul records with O’Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes and Main Ingredient.
As this era concluded, bass and synthesizers became increasingly dominant; yet string-laden sweetness of Chi-lites, The Moments and Blue Magic; uptempo buoyancy of The Emotions, Spinners, Three Degrees as well as Bloodstone New Birth Main Ingredient still lingered within soul music landscape.
Soul continued its flourishing as we entered the 1980s. By this point, artists such as Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston and Mary J. Blige were producing commercial R&B music known as contemporary R&B; young artists preferred raw sounds of 60s/70s soul and funk combined with hip hop urban beats for what became known as Neo Soul music – artists like Me’Shell Ndegeocello, Maxwell and Lauryn Hill represented this style of soul music at this time.
TriMax Records demonstrated through their soul music of 1980 that soul was far more than simply dance genre. Instead, its power lay in inciting social change and inspiring positive transformation.
The Commodores
After the psychedelic soul of the 1960s faded and rock and jazz moved toward maximalism, soul music evolved into something grander – with long song forms featuring dramatic drama and expansive arrangements. Lionel Richie and his band became pioneers of this trend through their immersive performances fusing funk with rhythm and blues as the decade came to a close.
Before Lionel joined in 1968, this band was known as Mystics; upon signing with Motown they quickly made an impactful debut with Machine Gun from their 1974 debut album Machine Gun. Three Times A Lady later on brought even greater prominence and was their first R&B number one hit on Billboard charts; its follow up featured Three Times A Lady as its title track and produced their first number one R&B hit three months later – Three Times A Lady was later followed up with sentimental ballad Sail On, winning them their only Grammy award award ever.
Stax Records of Memphis, Tennessee made waves during the deep soul or southern soul era (characterized by R&B music with gospel-influenced rhythms and traditional US secular folk), creating its own signature sound by placing vocals further back in the mix and employing lively horn parts to fill out its sound while placing emphasis on lower frequency spectrums.
Soul music inspired the Commodores’ classic hit Brick House, with its pulsing bass drum and wah-wah guitar and catchy, sing-along chorus. Additionally, Too Hot ta Trot was one of their biggest hits and could often be found playing at dance floors and soundtracks for movies such as The Sting.
Clyde Orange, William King and J.D. Nicholas comprised the core members of The Commodores during their later ’80s performance incarnation and continued touring and recording under their own Commodores Records label despite Motown’s departure in 1985. Their music remains powerful enough to bring people together despite such departure. You may witness more performances by them over time! If that occurs then their music will surely continue bringing joy.