“He’s the last African-American Everyman,” says Questlove of his hero Bill Withers. “Jordan’s vertical jump has to be higher than everyone. Michael Jackson has to defy gravity. On the other side of the coin, we’re often viewed as primitive animals. We rarely land in the … Continue reading Bill Withers
(Pictured: Otis and Zelma Redding) “I think rock ’n’ roll is drifting toward the blues. People don’t want to admit it, but a lot of the pop songs today are nothing but blues songs. Rhythm and blues has been here for a hundred years.” —-Otis … Continue reading Otis Redding – I Can’t Do What Ten People Tell Me To Do (final of 3)
“I started singing spiritual songs in my father’s church, from about seven on up until I was grown.” —-Otis Redding (Below: Booker T. and the MG’s) In 1963, the song “Pain in my Heart,” became an R&B hit, convincing Phil Walden that Otis needed to … Continue reading Otis Redding – Stax Rising – (Part Two)
“He may have been the most original, most intelligent person I ever met in my life.” —-Phil Walden, Otis Redding’s manager If you know Otis Redding only as a great soul singer of the Sixties, then you should also know that he was a multi-talented … Continue reading Otis Redding – Respect (Part One)
Anyone who has read this blog before knows of my love of ‘50’s/early /60’s rock and roll and especially, doo-wop. By the time the early ’70’s rolled around, we were a long way away from the Fifties, whose music was largely represented by Sha Na … Continue reading The Persuasions
If you’re under a certain age, I don’t know, say 45, the name Sade (Shah-DAY) may be fairly well unknown to you. But in her heyday, essentially the Eighties/early Nineties. she was every bit as big as Adele is today. Her story…. Helen Folasade Adu … Continue reading Sade
The choreography that you saw in the Tempts and Supremes videos was, of course, no accident. Hitsville wasn’t there just to record songs. According to The Story of Motown, Berry Gordy set up a rigorous training program for his fledgling stars. “One floor was for choreography, … Continue reading Motown (final) – Can I Get a Witness?
