soul
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Song of the Day: “Come On Back”
From 1962 to 1987, producer Bobby Robinson headed the independent record publisher Enjoy Music. Robinson nurtured and and supported heavy-hitting early R&B, blues, and soul artists of the latter half of the 20th century, including Gladys Knight and the Pips, Elmore James, and Grandmaster Flash.…
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Song of the Day: “Don’t Mention My Name”
The Shepherd Sisters were a “rock n’ roll” group that reached prominence during the late 50s and early 60s. The Sheps, as they were sometimes called, typified the bright and squeaky-clean persona of many vocal groups of the time. One…
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Song of the Day: “Say I Love You”
Once upon a time, during the days of vinyl, there was a type of record that revolved forty-five times a minute, and it was the medium of choice for singles. Digging through a dusty crate of 45s today often reveals a treasure trove…
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Song of the Day: “What’s That You Got?”
Call it arrogance, hubris, or a holier-than-thou attitude—there are some traits that just don’t make a great impression. Antoine “Fats” Domino was well aware of that when he released “What’s That You Got?” in 1965. The hefty New Orleans native…
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This Week in Posivibes: Gloria Ann Taylor
Ubiquity’s Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing reissue collects some incredible soulful, experimental R&B from Gloria Ann Taylor’s early years, rare tracks that were released during her time with the small label Selector Sound. Taylor owned the label with her brother…
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Song of the Day: “Olivia”
To mark the anniversary of a late, great hip hop icon whose very name inspires controversy, XXL Magazine asked former members of the legendary rap group Wu-Tang to remember their friend, Russell Tyrone Jones, known otherwise as Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Lyricist Raekwon recalled the following anecdote:…
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Sound Takes: Live at the London Palladium
Love it or hate it, if you listen to Live at the London Palladium, you’re going to get intimate with Marvin Gaye.
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Song of the Day: “Jackie Wilson Said”
Van Morrison—aka George Ivan Morrison of Belfast, Northern Ireland—has had a long and varied career that began in the mid 60s. After recording a string of massive hit singles like “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Moondance,” and “Caravan,” he released “Jackie Wilson…
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Song of the Day: “Tennessee Waltz”
Every music genre shifts its boundaries over time, and soul music has done so time and time again, beginning with its heyday in the 1960s. Sam Cooke, who achieved fame first as a young gospel performer in the 40s, is often considered its inventor.…
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This Week in Posivibes: 20 Years of Brown Sugar
In light of all that D’Angelo has done and is doing for music and activism, okayplayer. featured a chronicle of Brown Sugar over the years, following the evolution in D’Angelo’s live performance of its material from debut through its soultronic…
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Song of the Day: “Living For The City”
Stevland Hardaway Morris, aka Stevie Wonder, got his start playing for Motown Records in 1961. Today, he boasts a back catalog of some of the most iconic and original soul music in the world. Though Stevie Wonder started singing more than…
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What Happened, Miss Simone?
The much-anticipated documentary of soul genius Nina Simone is available from Netflix starting today, with its rare archival footage and new interviews with family and colleagues, including the artist’s daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, and music director, Al Schackman. As the date has approached,…