Soul

Soul

Soul Music is a term for the ever evolving popular music created by African-Americans in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. At its root, it combines elements of Rhythm and Blues, Gospel and Jazz with melismatic vocals and deep emotion. The genre was a major building block in the musical movements that followed, such as funk, hip-hop and contemporary R&B.

The R&B artists of the 1950s, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and Ray Charles, laid the groundwork for Soul musicians to build on. Ray Charles, a blind singer, piano player and composer who earned the nickname King of Soul, wrote pop songs in the style of gospel music. However, the lyrics were secular instead of religious. For example, he based his song “I’ve Got A Woman” on the popular gospel song “It Must Be Jesus.” The song was later reinterpreted by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Johnny Cash. Rapper Kanye West used a sample of “I’ve Got A Woman” for his 2004 breakthrough hit “Gold Digger.” The hook was sung by actor Jamie Foxx, who earned an Academy Award for his portrayal of Charles in the 2004 biopic Ray.

Throughout the 1950s, Charles recorded for Atlantic Records, where he released hit after hit, and crossed into jazz and country music. The tastemaking label, run by two Turkish brothers, also signed pioneering black artists like Clyde McPhatter (“A Lover’s Question”), The Clovers (“Love Potion No. 9”) and Ruth Brown (“Teardrops From My Eyes”). In the 1960s, their roster would grow to include many of the legends of Soul, including Aretha Franklin (aka The Queen of Soul), Wilson Pickett and LaVern Baker. Atlantic also distributed the Memphis label Stax, which boasted Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, and other purveyors of “Southern Soul.”

Berry Gordy’s Detroit-based record label, Motown Records, launched the careers of Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, The Supremes, The Temptations, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.
Collectively, they created the Motown Sound; an R&B, pop and rock fusion, which Gordy called “the sound of young America.” These songs often featured Motowns’ in-house session band, The Funk Brothers, who made sure each song had a strong backbeat and a memorable bassline.

In the 1960s, soul music became an agent for social change. Sam Cooke rose to fame as a member of the Soul Stirrers, who were gospel hitmakers in the early 50s. Cooke took a risk by moving to pop music in 1957, and became a star with the romantic ballad “You Send Me.” He later recorded the feel good hits “Twisting The Night Away” and “Shake.” In 1964, just before his untimely death at 33 at the hands of a hotel manager, Cooke recorded the soul classic “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Cooke wrote the gospel-tinged song after being inspired by Bob Dylan’s “Blowing In the Wind.” The song dealt with the segregation and racism he had experienced over his short lifetime. Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin each recorded versions of the song, which grew into a civil rights anthem. In 2008, when President Barack Obama became the nation’s first black president, he referenced the song, saying “It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, change has come to America.”

Marvin Gaye, Sly and the Family Stone, and James Brown also contributed to the civil rights movement with songs like “Stand,” “What’s Goin’ On” and “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud.”
James Brown exploded out of the 60s with rhythmic hits like “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”, “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” His kinetic dance moves, plaintive voice, and showstopper persona made him one of a kind. Over the decade, his music evolved as he blended vocal techniques from black churches with percussive rhythms and tight horn arrangements. Brown gave himself many nicknames, including “Soul Brother No. 1” and “The Godfather of Soul.”

His songs emphasized the “1,” meaning both the first note of the scale, and the first beat of the measure. The drums, guitar, bass, horns and singer would all lock into a groove around the downbeat. This synchronized attack gave songs like “Funky Drummer,” “Cold Sweat” and “Soul Power” a distinctive, driving energy. Brown’s insistence on returning to “the 1” led to the birth of Funk. Brown’s music would influence artists like Sly and the Family Stone and George Clinton’s Parliament, who brought soul music to funky new heights in the ‘70s. Brown was also a key influence on Michael Jackson and Prince, two of the biggest pop stars of the 1980s.

Brown’s music is also woven into the fabric of hip-hop. He is the most sampled artist of all time, with more than 8,000 appearances on rap tracks. The isolated drum track from the 1970 single “Funky Drummer” can be heard on Public Enemy’s groundbreaking 1990 anthem “Fight The Power,” as well as songs by Dr. Dre, Nas, and dozens more.

Like rock before it, soul music crossed racial barriers. The Beatles named their sixth studio album Rubber Soul. Like all good rock bands, they had a number of Motown covers in their repertoire, including “Money” and “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me.” Country Joe and the Fish brought their druggy blend of “Rock and Soul” music to Woodstock. The Blues Brothers (comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi) got their act over with the Issac Hayes-penned “Soul Man” on Saturday Night Live. White soul singers like Michael McDonald and Hall & Oates carved a niche in the 1980s radio market.

During the 1980s, soul music spun off into R&B, as artists like Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and Lionel Richie redefined black pop, using the studio advancements and trends of the time. In the 90’s and 2000s, neo-soul artists like D’Angelo and Erykah Baduh embraced soul music as a more authentic alternative to commercial R&B. In the 2010s, throwback bands like Alabama Shakes and St. Paul and the Broken Bones became part of the indie rock zeitgeist, thanks in part to their soul-drenched live shows.