Soul

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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1980–91, 1996–present) Sheffield’s ABC essentially rewrote classic 1960s soul and pop for the new romantic 1980s. Their golden era began in 1981 with ‘Tears Are Not Enough’. ‘Poison Arrow’, ‘The Look Of Love’ and ‘All Of My Heart’ followed. The perfect pop of Trevor Horn-produced debut The Lexicon Of Love (1982) was a UK No. 1. ‘When Smokey Sings’ was the band’s last big-seller. Singer Martin Fry still flies ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Singer-songwriter, b. 1988) Big-voiced London-born singer-songwriter Adele (born Adele Laurie Blue Adkins) rose from posting a demo on Myspace to a Grammy award in just a couple of years. Her debut LP 19, released in 2008, reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 10 in the US after an appearance on Saturday Night Live; her 2008 single ‘Chasing Pavements’ was also a big hit. Her blend of white soul and ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Founder, Atlantic Records, 1923–2006) Ertegun came to the US as son of the Turkish ambassador in 1934 and stayed, founding Atlantic Records in 1947 with brother Nesuhi. Having won the trust of performers with fair contract and royalty dealings, he actively pursued the crossover market in the 1950s, selling black music by Ray Charles and others to a white audience who previously only bought bland cover versions of it. He developed ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, b. 1981) Senegalese-American ex-convict Akon’s rise to fame has been swift, and his ability to stay there is testament to his musical ability. The rap and hip hop star (born Aliaune Badara Akon Thiam) arrived with debut single ‘Locked Up’ in 2004, and has since been nominated for six Grammys; he even held the top two positions in the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously. The following year he started his own ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, b. 1946) An American soul and gospel singer, Reverend Al Green (he was ordained a pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis in 1976) made his recording debut on Back Up Train (1967). His third album Al Green Gets Next To You (1970) was the start of a golden period when he recorded many of the songs for which he is best known – ‘Tired Of Being Alone’, ‘Let’s ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, b. 1980) Born Alicia Cook in New York, Keys has that most rare of talents – a vocal range matched by a musical ability. She has played piano from the age of seven and retains classical ambitions to this day. Her 2001 debut Songs In A Minor contained her first US No. 1, modern soul epic ‘Fallin’’, which showcased her vocal range dramatically. In 2005, Keys joined an elite rank ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, 1983–2011) Winehouse’s distinctive brand of white soul and R&B rocketed her to fame in 2006 with breakthrough second album Back To Black. Public interest in the beehive-hairstyled Winehouse was fuelled just as much by her hedonistic lifestyle as her sultry vocals, but her success, both commercially and critically, was undeniable. The Mark Ronson-produced album won five Grammy awards, and songs like ‘Rehab’ have become part of popular culture, but her ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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The undisputed Queen of Soul since the title was first applied to her in the late 1960s, Aretha Franklin has been hailed as the greatest soul diva of all time. Possessing a voice of power and passion (and an underrated talent on the piano) she has turned her attention to everything from pop through jazz to classical; but with a grounding in gospel it was in soul music that she found ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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‘You Better Move On’, 1962 Co-founder of the famed Muscle Shoals recording studio, Arthur Alexander’s ‘You Better Move On’ was a No. 24 US hit that showcased his country-soul roots. Despite being covered by The Rolling Stones (and having other songs covered by Elvis Presley and The Beatles – the latter covering his biggest hit, ‘Anna (Go To Him)’, Alexander remained largely unknown, and retired in the 1970s. He died while ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, 1946–2003) Discovered in 1965 by Otis Redding, Conley shared with him an admiration for Sam Cooke. Redding gets a name-check (twice) in Conley’s one big hit, ‘Sweet Soul Music’ (produced by Redding in 1967), a frantic rock’n’roll work-out with punctuating brass, which exuberantly celebrated the soul greats of the day. Conley was a regular member of the Stax/Volt Soul Revue package that toured America and Europe. Styles & Forms | Sixties ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1972–82, 1989–present) The blue-eyed soul of Scots Alan Gorrie (vocals, bass), Malcolm Duncan (saxophone), Owen McIntyre (vocals, guitar), Hamish Stuart (vocals, guitar), Roger Ball (keyboards) and Robbie McIntosh (drums) topped the US charts in 1975 with the album AWB and single ‘Pick Up The Pieces’. After dabbling in disco with ‘Let’s Go Round Again’, a British hit in 1980, the band went on hiatus in the mid-1980s, reforming in ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1980–95) Roddy Frame was 19 when his band’s debut High Land Hard Rain appeared in 1983. His quirky brand of tuneful pop, spiced with clever lyrics, was a breath of fresh air at the time. Two fellow Scots, Craig Gannon (bass) and Malcolm Ross (guitar), joined him for 1984’s Knife. The superb soul pop of 1988’s ‘Somewhere In My Heart’ remains Aztec Camera’s biggest hit, but Frame continues to ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Songwriter, b. 1941) Strong was a Motown staff writer whose own 1960 hit ‘Money’ helped fund the label’s early expansion. His compositions with Norman Whitfield included ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, and led Motown’s forays into more socially aware territory with hits like Edwin Starr’s ‘War’ and many of The Temptations’ psychedelic soul outings. Strong won a 1972 Grammy for their ‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone’, but quit Motown when ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, 1944–2003) Nicknamed the ‘Walrus of Love’, Barry White’s image as a Lothario sometimes obscured his talents as a songwriter, producer and arranger. Working with girl group Love Unlimited, his first hit was ‘Walking In The Rain With The One I Love’ in 1972. White’s distinctive growl was heard on ‘Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Babe’, a US No. 1 and ‘You’re The First, The Last, My Everything’ a British ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, b. 1938) Ben E. King was lead singer on The Drifters’ 1959 hits, including ‘There Goes My Baby’ and ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’. He quit in 1960 over royalty payments, finding solo success with 1961’s ‘Spanish Harlem’, and co-wrote the follow-up, ‘Stand By Me’, a US top 5 hit and his meal-ticket recording. King escaped the revival circuit in 1975 with a surprise US disco hit ‘Supernatural Thing’ ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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