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When you think of soul music, names such as Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, and the like come up. But, come on, where would soul be without those women singers? Some of the greatest hits that brought R&B soul into the mainstream limelight, and stirred the greatest passions within the listeners, were from women. All women could relate to the bothered times of early soul female artisan and the artisan reflected these times from the Vietnam War to the mere struggles of a women in the world.
The early blues singer paved the way for all later female vocalists. Numerous R&B female artists have made a strong affect in the music industry and set the stage for a great deal of more such as Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner.
Aretha Franklin
What piece on the Great Women of Soul Music would be finish without the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin? Aretha Franklin (born March 25th, 1942) started out her R&B Soul path as a child singing gospel music in her childhood church. She was considered a child prodigy. The influence of the gospel music she grew up singing was undoubtedly a prime influence on her later soul music career.
Ms Franklin has 20 number one rhythm and blues hits to her name. She is known as one of the most esteemed by the Grammy Awards, as well as being the recipient of a Living Legends Award, and a Lifetime Achievement Award. Aretha Franklin also belted out her sultry voice as lately as the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America – Barack Obama.
Tina Turner
Though she is known more not long back as a soloist, Anna Marie Bullock (Tina Turner) is known yet another outstanding soul performer, along with her ex-husband Ike Turner. While still in high school, Bullock would go with her sister to area nightclubs and through much prodding by her sister, Bullock auditioned for Ike Turner and became a portion of Turner’s R&B soul band as an occasional vocalist with the Kings of Rhythm at his club. This was the stepping-stone for Bullocks, at the age of 18, career in R&B. Bullock went on to marry Ike Turner and changed her name to Tina Turner.
Her original prospect in mainstream Soul music came in 1960 when the singer scheduled to sing “A Fool in Love”, “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine”, “I Idolize You”, and the groundbreaking “River Deep, Mountain High” didn’t show for the recording. Young Tina was chosen to record it instead. However, her most unforgettable hit was a cover of CCR’s “Proud Mary.”
Some other fantastic female R&B soul singers are Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Patti Austin, Barbara Mason, Martha and The Vandellas, Denise Williams, and so some more. Many of these strong female artists started from less complicated and harder lives yet through it all, they overcame all obstacles, prevailing with grace, and known now as galore of the best female rhythm and blues vocalist to date.
Great American Songbook Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul music, and without doubt of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at it is most gospel-charged. Her astonishing run of late-’60s hits earned her the title “Lady Soul,” which she has worn uncontested ever since.
With these songs by America’s greatest composers, Aretha Franklin paved the path to her own greatness. From standards to bebop to gospel and blues, these recordings are indelible snapshots of a special time in the career of a musical legend; a portrait, if you will, of the artisan as a young woman.
This stand-alone CD features classic American songs by such classic American composers and lyricists as Billy Strayhorn, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, the Gershwin Brothers, Oscar Hammerstein, Johnny Mercer, Jerome Kern and Hank Williams.
Great American Songbook Aretha Franklin Picture
Great American Songbook Aretha Franklin Picture
Great American Songbook Aretha Franklin Image
Great American Songbook Aretha Franklin Photo
Lush and beautiful!
Aretha Franklin could sing the menu from your local Chinese takeaway and it would still be brilliant. This collection comprises 18 recordings from the 60s, interpretations of compositions by Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer, George and Ira Gershwin, and Irving Berlin to mention a few.
Sounding very young (she was in her twenties when these were recorded) with her vocals strong and expressive. Some of the songs have Jazzy arrangements (the bouncy “Love For Sale”, the horn-driven “What A Diff’rence A Day Made”), some string-swathed Soul (“My Little Brown Book”, “Try A Little Tenderness”, the Gospel-tinged “Cold Cold Heart”, the piano-sprinkled “God Bless The Child”), bouncy Jazz/Soul (“Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody”), and Gospel (“Are You Sure”). Her vocals are top notch, but special mention ought to be made of her fiery performance in “That Lucky Old Sun”.
Die-hard fans will in all probability already own these tracks (from the respective albums they were culled). For others like me, this is a superb overview of a heap of of Ms Franklin’s overlooked gems.
Great MUSIC / TIRED CONCEPT
These tracks are hardly “overlooked gems”; they have been perpetually re-issued (at least annually) by Columbia/Sony since Aretha hit the big time after her move to Atlantic in 1967. There is not one new track. From Aretha’s eight splendid basi Columbia lps the label has without disruption milked her catalog to death, under dozens of new titles and concepts, all the while freeing precious few unrelased tracks from ths vaults. Any Aretha fan already has each track on this cd 5 times over.
Buy the original 8 Columbia albums (all available on cd, including 2 for 1 offers) becuase each Aretha fan needs each one! Skip all these shoddy compilations.
Young Isn’t Always Better
These early Columbia cuts are interesting examples of the Queen when she was only a Princess. They are over developed but you catch hints of the greatness to come.
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