Looking for Daddy B. Nice's latest commentary?
Click here for the 2025 Corner.
Click here for Daddy B. Nice's 2012: The Year In Southern Soul
Scroll down for 2012: Daddy B. Nice's "THE YEAR IN SOUTHERN SOUL," 2012 MONTHLY SINGLES CHARTS.
Daddy B. Nice Announces The Winners of the 2012 (6th Annual) Southern Soul Music Awards. The winners and top contenders are posted at the end of each list of finalists.
The numbers in the lists do NOT denote rankings. Music published before 2012 was eligible if the bulk of its chitlin' circuit airplay came in 2012.
Because of its length and complexity, the List of Finalists is one of the rare features for which your Daddy B. Nice does NOT provide links.
Links to mp3's, CD's and song samples are available by going to the artist's name in either Daddy B. Nice's
CD Store or Daddy B. Nice's
Comprehensive Index.
A permanent listing and link in Daddy B. Nice's
Comprehensive Index will eventually be made on behalf of each performer for each nomination listed.
Congratulations to all!
--Daddy B. Nice
THE CATEGORIES:
Best Mid-Tempo Song
Best Club Song
Best Ballad
Best Song by Longtime Veteran
Best Female Vocalist
Best Male Vocalist
Best Debut
Best Collaboration
Best Out-Of-Left-Field Song
Best Chitlin' Circuit Blues Song
Best Cover Song
Best Arranger/Producer
Best Songwriter
Best CD
Hardest-Touring Crowd Pleaser.
****************
Best Mid-Tempo Songs:
1. Swing It --- Lomax
2. I Never Knew Good Love Could Feel So Bad --- Ms. Jody
3. Come Here Party --- Stevie J.
4. Work It Out --- Tucka
5. Feel So Good --- Simone De
6. A Glass Of Wine --- Certified Slim
7. That Thang --- Katrenia
8. Big Mouth Woman --- Klass Band Brotherhood
9. Institutionalize --- Dorothy Moore
10. Good Man Of Mine --- Equanya
Top Contenders: Katrenia,
Equanya,
Dorothy Moore
Best Mid-Tempo Song: "Swing It" by Lomax
Listen to Lomax singing "Swing It" on SoundCloud.
Best Club (Fast/Dance) Songs:
1. Booty Talking --- Big Yayo featuring Dave Mack
2. Party All Night Long --- Zeke
3. Everybody's Dancing --- Vel Omarr
4. Good Motor --- L. J. Echols
5. Dirt Road Double Wide --- Pat Cooley
6. Blind Blind Snake --- Luther Lackey
7. Ghetto Superstar ---- T. K. Soul
8. Work That Sexy (Zydeco Remix) --- Bigg Robb featuring Sean Ardoin
9. Just Let Me Ride --- Ms. Jody
10. (Let's Get This) Party Started --- Ms. Meme
11. Chuck Strut --- Chuck Roberson
Top Contenders: Zeke,
Chuck Roberson,
Luther Lackey
Best Club (Uptempo Dance) Song: "Booty Talking" by Big Yayo featuring Dave Mack
Listen to Big Yayo feat. Dave Mack singing "Booty Talking" on ReverbNation.
Best Ballads:
1. Good Man --- Wendell B.
2. Mr. Wrong Gonna Get This Love Tonight --- Sweet Angel
3. Song For The Lonely --- LaMorris Williams
4. Try Me --- Soul Unlimited featuring Ellis Blake
5. Domestic Love --- Avail Hollywood
6. Party Mood --- Jaye Hammer
7. Merry Go Round --- Dorothy Moore
8. Just Because He's Preaching --- Luther Lackey
9. A Secret Is So Hard To Keep --- Donnie Ray
10. Cheating Feels So Damn Good --- Mr. Sam
11. Soul Music --- Vick Allen
Top Contenders: Sweet Angel,
Wendell B.,
Soul Unlimited featuring
Ellis Blake
Best Ballad: "Soul Music" by Vick Allen
Listen to Vick Allen singing "Soul Music" on YouTube.
Best Songs By Longtime Veterans:
1. Cat Got My Tongue --- Latimore
2. Institutionalize --- Dorothy Moore
3. This Bed Ain't Big Enouigh --- Charles Wilson
4. H-U-R-T --- Frank-O Johnson
5. Chuck Strut --- Chuck Roberson
6. You Make Me Happy --- Al Green
7. Got No Curfew --- Mel Waiters
8. She's Working That Nookie Thing --- Big Cynthia
9. Not Good Enough To Marry --- Peggy Scott-Adams
10. Loving Each Other For Life --- Willie Clayton
Top Contenders: Latimore,
Chuck Roberson,
Big Cynthia
Best Song By Longtime Veteran: "Institutionalize" by Dorothy Moore
Best Female Vocalists:
1. Institutionalize --- Dorothy Moore
2. That Thang --- Katrenia Jefferson
3. Dirt Road Double Wide --- Pat Cooley
4. Just Let Me Ride --- Ms. Jody
5. Good Man Of Mine --- Equanya
6. (Gotta Find Me A) Good Love --- Joy
7. I'm A Lady (Not A Hoochie Mama) --- Gina Brown
8. Mr. Wrong Gonna Get This Love Tonight --- Sweet Angel
9. Ain't Nothing Like A Big Woman (Remix) --- Big Cynthia
10. Big Girls Swang --- Lady Audrey
11. You Ain't No Player -- Karen Wolfe
Top Contenders: Dorothy Moore,
Sweet Angel,
Big Cynthia
Best Female Vocalist: "That Thang" by Katrenia
Listen to Katrenia singing "That Thang" on YouTube.
Best Male Vocalists:
1. Soul Music --- Vick Allen
2. Try Me --- Ellis Blake
3. Feel So Good --- Simone De
4. I Won't Let My Baby Down --- Lewis (Raw Shaw) Shaw
5. All I Want Is For My Wife To Come Back Home --- Jesse Clay
6. You Make Me Happy --- LaMorris Williams
7. A Secret Is So Hard To Keep --- Donnie Ray
8. Booty Talking --- Dave Mack
9. Chuck Strut --- Chuck Roberson
10. Swing It --- Lomax
11. Party Come To Me --- Stevie J
12. Cat Got My Tongue --- Latimore
13. Big Mouth Woman --- Nelson Curry
Top Contenders: LaMorris Williams,
Dave Mack,
Ellis Blake
Best Male Vocalist: "Soul Music" by Vick Allen
Listen to Vick Allen singing "Soul Music" on YouTube.
Best Debuts:
1. Good Man Of Mine --- Equanya
2. That Thang --- Katrenia
3. Big Girls Swang --- Lady Audrey
4. Swing It --- Lomax
5. Stand In Line --- Choppa Law
6. Back Door Lover --- Donnell Sullivan
7. Party Mood --- Jaye Hammer
8. You've Got It Going On --- Jimmy Ja
9. (Let's Get This) Party Started --- Ms. Meme
10. I Want It --- Leroy Allen
11. Don't Make Me Beg --- Tucka
12. Party All Night Long --- Zeke
13. I Need A Woman That Can Bring The Fire --- Alonzo Reid
14. Love Mechanic --- Jesi Terrell
15. You Can't Watch Your Wife And Your Woman Too --- RB & Company
16. Get Loose --- King Russell
Top Contenders: Tucka,
Katrenia,
Equanya
Best Debut: "Swing It" by Lomax
Listen to Lomax singing "Swing It" on SoundCloud.
Best Collaborations:
1. You Make Me Happy --- LaMorris Williams & Al Green
2. It Don't Feel The Same --- Jesse James & Millie Jackson
3. Club In The Woods --- Avail Hollywood & Black Zack
4. She's Working That Nookie Thing --- Big Cynthia, Tyree Neal & Big Josh
5. Booty Talking --- Big Yayo & Dave Mack
6. Sugar Shack (Line Dance Remix) --- Bigg Robb & Mz. Jackson
7. Work That Sexy (Zydeco Remix) --- Bigg Robb & Sean Ardoin
8. BYOB --- Bigg Robb & Mel Waiters
Top Contenders: Bigg Robb &
Mz. Jackson,
LaMorris Williams &
Al Green,
Big Cynthia &
Tyree Neal &
Big Josh
Best Collaboration: "Booty Talking" by Big Yayo and Dave Mack
Listen to Big Yayo feat. Dave Mack singing "Booty Talking" on ReverbNation.
Best Outa-Left-Field Songs:
1. All I Want Is For My Wife To Come Back Home --- Jesse Clay
2. Baby Baby Please --- Tommy Leveal
3. Not As Sweet As You --- Willie West
4. Try Me --- Bill Avery
5. Work That Sexy (Zydeco Remix) --- Bigg Robb w/ Sean Ardoin
6. Ghetto Superstar --- T. K. Soul
7. I Won't Let My Baby Down --- Lewis (Raw Shaw) Shaw
8. Everybody's Dancin' --- Vel Omarr
9. Peter Pumpkin Eater --- L. J. Echols
10. Try Me --- Soul Unlimited featuring Ellis Blake
11. Lifestyles of The Poor & Unknown --- Total Package Band
Top Contenders: Jesse Clay, L. J. Echols, Soul Unlimited feat. Ellis Blake
Best Outa-Left-Field Song: "I Won't Let My Baby Down" by Lewis (Raw Shaw) Shaw
Listen to Lewis (Raw Shaw) Shaw singing "I Won't Let My Baby Down" on YouTube.
Best Chitlin' Circuit Blues Songs:
1. Southern Soul Blues Slide --- Donnie Ray
2. Grown Man --- Lenny Williams
3. I Need A Woman That Can Bring The Fire --- Alonzo Reid
4. Big Girls Swang --- Lady Audrey
5. She's Working That Nookie Thing --- Big Cynthia w/ Tyree Neal
6. I'm A Lady (Not A Hoochie Mama) --- Gina Brown
7. Dirt Road Double Wide --- Pat Cooley
8. Full Of That Juice --- Nathaniel Kimble
9. Get Loose --- King Russell
10. Young Folks Love The Blues --- Bigg Robb
11. Put Your Mouth In The South --- O. B. Buchana
Top Contenders: Bigg Robb,
Lady Audrey,
Pat Cooley
Best Chitlin' Circuit Blues Song: "She's Working That Nookie Thing" by Big Cynthia
Listen to Big Cynthia singing "She's Working That Nookie Thing" on YouTube.
Best Cover Songs:
1. Loving Each Other For Life --- Willie Clayton
2. Back To The Sugar Shack --- Shaunda
3. Sugar Shack (Line Dance Remix) --- Bigg Robb w/ Ms. Jackson
4. Try Me --- Soul Unlimited w/ Ellis Blake
5. Country Boy --- Sir Charles Jones
6. What About My Love --- Floyd Taylor
7. I Forgot To Be Your Lover --- The Revelations w/ Tre' Williams
8. I Won't Let My Baby Down --- Lewis (Raw Shaw) Shaw
9. Love Mechanic --- Jesi Terrell
Top Contenders: Bigg Robb feat.
Mz. Jackson,
Lewis (Raw Shaw) Shaw,
Jesi Terrell
Best Cover Song: "Try Me" by Soul Unlimited featuring Ellis Blake
Best Songwriter:
1. Luther Lackey --- "Blind Blind Snake," "Just Because He's Preaching," "When I'm Gone"
2. Nelson Curry --- "Sugar Shack," "Honey Hole," "Big Mouth Woman" ((Klass Band Brotherhood))
3. John Cummings --- "Soul Train Dancer," "Party Mood" (w/ John Ward)((Jaye Hammer)), "Think About What You Got" ((Charles Wilson))
4. Sam Fallie --- "Cheatin' Feels So Damn Good" (w/ Ezra Williams), "Put A Little Water With It," "Just Like Dat" (w/ William Norris) ((Mr. Sam))
5. Robert Smith --- "Young Folks Love The Blues," "Looking For A Country Girl," "Work That Sexy" ((Bigg Robb))
Top Contender: Luther Lackey
Best Songwriter: Nelson Curry
Best Arrangers/Producers:
1. Pete Peterson & Eric "Smidi" Smith --- The Devil Made Me Do It CD (Chuck Roberson), Check Your Mailbox CD (Ghetto Cowboy)
2. Robert Smith --- Juke Joint Music CD (Bigg Robb)
3. Nelson Curry --- Out Of The Shadows Of Soul CD (Klass Band Brotherhood)
4. Luther Lackey --- The Contender CD
5. Mel Waiters --- "That Thang" Single (Katrenia), "Something About You" Single (Charles Wilson,
6. Lomax Spaulding III --- "Swing It" Single (Lomax), "You Got It Going On" Single (Jimmy Ja), "Got No Curfew" Single (Mel Waiters)
7. Harrison Calloway --- Blues Heart CD (Dorothy Moore)
Top Contenders: Nelson Curry, Lomax Spaulding III
Best Arranger/Producer: Harrison Calloway (Dorothy Moore's Blues Heart)
Best CD's:
1. Hammer --- Jaye Hammer
2. Blues Heart --- Dorothy Moore
3. The Devil Made Me Do It --- Chuck Roberson
4. The Contender --- Luther Lackey
5. Juke Joint Music --- Bigg Robb
6. Still In The Game --- Lenny Williams
7. A New Beginning --- L. J. Echols
8. It's My Time --- Big Cynthia
9. Forever King --- Tucka
10. The Love Chronicles of a Lady Songbird --- Lina
11. Out Of The Shadows Of Soul --- Klass Band Brotherhood
12. Telling It Like It Is --- Karen Wolfe
13. Just Like Dat --- Mr. Sam
Top Contenders: Luther Lackey, Klass Band Brotherhood
Best CD: Bigg Robb's Juke Joint Music
Sample and Buy Bigg Robb's Juke Joint Music CD at CD Baby.
Hardest-Touring Crowd-Pleasers
1. T. K. Soul
2. Mel Waiters
3. Ms. Jody
4. Bobby Rush
5. Sir Charles Jones
6. Willie Clayton
7. The Revelations feat. Tre' Williams
8. Vick Allen
9. Avail Hollywood
10. L. J. Echols
Top Contenders: T. K. Soul,
Willie Clayton
Hardest-Touring Crowd-Pleaser (for the second year in a row): Mel Waiters
Congratulations to all!
And remember: Automatic links to mp3's, CD's, song samples and other citations and references to the artists above are available by going to the artist's name in either Daddy B. Nice's
CD Store or Daddy B. Nice's
Comprehensive Index.
--Daddy B. Nice
*************
E-Mail Daddy B. Nice to contribute information or opinion:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
**************
***********
**************
**************
Daddy B. Nice's Top Ten "Breaking" Southern Soul Singles Charts, continued from right-hand column of this page:
**************
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Review For. . .
JUNE 2012
1.
"Feels So Good"------Simone De
You hear the opening bars and you think you're listening to Karen Wolfe's "Man Enough" published by Anna Coday's B&J Records a couple of years ago. Simone De uses the background track of the Omar Cunningham-written song and gives it a surprisingly different cast, complete with new lyrics and a passionate, nuanced vocal.
See related story on Simone De's "Feels So Good" in
Daddy B. Nice's Corner June 1, 2012 story on DJ Nikkie DeMarks.
Listen to Simone De singing "Feels So Good" on YouTube.
Sample or Buy Simone De's "Feel So Good" MP3.
2.
"Just Because He's Preaching"------------Luther Lackey
Awash in gospel/barbershop/Persuasions-on-the-street-corner harmonies, Luther Lackey's ballad dissects one of his favorite subjects, the hypocrisy and sanctimoniousness of preachers and their flocks.
"From the waist down,"
Luther warns,
"He's still a man."
Listen to Luther Lackey singing "Just Because He's Preaching" on YouTube.
Sample or Buy Luther Lackey's "Just Because He's Preaching" from his new The Contender CD.
3.
Big Girls Swang"-------------Lady Audrey
Opening-act band for countless Delta-area headliners through the years, Lady Audrey & The Superior Band have all the technique and assurance needed to bring off this exercise in big-girl fun.
Listen to Lady Audrey & The Superior Band singing "Big Girls Swing" on YouTube.
Watch Line-Dancers working out to Lady Audrey's "Big Girls Swang."
Sample or Buy Lady Audrey's "Big Girls Swang" MP3 on her new Swanging Big Girls CD.
4.
"Not As Sweet As You" ----------------Willie West
Grizzled, New Orleans-based veteran associated with Allen Toussaint and The Meters is resuscitated to fine effect by Aviara Records on this mid-tempo offering. Great guitar hook on the verses.
Sample or Buy Willie West's "Not As Sweet As You" MP3.
Sample Or Buy Willie West's Can't Help Myself CD.
5. "You've Got It Going On"------------JimmyJa
Jeff Floyd-like ballad with solid melody and vocal chops. Heard it on Nikki DeMarks' WDLT radio show, but can't find the single for sale anywhere. (Assuming it's Brittney recording artist JimmyJa, he has released one previous single titled "Put It On Me.")
6.
"Let's Get This Party Started"-----------Ms. MeMe
Dance jam in the Lacee Reed mold. Old-school Southern Soul fans may find it reminiscent of
Stan Mosley's "Anybody Seen My Boo."
Sample or Buy Meme's "Let's Get This Party Started" MP3.
7.
"Honey Hole"--------Klass Band Brotherhood
This Hardway Connection-influenced band has made it big with the oft-covered "Sugar Shack." Slightly less catchy but nevertheless appealing, "Honey Hole" refers to a similar sort of hole-in-the-wall.
Listen to the Klass Band singing "Honey Hole" on YouTube.
Sample or Buy Klass Band Brotherhood's "Honey Hole" MP3 on the band's Out Of The Shadows Of Soul CD
8.
"Work It Out"-----Tucka
Lots of sugar content--maybe too much for some Southern Soul tastes--but this Tucka concoction does slide along on a good-timey, attractive melody. Which, by the way, Tucka admirably credits to Ms. Nicole Jackson's under-appreciated Daddy B. Nice-touted single of years ago,
"Can We Go There."
Listen to Tucka singing "Work It Out" on YouTube.
Sample or Buy Tucka's "Work It Out" MP3 on his Love Rehab CD.
9.
"Leave Obama Alone"----------------Sir Jonothan Burton
We've had a black president for almost four years and we take it for granted! Amazing. From Burton's new album, where the song also appears under the title "Leave The Drama Alone."
Listen to Sir Jonothan Burton singing "Leave Obama Alone."
Sample or Buy "Leave Obama Alone" MP3 on his On And On: Southern Soul Style, Vol. 2 CD.
10. "Can't Leave Her Alone"-------------Lee Morris
MAY 2012
1.
"Institutionalize"----------------
Dorothy Moore
When I first got hooked on this incredible song on the radio, the lyrics sounded like "I've Been Tootin' The Line." I also thought it was a man, maybe someone like new artist/tenor
Jaye Hammer. Imagine my surprise to find out it was "Misty Blue" Dorothy Moore singing "Institutionalize."
Great in-your-face horns (real enough for me), nasty (good nasty) guitar and percussion, and Moore's super-impressive, world-weary, been-there-done-that vocal. And since Dorothy's using a Mississippi blues singer's approach to big words--flinging syllables at the wall like wet toilet paper and hoping they stick--I'm still singing "tootin' the line" and feeling like I'm singing along.
Sample or buy Dorothy Moore's "Institutionalize" MP3.
2.
"Sugar Shack (Line Dance Remix)"-----------------
Bigg Robb w/
Ms. Jackson
What a blessing it's been to have this hybrid rapper bring his techno-arranging mastery to the Southern Soul scene! As he did with
Carl Marshall's "Good Loving Will Make You Cry," Robb mixes all the elements of
Nelson Curry &
The Klass Band Brotherhood's "Sugar Shack" into a spectacular smorgasboard of sound.
Scroll down to February #2 for another "Sugar Shack" cover (by
Shaunda)--a sure sign this Nelson Curry tune is becoming a classic.
Sample or Buy Bigg Robb's Sugar Shack (Line Dance Remix) MP3 or Juke Joint Music CD.
3.
"A Secret Is So Hard To Keep"-------------
Donnie Ray
Deep and satisfying slow jam from Donnie Ray's new album, with an arrangement that echoes some of Southern Soul's classic ballads.
Sample or Buy "A Secret Is So Hard To Keep" MP3 or Donnie Ray's new I'm Going Back CD.
4.
"Buck Wild"----
Coldtrain Blues
This blues aggregation's 2nd CD features the lead vocals of
Will "Big Willie Biscuit" Leavy and lead guitar work from
Vincent "Bad Boy Vinnie" LaBauve. "Buck Wild" is the sole Southern Soul number, reminiscent of
Robert Cray's "Phone Booth" and "Smokin' Gun."
Sample or Buy Coldtrain's "Buck Wild" MP3 or Funkin' Da Blues CD.
5.
"Shuffle For Christ"---------------
Sisters Of Vision
I got a kick out of seeing how producer
Carl Marshall (recently hospitalized with a heart attack) would use his funk tool kit on this gospel song--a bit of a Top-10 stretch on my part--but if I remember, CDS sent it out as a promo, meaning the word "crossover" at least flickered through CEO
Dylann DeAnna's mind. Besides, we live in the age of
Tebow, and this IS a line dance. (They aren't line-dancing in church yet, are they?)
P.S. Carl, get these ladies for background singers.
Sample or Buy Sisters Of Vision "Shuffle For Christ" MP3 or Sisters Of Vision CD.
Listen to Sister Of Vision's "Shuffle For Christ" on YouTube.
6. "Juking At The Hole In The Wall"--------------
Sweet Angel
Another single from Sweet Angel's upcoming album. (See last month's single by scrolling down to April.) Kind of a mellow "Mike's Place," with a slightly-muffled bass betraying an unorthodox, grainy mix. However, it's catchy in its way.
7.
"Not Good Enough To Marry"------------
Peggy Scott-Adams
As promised in her interview with Daddy B. Nice last year, Scott-Adams has released her first secular single in years. (Official release date: May 15, 2012.) However, the background is lightweight in a 70's soft-rock way. (Remember "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" from the 70's western "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid"?) Even Peggy's vocal is okay-good but not great. Sorry, but this one sounds like a warm-up.
Listen to a sample of Peggy Scott-Adams' "Not Good Enough To Marry" on YouTube.
8.
"It Don't Feel The Same"-------------
Jesse James &
Millie Jackson
A sequel to the duo's "Let's Get A Room Somewhere," but it was originally released in 2007. Timed to capitalize on the recent success of the former song, and why not?
Sample or Buy "It Don't Feel The Same" MP3.
9.
"That's Not My Cologne"------------
Charles McCormick
This fine, pop-sounding song jumps off the page of an otherwise unremarkable album debut by Charles McCormick.
Sample or Buy Charles McCormick's "That's Not My Cologne" MP3 or The Many Moods of Charlie Mack CD.
10.
"Blind Blind Snake" -------------------
Luther Lackey
Maybe the praise here last year for Lackey's "Hold My Mule" seeped into the singer's hard head--this is the kind of song he should do more often--but Luther raises eyebrows by wantonly appropriating the rhythm track from
Denise LaSalle's "Mississippi Woman."
Listen to Luther Lackey singing "Blind Blind Snake" on YouTube.
Sample or Buy Luther Lackey's "Blind Blind Snake" MP3 or The Contender CD.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Review For. . .
APRIL 2012
1.
"Good Motor"-----
L. J. Echols
"Good Motor" combines L.J.'s knack for humble, salt-of-the-earth lyrics with an uptempo, locomotin' riff in the mold of "Well Runs Dry" and "From The Back." For listeners the dominant line is "She may not have a good body," followed by the hard-to-make-out, "But she sure has a good ol' motor."
Listen to L. J. Echols singing a snippet of "Good Motor" on ReverbNation.
2.
"Dirt Road Double Wide"-------------
Pat Cooley
A rollicking good track from Pat Cooley's bluesy new Southern Soul album, TALKING TO YOU. See
Daddy B. Nice's new 4-star CD review.
Bargain-Priced Talking To You CD, MP3's
3.
"Mr. Wrong Gonna Get This Love Tonight"-----------
Sweet Angel
Amaretto-smooth strings make this blues-bottomed dish as lush and rich as chocolate mousse.
Listen to Sweet Angel singing "Mr. Wrong Gonna Get This Love Tonight" on YouTube.
Sample or Buy Sweet Angel's "Mr. Wrong Gonna Get This Love Tonight."
4.
"Cat Got My Tongue"----------------
Latimore
Terrific, cutting-edge arrangement with a distinctive lead guitar lick and straight-ahead, steamy, organ-style keyboard.
Listen to Latimore singing "Cat Got My Tongue" on Henry Stone Music.
Bargain-Priced Ladies' Choice CD/MP3's
5. "Who's Fooling Who"---------------
James Payne
Surprisingly compelling, nearly six-minute opus from the "Fat Woman" man. Heard it on
Nikki DeMarks' Saturday Southern Soul show on the Gulf Coast's WDLT. (And so far, nowhere else.)
6. "End Of The Rainbow"------------
Hog Pin
Still searching for their metier, this serious, over-achieving trio of singers gives the
McKinley Mitchell standard an impressive and soulful workout. From an upcoming album of the same name.
Listen to McKinley Mitchell's original recording of "End To The Rainbow" on YouTube
7.
"H-U-R-T"--------
Frank-O Johnson
Longtime esteemed songwriter (
Johnnie Taylor, etc.), deejay and B-list performer nudged into the spotlight by CDS Records.
Bargain-Priced Only Time Will Tell CD, MP3's
8.
"Keep On Talking"-----
Mr. X
Elaborate diatribe against someone who did him wrong.
Bargain-Priced "Keep On Talking" MP3.
9.
"Tears Of Joy"---------
Dave Morris
New Brooklyn-born artist discovered by
William Bell. (Upcoming CD on Wilbe Records.)
Bargain-Priced In & Out Of Love CD, MP3's.
10.
"Big Woman (Remix)"--------------
Big Cynthia,
Tyree Neal,
Bro-Bro
Listen to Big Cythia's Remix of "Big Woman" on YouTube.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Review For. . .
MARCH 2012
1. "Good Man"-----------
Wendell B.
As solid as his last couple of albums have been, the songs haven't come close to matching the romantic intensity and melodic skill of
"Just Don't Understand You" from Wendell's ground-breaking 2003 solo debut CD
Good Times. "Good Man" does match the intensity, and it's a beautiful thing to hear the lately-arrived master updating his unique brand.
2.
"Everybody's Dancin'"--------
Vel Omarr
Great throwback tune based on a melody so common I can't even list the antecedents. The louder you turn it, the more the good vibes rain down.
Sample or Buy Vel Omarr's Greatest Song I Ever Sang CD
Listen to Vel Omarr's "Everybody's Dancin'" on YouTube.
3.
"Song For The Lonely"---------------------
LaMorris Williams
A subtle Chinese motif, among other things, graces this powerful ballad, which may be the best single from LaMorris's brand new album.
Sample or Buy LaMorris Williams' Ladies 1st CD/MP3's.
4. "Come Here Party"-----
Stevie J
The new single tackles familiar topics and musical themes with a perspective as fresh as a rain-soaked sidewalk.
5.
"The Party Don't Get Started 'Till I Get There"----------
Sir Jonathan Burton
Sir Jonathan returns with a solid follow-up to "Too Much Booty Shaking"--not an easy thing to do--but he makes it sound that way.
Sample or Buy Sir Jonathan Burton's "The Party Don't Get Started 'Till I Get There" MP3 on Club Southern Soul: Vol. 2 compilation CD.
Sample or Buy Jonathan Burton's On And On: Southern Soul CD/MP3's.
6.
"Caught Up"-------
Dave Mack
Dave Mack returns with a durable "cheating" single performed in his singularly gut-wrenching style.
Listen to Dave Mack's "Caught Up" on SoundCloud.
7.
"Try Me"---------
Bill Avery
The robust vocalist with one album (Southern Fried Soul) under his belt returns with a good single and an upcoming album (Alabama Soul Man).
Listen to Bill Avery's "Try Me" on YouTube.
Sample or Buy Bill Avery's MP3 of "Try Me."
8.
"Tighten Up"----------
Ghetto Cowboy
One of the few party-oriented tracks from the Cowboy's new CD is well nigh irrresistable.
Sample or Buy Ghetto Cowboy's Check Your Mailbox CD.
Read Daddy B Nice's CD Review of Ghetto Cowboy's CHECK YOUR MAILBOX CD.
9.
"Until You Get Enough Of Me"---------------
The Revelations f/
Tre' Williams
The Revelations dig deep into the Southern Soul archives to resurrect
Ronnie Lovejoy's "Until You Get Enough Of Me."
Sample or Buy The Revelations' Concrete Soul CD, MP3's.
10.
"Domestic Love"------
Avail Hollywood
Hollywood's finest single since "Drinking Again."
Listen to Avail Hollywood singing "Domestic Love" on YouTube.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Review For. . .
FEBRUARY 2012
1.
"You Make Me Happy"-----------
Al Green &
LaMorris Williams
A match made in heaven, and also a natural pairing when you recall the Reverend Green and
The Williams Brothers share Gospel music history. What a coup for LaMorris, and what a shining, secular, goose-pimple-raising moment for Al Green, whose brief appearance on the sample video reaffirms his connection to the primal Southern Soul rhythm.
Watch 30-Second Video Sample of "You Make Me Happy."
Buy "You Make Me Happy" MP3 on CD Baby.
Buy "You Make Me Happy" MP3 on I-Tunes.
2. "Back To The Sugar Shack"----------
Shaunda
One of those rough cuts that catapult over all the belabored material ahead of them. Shaunda's shaky pitch here and there is more than compensated by the strength, immediacy and unself-conscious freshness of her vocal. Add the novelty of hearing the already popular
Klass Band Brotherhood tune done in a vastly different arrangement (not to mention gender), and you spell H-I-T.
3.
"Love Mechanic" ----
Jesi Terrell
An outstanding, even more polished cover by yet another new female singer, Jesi Terrell, of the
Willie Clayton standard written by
Paul Richmond. A debut CD is in the works, courtesy of
Tony Gideon Records.
Sample or Buy MP3 of "Love Mechanic."
4.
"When The Ladies Are Happy"-----------
Jerry L.
Ambitious, ground-breaking new style for Jerry L. ("Two Steps Behind," "Girls In The Hood"). The tempo is quicker, the arrangement is sleeker, and against pretty stiff odds the song works as Southern Soul-slash-Urban R&B. Hats off to producer and background singer
Simeo.
Listen to "When The Ladies Are Happy" on ReverbNation.
5.
"24 Hours"--------
Denise LaSalle
LaSalle sounds tired on this song. Of course, that's the message ("24 hours, You can get my lovin' again"). Denise is "wore out/after loving you." The vulnerability conveyed in her calculated, often-cracking and sliding notes is painfully real.
Buy Advance Copy of Bargain Priced Blues Mix 6: Super Southern Soul CD from Ecko Records.
6. "The Lips On Her Body"------------
Alonzo Reid
Marvin Sease's longtime drummer has an oft-delayed CD (Undercover Freak) in the works, and this is the best track I've heard so far. Borrowing the melody from
Willie Clayton's "Love Mechanic" (see #3 above), Alonzo is talking about the "lips" between her legs, not the ones "on her head."
7.
"Put Your Mouth In The South"----------
O. B. Buchana
O.B.'s focus is below the navel, too. The melody is a reworking of the
Big John Cummings-written' "I'm Goin' Back Home" (the song about O. B. moving to the North except for the fact they have no Southern Soul radio) from O.B.'s 2007 CD of the same name. Cummings' new, graphic lyrics inhabit a different geography.
Buy Advance Copy of Bargain Priced Blues Mix 6: Super Southern Soul CD from Ecko Records.
8. "Love Or Infatuation"--------------
Michelle Miller
The singer who did a cover version of
Carl Marshall's "Good Loving Made Me Cry" returns with a well-done, mid-tempo ballad.
9.
"She Was At The Hideaway"--------------
Donnie Ray
Donnie Ray is back with another peppy, fizzy track in the uptempo mold of his popular 2011 single, "Who's Loving You."
Buy Advance Copy of Bargain Priced Blues Mix 6: Super Southern Soul CD from Ecko Records.
10.
"Island Girl"----------
King Loverr
New singer with superlative old-school tools, including rich-toned, three-maybe-even-four-octave range. Recommended if you like
Luther Vandross and
Wendell B.
Listen to full-length sample of King Loverr singing "Island Girl" on Showcase Your Music.
Buy MP3 of King Loverr singing "Island Girl" on CD Baby.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Review For. . .
JANUARY 2012
1.
"I Never Knew Good Love Could Hurt So Bad"----------------Ms. Jody
And I never knew bad love could sound so good. Yet another contemporary classic from Ms. Jody's latest collection.
See Daddy B. Nice's Best Southern Soul CD of 2011.
Bargain-Priced Ms. Jody's In The House CD
2. "Check Your Mailbox"----------------Ghetto Cowboy
"A night of pleasure bound us together." Within a pleasantly-arranged, mid-tempo melody, Ghetto Cowboy examines the even bigger mess the world would be in if Iowa Republican primary co-winner and anti-contraception crusader Rick Santorum had his way and outlawed all birth control. Cowboy's lyrics are vivid and readily recognizable.
3.
"Wife, Woman & Hoochie"----------------Clay Hammond
Make way for yet another grossly-overlooked practitioner of the genre, so distinctive on this song that it's hard to pinpoint precedents: Joe Simon, maybe. Clay Hammond's "Wife, Woman & Hoochie" (first recorded in 2003) establishes him as a Southern Soul vocalist of the first order. The CD has been digitally remixed and mastered.
"Wife, Woman & Hoochie" mp3 on Bargain-Priced I Kissed Her Gone CD
4. "We Gonna Party Tonight"--------------T.K. Soul
Not as catchy as last year's "They Wonna Party With Me." It might have benefitted from some ornamentation (background singers, sound effects), although it's obvious TK's going for a groove thing with the little keyboard frill as the hook.
5.
"Show Some Sign (New Version)"------------Carl Marshall
I think of it as the "Show Some Sign (Rock & Roll Version)" because there are moments in this song when you can imagine Marshall fronting a rock and roll band. Think of "Show Some Sign" as Southern Soul Meets The Ramones or The Sex Pistols.
Listen to mp3 of Carl Marshall singing "Show Some Sign (New Version) on MySpace.
6.
"(You Ain't Got To) Go Home"------------Klass Band Brotherhood
Another good single from the new band that's making a big splash with "Sugaa Shack." Klass Band has even secured dates on the Blues Is Alright Tour.
See Daddy B. Nice's Concert Calendar.
Listen to Klass Band Brotherhood singing "You Ain't Got To (Go Home)" on YouTube.
7.
"Young Folk Love The Blues"-------------------Bigg Robb
I still find it hard to put down Bigg Robb's Soul Prescription CD. Love the bass line on this one, and Bigg Robb milks the powerful groove with yet another flawless orchestral arrangement.
"Young Folk Love The Blues" MP3 on Bargain-Priced Soul Prescription CD
8. "Baby Come Home"-----Diedra
This is a potentially great song that starts well. Unfortunately, the chorus disappoints with a vocal that strains too deeply by an octave. Diedra should re-record the song in a different key or enlist some background help.
9. "If You Want To Love Somebody"----------------Patrick Henry
With a suspect, overly-busy production by Carl Marshall, it's hard to tell just how southern soulful this song could be.
10.
"Show Me" ---------Rude
The Smokey Robinson-cloned, underground single, floating around for years, is finally available. On YouTube, at least.
Listen to Rude singing "Show Me" on YouTube.