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February 1, 2020: See Daddy B. Nice's "2019: The Year In Southern Soul" (click here) Daddy B. Nice Announces THE WINNERS of the 2019 (13th Annual) SOUTHERN SOUL MUSIC AWARDS. The winners are posted at the end of each list of finalists.
A permanent listing and a link in Daddy B. Nice's
Comprehensive Index to Southern Soul Music will be made on behalf of each performer. Find the artist's name and touch/click the desired entry to be whisked away to the exact page and page-location of the appearance.
Best Mid-Tempo Song:
Top Contenders:
"Bottle After Bottle" ----- P2K DaDiddy
"Good Times" ----- Lomax
"Whiskey Drinking Woman" ----- Mose Stovall feat. Big Daddy E
"Rodeo" ----- Itz Karma feat. Jeter Jones
"She's Just My Girlfriend" ----- Donnie Ray
"Hitcha Wit Da Tool" ------ Till 1
"I Can Back It Up" ----- Choppa Law
"You Walk Like It's Good" ----- Jarvis Greene
"Superstar" ----- Vick Allen
"Change My Mind" ----- Sassy D
"Big Train" ----- Tucka

"I'd Go Back" ----- Big G
"My Cake" ----- Mr. Campbell
"Until The Morning Comes" ----- Tucka feat. Audi Yo
Best Mid-Tempo Song: "Big Train" by Tucka
Listen to Tucka singing "Big Train Coming" on YouTube.
Best Club (Fast/Dance) Song:
Top Contenders:
"Cowboy Ride" ----- Stan Butler
"Sunshine" ----- Solomon Thompson feat. David J
"Out In The Country" ----- R&B Pooh
"Why Me?" ----- Gentry-Jones
"Party Hard" ----- J.Red The Nephew
"The Ladies Love To Slide" ----- T.K. Soul
"Sleeping Pill" ----- Hisyde feat. Chrissy Luvz
"Get It! Get It!" ----- Ms. Jody
"Fish Fry" ----- Jennifer Watts feat. Unkle Phunk
"The Boots On Song"----- Big Yayo (feat. Omar Cunningham)
"Drop Pop & Roll" ----- Willie Clayton
Best Club Song: "Cowboy Ride" by Stan Butler
Listen to Stan Butler singing "Cowboy Ride" on YouTube.
Best Ballad:
Top Contenders:
"Just Cruzin'" ----- O.B. Buchana
"Love Stand" ------ Mr. Smoke
"Still Learning 'Bout Love" ----- Wendell B & The Soul Music Representatives
"Beautiful" ----- Wendell B
"She's My Baby Forever" ------ Jaye Hammer
"Two Lovers" ----- J-Wonn
"Ride Or Die" ----- T.K. Soul
"A Woman Like You" ----- Darnell Da Bachelor
"No One" ----- Vick Allen
"This Woman Of Mine" ----- Lamar Brace
"DJ Let Me Grind On Her" ----- Avail Hollywood
"If You Think You're Lonely Now" ----- Shunte' Nicole feat. Big Yayo
"Tell On You" ----- L.J. Echols
Best Ballad: "Cruzin'" by O.B. Buchana
Listen to O.B. Buchana singing "Cruzin'" on YouTube.
Best Song By Longtime Veteran:
Top Contenders:
"So Damn Good" ----- Sheba Potts-Wright
"In A Coma" ----- Chuck Strong
"Whiskey Drinking Woman" ----- Mose Stovall feat. Big Daddy E.
"She's My Baby Forever" ----- Jaye Hammer
"Too Late" ----- LaMorris Williams
"Girls' Night Out" ----- Karen Wolfe
"Can I Take You Home" ----- Ghetto Cowboy feat. Tucka
"Inside Man/Outside Help" ----- Omar Cunningham
"You're What's Needed In My Life" ----- Lee Fields
"That Young Thang" ----- Big G
"Good Ole Boy" ----- Carl Sims
"My Bed" ----- Omar Cunningham
"Boss Queen" ----- Stephanie McDee
"Snappin' Turtle" ----- Theodis Ealey
"Hey Hey Bobby Rush" ----- Bobby Rush
Best Song By Longtime Veteran: "Whiskey Drinking Woman" by Mose Stovall feat. Big Daddy E.
Listen to Mose Stovall feat. Big Daddy E. singing "Whiskey Drinking Woman" on YouTube.
Best Female Vocalist:
Top Contenders:
Sassy D ----- "Change My Mind," "She Wanna Ride" (feat. Jeter Jones), "Southern Soul" (feat. ColdDrank), "The Way You Move" (feat. Tucka)
Crystal Thomas ----- "Teach You How To Love Me," "I'm What You're Looking For" feat. Luziana Wil
Ms. Jody ----- "A Man Like That"
Annie Washington ----- "3 Legs," "Thick Pocketbook"
Val McKnight ----- "Down Low Brother," "I'm A Horny Woman"
Champagne ----- "Mouth On You" feat. Highway Heavy), "Ride It" (feat. Highway Heavy)
Lady Soul ----- "I'm Ready"
West Love ----- "Stop Looking"
Dee Dee Simon ----- "Big Gun," "Walk That Dog"
Angel Faye Russell ----- "My Baby Boo"
Miss Portia ----- "For My Ladies' (feat. Cupid), "Caught Up" (feat. Tyree Neal)
Best Female Vocalist: "(Let Me Put My) Mouth On You" by Champagne featuring Highway Heavy
Listen to Champagne singing "Mouth On You" on YouTube.
Read Daddy B. Nice's "Behind The Scenes 2019 Awards: Champagne.
Best Male Vocalist:
Top Contenders:
Wendell B. ----- "Beautiful," "Still Learning 'Bout Love (feat. Soul Music Representativs)
Tucka ----- "Until The Morning Comes," "Big Train," "Jungle Love," "Ain't No Getting Over Me"
Willie Clayton ----- "Love Games," "Can We Slip Away?"
Vick Allen -----"No One," "Superstar,"
O.B. Buchana ----- "Just Cruzin'," "I Hump It"
Stan Butler ----- "Cowboy Ride"
Bigg Robb ----- "I Did My Time," "Don't Be Ashamed"
R.T. Taylor ----- "It's A Mule"
Donnie Ray ------ "She's Just My Girlfriend"
Avail Hollywood ----- "Unbelievable Booty," "DJ Let Me Grind On Her"
J. Red The Nephew ----- "I Forgot I Was Married," "Party Hard"
Bishop Bullwinkle ----- "No Woman No Cry," "Do You Hear Me Now?"
T.K. Soul ----- "Ride Or Die," "The Ladies Love To Slide"
Jeter Jones ----- "We Come To Party," "She Wanna Ride" feat. Sassy D, "Rodeo" feat. Itz Karma, "Package"
Bobby Rush ----- "Hey Hey Bobby Rush," "Good Stuff"
Calvin Richardson ----- "If You're Thinking About Leaving"
J-Wonn ----- "21 Again"
Best Male Vocalist: "It's A Mule" by R.T. Taylor
Listen to R.T. Taylor singing "It's A Mule" on YouTube.
Read Daddy B. Nice's "Behind The Scenes 2019 Awards: R.T. Taylor.
Best Debut:
Top Contenders:
Mr. Smoke ----- "Love Stand,""Weekend," "Whoa Ni"
R.T. Taylor ----- "It's A Mule"
Luziana Wil ----- "I'm What You Looking For" feat. Crystal Thomas, "I Wanna Know"
R&B Pooh ----- "Out In The Country"
Tasha Mac ----- "Get It My Way"
Itz Karma ----- "Rodeo" feat. Jeter Jones, "I Like Da Way"
J-Fitz ----- "I Could've Stayed At Home," "Yard Party" feat. Vick Allen
Malcom Allen ----- "Got To Find Me A Lover"
West Love ----- "You Better Go," "Stop Looking," "He's Doing That Donald Trump"
Dee Dee Simon ----- "Walk That Dog," "Upgrade," "Big Gun"
Hisyde ----- "Sleeping Pill" (feat. Chrissy Luvz)
Darnell Da' Bachelor ----- "A Woman Like You"
2 Buck Chuck ----- "Sugar Daddy," "In The Club"
Marquee Of Soul ----- "Party On The Weekend"
Volton Wright ----- "That Thang"
Jennifer Watts ---- "Rock Wit It Baby," "Fish Fry" (feat. Unkle Phunk), "Hit It"
Chrissy Luvz ----- "Can't Catcha Fish Without A Hook," "Sleeping Pill" (feat. Hisyde)
DJ Wildman Tim ----- "Funky Blues," "Country Party"

Best Debut: "Love Stand" by Mr. Smoke
Listen to Mr. Smoke singing "Love Stand" on YouTube.
Best Collaboration:
Top Contenders:
"Mailman" ----- Fat Daddy feat. Sir Charles Jones
"Still Learning 'Bout Love" ----- Wendell B., Magic One, Jason Little, Curtis Jefferson
"Until The Morning Comes" ----- Tucka feat. Audi Yo
"Sleeping Pill" ----- Hisyde feat. Chrissy Luvz
"Rodeo" ----- Itz Karma feat. Jeter Jones
"Trail Ride" ----- Sir Charles Jones feat. Jeter Jones
"Whipped Again" ----- O.B. Buchana feat. Pokey Bear
"Sneak Up On It" ----- Ghetto Cowboy feat. L.J. Echols
"She Wanna Ride" ----- Sassy D feat. Jeter Jones
"Yard Party" ----- J-Fitz feat. Vick Allen
"Sunshine" ----- Solomon Thompson feat. David J
"Game Of Chase" ----- David J feat. Miss Portia

Best Collaboration: "Still Learning 'Bout Love" by Wendell B, Magic One, Jason Little & Curtis Jefferson
Listen to Wendell B and The Soul Music Representatives singing "Still Learning 'Bout Love" on YouTube.
Best Outa-Left-Field Song:
Top Contenders:
"Stay" ----- Chris Ardoin
"He's Doing That Donald Trump" ----- West Love
"No Woman No Cry" ----- Bishop Bullwinkle
"Enjoying My Life" ----- King Fred
"Won't Stop Loving You" ----- Nekita Waller
"Strong Woman" ----- Fat Daddy
"I Did My Time" ----- Bigg Robb
"You Can Ride It" ----- O.C. Soul & The Soul Patrol Band
"Mouth On You" ----- Highway Heavy feat. Champagne
Best Outa-Left-Field Song: "I Did My Time" by Bigg Robb
Listen to Bigg Robb singing "I Did My Time" on YouTube.
Best Chitlin' Circuit Blues Song:
Top Contenders:
"Hoe To A Husband" ----- Summer Wolfe
"I'm A Horny Woman" ----- Val McKnight
"It's A Mule" ----- R.T. Taylor
"Stop Looking" ----- West Love
"Neckbone Lady" ----- Mz. Connie feat. L.J. Echols
"Wrong Man" ----- Highway Heavy feat. Fya Redd
"Good Stuff" ----- Bobby Rush
"I'm Rockin' With Da Thick Girls" ----- Lil' Jimmie
"Living Years" ----- Stevie J. Blues
"Willing And Able" ----- Adrian Bagher
"Sugar Daddy" ----- 2 Buck Chuck
"Country Party" ----- DJ Wildman Tim feat Slack
Best Chitlin' Circuit Blues Song: "Good Stuff" by Bobby Rush
Listen to Bobby Rush singing "Good Stuff" on YouTube.
Best Cover Song:
Top Contenders:
"Why Me?" ----- Gentry-Jones
"Ain't No Getting Over Me" ----- Tucka
"No Woman No Cry" ----- Bishop Bullwinkle
"Down Low Brother" ----- Val McKnight
"Beast Of Burden" ----- Bishop Bullwinkle
"Return To Sender" ----- J.J. Caillier
"Rocking Chair" ----- Charlesia Jones feat. Charles Jones III
"Last Few Dollars" ----- Stacii Adams
"Right Thing Wrong Man" ----- Stephanie Luckett
"Drowning In A Sea Of Love" ----- Sir Charles Jones
"Blind Cripple & Crazy" ----- L.J. Echols
Best Cover Song: "Why Me?" by Gentry-Jones
Listen to Gentry-Jones singing "Why Me?" on YouTube.
Best Producer:
Top Contenders:
Highway Heavy ----- "(Let Me Put My) Mouth On You" (Champagne), "Wrong Man" (Fya Redd), "Missing You" (Dave Mack)
John Ward ----- "Just Cruzin'" (O.B. Buchana), "She's My Baby Forever" (Jaye Hammer), "Down Low Brother" (Val McKnight), "A Man Like That" (Ms. Jody), "I Hump It" (O.B. Buchana)
Beat Flippa ----- "She Wanna Ride" (Jeter Jones & Sassy D), "She's Just My Girlfriend" (Donnie Ray), "Can I Take You Home?" (Ghetto Cowboy), "My Bed" (Omar Cunningham)
Ronald "Slack" Jefferson ----- "It's A Mule" (R.T. Taylor), "I'm What You Looking For" (Luziana Wil feat. Crystal Thomas), "Rodeo" (Itz Karma feat. Jeter Jones), "Three Legs," "Thick Pocketbook" (Annie Washington), "I Can Back It Up" (Choppa Law), "Out In The Country" (R&B Pooh)
Joe Nice ----- "Party Starter" (feat. Nelson Curry & Blakfist), "Don't Disturb This Groove" (feat. Nelson Curry)
Tucka ----- "Big Train," "Tipsy," "Until The Morning Comes," "Ain't No Getting Over Me," "Jungle Love"
Best Producer: Ronald "Slack" Jefferson
Listen to Itz Karma and Jeter Jones singing the Slack-produced "Rodeo" on YouTube.
Best CD:
Top Contenders:
Mr. Smoke ----- Who Want Smoke?
Slack ----- My Music My Friends Southern Soul Compilation
Bishop Bullwinkle ----- The Da Vinci Code
T.K. Soul ----- Untouchable
Val McKnight ----- Stroke That Cat
Vick Allen ----- Untouchable
Big G ----- Let's Party
Bigg Robb ----- Good Muzic
L.J. Echols ----- Call 911
Bobby Rush ----- Sitting On Top Of The Blues
Calvin Richardson ----- Gold Dust
Jaye Hammer ----- Double Trouble
Chris Ardoin ----- Evolution
Joe Nice ----- Southern Soul Mixtape
Jay Morris Group ----- Like Food To My Soul
Adrian Bagher ----- Willing And Able
Ghetto Cowboy ----- Southern Soul Legend
Sir Charles Jones ----- Sir Charles Jones & Family Vol. 1
Willie Clayton ----- Excellence
O.B. Buchana ----- Face Down
Ms. Jody ----- Get It! Get It!
Pokey Bear ----- My Sidepiece Hit The Lotto
Avail Hollywood ----- Still King
J. Red The Nephew ----- Platinum Soul
C-Wright ----- A New Heart
Jennifer Watts ----- The Foxy Lady Of Southern Soul
Itz Karma ----- Karma: Unleashed
Lamar Brace ----- From The Soul
Stan Mosley ----- Soul Resurrection
Gregg A. Smith ----- The Real Deal
Lady Q ----- Class N Session
Best CD: My Music, My Friends Southern Soul Compilation by Slack
Listen to R.T. Taylor singing "It's A Mule" from Slack's "My Music, My Friends Southern Soul Compilation" on YouTube.
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
************
Send product to:
SouthernSoulRnB.com
P.O. Box 19574
Boulder, Colorado 80308
Or e-Mail:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************
*********
Monthly Top 10 Singles Charts, continued from right-hand column...
***********
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------JUNE 2019-------

1.
"I Forgot That I Was Mar-
ried"-----J. Red The Nephew
Five minutes long, but so com-pelling it goes by in what seems like three,
"I Forgot That I Was Married" traces a distinguished southern soul heritage all the way back to
Ronnie Lovejoy and that "case of mistaken identity" in
"Sho' Wasn't Me." J. Red follows up
Soul Certified and
J. Red the Nephew and Friends with his third winning collection in three years,
Platinum Soul. Read Daddy B. Nice's
4-star review.
Listen to J. Red singing "I Forgot That I Was Married" on YouTube.
2.
"Party Hard"----J. Red The Nephew
If "I Forgot That I Was Married" is the conceptual center of J. Red's
Platinum Soul album,
"Party Hard" is its thumping heart. At first it didn't register, but the hook kept returning, and I'd think, "Where is this coming from? Oh yeah! That party song with the disco-pounding tempo and delicate, Van Morrison-like, saxophone fills!"
Listen to J. Red (The Nephew) singing "Party Hard" on YouTube.
3.
"I Hump It"-----O.B. Buchana
Buchana's "I Hump It" is the genial flip-side to last year's
"The Mule" from
Parking Lot Love Affair, in which O.B. transforms the forbidding macho of the latter into a bubbly, ingratiating braggadocio.
Listen to O.B. Buchana singing "I Hump It" on YouTube.
4.
"I'm What You're Looking For"----
Luziana Will featuring Crystal Thomas
This is the kind of music southern soul thrives on--from unknown sources with novel vocals (Luziana Wil)--music that embodies the obscure and scruffy character of southern soul itself. And who's the featured collaborator?
Crystal Thomas, the lady I've called the present-day
Thomisene Anderson for repeatedly giving just this kind of roots-real performance.
Listen to Luziana Wil & Crystal Thomas singing "I'm What You're Looking For" on YouTube.
5.
"Sleeping Pill"----
Hisyde featuring
Chrissy Luvz
When I first saw Hysyde's name popping up in concert flyers, I thought it was one of the strangest names I had ever heard. I pronounced it His-Side, but in the song he pronounces it High-Side, which makes more sense. Chrissy Luv released her first southern soul single
("Catch A Fish Without A Hook") earlier this year, but that vocal can't match her mind-blowing, sublimely-understated performance on
"Sleeping Pill."
Listen to Hysyde & Chrissy Luvz singing "Sleeping Pill" on YouTube.
6.
"No Woman, No Cry"-----Bishop Bullwinkle
Hell naw!, I wouldn't feature a reggae song in a southern soul column, but this is Bishop Bullwinkle singing with a robust power I haven't heard from him before. It's a straightforward rhythm and blues treatment, and in Bullwinkle's passionate testimony I'm hearing lyrics I never understood (or bothered to pay attention to) in the thousand-plus times I've listened to the
Bob Marley version.
Listen to Bishop Bullwinkle singing "No Woman, No Cry" on YouTube.
7.
"Return To Sender"-----J.J. Callier
Elvis did the definitive
"Return To Sender" back in the sixties, of course, but J.J. Callier (the zydeco artist who contributed so vitally to
Sharnette Hyter's "Stilettos And Jeans,") crafts a "Return To Sender" with an undulating groove that owes a lot more to
Ronnie Bell's "I'll Pay The Shipping Cost".
8.
"Can We Slip Away?"-----Willie Clayton
Don't confuse Willie Clayton's old-school, professional, vocal technique with conservatism. He's never been afraid to take chances like he does here, namely an insistent, sucker-punching bass hook that seems to perfectly mirror the sexual craving in the lyrics. And for going-out-on-a-limb precedents, only think of
"Wiggle" or
"Boom Boom Boom".
Listen to Willie Clayton singing "Can We Slip Away?" on YouTube.
9.
"Say Go"-----Chris Ardoin
Half the time, and particularly in the choruses, it sounds like Chris is saying, "Say No!," which may say more about your Daddy B Nice than Chris Ardoin. Regardless, it's the boundless energy he captures with the strokes of his button accordion that has me jumping for joy.
Listen to Chris Ardoin singing "Say Go" on YouTube.
10.
"Can You Handle It?"-----Kami Cole
This song is a hoot. It combines elements from (most liberally) Nicole Jackson's
"Can We Go There, Baby?" with a nod to Betty Wright's
"Tonight Is The Night," most poignantly the line, "Tonight is the night/ When I make you a grown man."
Listen to Kami Cole singing "Can You Handle It?" on YouTube.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .-------MAY 2019-------

1.
"Just Cruzin'"-----
O.B. Buchana
Another great, nostalgia-steeped, summer-driving song in the musical lineage of the
Young Rascals'
"Groovin'," from O.B.'s fresh-sounding new album,
Face Down. "Just cruzin' down in Mississippi/...With the southern soul wind blowing on me."
Listen to O.B. Buchana singing "Just Cruzin'" on YouTube.
2. "Whiskey Drinkin' Woman"-----
Mose Stovall featuring
Big Daddy E.
No free YouTube on this jewel, so if you're not lucky enough to hear it on the radio, you'll probably never buy it. The spectacular opening and main chords hark back to
David Bowie's masterpiece,
"(We Can Be) Heroes".
5-18-19 Update!:
Listen to Mose Stovall and Big Daddy E. singing "Whiskey Drinking Woman" on YouTube.
3.
"Love Games"-----
Willie Clayton
Willie's new album
Excellence is a reminder of what a skillful singer can do with a raft of tasteful material. Still and simply, one of the best in the game.
Listen to Willie Clayton singing "Love Games" on YouTube.
4.
"Juke Joint"-----
Eloveation featuring
Theodis Ealey
That darn'd
Chuck Berry-lovin' Theodis is still some cool dude, dressed in his New York black, singing like his life depended on it (see last half of
video). It's one of the best vocals of his career. Give credit to Eloveation, of course, not only for their musicianship but their prescience in giving Theodis the first verse.
Listen to Eleveation and Theodis Ealey singing "Juke Joint" on YouTube.
5.
"Just Another Day"------
P2K DaDiddy
What
Keith Taylor (P2K) brings to the southern soul table is a disarming, low-key approach to vocalizing, best illustrated by his hit single,
"Caught Up In The Middle". "Just Another Day" is like that: a song that makes you want to be its "friend".
Listen to P2K singing "Just Another Day" on YouTube.
6.
"Until The Morning Comes"-----
Tucka featuring
Audi Yo
Tucka guested on Audi Yo's well-received
"Can't Nobody," and Audi Yo returns the favor on Tucka's mid-tempo anthem, "Until The Morning Comes," from Tucka's hit-laden
Working With The Feeling" album.
Read Daddy B. Nice's 5-star ("southern soul heaven") review.
7.
"My Bed"------
Omar Cunningham
Omar does what he does best, singing a tide-pulling melody, and producer
Daniel Ross (Beat Flippa) sets an unexpectedly lush and brass-laden table.
Listen to Omar Cunningham singing "My Bed" on YouTube.
8.
"Ride Or Die"----
T.K. Soul
Once you get past the off-putting and confrontational titles--"Ride Or Die," "Love Is The New Hate," "Girl Bye"--the actual music is accessible and rewarding. From T.K.'s new CD,
Untouchable.
Listen to T.K. Soul singing "Ride Or Die" on YouTube.
9. "Yard Party"-----
J-Fitz featuring
Vick Allen
J-Fitz first caught my attention with
"Inbox".
10.
"Mirror Girl (Dancing In The Mirror)"-----
C.J. Hill
Intriguing new artist with interesting material.
Listen to C.J. Hill singing "Mirror Girl" on YouTube.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .
-------APRIL 2019-------
1.
"Beautiful"----
Wendell B.

Tha' Boss delivers.
Listen to Wendell B singing "Beauti-
ful" on YouTube.
2.
"Stay"----
Chris Ardoin
The opening button-accordion hook sounds like a rooster announcing a brilliant new day, and the dazzling instrumental track (with live rhythm section) combines with an unusually evocative vocal. Zydeco artist Chris Ardoin (pronounced ar-do-in) said his audiences doubled when he got the "swing-out" crowd. Now he's crossing-over to southern soul. He revisits The
Staples Singers' "Do It Again" in "Just Kickin' It," another song from his new album
Evolution.
Listen to Chris Ardoin singing "Stay" on YouTube.
3.
"Rodeo"-----
Itz Karma featuring
Jeter Jones
By now everyone recognizes that Jeter Jones is about as close to being the "cutting edge" as anyone in southern soul music. Right? He has a nose for a hit.
Listen to Itz Karma and Jeter Jones singing "Rodeo".
4.
"She's My Baby Forever"----
Jaye Hammer
Oh, you forgot what that "old-school" southern soul sounded like? Here ya' go. As sweet and seasoned as they come, from Hammer's new CD,
Double Trouble.
Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "She's My Baby Forever" on YouTube.
Read Daddy B. Nice's review.
5.
"DJ Let Me Grind On Her"----
Avail Hollywood
I marvel at the vocals on Avail's new album
Still King. In the early days there was a little "smoke and mirrors," the vocals disappeared at times. The first verse is the game-changer, robust and full-fledged. Hollywood's never sung with such strength and clarity.
Listen to Avail Hollywood singing "DJ Let Me Grind On Her" on YouTube.
6.
"Mail Man"----
Fat Daddy featuring
Sir Charles Jones
Think of it. Your first southern soul single becomes the
#1 Song of the Year. A dream come true. And the next year--2019--you have the King of Southern Soul, Sir Charles Jones, singing alongside you on a five-minute-plus stab at another number-one single. That's the fate of Fat Daddy, who has a deep well of southern soul inspiration behind his work.
Listen to Fat Daddy and Sir Charles singing "Mail Man" on YouTube.
7.
"The Ladies Love To Slide"----
T.K. Soul
Beneath its synth-funk-disco exterior, there's a good and even personable dance-floor jam. Play it a few times. From T.K. Soul's unexpectedly idiosyncratic new album,
Untouchable.
Listen to T.K. Soul singing "The Ladies Love To Slide" on YouTube.
8.
"Stop Looking"----
West Love
Here's a new singer who arrives with the chops and poise of a veteran. Promoted and produced by
Stan Butler, she's also marketing two other credible singles,
"You Betta Go" and
"Doing That Donald Trump".
Listen to West Love singing "Stop Looking" on YouTube.
9.
"Sugar Daddy"----
2 Buck Chuck
Here's another new artist with the chops and confidence of a vet. Chuck's got a number of quality singles circulating from his new album
Sugar Daddy, but the title cut is arguably the strongest.
Listen to 2 Buck Chuck singing "Sugar Daddy" on YouTube.
10. TIE: between...
"Changed My Mind"----
Sassy D
Listen to Sassy D. singing "Changed My Mind On YouTube.
and...
"Lonely (If You Think You're Lonely Now)"----
' Nicole featuring
Big Yayo
Listen to Shunte' Nicole and Big Yayo singing "Lonely" (Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now") on YouTube.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .
-------MARCH 2019-------
1.
"Neckbone Lady"-----
Mz. Connie featuring
L.J. Echols
The instrumental track has a bit of
"Mad Dog 20/20" to it, and sure enough, it's
L.J. Echols (you know? the guy with the Neckbone Band?), pushing this song past this month's formidable competition. And with only one previously published single to her credit--Daddy B. Nice's
#19-ranked song of 2018,
Why You Gotta Act Like That--Mz. Connie throws down a southern soul vocal for the ages.
Listen to Mz. Connie singing "Neckbone Lady" on YouTube.
2.
"Unbelievable Booty"-----
Avail Hollywood
With this song and
new album, Still King, Avail Hollywood is officially back, singing with a strength and panoramic scope that eclipses his already significant catalog.
Listen to Avail Hollywood singing "Unbelievable Booty" on YouTube.
3.
"Jungle Love"-----
Tucka
I hear a little
Bo Diddley in the instrumental track and a little
Buddy Holly in the vocal. From Tucka's new, "every-song's-a-classic" album,
Working With The Feeling.
Listen to Tucka singing "Jungle Love" on YouTube.
4.
"Won't Stop Loving You"-----
Nekita Waller
Connecticut southern soul! Who woulda thought? Hey,
Peggy Scott-Adams recorded her classics in Van Nuys! If it's got that down-south feeling, it can come from anywhere. And I love the video with the impromptu dancers. Never would have heard this instant classic if not for
DJ Sir Rockinghood!
Listen to Nekita Waller singing "Won't Stop Loving You" on YouTube.
5.
"Let's Roll (Tonight We're Gone Sip On Tennessee Whiskey)"------
J. Hall featuring
Theodis Ealey
Remember when Theodis rolled out
J. Red (The Nephew)? J. Hall is nothing like J. Red--and much less flashy--but he's got the same steadfast sense of style and identity. And the lyrics, a recitation of southern soul titles from the past, will have grown folks zoning out with sloppy smiles on their faces.
Listen to J. Hall singing "Let's Roll" on YouTube.
6.
"Wrong Man" (Reloaded)"-----
Highway Heavy featuring
Fya Redd &
Omar Cunningham
I liked Fya Redd's "Wrong Man" when it charted at #4 in January (elsewhere on this page), and I like it again on this remix, which is getting to be one way for an artist to aggressively market a song he or she really believes in. (Only think of
Karen Wolfe's "That Chick Ain't Me" or
Magic One's "High Heels & Jeans".) As to producer Highway Heavy's insistence on listing himself, not the vocalist, as the featured performer on every project, I'm having a hard time with it. Producer
Christopher Mabry (LaMorris Williams, J-Wonn) became
Big Yayo. Will Heavy go that way? He has a
new single out in which he IS the performer, but--curiously--it's hiphop.
Listen to Fya Redd and Omar Cunningham singing Highway Heavy's "Wrong Man" (Reloaded)" on YouTube.
7.
"Issue It"------
Lady Q featuring
Jeter Jones
Speaking of good rhythm tracks, you can't do much better than Lady Q's "Issue It," another gem from her
Class n Session debut album brought to fruition by
Producer of the Year Ronald "Slack" Jefferson.
Listen to Lady Q singing "Issue It" on YouTube.
8.
"Two Covers"-----
J-Wonn
Now here's a guy who knows nothing about rhythm tracks. That's why his collaborations with
Big Yayo ("I Got This Record," "Cowgirl") were so transcendent; Big Yayo brought the bass. J-Wonn's always high in the "clouds" of melody (and if you've seen him in concert, the euphoria of performance). But while his songs lack solid bass lines, his success is undeniable, and although its subject is domestic quarreling, "Two Covers" flies like a bird.
Listen to J-Wonn singing "Two Covers" on YouTube.
9.
"Inside Man, Outside Help"-----
Omar Cunningham
Omar's vocals on this one and "Wrong Man" (with Fya Redd above) are strong and convincing. Omar wrote "Inside Man, Outside Help" and
Highway Heavy produced. Heavy must be working 24-7.
Listen to Omar Cunningham singing "Inside Man, Outside Help" on YouTube.
10.
"Liquor House Muzik"----------------
C-Wright
A
LaMorris Williams production. LaMorris is back.
Listen to C-Wright singing "Liquor House Muzik" on YouTube.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .
-------FEBRUARY 2019-------
1.
"Sunshine"------
Solomon Thompson &
David J.

Buoyed by the humor and edgy, straight-faced craziness that served Solomon so well in
"Neighbors," he and fellow wild guy David J merrily kick their way through a song that takes off on the comment
Allen made at the beginning of
"I'll Take Your Word For It". A woman says, "I have got a girl who is so good--if you threw it up in the air it would turn into sunshine." Vick pauses and replies, "Well, I don't want to meet her." Solomon quotes the exchange verbatim and interjects, "I do!", and "Sunshine" ensues.
Listen to Solomon Thompson and David J. singing "Sunshine" on YouTube.
2.
"Thick Pocketbook"-----
Annie Washington
Proof that
"Show Pony" wasn't a fluke, "Thick Pocketbook" not only transitions from zydeco to straight southern soul but clarifies Annie's simple but potent, non-melisma,
Mel Waiters-like vocal style. Don't change your name to Ms. B, Annie; we already have a
Miz B.
Listen to Annie Washington singing "Thick Pocketbook" on YouTube.
3.
"Hitcha Wit Da Tool"------------
Till 1
Is Till 1 a recording artist or a body builder? Hard to tell sometimes; he sure likes to display that naked chest. And like
Cold Drank, his catalog too often reverts to urban-styled vocals, but "Hitcha Wit Da Tool" is his best southern soul song since
"Oooh Baby" and a treat to listen to.
Listen to Till 1 singing "Hitcha Wit Da Tool" on YouTube.
4.
"You Make Me Feel Good"------
Lady Q
Aided by
Jeter Jones and
Producer of the Year Ronald "Slack" Jefferson, the barrel-chested songstress with the masculine vocal style pounds out a gritty ballad for the ages. From her debut album
Class N Session.
Listen to Lady Q. singing"You Make Me Feel Good" on YouTube.
5.
"Kitty Kandy"-------
Nelson Curry
Good rhythm track propels this unassuming dance jam from the
Best Male Vocalist of 2018.
Listen to Nelson Curry singing "Kitty Kandy" on YouTube.
6.
"Walk That Dog"-----
Dee Dee Simon
Well-produced debut by an accomplished new artist.
Listen to Dee Dee Simon sing "Walk That Dog" on YouTube.
7.
"All About Us"------
LaMorris Williams
Missed LaMorris in 2018--figured he was in a "shell" writing--but he's kicking off 2019 with an acoustic slow jam I can only describe as droopy. In fact, it reminded me of the first few times I heard
"Impala" (before it was called "Impala"); it was so slow. But if "All About Us" is half as intoxicating as "Impala," it will be real good.
Listen to LaMorris Williams singing "All About Us" on YouTube.
8.
"Main Squeeze"-----Kierra
Another adroit debut, with the vocalist carrying a rocking-the-cradle tempo with confidence.
Listen to Kierra singing "Main Squeeze" on YouTube.
9.
"Southern Soul In The Sky"-------
P2K DaDiddy
Listen to P2K singing "Southern Soul In The Sky" on YouTube.
10.
"I Wanna Do You"------
Vick Allen
Listen to Vick Allen singing "I Wanna Do You" on YouTube.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles Preview For. . .
-------JANUARY 2019-------
1.
“Down Low Brother”------
Val McKnight
Vivacious Val delivers a vocal so unique and unprece- dented it eclipses
the original recorded by the gritty
Barbara Carr, whose X-rated catalog makes today’s divas look like choir girls. The tale of a woman discovering her husband with another man was one of a wave of "he-turned-out-be-gay" tunes recorded in the wake of the resounding success of
Peggy Scott-Adams'
"Bill". From Val's new
Stroke That Cat album.
Listen to Val McKnight singing “Down Low Brother” on YouTube.
2.
"Whipped Again"------
O.B. Buchana &
Big Pokey Bear
I’m encouraged when old stars (Buchana) mingle with new stars (Pokey Bear). It gives continuity to the music, bestowing legitimacy on the new star and sprinkling relevance like fairy dust on the old star. Also can't say enough about the crisp but charmingly modest production on both "Down Low Brother" and "Whipped Again" by
John Ward; you wouldn't know either one was an Ecko project. From the Memphis studio's new sampler,
Blues Mix Volume 27.
Listen to O.B. & Pokey singing "Whipped Again" on YouTube.
3.
"Big Train"-----
Tucka
As a vocalist, Tucka is quite simply unsurpassed, and the driving acoustic-guitar sound of this tune and the
Working With The Feeling album as a whole is intoxicating.
Listen to Tucka singing "Big Train" on YouTube.
4.
"Wrong Man (Highway Heavy Mix)"-----
Fya Redd
The two best new producers in southern soul music both work out of Baton Rouge. They're fierce competitors and they both rely primarily on the organ/keyboard for their instrumental sound.
Beat Flippa is the more well-known, but Highway Heavy (Pokey Bear, Cold Drank, Johnny James) is rapidly making a name for himself, lacking only his name on an album cover. This slinky ballad is a nice change-up after the freneticism of
Johnny James.
Listen to Fya Redd singing "I'm In Bed With The Wrong Man" on YouTube.
5.
"This Woman Of Mine"-----
Lamar Brace
Strong new vocalist who turned some heads with last year's
"Rock Me, Baby" returns with an even more accomplished bid at a southern soul hit single.
Listen to Lamar Brace singing "This Woman Of Mine" on Number One Music.
6.
"Make Me Wanna Do Wrong"-----
Tucka
The Pied Piper of Louisiana will add to his long caravan of fans with this ratcheted-down, reggae-rhythm-section-dominated gem.
Listen to Tucka singing "Make Me Wanna Do Wrong" on YouTube.
7.
"Blues Heaven"-----
Jaye Hammer
The blues belter does it
Johnny Taylor
"Soul Heaven" style. From
Blues Mix Volume 27.
Listen to Jaye Hammer singing "Blues Heaven" on YouTube.
8.
"Don't Stop Stepping"-----
Sassy D. featuring
Mr. Amazing Prince Of Blues
Listen to Sassy D and Mr. Amazing singing "Don't Stop Stepping" on YouTube.
9.
"Step Just Because"----
Stacii Adams
Listen to Stacii Adams singing "Step Just Because" on YouTube.
10.
"In The Club"----
2 Buck Chuck
Listen to 2 Buck Chuck singing "In The Club" on YouTube.
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