Corner - Best of 2022

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"2022: THE YEAR IN SOUTHERN SOUL"

January 29, 2022:

------------WINNERS ANNOUNCED!------------

DADDY B. NICE'S 16th Annual BEST OF 2022 SOUTHERN SOUL MUSIC AWARDS.

WINNERS are posted at the end of each list of finalists.

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-Produced Song
Best Album

Winners in all categories will be permanently memorialized in Daddy B. Nice’s Comprehensive Index.

Best Mid-Tempo Song Nominees

Tucka & King George ---- "Jukebox Lover (Remix)"
Lacee ---- "You Don't Need It"
King George ---- "Friday Night"
Mr. Hollywood ---- "Ms. Fine Thang"
Tucka ---- "Jukebox Lover"
King George ---- "Can't Stay Too Long"
Ciddy Boi P w/ Till 1, Mississippi Hummin' Boy ---- "Can I Get It?"
"No Worries" ---- Jeter Jones
C. Jones ---- "Mr. Willie"
K. Renaa ---- "She Could Never Be Me"
Calvin Taylor & The Soul Cartel Band ---- "Keep It 100"
King George ---- "Keep On Rollin'"
Volton Wright ---- "Don't Go"
King George ---- "Girl You Got It"

Best Mid-Tempo Song: Play the original and remix back to back to get the true mid-tempo groove...

Tucka ----- “Jukebox Lover”

Listen to Tucka singing "Jukebox Lover" on YouTube.

Tucka feat. King George ----- "Jukebox Lover (Remix)"

Listen to Tucka & King George singing "Jukebox Lover Remix" on YouTube.

See Tucka #1 The New Generation.

Best Club Song Nominees

Jus Epik & Money Waters ---- "Country Girl"
King George ---- "Keep On Rollin'"
Jeter Jones, Volton Wright & R&B Pooh ---- "Ain't No Stopping Us Now"
West Love ---- "Work It"
Nelson Curry ---- "Juke Joint 2K"
Ciddy Boi P & Mz. Connie ---- "Corner Store"
Pokey Bear ---- "Here Come Pokey"
DeMond Crump (posthumous) ---- "Party Too Hard"
Sweet Nay ---- "Been A Boss"
Donnie Ray ---- "Let Me Ride That Pony"
Stephanie McDee ---- "Let Me Take You There"
Arthur Young ---- "Just Another Friday"
Jeter Jones, R&B Pooh & Volton Wright ---- "Saddle Up (Remix)"
"Flex" ---- Cupid

Best Club Song:
It wasn't the usual fast jam but it was the song that got everybody on the dance floor...

King George ----- “Keep On Rollin'”

Listen to King George singing "Keep On Rollin'" on YouTube.

See King George #4 The New Generation.

Best Ballad Nominees

Marcellus The Singer ---- "Toxic Love"
J-Wonn ---- "Mr. Right Now"
Rosalyn Candy ---- "Ooh Aah"
Big G ---- "My Lucky Day"
Dre Walker & J-Wonn ---- "Overnight Stay"
Jay Morris Group ---- "I Love It Here"
Jeter Jones ---- "Come To The Trailride"
Willie Clayton ---- "Don't Make Me Beg"
LaMorris Williams ---- "Bad Bitch"
Ronald Isley & Beyonce ---- "Make Me Say It Again"
David Brinston & Mr. Frayser ---- "Lucky"
"You Ain't Gotta Cry No More" ---- J'Cenae feat. Wendell B

Best Ballad:
His most evocative since "I Got This Record"...

J-Wonn ----- “Mr. Right Now”

Listen to J-Wonn singing "Mr. Right Now" on YouTube.

See J-Wonn #7 The New Generation.

Best Female Vocalist Nominees

K. Renaa ---- "She Could Never Be Me"
Karen Wolfe ---- "Let's Play"
Lacee ---- "You Don't Need It"
Ms. Jody ---- "I'm Gonna Ride That Black Horse"
Val McKnight ---- "I'm A Do It All Woman"
Mz. Connie ---- "Corner Store"
Stephanie McDee ---- "Let Me Take You There"
J'Cenae ---- "Ain't Nobody"
Sassy D ---- "Older Woman"
West Love ---- "Work It"
Rosalyn Candy ---- "Ooh Aah"
Carolyn Staten ---- "Somebody Gotta Leave"
DeShay ---- "Keep On Rolling (Replay)"
Tasha Mac ---- "Get On Out Of Here"
Miss Lady Blues ---- "Good Woman"

Best Female Vocalist:
With "Stef" barking out party-starter euphemisms like a dominatrix cracking a leather whip...

Stephanie McDee ----- “Let Me Take You There”

Listen to Stephanie McDee singing "Let Me Take You There" on YouTube.

See Stephanie McDee #53 The 21st Century.

Best Male Vocalist Nominees

J-Wonn ---- "Mr. Right Now"
Big G ---- "My Lucky Day"
Vick Allen ---- "Double Crosser"
King George ---- "Keep On Rollin'," "Can't Stay Too Long"
Jeter Jones ---- "Come To The Trailride," "Country Boy (Remix)"
Tucka ---- "Jukebox Lover"
Poke Bear ---- "Here Come Pokey"
Avail Hollywood ---- "I Had To Lie"
LaMorris Williams ---- "If My Girl Can't Come," "Bad Bitch"
Ciddy Boi P ---- "Can I Get It," "Corner Store"
Stan Butler ---- "Whoop Dat Preacher," "My Deaf Brother"
P2K DaDiddy ---- "U-Turn"
Kinnie Ken ---- "Mrs. Parker"
Arthur Young ---- "This Time It Was Me"

Best Male Vocalist:
For all the accolades received, KG was still under-rated as a vocalist...

King George ----- “Keep On Rollin',” "Can't Stay Too Long"

Listen to King George singing "Keep On Rollin'" on YouTube.

See King George #4 The New Generation.

Best Song By Longtime Veteran Nominees

T.K. Soul ---- "Gonna Do Right"
Willie Clayton ---- "Don't Make Me Beg"
Karen Wolfe ---- "Let's Play"
Lenny Williams ---- "Week Day Blues"
Nelson Curry ---- "Party With Friends"
Vick Allen ----"Mississippi Girl"
David Brinston ---- "Lucky"
William Bell---- "One Step Closer To Home"
Ms. Jody ---- "I'm Gonna Ride That Black Horse"
Carl Sims ---- "You Don't Have To Be A Star"
Donnie Ray ---- "Let Me Ride That Pony"
Stephanie McDee ---- "Let Me Take You There"
Theodis Ealey ---- "Brown Liquor"

Best Song By Longtime Veteran:
Proving old-school is still relevant...

Willie Clayton ----- “Don't Make Me Beg”

Listen to Willie Clayton singing "Don't Make Me Beg" on YouTube.

See Willie Clayton #3 The 21st Century.

Best Debut Nominees

King George ---- "Keep On Rollin'"
Country Boy ---- "I'm Just A Country Boy"
F.P.J. ---- "If You Gone Pop It" (w/ J-Wonn)
Jus Epik ---- "Country Girl" (w/ Money Waters)
C. Jones ---- "Mr. Willie"
Mr. Hollywood (Calvin Jenkins) ---- Ms. Fine Thang
Binky Womack ---- "Magic Woman"
Harrison Hollingquest ---- "Making Plans"
Ciddy Boi P ---- "Can I Get It?" (w/ Till 1, Mississippi Hummin' Boy), "Corner Store" (w/ Mz. Connie)
Calvin Taylor ---- "Keep It 100"
Chu'Zu & Vince Tucker ---- "Country Boy (Remix)" (w/ Jeter Jones)
Lil' C.J. ---- "Step Into My Room"
Ms. Ty ---- "Tell Me How You Want It" (w/ Arthur Young)
Augusta Walker ---- "Talk To Yo Ole Lady"
Memphis Jackson ---- "Fine Ass Girl"
S. Dott ---- "Slow Wind" (w/ Coray Broussard)
Dre Walker ---- "Overnight Stay" (w/ J-Wonn)
Marcellus The Singer ---- "Toxic Love"
Mr. Don't Leave (Eric Hunter) ---- "I Swear" (w/ Johnny James)

Best Debut:
Oh, oh...You forgot this powerhouse of an artist launched as an unknown in 2022?...

King George ----- “Keep On Rollin'”

Listen to King George singing "Keep On Rollin'" on YouTube.

See King George #4 The New Generation.

Best Collaboration Nominees

Ain't No Stopping Us Now" ---- Jeter Jones, Volton Wright & R&B Pooh
"Look Good To Me" ---- J-Wonn & T.K. Soul
"Jukebox Lover" ---- Tucka & King George
"U-Turn" ---- P2K DaDiddy & King George
"Good Wood" ---- Big Yayo & Kenne' Wayne
"Country Boy (Remix) ---- Vince Tucker, Jeter Jones & Chu'Zu
"Can I Get It?" ---- Ciddy Boi P, Till 1 & Mississippi Hummin' Boy
"Corner Store" ---- Ciddy Boi P & Mz. Connie
"Make Me Say It Again" ---- Ronald Isley & Beyonce
"I Don't Ever Want To Break Up" ---- J'Cenae & Wendell B.
"Country Girl" ---- Jus Epik & Money Waters

Best Collaboration:
This runner-up for Best Debut crushed it in the "collaboration" category...

Ciddy Boi P feat. Till 1 & Mississippi Hummin' Boy ----- “Can I Get It?,” Ciddy Boi P feat Mz. Connie ----- "Corner Store"

Listen to Ciddy Boi P, Till 1 & Mississippi Hummin' Boy singing "Can I Get It?" on YouTube.

See Ciddy Boi P.

Best Out-Of-Left-Field Song Nominees

"Keep On Rollin'" ---- King George
"Mr. Uber Man" ---- EPK (Eric Perkins)
"Down In The Woods" ---- Unkle Eddie
"Truck Driving Baddie" ---- Lokey Kountry
"She's Running From Dick To Dick" ---- Billy "Soul" Bonds
"50 Bottles Of Champagne" ---- Highway Heavy feat. Champagne
"I Swear" ---- Mr. Don't Leave (Calvin Jenkins) feat. Johnny James
"Two Steps" ---- King Fred feat. Shae Shae
"Thunder & Showers" ---- Poka Jones & Sweet Nay
"Country Boy (Remix)" ----- Chu'Zu, Vince Tucker & Jeter Jones

Best Out-Of-Left-Field Song:
A superhuman baritone, an in-your-face rapper and the Kang of Trailride Blues in a lollapalooza of a production...

Chu'Zu, Vince Tucker & Jeter Jones ----- “Country Boy Remix”

Listen to Vince Tucker, Chu'Zu & Jeter Jones singing "Country Boy (Remix)" on YouTube.

See Jeter Jones #9 The New Generation.

Best Chitlin' Circuit Blues Song Nominees

"One Step Closer To Home" ---- William Bell
"Poundtown" ---- David Brinston
"Can't Stay Too Long" ---- King George
"My Deaf Brother" ---- Stan Butler
"Work It" ---- West Love
"Let's Play" ---- Karen Wolfe
"Brown Liquor" ---- Theodis Ealey
"Love Dem Blues" ---- Narvel Echols
"Down In The Woods" ---- Unkle Eddie
"Country Boy (Remix)" ---- Chu'Zu, Vince Tucker & Jeter Jones"
"Leave & Party" ---- King George

Best Chitlin' Circuit Blues Song:
Just listen to the lyrics...

King George ----- “Can't Stay Too Long”

Listen to King George singing "Can't Stay Too Long" on YouTube.

See King George #4 The New Generation.

Best Cover Song Nominees

"Can't Let Go" ---- Breeze MrDo2Much (Sir Charles Jones "Just Can't Let Go")
"This Time It Was Me" ---- Arthur Young (Ronnie Lovejoy "Sho Wasn't Me")
"Dhat Juicy" ---- Tasha Mac (Mtume "Juicy Fruit")
"Somebody Gotta Leave" ---- Carolyn Staten (King George "Keep On Rollin'")
"Keep On Rolling Reply" ---- DeShay (King George "Keep On Rollin'")
"You Got To Leave (The Clapback Track)" ---- Redd Velvet (King George "Keep On Rollin'")
"Bae Changed Me" ---- Sky Whatley (King George "Keep On Rollin'")

Best Cover Song:

Arthur Young ----- “This Time It Was Me”
Updating "Sho' Wasn't Me" for a new generation...

Listen to Arthur Young singing "This Time It Was Me" on YouTube.

See Arthur Young #18 The New Generation.

Best-Produced Song Nominees

King George ---- "Keep On Rollin'"
Tucka ---- "Jukebox Lover"
Tucka & King George ---- "Jukebox Lover (Remix)"
William Bell ---- "One Step Closer To Home"
Stephanie McDee ---- "Let Me Take You There"
Chu'Zu, Vince Tucker & Jeter Jones ---- "Country Boy (Remix)"
King George ---- "Friday Night"
J-Wonn ---- "Mr.Right Now"
LaMorris Williams ---- "Bad Bitch"
Ciddy Boi P, Till 1 & Mississippi Hummin' Boy ---- "Can I Get It?"
C. Jones ---- "Mr. Willy"
Willie Clayton ---- "Don't Make Me Beg"
Avail Hollywood ---- "I Had To Lie"

Best-Produced Song:
The juxtaposition of the iconic, clanging guitar chords, the strings and the vocal...

Tucka ----- “Jukebox Lover”

Listen to Tucka singing "Jukebox Lover" on YouTube.

See Tucka #1 The New Generation.

Best Album Nominees

Da Legend Of Sweet Jeter Jones ---- Jeter Jones
Good Vibes (It's A Party) ---- Sweet Nay
Evolution Of Soul ---- Nelson Curry
Drank My Liquor And Talk To Me ---- Arthur Young
Mr. Right Now ---- J-Wonn
Juke Joint Music ---- King George
Tell My Story ---- Jay Morris Group
Mutant: Stolen Dreams ---- LaMorris Williams
My Lucky Day ---- Big G
Love Me Right ---- Volton Wright
Love, Lies & Loyalty ---- Avail Hollywood
Back To The Blues ---- Arthur Young
Caesar Soul & Blues ---- Willie Clayton
Wilson, Last Name Meadows ---- Wilson Meadows
Good Good Lovin' ---- Crystal Thomas
I'm Just The Man For You ---- Donnie Ray
Dee Dee Simon ---- Dee Dee Simon
Young Goat Of The Blues ---- Tyree Neal
Ain't Nothing Like A Country Boy ---- Val McKnight
Talkin' In Your Sleep ---- Vickie Baker
Cookout Music ---- King George
Poundtown ---- David Brinston
Fire & Ice Collaboration ---- Karen Wolfe

Best Album:

King George ----- Juke Joint Music

Buy King George's Juke Joint Music album at eBay.

See King George #4 The New Generation.

************

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January 1, 2023:

2022: THE YEAR IN SOUTHERN SOUL

King George. It was his year...

Prior to 2022, if anyone had suggested that a complete unknown could come out of nowhere and not only dominate southern soul music but change and influence it, rising to headliner status on the prestigious Blues Is Alright Tour by year's end, they’d have been laughed out of the room. But that’s exactly what South Carolinian King George did. Four of his singles---"Keep On Rollin'," "Can't Stay Too Long," "Friday Night" and "Leave And Party"---made the Top 25 Songs of 2022. Two of those songs, "Keep On Rolling" and "Can't Stay Too Long," amassed 32 million and 28 million YouTube views respectively. Artists queued to collaborate, most prominently Tucka with the "Jukebox Lover" remix and P2K with his surprise hit single "U-Turn". And scores of artists imitated him, recycling his melodies, favoring his mid-range tempos, absorbing his tasty guitar backgrounds, imitating his non-adorned yet confident vocal style.

With the phenomanal "Knee Deep" (now running at 32 million YouTube views) the Jay Morris Group was the hottest thing in southern soul music as 2022 began. Then the hurricane known as King George made landfall and they were blown away like the sand and the dunes---out of sight, out of mind. Female artists rushed to record "answer songs" to King George's most incendiary single, "Keep On Rollin'," in the same way, years earlier, female performers had rushed to record ripostes to Pokey Bear's "My Sidepiece". Both tunes featured men doing and saying things that normally infuriate women, who make up the overwhelming percentage of the southern soul audience. And yet, through some strange osmosis, what turned off women in real life turned them on when transported to music, ringing a bell and engendering a perverse love of what would normally be hated. The "outlaws" (Pokey, KG) suddenly became sympathetic characters by simply being brave enough to publicize their outrageous behavior. Thus, in concert after concert, King George sang "I gotta have three (women)" to throngs of black women in love with the swagger, enthusiasically pumping their fists in the air and singing those very words along with him.

Country was the theme dominating the music in 2022...

Everyone wanted to record their country bonafides. New artists put "country" in their names. Ms. Jody and Val McKnight and Angel Faye Russell and countless other ladies joined the men (Jeter Jones, Arthur Young, Big Yayo, Narvel Echols) and donned cowboy hats. Songs like "Country Girl" (Jus Epik feat. Money Waters) and "Country Boy (Remix)" (Chu'Zu & Vince Tucker feat. Jeter Jones) proliferated monthly.

"Country" has always been a southern soul touchstone, and your Daddy B. Nice has frequently described southern soul music itself as "country soul," but one person more than any other made the theme of country ("no service on my phone") trendy and buzz-worthy in 2022: Jeter Jones. In song after song and video after video the Kang of Trailride Blues pounded home the blessings and vicissitudes of rural life and small-town culture, a message that reverberated throughout the genre by virtue of the sheer number of songs and accompanying music videos produced by Jeter, producer Slack and their team of supporting musicians/videographers (2 double-albums, four total, in back-to-back years). And in a year that marked the lowest traditional-record-label publishing on record, Jones Boy Entertainment put out the most music in the southern soul demographic.

The big boys were relatively quiet in 2022...

And "the big boys" would include Nellie "Tiger" Travis, whose "Mr. Sexy Man" remains a nationally recognized hit single, and one of those major stars who will be touring in front of stadium-capacity audiences across the country in the coming months in the Blues Is Alright Tour. Pokey Bear put out an Omar Cunningham-written single, "Here Come Pokey," tailor-made for his swagger. Tucka released two versions of his iconic single "Jukebox Lover". The original boasted a typically virtuoso vocal. Tucka's rapping in "The Remix," however, was reduced to a near mumble in the mix, but it was "all good" and even more popular with the stunning guest addition of King George. King George, by the way, leaped to recurring headliner status on that Blues Is Alright line-up. Sir Charles Jones squeezed into the year's activity at the last minute with a new solo gospel/contemplative album and a shockingly personal single called "Highway 55". And Calvin Richardson, the remaining regular on the tour, did what Calvin Richardson does---namely recording nothing in the southern soul vein---apparently content to be the urban r&b "bridge" to the southern soul stars. Finally, Theodis Ealey, Latimore and Lenny Williams, the aging stars of the tour, saw their appearances wane.

Old vs. New was the major conflict and competitive dynamic of the industry...

Namely, the overwhelming influx of digital singles airing on the YouTube platform by new and aspiring performers versus the "old," second tier of stars, formerly "young guns," who frequently found themselves in the unlikely position of having their product overlooked in the general chaos of new offerings. Included in this group were well-recognized performers like O.B. Buchana, Willie Clayton, T.K. Soul, David Brinston, L.J. Echols, Vick Allen, Avail Hollywood, Ms. Jody, Karen Wolfe, Nelson Curry, Lacee, Big G, LaMorris Williams and even nationally recognized stars such as Bobby Rush and William Bell, who all released distinguished work that did not make the "splash" it had in years past when the pool of artists was much smaller. One industry veteran even told your Daddy B. Nice that she didn't know why (name witheld) was even recording new material because all the audience wanted to hear was his old songs.

Meanwhile, the new talent flooded the air waves with music teeming with energy and surprise, illustrating Blues Critic's observation that southern soul music is the easiest genre to break into but the most fiercely competitive. Among the most important new performers were J'Cenae, West Love, Jay Morris Group, Magic One, Arthur Young, P2K, Stan Butler and Adrian Bagher, and even newer artists like Sassy D, Sweet Nay, Ciddy Boi P, Marcellus The Singer, C. Jones, Jus Epik, F.P.J, Carlin Taylor, K. Renaa, Mr. Hollywood, Kinnie Ken, Tasha Mac, Mr. Don't Leave and Volton Wright, to name only a few. Which brings us around and back to King George, the "new" being exactly what he did. Music self-produced, put out digitally, and consequently blowing up TikTok and YouTube. Actually, KG didn't even put out his music digitally UNTIL it had blown up social media. The ultimate irony and triumph of King George was that in the very same year he would ace the "Best Debut" awards---normally a "first step" in an artist's career---he would become a bonafide southern soul superstar and the undisputed recording artist of the year. Take my word for it. It had never been done before. And it left more than one southern soul artist shaking his or her head and wistfully thinking, "If only that had been me..."

R.I.P. in 2022...Memphis's Bobby O'Jay and Jackson's Demond Crump.

---Daddy B. Nice

...Continued....Monthly Singles Charts from right-hand column....

Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .

-------MAY 2022-------

1. "Mr. Willy"-----C. Jones

Fans are so hungry for product---new southern soul music and sounds---deejays are scouring ever more obscure efforts before the unknown performers themselves are even ready to lace up their marching boots. That's what happened to C. (Chad) Jones, who's been knocking around the fringes of R&B for the better part of a decade. His "Mr. Willy" caught the attention of an alert Brit a few months ago (see Daddy B. Nice's Mailbag) and set off a frenzied search by deejays to be the first to announce the record. Now it's finally on sale and on YouTube. Nor has "Mr. Willy" lost any of its luster during the delay. It starts off very "middlin" (and could have been a flop) but soon soars on the wings of a fetching vocal and unique background track that weds a rhythm guitar to a tingling, bagpipe/clavichord-like sound that hovers around it like a sun-touched cloud.

Listen to C. Jones singing "Mr. Willy" on YouTube.

2. "Party 2 Hard"-----DeMond Crump

He used to be so raw (early Jackson, MS days), but this single along with last year's #1 single "Just Love Me" mark a huge transformation. The production's first-rate, the tempo's irresistable and the uncredited female singer (it's more accurately a duet) is off the charts. Actually, there may be more women singing on the choruses (or one double-tracking). Whatever, it makes the record blossom and brings out the best---the loosey-goosey---in DeMond.

Listen to DeMond Crump singing "Party 2 Hard" on YouTube.

3. "She Could Never Be Me (The Remix)"-----K. Renaa

The remix is so much better than the slower-tempoed 2017 original (which, paradoxically, has the sumptuous video) and it makes you wonder how many killer out-takes and mixes are languishing on hard drives around the circuit, discarded for inferior takes that never made it. Now, thanks to Renaa's rousing vocal, you can dance, sing or march around the house to "She Could Never Be Me" as your own, fired-up, personal anthem.

Listen to K. Renaa singing"She Could Never Be Me" on YouTube.

4. "Grooving In Love"-----Simply Wayne

Now here's a guy who sounds like he just walked out the back door of church on an August Sunday (in other words a gospel singer) and tossed off a quart with the guys. Pure southern soul singer with a little Reggie P. pedigree.

Listen to Simply Wayne singing "Grooving In Love" on YouTube.

5. "Ain't Nobody"-----J'Cenae

At first I had trouble with the title. Some of us have deep, deep ties to Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody," and nothing will ever take its place. But I got over it and this is a good song. Although it may leave you wondering what Wendell B song the instrumental track came from.

Listen to J'Cenae singing "Ain't Nobody" on YouTube.

See Daddy B. Nice's new Artist Guide: J'Cenae #19 The New Generation of Southern Soul.

6. "Sexy Lady"-----C. (Chad) Jones

In case you think C. Jones (#1 above with "Mr. Willy") will be a one-and-done, check this out.

Listen to C. (Chad) Jones singing "Sexy Lady" on YouTube.

7. "Bae Changed Me"-----Sky Whatley

After a long absence (a decade maybe?) Redd Velvet has returned to the studio with an "answer song" to King George's "Keep On Rolling," but I'll opt for Sky Whatley's send-up of the King's "Too Long". It's not an "answer" but a sampling worked into a lush and enjoyable ballad. Hope he approached George for the rights.

Listen to Sky Whatley singing "Bae Changed Me" on YouTube.

8. "Brown Liquor"-----Theodis Ealey

Not that "Brown Liquor" isn't an impressive single from the Ealey-Man (the King George of his day), but I fondly remember when "Stand Up In It" first came out---before it became famous---we media types thought of it as light and catchy, something like K. Renaa's "She Could Never Be Me" (#3 above), never dreaming it would become a stone-cold classic.

Listen to Theodis Ealey singing "Brown Liquor" on YouTube.

9. "I Wanna Feed Ya"-----Rosalyn Candy

Listen to Rosalyn Candy singing "I Wanna Feed Ya" on YouTube.

10. "Travelin' Man"-----K. Renaa

Listen to K. Renaa singing "Travelin' Man" on YouTube.



Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .

-------APRIL 2022-------

1. "Too Long" ------- King George

We fans can be forgiven for asso-
ciating the artist's personal life with the lyrics, as in King George's #1-ranked, bad-boy-boasting "Keep On Rollin'" (March '22). But George's "Too Long," which languished (if you can call three million views "languishing") on YouTube for two years before "Keep On Rollin'" broke at #1, is just the opposite. The lyrics portray a conscientious and responsible man in love with his mate withstanding the temptations of touring. "Can't stay too long / I gotta keep moving" is King George's refrain as he navigates the women trying "to get his attention." "Too Long" gained three million page views in just one month since "Keep On Rollin'" debuted at Daddy B. Nice's #1.

See Daddy B. Nice's new artist guide: King George The New Generation of Southern Soul.

Listen to King George singing "Too Long" on YouTube.

2. "Leave & Party"----- King George

Recorded two years ago, "Leave & Party" is the precursor to King George's southern soul mega-hit, "Keep On Rollin'". Similar in tone, tempo and chording, complete with exhilarating, gospel-style background vocals, "Leave & Party" introduces Keisha and the obliging gals from "Keep On Rollin'" who are happy to pamper George after a hard week of work when all he wants to do is "get drunk, smoke weed" and "get his party on".

Listen to King George singing "Leave & Party" on YouTube.

3. "Country Man"----- Arthur Young

Musically, "Country Man" is more evidence (if any were needed) of how much Arthur Young loves southern soul music. The vocal's outstanding, the instrumental track rich and full. Lyrically, it's narrated in a third person account, as if Arthur had picked it up in a bar or truck stop booth from a guy experiencing a husband/wife mid-life crisis. Arthur calls him an "old man" because he's been married 20 years and raised his kids, but to some of us grown folks this guy's just getting started. Welcome to life, baby, and another funky forty years!

Listen to Arthur Young singing "Country Man" on YouTube.

See Daddy B. Nice's Artist Guide to Arthur Young: The New Generation of Southern Soul.

4. "Party With Friends"----- Nelson Curry

Nelson Curry pokes his creative needle into the southern soul main-line with this exuberantly-produced, mid-tempo anthem celebrating the pleasures of conviviality. From the "Shackman's" new album Evolution Of Soul.

Listen to Nelson Curry singing "Party With Friends" on YouTube.

Read Daddy B. Nice’s new 4-star review of Nelson Curry's Evolution Of Soul.

5. "Let Me Ride That Pony"----- Donnie Ray

From Donnie Ray's new album, I'm Just The Man For You, "Let Me Ride That Pony" features a bracing Donnie Ray vocal and an instrumental track that cooks like a pot of bubbling gumbo.

Listen to Donnie Ray singing "Let Me Ride That Pony" on YouTube.

See Daddy B. Nice's New Album Alert.

6. "Crown Royal (Quiet Storm Mix)"------ X-Man Parker

This is a stunning record and very atypical. X-Man has toyed with the title and melody in different versions over the years, but this is by far the best. "Quiet Storm" implies a sound most southern soul fans aren't interested in, but this isn't "smooth". It's vanguard---edgy---thanks to the superb, higher-register vocal and unique production. No YouTube yet!

7. "No Worries"----- Jeter Jones

Jeter Jones shows no signs of flagging. "No Worries"---with a lilting, mid-tempo melody and a feel-good message---is yet another brick in the wall for the Kang of Trailride Blues.

Listen to Jeter Jones singing "No Worries" on YouTube.

8. "Jody"------ Sheila B. Sexi feat. Jeter Jones

This song comes at you sideways, low-key, dominated by an elbow-churning rhythm track. Sheila B. Sexi is a Jeter Jones/Slacktraxx artist with a couple of charted singles and album under her belt in just her first year in southern soul. Jeter guests.

Listen to Sheila B. Sexi singing "Jody" on YouTube.

9. "Trail Ride Shawty"----- Marcellus The Singer

Listen to Marcellus The Singer singing "Trail Ride Shawty" on YouTube.

10. "Flex (Your Body)"----- Cupid

Is it just my imagination, or is this the closest Bryson Bernard has ever come to capturing the dance magic of the "Cupid Shuffle"?

Listen to Cupid singing "Flex" on YouTube.



Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .

-------MARCH 2022-------

1. "Keep On Rollin'" ------- King George

Three million YouTube views in less than a month! I'm in awe of the power of southern soul music to connect with the fans. It doesn't matter if it's an "unknown". "Keep On Rollin" speaks to that unconscious id we all carry around, unaware we're blinkered by social norms until we encounter someone who upsets that apple cart of civility. That's why we're so tickled and pleased when Pokey Bear has the boldness to sing, "But I ain't coming home until three," or King George sings, "One monkey don't stop no show."

Listen to King George singing "Keep On Rollin'" on YouTube.

See more Daddy B. Nice commentary on King George.

2. "I Can't Keep Loving You" ----- Willie Clayton

Late last year Willie teamed up with Tucka on "I'm Looking For A Woman," which was as much a validation of the contemporary relevance of southern soul's master stylist as it was a feather in the young man's cap. Willie actually inches out the popular Tucka in this month's top ten singles with a vocal that would do Al Green proud and an instrumental track as taut and textured as vintage Stax.

Listen to Willie Clayton singing "I Can't Keep Loving You" on YouTube.

See Daddy B. Nice's "New Album Alert" on Willie Clayton's new "Soul Caesar" CD.

3. "Jukebox Lover" ----- Tucka

Tucka revisits the smooth and breezy musical setting of "Tipsy" for this evocative ode to dancing and loving.

Listen to Tucka singing "Jukebox Lover" on YouTube.

4. "Give Me Some Credit" ----- Jay Morris Group

They've got the formula (scintillating harmonies, organ-style keyboard fills, male and female give and take) and they've got the melodies, and they're in a creative zone the likes of which we seldom have the good fortune to witness.

Listen to the Jay Morris Group singing "Give Me Some Credit" on YouTube.

5. "(Get It) Mr. Willy" ----- C. Jones

Another southern-soul, mind-blowing "unknown". If you've been following Daddy B. Nice’s Mailbag, you know that reader DeWayne has been on a mission to find this song he heard in a deejay mixtape. Ordinarily I wouldn't feature a song not on YouTube nor for sale, especially when that same artist himself is on Facebook, but I'm now in possession of a copy, I'm playing the hell out of it, and I just emailed it to DeWayne. Readers, know that "Mr. Willy," like this month's #1 "Keep On Rollin'," is mainlining southern soul, and I'm betting that within a month a link to the real thing will grace this space.

DBN notes 4-3-22: Here's the link as promised. But not from the artist. DJ Sir Rockinghood---bless him---starts off his latest YouTube mix with two---or is it three---versions of "Mr. Willy".

6. "Poundtown" ----- David Brinston

David Brinston snags a good, ornery song and delivers it in his inimitable, ornery style.

Listen to David Brinston singing "Poundtown" on YouTube.

7. "Friday Night" ----- King George

Here's another impressive tune---an update of Sir Charles Jones' "Friday---by the young artist taking southern soul by storm. (See #1 above.)

Listen to King George singing "Friday Night" on YouTube.

8. "Father, Father" ----- Nelson Curry

One of southern soul's premier vocalists hits an emotional peak with this searing ballad dedicated to his father. From his new album Evolution Of Soul.

Listen to Nelson Curry singing "Father, Father" on YouTube.

9. "Can't Stop Thinking Bout You" ----- Andre' Lee

Longtime veteran Andre' Lee crafts a lot of sensitive ballads but outdoes himself with this bonafide classic.

Listen to Andre' Lee singing "Can't Stop Thinking Bout You" on YouTube.

10. "Been A Boss" ----- Sweet Nay

Sweet Nay follows up her pair of February top ten singles (scroll down) with this frenetic, zydeco-fired, Beat Flippa-produced club banger. From her new 4-star-rated debut album, "Good Vibes".

Listen to Sweet Nay singing "Been A Boss" on YouTube.



Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .

-------FEBRUARY 2022-------

1. "Get My Groove On"-------Jeter Jones

Good club (dance) songs are so hard to come by. How'd we miss this one? Leave it to Jeter to remind us that "Groove On" (from Dhis Him) is as fresh as anything out there. If watching him dance free-style solo outside on the driveway and street doesn't get you off the sofa (as it does his family and friends at the end of this mesmerizing new video), you'll know you're ready for the retirement community.

Listen to Jeter Jones singing "Get My Groove On" on YouTube.

2. "Magic Woman"-----Binky Womack

Binky Womack brings more to the table than just that famous "Womack" name. The melody and vocal on "Magic Woman" will warm your heart. The lyrics will make you smile when you realize hungry-for-love trumps hungry-for-food.

Listen to Binky Womack singing "Magic Woman" on YouTube.

3. "Whooped (I Put That Nookie On Him)"-----Sweet Nay

This mid-tempo jewel, written by Sweet Nay & P2K and produced by Avail Hollywood, will get your attention from Sweet Nay's rousing "Someone call 911" intro. From Good Vibes, her splendid new debut album.

Listen to Sweet Nay singing "Whooped" on YouTube.

4. "Two Step"-----King Fred feat. Shae Shae

Speaking of club songs, it's a joy to see Fred Hicks polishing his little genie's bottle of idiosyncratic techniques, coaxing out ever more professional and lovely-sounding productions.

Listen to King Fred and Shae Shae singing "Two Step"

5. "Mississippi Girl"-----Vick Allen

Have you noticed? 2022 is starting out with a new sound: low-key (Binky Womack), folksy (King Fred), Americana-like----in fact, more "If They Can Beat Me Rocking"-like. Even Vick is getting into it!

Listen to Vick Allen singing "Mississippi Girl" on YouTube.

6. "Thunder And Showers"-----Poka Jones feat. Sweet Nay

Another sure-fire chart-climber from Sweet Nay's Good Vibes album. Poka Jones is the singer who debuted a year ago with the groovy and empathic single "Love Thyself". Produced by Nil Jones.

Listen to Poka Jones and Sweet Nay singing "Thunder And Showers" on YouTube.

7. "Juke Joint 2K"-----Nelson Curry.

Cue this up after Jeter Jones' "Get My Groove On". From the same bag of vintage dance classics, courtesy of Curry's new album, The Evolution Of Soul.

Listen to Nelson Curry singing "Juke Joint 2K" on YouTube.

8. "Talk To Yo Ole Lady"-----Augusta (Augusta Walker)

Strong debut single by a vocalist exploring the late Marvin Sease's legendary territory.

Listen to Augusta Walker singing "Talk To Yo Ole Lady" on YouTube.

9. "Count On Me"-----T.J. Hooker Taylor

More Americana-like southern soul from a Taylor boy who just keeps gaining in confidence and accessibility with each new outing.

Listen to T.J. Hooker Taylor singing "(You Can) Count On Me" on YouTube.

10. "Over Night Stay"-----Dre Walker feat. J-Wonn

Pure J-Wonn, twenty-something romance and innocence. He teams up with a young singer, Dre Walker, who shares J-Wonn's style and bedding-them-down preoccupations. Most fascinating lyric so far this year: "Whatcha mean I'm not going back home tonight? You wouldn't be trying to kidnap me?"

Listen to Dre Walker and J-Wonn singing "Over Night Stay" on YouTube.



Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .

-------January 2022-------

1."Keep It 100"-----Carlin Taylor feat. The Soul Cartel Band

YouTube history tells us this band started out doing amateurish funk covers. Now look. They've matured, gotten "religion" (southern soul, that is) with their mellowed-and-polished, dance-friendly lead singer dispatching one of the catchiest tunes to ever jump-start a new year. The two best "Keep It 100" videos are here---one above in the title link and one below, right about here...

Listen to Carlin Taylor singing "Keep It 100" on YouTube.

2. "How Can You Love Me"-----Jay Morris Group

A fresh, staccato guitar and chording piano carry this latest harmony-rich tale from the Jay Morris Group with Jay and K-Monique trading the lead vocals. From their new, 5-star-rated album Long Story Short.

Listen to the Jay Morris Group singing "How Can You Love Me" on YouTube.

3. "Ride This Saddle"-----Christie & The Superior Band

Produced by Ves (Kenne' Wayne's "We Do We") and featuring Curley Taylor on button accordion, good times abound in this zydeco-flavored party jam sung with joyous verve by Houston's Christa Norris.

Listen to Christie and The Superior Band singing "Ride This Saddle" on YouTube.

4. "My Baby Don't Love Me No More"-----Jay Morris Group

The Jay Morris group revitalizes another worn-out, chitlin-circuit theme (a cheating man losing his woman) with typically rich details and original results, and I'm proud to be documenting their meteoric rise. The trio is now the twelfth-ranked southern soul artist on Daddy B. Nice’s newest Top 100 Countdown: The New Generation.

Listen to the Jay Morris Group singing "My Baby Don't Love Me No More" on YouTube.

5. "Good Wood"-----Big Yayo feat. Kenne' Wayne.

Wayne and Yayo sound as good as The Isley Brothers on this one. Mabry's (Big Yayo's) synthesized instrumental flourishes update the sound but even better is the harmony line Yayo finds on their choruses. All Yayo does is make hits, and with remarkable consistency. That is why he's now the newest entry (at #16) in Daddy B. Nice's Top 100 Countdown: The New Generation.

Listen to Big Yayo and Kenne' Wayne singing "Good Wood" on YouTube.

6. "Knee Deep Part II"-----Jay Morris Group

This is the new southern soul single currently getting the most YouTube views (one million in its first month). And if you're really mired in the deep artistic mud of both "Knee Deeps," check out DJ Sir Rockinghood's special mix, Jay Morris Group: Knee Deep Pt 1 & 2 Special Mix), with an entire, verse-long cameo by Lenny Williams, whose iconic "Ooh-ooh-ooooh" was referenced in the first "Knee Deep".

Listen to the Jay Morris Group singing "Knee Deep Part II" on YouTube.

7. "You Ain't Gotta Cry No More"-----J'Cenae feat. Wendell B

In effect, Wendell has found a female counterpart to himself, nearly his equal in talent. And when you put them together, it's something like Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell back in the day.

Listen to J'Cenae and Wendell B singing "You Ain't Gotta Cry No More" on YouTube.

8. "It Sounds Like I'm Lying"-----Jay Morris Group

It's never happened before, and these charts go back to 2005. "It Sounds Like I'm Lying" is the fourth of four JMG singles posted in a single month, and it may be the best.

Listen to the Jay Morris Group singing"It Sounds Like I'm Lying" on YouTube.

9. "Saddle Up"-----Jeter Jones feat. Volton Wright & R&B Pooh

Listen to Jeter Jones, Volton Wright & R&B Pooh singing"Saddle Up" onYouTube.

10. "You Deserve Better"-----Avail Hollywood feat. P2K

Listen to Avail Hollywood singing "You Deserve Better" on YouTube.