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November 15, 2023: Daddy B. Nice's News & Notes  Awards shows are the latest-trending, fan-drawing events in southern soul culture, rivaling concerts in some respects. The Meridian Southern Soul Awards will take place Saturday, November 25, 2023 at the Temple Theater Ballroom in the east-central Mississippi town of Meridian, which lies (depending on where you're coming from) either straight north from Mobile or straight east from Jackson. Sponsored by the Southern Soul Honors Music Society, the gala will last from 6 to 10 pm and feature both black-tie attire, champagne and red carpet preliminaries along with an after-party. Feted artists for the main event will include Jaye Hammer, Lady Q, Mz Connie, FPJ, Kue, Derek TheChangeman Smith, Newz Williams, Mark Holloway, Melanie From My Soul, Keneisha, and Latrell Milkman Knight, with special guests Trey Banz, 7 Ward Shorty, The Silver Fox Squad, and The Curvy Queenz of Dallas. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite....
 Meanwhile, the inaugural People's Choice Southern Soul Awards Show of North Louisiana will take place on November 19th at the Arcadia Event Center in Arcadia, Louisiana. This too is a black tie event with formal or semi-formal black and gold attire encouraged. Nominees in 43 categories will be recognized. Headliners include T.K. Soul- Soul & Blues, Evangelist Mary Echols- Southern Soul Gospel, Kenne Wayne- Soul & Blues, Nellie Tiger Travis- Southern Soul & Blues, Ghetto Cowboy- Juke Joint & Southern Soul Blues, Ms. Jody- Queen of the Trail Ride Southern Soul & Blues, Crystal Thomas - International Blues, Benito- Southern Soul RnB & Blues, DJ Scott Banks - Southern Soul RnB & Soul Blues DJ, Ronald (Slack) Jefferson- Southern Soul RnB & Soul Blues Producer, and Omar Cunningham - Songwriter Southern Soul RnB & Soul Blues. Tickets and information can be procured at Eventbrite....
 New artist Lady Redtopp ("Part Time Lover," "Mississippi Soul Girl," "Master Key") is dropping new songs with an alacrity not seen since West Love broke on the southern soul scene in 2019-20, and a debut album will soon be released....King George currently has no less than 25 upcoming Blues Is Alright Tour concerts scheduled through June of 2024.... No stranger to Grammies, Bobby Rush is once again a nominee for the 2024 Grammy Awards in the Traditional Blues Album category for his album "All My Love For You"....
 Tickets for the "Stand Up In It Grown Folks Blues Party" headlined by Theodis Ealey December 2nd in Greenville S.C. are going alll the way from a modest $40 to a lofty $500 per....
I often get asked: "How can I get a steady source of new southern soul music?" You could do worse than contact these ladies....The hardest-working must surely be Melody Hudson (aka DJ Melle Mel), who sends out timely e-mail blasts of the newest southern soul mp3's from her industry niche at That Lady DJ Productions....Lisa Good of FiveStarPromo also does a great job of distributing the just-released music on a consistent basis....Yolanda Marshall, an artist herself, also e-mails breaking mp3's and is coming on strong....
 Of all the towns in the Mississippi Delta none has a reputation for hostility to southern soul music to rival Clarksdale, Mississippi. In fact, I can't remember recording a single southern soul concert in Clarksdale in years and can say with confidence that I've posted less billings than I can count on one hand in all the years I've run the Concert Calendar. Much of the blame can be put on the Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale's signature venue, which has a widespread and deserved reputation for showcasing "straight" blues artists to white and mixed audiences. I believe it has also been predominately white-owned, although the actor Morgan Freeman had a partial ownership at one point. But they just won't book southern soul singers....
 That's why I take special pleasure in announcing the appearance of O.B. Buchana November 17th at a new Clarksdale venue, Buster's Downhome Blues Club. And there's more! Tried and true Mississippi southern soul boys Big Yayo, Vick Allen, and Terry Wright will be bringing the southern soul sound less than a month later to the Clarksdale Civic Auditorium Saturday, December 2nd. Hoorah, Clarksdale!....
 Nellie "Tiger" Travis has joined the cast of the upcoming movie "Southern Soul Sunday" as Loretta, mother of the future King Of Southern Soul. The press blip notes that "with stage play experience, she bring authenticity to the character's role and delivers a powerful scene showing how far a mother's love will go for her son"....M. Cally currently sits atop Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 Singles with the #1-ranked soundtrack from the film, "Southern Soul Sunday"....
 Speaking of which, your Daddy B. Nice takes on his #1-ranked southern soul artist in a new CD review of Tucka's just-released "The Man Your Guy Can't Stand" this month. Basically, I express some doubt that it's one of Tucka's better albums. See what you think. I'll be sure to duck.
 Finally, kudos to my man Sir Charles Jones. Although it may rate among his more arcane accomplishments, Charles has hands-down the longest list of hyper-links of any artist in Daddy B. Nice's Comprehensive Index, a testament to his southern soul presence and influence over the last two decades. A near-quarter century, I might add, in which southern soul music has blossomed and welcomed an unparallelled influx of enthusiastic, younger-generational talent in defiance of the dire predictions that southern soul would die out as the older generation of stars passed. It may be too much to say Sir Charles was responsible, but he was the central figure, steadfastly planting the tattered southern soul banner in the consciousness of the South. Scroll down the "J" page, past J'Cenae and J-Wonn, down past the Jacksons---Michael and Millie and Nicole of "Can We Go There" fame---past the Jay Morris Group who wasn't even there five years ago, past Katrenia Jefferson who longtimers will never forget, past the monumental Ms. Jody with her long train of links, past all the Johnsons and then into the thicket of Joneses ....Jeter of course, past the legendary Senator Jones, who was so instrumental in getting Charles published, and finally to Sir Charles Jones, and you scroll down the page through links that keep descending, and you scroll, and you scroll some more. It's like a history of our times. Click some of the links. See where you land. You'll be amazed.
---Daddy B. Nice
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November 5, 2023:TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: NOVEMBERAn expanded list of the songs vying for "Top Ten Singles" in November 2023.
 1. "Southern Soul Sunday"---M. Cally
2. "When She's Had Enough"---Lady Q
3. "Mark You Off"---Miron Simpson
4. "I'll Take You There"---Jeter Jones
5. "Mississippi Soul Girl"---Lady Redtopp
6. "Party For A Moment"---T.K. Soul
7. "Love You Down"---J-Wonn feat. Melvin Riley
8. "Southern Soul Man"---Mr. House
9. "Who Da Hell Do You Think I Am"---Boss Lady
10. "Ride Out"---Southern Soul Cadillac Cho
11. "Fly Me To The Moon"---Tucka
12. "Tonight"---Highway Heavy feat. Robert Butler
13. "Boot Scoot Dance"---Willie Clayton
14. "Make It Squeeze"---Roz-Land
15. "Good Thang Where Ya At"---Roi "Chip" Anthony
16. "Let's Ride"---David J
17. "Hey DJ"---Gipp The Slugga feat. Andrew Jackson & Max Minelli
18. "Show Me"---David Walker
19. "Stop"---Evette Busby
20. "My Bestie"---David Brinston
 21. "No Refunds"---Karen Wolfe
22. "Southern Brother"---Sema'j
23. "Country Boy Slide"---E.J. Soul feat. Narvel Echols
24. "Miserable"---Magic One
25. "Brag About You"---William Bell
26. "Sex Me Up" (Re-Entry)---B. Dupree
27. "Gonna Be"---Fel Davis feat. Earl Powell
28. "Body's Callin'"---Southern Soul Cadillac Cho
29. "Caught Up"---Sheila B. Sexi feat. Angie B
30. "Captain Save A Hoe"---Cadillac Man
 31. "Freaky Tonight"---Ciddy Boi P feat. Queen Denae
32. "Shut Yo Mouth"---DJ A.J. Capone
33. "A Country Boy Love Song"---Marcellus The Singer
34. "It Is What It Is"---Mr. Versatile feat. Soulful Torrie
35. "Yo Unc's Outside Tonight"---Nigel Perkins
36. "Forgot To Remember"---Leroy Allen
37. "Delta Blues"---Arthur Young
38. "Trailride Soultrain Line"---T.K. Soul
39. "Your Love Has Captured Me"---Andre' Lee
40. "Transition"---Columbus Toy
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October 20, 2023:Daddy B. Nice's News & Notes Bobby Rush is 90 years old! Ninety! This man has conquered every obstacle put in front of him in this roller-coaster journey we call life. And guess what he's about to do in 2024. Play Lincoln Center. That's right. The Lincoln Center, the pinnacle performance venue for ballet, opera and symphonic music in New York City. Bobby will headline a three-gig stint in a special jazz series sponsored by Lincoln Center in January along with Shemekia Copeland, who actually made Daddy B. Nice's first ever Top 100 Chart of Artist Guides back in the early 2000's. That was before it became evident Copeland would take a "straight blues" path to fame, unlike Rush who did it the hard way.
 "What's the hard way?" you ask. The southern soul way, of course! Although, over the course of the last decade, Bobby has been playing a toned-down blues to predominately white audiences, perhaps unknowingly prepping for Lincoln Center all the while. The concerts are 7 pm, Friday, January 26, 7 pm Saturday, January 27, & 9:30 pm, Saturday, January 27 2024. This is the ultimate dress-to-impress event. See Daddy B. Nice's Concert Calendar.
Back on the more modest home ground of the Deep South, up-and-coming southern-souler M. Cally ("Brown Liquor," "Daisy Dukes & Cowboy Boots") will hit the road this fall on his Brown Liquor Tour, with dates in (among others) Florida, Atlanta, Jackson Ms. (2 dates) and Texas, including 3 dates in Houston. Cally has also just released a song called "Southern Soul Sunday" from the upcoming movie soundtrack of the same name.
 Rue Davis is in concert October 21st at Taylors of Houston if you're anywhere near. He's forgotten more southern soul than most of us will ever know, and he appears only rarely. See him while you still can. This is a celebration for "Rue & Friends": those appearing with him include J. Red, Volton Wright, Chrissy Luvz, DJ Wildman Tim and Casanova.
The Blues Is Alright Tour motors into Florida through the end of October, with dates in Hollywood (Miami), Jacksonville and Tallahassee. Artists appearing include Theodis Ealey, Lenny Williams, King George, Calvin Richardson, Pokey Bear, Tucka, Lenny Williams and Ronnie Bell. See Calendar for specific dates and artists.  Incidentally, Ronnie Bell is up to 19 million views on just one of his YouTube pages for "I'll Pay The Shipping Cost," making it one of the most iconic southern soul classics of the last decade. An Austin DJ recently wrote into the Mailbag asking if there was an instrumental version of the song. His crowd loves "Shipping Cost".
France is now the country second to the United States in interest in Southern Soul, gauged by monthly visitor statistics at SouthernSoulRnB.com. I was surprised. And by a wide margin, bypassing Canada, Germany and England, all of whom were formerly ahead of France in visitor interest.
Whatever happened to...???
Robert Hill
Robert "The Juice" Lenoir
Lorraine Turner
Huriah Boynton
Renea Mitchell
Lois
Judi Blue Eyes
Raine
An-Jay
Mystery Man
Thomisene Anderson
Sterling Harrison
Divine
The Rhythm All Stars
Larry Shannon Hargrove
Honey
Arthur Foy
Carl Marshall
Vince Hutchinson
Beat Flippa
Lijuana
Biggg Shady
Booker Brown
Mashaa
Jill Sharp
Leon McMullen
Willie B.
T Baby
Ms. Tabatha
Sunny Ridell
Equanya
Vel Omarr
Bruce Billups???
Email daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
--Daddy B. Nice
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 October 5, 2023:
Billy "Soul" Bonds R.I.P! Click here!
October 4, 2023:TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: OCTOBERAn expanded list of the songs vying for "Top Ten Singles" in October 2023.
1. "Part Time Lover"---Lady Redtopp
2. "Take My Time"---Big Mel feat. Ms. Jody
3. "Big Fine Slim Fine"---Royal D
4. "Country Boys"---Al Davis feat. Jeter Jones & Ty Juan
5. "If Heaven Had A Phone"---Adrian Bagher
6. "That Thang I Like"---Bre Wooten
7. "Slippery"---S. Dott feat. Hasan Green
8. "Sugar Daddy"---BadGir
9. "Pull Up On Me"---DJ Chill Will feat. Volton Wright, Jeter Jones & B. Pureese
10. "Southern Soul Blues"---Delta Boy Soul
 11. "Too Old For The Bullshit"---Bigg Robb
12. "Work It Out (Southern Soul/Blues Mix)"---Gwen Yvette
13. "Grass Ain't Greener"---DJ ChillWillBaby feat. Volton Wright, Jeter Jones & Nelson Curry
14. "Wop That Thang"---Unkle Phunk feat. King Russell
15. "Hate On Me"---Frank Johnson
16. "Sunday Night Drive"---J. Lake
17. "Summa Dat"---Solomon Thompson
18. "That Come Back"---M. Cally
19. "I Cheated Clean/I Cheated Dirty"---Toy Toy
20. "Just Got Off"---Royal D
 21. "Roll That Juicy"---Volton Wright
22. "What Are We Gonna Do?"---Stevie J. Blues feat. DeNisa
23. "Wall To Wall"---Radio Rasheed
24. "The Letter"---Marcellus The Singer
25. "Big Ole Girl"---BreezeMrDo2Much
26. "The Other Woman" (Re-Entry)---Angel Faye Russell
27. "Glide"---Rosalyn Candy
28. "Just For The Grown Folks"---C.J. Hill
29. "Chained To You"---Sweet Lou, Drea 'C, Lady D, Chay Crews, Harrison Hollingquest
30. "Jack Hamma"---Boss Hogg, Buddy Luv
 31. "Like I Do"---Magic One feat. Cupid
32. "Get Yo Sexy On"---Mr. Sam
33. "Half Stepp'n"---Paul Ruffin
34. "Still The Blues"---Narvel Echols
35. "Oooh Wee""---Donnell Davis
36. "Like Marvin"---Stevie J. Blues
37. "Sunshine And Rain"---J. Anthony
38. "Bad Man"---Carlin Taylor
39. "Still The Blues"---Narvel Echols
40. "Don't Bother Me"---Smoke Dogg
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 September 23, 2023:News & NotesKing George and the Bruce Wayne Band were surprise performers on the last eve of the Southern Soul Radio Music Conference in Atlanta last month....Wendell B's passing has ignited a resurgence of interest in his work, with multiple albums on the charts, including his last and greatest, Real Talk, at #1....Money Waters, the rapper who partnered with Jus Epik on the homespun and catchy "Country Girl" last year, has released a new hiphop set, The Porch II....New southern soul CD releases, on the other hand, are at an all-time low (recording artists would do well to take note when timing their releases next year)....Late-summer albums by Bigg Robb, Jeter Jones, William Bell and Ms. Jody are taking up the slack....New southern soul stars---Pokey Bear, King George---and old southern soul stars---Lenny Williams, Theodis Ealey---and fellow performers will head for the Mid-Atlantic (Norfolk, Baltimore) in October....
Who is Frank Johnson? Well, he's not southern soul's legendary songwriter/performer, Frank-O Johnson. Just one of a multitude of new southern soul singers. What distinguishes him is he's the first performer whose artistic influences can be definitively traced back to King George, right down to the eerily similar vocals.....Oh, and guess what. Johnson's new single "Hate On Me" was produced by George's producer, Kang803....
 Adrian Bagher has come a long way since his first single "Come Around This Corner (99 Problems I Can Help You Solve)" in 2013. He routinely scores singles in the millions of views on YouTube, and he has just released his new album ISM with no less than seventeen apparently all-new songs. See New Album Alert....Unkle Phunk is back with King Russell on a track titled "Wop That Thang". The YouTube video features some downright serious twerking....
"Part Time Lover" is suddenly a popular song title again. New artist Lady Reddtop has released a single called "Part Time Lover" and a new male artist named J. Lake has done the same. Longtime southern soul aficionados know "Part Time Lover" as the unique, out-of-print classic by little-known yet legendary southern soul diva Lady J. Her "Part Time Lover" has generated dozens of letters to DBN's Mailbag over the last two decades requesting a copy.
The Blues Is Alright tour picks up steam this fall, with dates in Raleigh N.C. 9/29, Greenville S.C. 9/30, Baltimore MD. 10/6, Norfolk VA. 10/7, Huntsville AL. 10/13, Monroe LA. 10/15, Orlando FL 11/3, Fayetteville N.C. 11/4, Tupelo MS. 11/10, Biloxi MS. 11/11, Greensboro N.C. 11/17 and Albany GA. 11/18. For new fans, the Blues Is Alright Tour is southern soul music's most prestigious concert tour featuring the genre's highest-grossing artists. See Concert Calendar.
---Daddy B. Nice
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September 3, 2023:TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: SEPTEMBERAn expanded list of the songs vying for "Top Ten Singles" in September 2023.
 1. "Auntie Outside"---Mike Clark Jr.
2. "Dip"---CuznJed feat. Koray Broussard
3. "Gotta Do Right"---P2K DaDiddy feat. FPJ
4. "Talk My Shit"---Jay Morris Group
5. "Trail Ride Jump"---Cheff Da Entertainer feat. Poka Jones & Sticky P
6. "I'm Packing My Clothes"---O.C. Soul
7. "You Must Be Smokin'"---Rodnae Da Boss
8. "Sexy Real Bad"---Avail Hollywood feat. DJ Trac
9. "Here I Stand"---Nellie "Tiger" Travis
10. "Just Like That"---L.J. Echols
 11. "If You Can't Add"---Ms. Monique
12. "It's Been A Long Time"---Memphis Jackson (Re-entry)
13. "Woman In The Middle"---Bre Wooten
14. "That Trail Ride Life"---J.B. Hendricks
15. "Get My Party On"---Sema'j
16. "Shawty"---Willie Clayton
17. "Your Good Stuff"---Mark "Muleman" Massey
18. "Busted Cheating At The Holiday Inn"---Mr. Midnight
19. "Full Tank Of Gas"---P2K DaDiddy
20. "Please Come Back To Me"---The Swinging Bridgettes
 21. "Whole Check"---Lady Q
22. "Change My Mind"---K.D. Dawson
23. "Want Ads"---Dolla Bill Dodson
24. "Reset Button"---Mr. Nelson
25. "At The Trailride"---Chauncey Likes
26. "Trailride Shawty"---Marcellus The Singer
27. "Chop It Up"---King George & Joe Eddy Jr.
28. "Good Energy"---Carlin Taylor
29. "Party"---Terry B feat. Tonio Armani
30. "Ooh Wee"---Hisyde
 31. "Am I Not Enough?"---J'Cenae
32. "I Don't Wanna Go Home"---Freaky B
33. "I Don't Know (What You're Doing To Me)"---Big 251
34. "Creekwater"---Country Boy
35. "Pimp Down"---J.B. Hendricks
36. "Thick"---Chauncey Likes feat. Don Gotcha
37. "Life Of A Blues Man"---Robert Day & Hoosier Blue
38. "Come Home With Me"---Jeter Jones feat. LaMorris Williams & Volton Wright
39. "Fake Ass Family Folk"---Steve Perry
40. "Trailride"---Tyrone Grant
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 August 5, 2023:Wendell B, the "Barry White" of Southern Soul music, has passed away. Wendell Brown, aka Wendell B, died peacefully from cancer complications early Thursday, August 3, 2023. Wendell Brown had been noticeably absent from the concert scene for the past year, and his battle with cancer had been kept secret by his family. Wendell had been scheduled to return to concert appearances only recently. Click here to read reactions and tributes from friends and peers. Wendell B. is a Top 10-ranked southern soul artist on Daddy B. Nice's most current artist chart, the New Generation of Southern Soul.
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 June 17, 2023:THE LOVE DOCTOR R.I.P. See "The Love Doctor (aka Lewis Clark) Enters Soul Heaven."
...Continued....Monthly Singles Charts from right-hand column....
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------MARCH 2023-------
 1. "Top Of The Line"-----Narvel Echols
Wild, rough, yet melodic and anthemic, it has just the right cocktail of ingredients to hit that fabled southern soul "sweet spot". Remember "Pour Me A Drank"? Narvel has done it again. From his new For The Ladies album.
Listen to Narvel Echols singing "Top Of The Line" on You Tube.
2. "Take You Down Through There"-----J-Wonn
J-Wonn ambles through a two-stepping tempo with rock-star assurance. Love it. Do more dance jams, J-Wonn. From his new The Foundation album.
Listen to J-Wonn singing "Take You Down Through There" on YouTube.
3. "Mr. Big Stuff"-----Evette Busby
No one really knows how you get signed to Malaco Records (so many greats have tried and failed). But Evette Busby did it. Let's hope she fares better than Grady Champion and Queen Emily, who sank faster than stones. One thing you can't deny. When Malaco produces a record, it's on a whole other level. Second great cover song of the year.
Listen to Evette Busby singing "Mr. Big Stuff" on YouTube.
4. "Good Time" ------Tyree Neal
I've often praised Tyree Neal's guitar and instrumental work (none better than this very song) while remaining relatively unimpressed with his singing."Good Time" holds your attention from start to end. It's a great ballad and an impressive vocal, alluringly double-tracked at times and divided into separate harmony lines at others, with a dash of call and response, and all made more indelible by the song's brevity (3 minutes).
Listen to Tyree Neal singing "Good Time" on YouTube.
5. "What's Happening Now"-----Jeter Jones
Jeter Jones gets socially conscious. A good thang.
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "What's Happening Now" on YouTube.
See Daddy B. Nice's new 5-Star ("Southern Soul Heaven") Review of Jeter Jones' SUGAR HILL HIGHWAY 84 .
6. "Just A Man"-----Volton Wright
It's getting damned hard not to consider Volton Wright a top-of-the-line playa. Produced (and marketed) by Slack (Ronald Jefferson).
Listen to Volton Wright singing "Just A Man" on YouTube.
7. "Pour Up"-----Neko G (Neko Grinday)
A strong debut by a new artist.
Listen to Neko G. singing "Pour Up" on YouTube.
8. "Good Country Girl"-----Freaky B 2.0
A strong debut by a new artist.
Listen to Freaky B 2.0 singing "Good Country Girl" on YouTube.
9. "Steppin' Out"-----Tyronica "Badgir" Rawls feat. King George
Yet another solid debut---this one assisted by King George (as forty-four thousand YouTube viewers already know).
Listen to Tyronica Rawls & King George singing "Steppin' Out" on YouTube.
Also check out Tyronica Rawls on TikTok.
10. "Still With Her"-----F.P.J.
This is a slow turn by the young artist who had the hit single "If You Gone Pop It" with J-Wonn.
Listen to F.P.J. singing "Still With Her" on YouTube.
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------FEBRUARY 2023-------
 1. "I Found Love"-----Jeter Jones
It's not Johnnie Taylor's gospel-drenched "I Found Love," nor Robert "The Duke" Tillman's, nor Jeff Floyd's on that lonely highway. Yet Jeter Jones' "I Found Love" succeeds on the strength of its Hemi-engine rhythm track and alluring chorus. "Good loving in the morning / Good cooking in the kitchen!" Jones' vocal on the choruses---especially the little moans and clicks on the off-notes---accentuates the timing, transforming "I Found Love" into a sneakily pleasurable club (or kitchen) jam.
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "I Found Love" on You Tube.
2. "Moving At Your Speed"-----J'Cenae feat. J-Wonn
As vocal partners J'Cenae and J-Wonn are right up there with the classic male/female duos of soul's storied past. The song comes dripping in emotion (and commercial crossover potential), yet it's not cloying or sentimental.
Listen to J'Cenae & J-Wonn singing "Moving At Your Speed" on YouTube.
3. "Messy"-----King George feat. Coldrank
This tune has already launched like a missile on YouTube and other outlets and for good reason. It's got the purest KG pedigree of any single he's recorded since his introductory run of classics. See Daddy B. Nice’s Best of 2022.
Listen to King George and Coldrank singing "Messy" on YouTube.
4. "Boy You Got It"-----Stephanie McDee
The first notable cover song of the year, by Daddy B. Nice's Best Female Vocalist of 2022, redoing King George's "Girl You Got It". And the first time I heard Stephanie drawl, "Ooh girl, I could just sop him up with a biscuit," I laughed out loud in the middle of the record. Expertly produced.
Listen to Stephanie McDee singing "Boy You Got It" on YouTube.
5. "Free"-----Jeter Jones
This song has been working its way up the chart despite its negativity. Yes, it's bleak. And yes, it's weird. But once you open yourself to the weirdness---the high-pitched yells and wails etc.---and think of it as "the blues" (and divorce is definitely the blues), it all falls into place. From Jeter's new Sugar Hill Highway 84.
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "Free" on YouTube.
6. "Woman In Love"-----David Brinston
Sunniest song David Brinston's recorded in years. You may dreamily wonder why the subject of women in love (one of life's miracles) doesn't come up in song more often. And yet it's there in the history. Remember Brinston's Party Til The Lights Go Out"?
Listen to David Brinston singing "Woman In Love" on YouTube.
7. "You Know I Love You"-----J. Rizo
A strong debut by a new artist.
Listen to J. Rizo singing "You Know I Love You" on YouTube.
8. "Lick It"-----David J feat. Solomon Thompson
These two make magic when they harmonize.
Listen to David J and Solomon Thompson" singing "Lick It" on YouTube.
9. "Ooh Wee Baby"-----Jeter Jones feat. Volton Wright
Another good one from Jeter's hit-laden Sugar Hill Highway 84.
Listen to Jeter Jones & Volton Wright singing "Ooh Wee Baby" on YouTube.
10. "It's A Southern Soul Thang"-----DJ Harvey
Ever wonder what Lou Reed would have sounded like singing southern soul?
Listen to DJ Harvey singing "It's A Southern Soul Thang" on YouTube.
Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------JANUARY 2023-------
1. "Highway 55" ----- Sir Charles Jones
"I put the gun to my head/ On Highway 55"... Who has the courage, character and musical palette to even deal with turning this kind of painful personal drama into art? Only Sir Charles. How about, for instance, the quick, apt, soap-opera-like trill of the organ following "Somebody's trying to poison me"? Highway 55, of course, is I-55, the main north/south artery through the Mississippi Delta. From the King of Southern Soul's new quasi-gospel album, My Life's Testimony.
Listen to Sir Charles Jones singing "Highway 55" on YouTube.
2. "The Mac" ----- West Love feat. King George
This feisty little lady just keeps exceeding expectations in her quest to become the #1 diva in southern soul. The title "The Mac" is puzzling. Of course, one thinks of "Return of the Mack". The chorus is unusually sophisticated (jazzy)---mixed, filtered, enhanced---with a touch of the superb Dinah Washington in West Love's vocal, but the verses are reassuringly down-to-earth---some of the best southern soul vocalizing in memory. Even the great King George's vocal gets the musical version of a "perm". Irresistible.
Listen to West Love & King George singing "The Mac" on YouTube.
3. "Church Candy"-----Jeter Jones
"Church Candy" begins unassumingly, but it's perfect in its simplicity. A church-style organ gives the instrumental track a refreshingly original identity, and the story told in its lyrics is not only a charming vignette but a triumph of compression.
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "Church Candy" on YouTube.
4. "I Ain't Leaving My Lady" ----- Jeter Jones
Jeter Jones' bountiful, new double-album Sugar Hill Highway 84, of which "Church Candy" and "I Ain't Leaving My Lady" are part, delves into the nasty subject of divorce in the powerful songs "Free" and "Gone," but the melodic and hauntingly evocative "I Ain't Leaving My Lady" provides an uplifting counterpoint.
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "I Ain't Leaving My Lady" on YouTube.
5. "Bayou Classy Lady" ----- Ciddy Boi P feat. Keyun & The Zydeco Masters
Here's the best southern soul/zydeco hybrid to come out lately. It's my man Ciddy Boi P ("Can I Get It?," "My Corner Sto") once again working his feel-good magic.
Listen to Ciddy Boi P & Keyun & The Zydeco Masters singing "Bayou Classy Lady".
6. "Hallelujah & Amen" ----- Avail Hollywood
No one in current southern soul is vocalizing better than Avail Hollywood. He's a joy to listen to, and he's got a great vehicle in "Hallelujah & Amen".
Listen to Avail Hollywood singing "Hallelujah & Amen" on YouTube.
7. "Bet Yo Mama Like It" ----- Carlin Taylor
The instrumental track rocks. Another snappy hit from the performer who brought you the Top-25 Best of 2022 single "Keep It 100".
Listen to Carlin Taylor singing "Bet Yo Mama Like It" on YouTube.
8. "Ol Skool Game" ----- Chris Ivy
It's Mr. Ivy of "Turn Road" fame, sporting a fine melody composed by Omar Cunningham.
Listen to Chris Ivy singing "Ol Skool Game" on YouTube.
9. "We Be Acting Up" ----- Jeter Jones
Despite (or maybe because of) its minimalist, piano-pounding arrangement, this tune burns with the intensity of Jeter's scorching blues vocal.
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "We Be Acting Up" on YouTube.
10. "Shot Of Moonshine" ----- Marcellus The Singer
"Toxic Love" has accrued three million views on its various You
Tube pages, and Marcellus will only add to that audience with this mature outing, which proves he's got this balladeering thing down.
Listen to Marcellus The Singer singing "Shot Of Moonshine" on YouTube.
under construction! under constant revision!
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------NOVEMBER 2023-------
1. "Southern Soul Sunday"-----M. Cally
His “Brown Liquor” announced the presence of a genuine talent, and his “Daisy Dukes & Cowboy Boots” reinforced his stature, but M. Cally’s “Southern Soul Sunday” is unique and best of all. It crosses all kinds of genre borders, yet it burns with a southern soul luminosity that will make Cally a headliner in any southern soul venue he wishes to grace.
Listen to M. Cally singing "Southern Soul Sunday" on YouTube.
2. "When She's Had Enough"----Lady Q
This song would have most mainstream R&B vocalists tied in knots of histrionics. Lady Q rightfully downplays the urge, delivering a somber and straightforward vocal that captures the gravity and finality of the message, making it all the more memorable.
Listen to Lady Q singing "When She's Had Enough"
3. "Mark You Off"----Miron Simpson
In another, less hit-laden month, this astounding debut could easily have been a #1 single. I still can't believe more people aren't onto it. In a genre known for its great male singers, Miron is second to none. Put him on a stage with anyone and he's gonna hold his own---and he's just out of the gate.
Listen to Miron Simpson singing "Mark You Off" on YouTube.
4. "I'll Take You There"-----Jeter Jones
Captivating, gentle, come-hither song with great production (with cool percussion!) and of course vocal. The vocals, in fact, come so frequently we take them for granted. Albeit more low-key, this tune has the tempo, simplicity and charisma of Jeter's famed "Black Horse".
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "I'll Take You There" on YouTube.
5. "Mississippi Soul Girl"----Lady Redtopp
What I thought might be a one-hit wonder at #1 last month wasn't a fluke. Lady Redtopp brings her Louis-Luggage to southern soul, with lots more songs, scads of touring dates (especially for a first-timer), and props onstage with celebrities like King George. Here she tackles our beloved "Mississippi Boy" (which was a 1-hit wonder back in the day) with zest and savvy.
Listen to Lady Redtopp singing "Mississippi Soul Girl" on YouTube.
6. "Party For A Moment"----T.K. Soul
A beautiful song that even new G's should appreciate. It too could be a #1 single in a less hit-laden month. The string intro and coda are gorgeous, and the instrumental track rocks you like a cradle. The way T.K. addresses the audience ("Hey there, nice to meet you") reminds me of another song from his past in which he engages with the listener to eerily empathic effect. (The song just won't cooperate, it escapes me.) The point is, T.K. Soul does this sort of thing better than anyone. From his new SOUTHERN SOUL OG album.
Listen to T.K. Soul singing "Party For A Moment" on YouTube.
7. "Love You Down (Southern Soul Style)"-----J-Wonn feat. Melvin Riley
Listen to J-Wonn & Melvin Riley singing "Love You Down" on YouTube
8. "Southern Soul Man"-----Mr. House
Listen to Mr. House singing "Southern Soul Man" on YouTube.
9. "Who Da Hell Do You Think I Am?"-----Boss Lady
Listen to Boss Lady singing "Who Da Hell Do You Think I Am?"
10. "Ride Out"------Southern Soul Cadillac Cho
Listen to Southern Soul Cadillac Cho singing "Ride Out" on YouTube.
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------OCTOBER 2023-------
1. Part-Time
Lov-
er"-----Lady Redtopp
Joyous, crude, earthy, unschooled. No other genre would give it a minute. Yet, Southern soul DNA courses through these admittedly ramshackle stanzas. The vocalist reminds me of the great girl-group singers of the sixties plucked from the high schools of New York and Philly for the express purpose of achieving authenticity. "I had to put my big girl panties on," Lady Redtopp exclaims. "It took everything in me / To leave that man alone."
Listen to Lady Redtopp singing "Part Time Lover" on YouTube.
2. "Take My Time"-----Big Mel feat. Ms. Jody
Big Mel and Ms. Jody extol the virtues of slow-rolling in one of the premier duets of 2023. Mississippian Big Mel debuted with a hiphop album in 2019 and an R&B album in 2020, but "Take My Time" marks his transformation into a southern soul singer of the first order.
Listen to Big Mel and Ms. Jody singing "Take My Time" on YouTube.
3. "Big Fine Slim Fine"----Royal D
Royal D finally hits the southern soul jugular vein with this simple, beautifully-written song produced by Bitty Beats. His gentle vocal and focus on good eats may remind listeners of last year's "Magic Woman" by Binky Womack (Bobby's son).
Listen to Royal D singing "Big Fine Slim Fine" on YouTube.
4. "Country Boys"-----Al Davis feat. Ty Juan & Jeter Jones
This song has the heft and spirit of last year's award-winning "Country Boy Remix," although it's a completely different song. Jeter Jones, southern soul's #1 country boy, is what both have in common.
Listen to Al Davis and friends singing "Country Boys" on YouTube.
5. "If Heaven Had A Phone"----Adrian Bagher
Great vocal! I can imagine choirs and congregations singing "If Heaven Had A Phone" in the hipper churches. From Adrian Bagher's excellent, 5-star-rated release, ISM.
Listen to Adrian Bagher singing "If Heaven Had A Phone" on YouTube.
6. "That Thang I Like"--------Bre Wooten
For all its lascivious intent and content, what one takes away from this song is the softened, diplomatic and quintessentially feminine way the singer describes candy-licking as "that thang I like".
Listen to Bre Wooten singing "That Thang I Like" on YouTube.
7. "Slippery (When It's Wet)"-----S. Dott feat. Hasan Green
On the heels of S. Dott's #1-charting August single "Cowgirl Trailride" comes yet another strong release from the young phenom.
Listen to S. Dott & Hasan Green singing "Slippery (When It's Wet)" on YouTube.
8. "Suga Daddy"-----BadGir
This is Tyronica Rawls whose single "Steppin' Out" with King George turned a lot of heads this spring.
Listen to BadGir singing "Suga Daddy" on YouTube.
9. "Pull Up On Me"-----DJ Chill Will Baby feat. Jeter Jones, B. Pureese & Volton Wright
Volton Wright is the engine that powers this club jam supreme.
Listen to DJ Chill Will Baby and friends singing "Pull Up On Me" on YouTube.
"Southern Soul Blues"------Delta Boy Soul
Listen to Delta Boy Soul singing "Southern Soul Blues" on YouTube.
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------SEPTEMBER 2023-------
1."Auntie Outside Tonight"-----Mike Clark Jr.
Macon, Georgia. First time out. Electric vocal. And without another recorded single to his name, Mike Clark, Jr. shoots like a bunny rabbit through all the other hard-working and talented, up-and-coming artists who've been around longer but who haven't been lucky enough to score the right song in the right place at the right time. "Auntie Outside's" the right song, and Mike Clark Jr.'s the man.
Listen to Mike Clark Jr. singing "Auntie Outside Tonight" on YouTube.
2. "Dip"----Cuznjed feat. Koray Broussard
Good time music in its purest essence. Broussard's button accordian is the best zydeco accompaniment in a southern soul song this year. Cuznjed made the Top 10 last year with "Louisiana Soulfood".
3.Listen to Cuznjed feat. Koray Broussard singing "Dip" on YouTube.
"Gotta Do Right"----P2K DaDiddy feat. FPJ
Musically and lyrically, "Gotta Do Right" mimics the style of "U-Turn" yet plows enough new creative ground to be original and interesting in its own right. See P2K enters the Top 100 The New Generation of Southern Soul at #31.
Listen to P2K and FPJ singing "Gotta Do Right" on YouTube.
4. "Talk My Shit"-----Jay Morris Group
Strong new single from JMG, with an edge that should have people talking about it.
Listen to the Jay Morris Group singing "Talk My Shit" on YouTube.
5. "Trail Ride Jump"----Cheff Da Entertainer feat. Poka Jones & Sticky P
Cheff Da Entertainer's best yet. Obsessive groove with plenty of variety and vocal toppings.
Listen to Cheff et.al. singing "Trail Ride Jump" (click "Trail Ride Jump.mp3").
6. "I'm Packing My Clothes"----O.C. Soul
Robust, old-school slice-of-life by a singer with a wonderful vocal tone. O.C. Soul charted with "You Can Ride It" in July of 2019.
Listen to O.C. Soul singing "I'm Packing My Clothes" on YouTube.
7. You Must Be Smokin'"-----Rodnae Da Boss
You knew it was only a matter of time before this phrase found its way into a song. Rodnae hits the sweet spot.
Listen to Rodnae singing "You Must Be Smokin'!" on YouTube.
8. "Sexy Real Bad"----Avail Hollywood feat. DJ Trac
Avail Hollywood teams up with favorite collaborator DJ Trac to recreate that soulful ambience achieved on "Girl You Bad".
Listen to Avail Hollywood singing"Sexy Real Bad" on YouTube.
9. "Here I Stand"-----Nellie "Tiger" Travis
Impassioned personal statement transforms into tribute to Koko Taylor, Peggy Scott-Adams, Betty Wright and Denise LaSalle.
Listen to Nellie "Tiger" Travis singing "Here I Stand" on YouTube.
10. "Just Like That"-----L.J. Echols
Not to be confused with the LaMarr Deuce Lubin song that charted earlier this year.
Listen to L.J. Echols singing "Just Like That" on YouTube.
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------AUGUST 2023-------
 1."Cowgirl Trailride"-----S. Dott feat. Tonio Armani
Mystery, romance and excitement swirl around this masterfully-produced southern soul anthem by young zydeco sensation S. Dott ("Slow Wind"). "Horses in the stable" (or is it "Horse is in the stable"?) reverberates in the subconscious long after listening. I believe I hear it in my sleep. And "Palomino that I met in Pasadena..."? Even the rapping soothes. The addition of Armani is essential, especially on the uplifting choruses.
Listen to S. Dott and Tonio Armani singing "Cowgirl Trailride" on YouTube.
2. "Lil' Weight (Don't Bother Me)"-----King George
Just as I was posting this on the chart King George's "Lil' Weight" YouTube page hit a million views---and will hit many more millions. This tune is average "junk-yard" southern soul, and yet King George waves his magic wand and transforms it into the belle of the ball. And once again, he comes up with a memorable line: "I like a little cushion / On whatever I'm pushing".
Listen to King George singing "Lil' Weight Don't Bother Me" on YouTube.
3. "Get It! Get It! Pt.2"----Ms. Jody
"A lot of DJs speed that song up just a little bit," Ms. Jody was told about the original "Get It! Get It!" Ms. Jody acted on it and here it is---a stunningly effective dance floor jam. From her new, club-friendly, five-star-rated album A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.
Listen to Ms. Jody singing "Get It! Get It! Pt.2" on YouTube.
4. "Southern Man (The Anthem)"-----Cecily Wilborn feat. West Love
"He kinda growl when he talk..." No, old school southern soul isn't defunct. Not when it's this good.
Listen to Cecily Wilborn and West Love singing "Southern Man" on YouTube.
5. "Good Ole Boyz"-----Jeter Jones
This is one of a pair of cozy, country-style southern soul tunes on Jeter Jones' new, five-star-rated Mufassa II album, the other being the banjo-accompanied "Meet Me (In The Back Of My Truck)".
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "Good Ole Boyz" on YouTube.
6. "Do The Trucker Slide"-----Arthur Young feat. DJ Trucker & Mrs. Ty
Listen to Arthur Young and Mrs. Ty singing "Do The Trucker Slide" on YouTube.
7. "Witcha When Ya Right"-----Marcellus The Singer
Listen to Marcellus singing "Witcha When Ya Right" on YouTube.
8. "Party People"------Tucka
Listen to Tucka singing "Party People" on YouTube.
9. "Most Wanted (Dead Or Alive)" -----Jeter Jones feat. Jake Carter
Listen to Jeter Jones and Jake Carter singing "Most Wanted (Dead Or Alive)" on YouTube.
10. "Man Bout A Horse"-----Mz Tequi
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------JULY 2023-------
1."I Wanna Slow Dance"-----Dee Dee Simon
Talk about a commercial hook. Like a throwback to early-sixties doo-wop and rock and roll, the first 16 bars sound unlike any Dee Dee Simon song ever. Later, as the motif repeats in the intoxicating "bump and grind" chorus, you realize that haunting falsetto is none other than Dee Dee herself, who's simultaneously pulling off the most heartfelt and natural---not to mention least ostentatious and most technically beautiful---vocal of her career. "I Wanna Slow Dance" opens up the whole southern soul world to Dee Dee Simon. She's left port and sailing the ocean and need never look over her shoulder again.
Listen to Dee Dee Simon singing "I Wanna Slow Dance" on YouTube.
See Dee Dee Simon #29 The New Generation Southern Soul.
2. "Nana Pie"------Chris Ivy
I was astonished searching my own site for background on Chris Ivy (famous years ago in southern soul circles for recording "Turn Road" under the name Mr. Ivy) to discover I'd never written an artist guide for him. Chris has been recording off and on all this time, but never a song as relevant and balanced as "Nana Pie," an instant classic and bonafide southern soul anthem.
Listen to Chris Ivy singing "Nana Pie" on YouTube.
3. "Smoke Slide"-----Mr. Smoke
Snobs and wallflowers may call it mindless. "To the left...to the right...to the back...to the front...and then...down to the floor. How many millions of boozey dance floors have played out this choreography? (Personally, I never cared for going to the floor.) Mr. Smoke & Band has been booking festivals like a seasoned veteran and now we know why. Plenty of pile-driving rhythm. From Smoke's new STILL SMOKIN' album.
Listen to Mr. Smoke singing "Smoke Slide" on YouTube.
4. "Back It Up Remix"----Nellie "Tiger" Travis feat. Uncle Daddy aka ERealist
Oh, Nellie... Long-suffering Travis fans haven't been able to really hear her voice on the experimental and novelty records since "Mr. Sexy Man". Now they can on this terrific remix. Nellie has lost some power. It's almost a new voice, but it's good, crystal-clear and silky with that indescribable "Tiger" twang. So great to have her back.
Listen to Nellie "Tiger" Travis singing "Back It Up Remix" on YouTube.
5. "Second Of Your Time Reloaded"-----Highway Heavy feat. Dave Mack & Robert Butler
"Have you ever been fucked in a five-star suite?" takes this month's prize for most scandalous and profane lyric. But the reason for listening is, paradoxically, the dreamy melody and instrumental track. From the wild and winsome Baton Rouge frontier of southern soul and hiphop.
Listen to Highway Heavy, Dave Mack & Robert Butler singing "Second Of Your Time Reloaded"
6. "Sexy When You Stepping"-----T.K. Soul
A unique foray into zydeco (remember "Zydeco Bounce"?) is one of T.K.'s most delicate and simplified tunes in memory. You're left with a glistening button-accordion sound and a couple of images (like the girl dancing on the truck) that you just can't forget.
Listen to T.K. Soul singing "Sexy When You Stepping" on YouTube.
7. "Love Joy Peace Happiness"-----Malcom Simmons feat. Meme Green
Every month there's a debut artist who just can't be denied. Malcom Simmons, what you're putting down is southern soul certified.
Listen to Malcom Simmons singing "Love Joy Peace Happiness" on YouTube.
8. "Black Woman Magic"-----Bigg Robb
Mid-tempo, sophisticated, vocally-enhanced in the storied tradition of "Good Loving Will Make You Cry Remix", Bigg Robb's "Black Woman Magic" opens up fertile ground for Robb to explore more expansive lyrical areas than his trusty drinking and big-man anthems. "She's opened my eyes/ To all kinds of new things" says it all. Capuchinos, bookstores... "Drinking more water/ Cutting back on the fried foods /Getting more exercise..." From Robb's new, four-star-rated Vintage release.
Listen to Bigg Robb singing "Black Woman Magic" on YouTube.
9. "Chicken And Cheeks"-----Lacee
Lacee's got herself a hit single!
Listen to Lacee singing "Chicken And Cheeks" on YouTube.
10. "I'm Ready"-----Donna Renae
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------JUNE 2023-------
 1."Got My Whis-
key"-----Nelson Curry
It’s like DJ Sean Dolby rolls “Got My Whiskey” out the door down to the street, where a parade with floats, marching bands, samba schools and carnival dancers converge on Mel Waiters' southern soul classic Ferris Bueller-style, with Nelson (as Ferris) crushing the vocal. Love the percussion---part-bounce, part Afro-Caribb---and when those drums and horns kick in...you know you're in store for a "cover" song on a whole 'nother level.
Listen to Nelson Curry singing "Got My Whiskey" on YouTube.
See Sean Dolby's new EP (with Joe Nice): I'm The Rapper, He's The DJ.
2. "Smiling And Crying"-----Bigg Robb
Quite simply, Bigg Robb is the "Everyman" who uses a chance meeting in the Waffle House to erect a philosophical argument for social engagement and caregiving one's fellow man, rocking out all the while in a deep, soulful groove. Superb guitar. From his new album Vintage.
Read Daddy B. Nice's 4-star review!
Listen to Bigg Robb singing "Smiling And Crying" on YouTube.
3. "Take Heed (The Same Thing)"-----Young Guy
Here's a younger-generation everyman with a debut single that could become a career cornerstone. It's an old southern soul theme ("the same thing it took to get her...the same to keep her") done with astonishing depth and maturity. There's some Calvin Richardson influence (a first!), but it's incorporated into a more southern soul style, and in turn leavened by a Stan Butler influence (in the monologues).
Listen to Young Guy singing "Take Heed"on YouTube.
4. "Cowgirl"-----Mz. Brown Suga feat. LaRon Reaves
First, congratulations to those who have been digging this song and dancing to it for the past year. And to Mz Brown Suga I say, "Send me the good stuff, not the leftovers." I first got into "Cowgirl" watching a mesmerizing TikTok video of a tall, lean, white cowboy dancing to it on a dirt-floor arena, his arms more of less locked while somehow kicking his legs backwards. So if "Cowgirl" is showing up in white rodeo settings, you know its memorable melody and danceable tempo have already traveled well.
Listen to Mz. Brown Suga singing "Cowgirl" on YouTube.
5. "The Party Ain't Over"-----Ronnie Bell
Kenne' Wayne has owned the title "The Party Ain't Over" for two decades---it's one of his signature songs---but Ronnie Bell has seized it and put out a club jam that is hard to deny and hard to sit still to.
Listen to Ronnie Bell singing "The Party Ain't Over" on YouTube.
6. "What It Is About You"-----T.K. Soul
T.K.'s finest instrumental style: as clean and gleaming as pure Rocky Mountain water tumbling down high-country streams. The perfect backdrop for his remarkable vocal.
Listen to T.K. Soul singing "What It Is About You" on YouTube.
7. "B.Y.O.B. (Bring Yo Own Bottle)"----Queen Denae feat. Big Yayo
Queen Denae is the roughest and toughest new diva on the scene, fresh from a Top 10 Single in April with M. Cally called "Come Get Yo Shit". She makes it sound so easy. But if so, why aren't all the ladies doing it?
Listen to Queen Denae singing "B.Y.O.B. (Bring Yo Own Bottle)" on YouTube.
8. "You Played Too Long"-----Terry Wright
Terry Wright hits the bullseye with this ballad done in the unmistakeable Terry Wright style.
Listen to Terry Wright singing "You Played Too Long" on YouTube.
9. "She's The One That Do It For Me"----Wendell B.
Wendell returns after a long, health-related hiatus. And as good as it is, he's just warming up.
Listen to Wendell B singing "She's The One That Do It For Me" on YouTube.
10. "(I Don't Want) My Sidepiece (No More)"-----Pokey Bear feat. Tyree Neal.
You knew it had to come sooner or later, right? But it's the frisky times we'll remember.
Listen to Pokey and Tyree singing "(I Don't Want) My Sidepiece (No More)" on YouTube.
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------MAY 2023-------
1."Night-Time"-----King George
The first third of 2023 (already passed!) hasn't been bad for new southern soul, but it doesn't hold a candle to 2022 when the phenomenon that is King George came out of nowhere and hit the southern soul sweet spot. He's had a couple of good singles since that initial explosion (since captured on Jook Joint Music), but nothing like the easy-going, slow-burning, mid-tempo, quintessentially southern-soul charm of "Night-time". Fans, rejoice! This is King George in full flower, fulfilling his promise.
Listen to King George singing "Night-Time" on YouTube.
2. "Talk To Me"-----Arthur Young
Notice what's different? Just what I've been harping on. The production! This is so good it sounds live. Robust bass and drums, a smoky soul organ, a bluesy lead guitar, even horns! This might be the most important record Arthur Young has made since "Funky Forty". At last the finest up-and-coming vocalist in southern soul has a stage worthy of his unique pipes.
Listen to Arthur Young singing "Talk To Me" on YouTube.
3. "Brown Liquor"----- M. Cally
This is as close to an anthem as it gets for an artist breaking into the southern soul market. M. Cally has a sure artistic hand and a powerful voice, and he sounds like he's found his one true home.
Listen to M. Cally singing "Brown Liquor" on YouTube.
4. "When I Stop Loving You"------William Bell
The national powers-that-be may call it "americana" but we know who William Bell is (a soul singer) and what it is (southern soul). Beautiful, live-instrument, southern soul. And how about those violins? Along with mouth harps, so sorely missed. From Bell's One Step Closer To Home, the follow-up to his Grammy-winning THIS IS WHERE I LIVE album.
Listen to William Bell singing "When I Stop Loving You" on YouTube.
5. "Good Ole Lovin'"------Mr. Nelson
I discuss Mr. Nelson's "Good Ole Lovin'" (and "my meat in her oven") in my new CD review of Jaye Hammer's BE HAPPY album, and it's complimentary to Nelson, not Hammer. And when I say he's less talented...well, that's up to this point.
Listen to Mr. Nelson singing "Good Ole Lovin'" on YouTube.
6. "Won't Be Your Fool"-----Teslanay
This is the promising young singer (and potential heartbreaker) who recorded "Red Beans And Rice". Check out her photos at https://teslanay.com/
Listen to Teslanay singing "Won't Be Your Fool" on YouTube.
7. "Just Came To Party"-----T. Howell
Debut artist T. Howell made Daddy B. Nice's April "News & Notes" for confusing Sir Charles Jones and T.K. Soul. But that shouldn't deter us from recognizing the fineness of his classic, throwback-sounding "Just Came To Party".
Listen to T. Howell singing "Just Came To Party" on YouTube.
8. "Groove Together (Slide)"-----Uncle Gymini & Lady Jacquelyn (The Married Couple of Southern Soul)
This is a far-out song with a crazy, fizzy energy. At first I thought they were singing "the America of Southern Soul". Then, after a few listenings, I began to hear it as "the miracle of Southern Soul". Only later did I realize, "Oh yeah, it's the married couple of southern soul"! It also uses the old disco-era "Boogie Shoes" horn riff that Nellie Travis lifted for "If I Back It Up".
Listen to Uncle Gymini & Lady Jacquelyn singing "Groove Together (Slide)" on YouTube.
9. "Mz Connie's Curvy Queens Slide"-----Mz Connie
Mz Connie's the real deal. She's already released a solid debut album and paired up with colleagues like L.J. Echols and Ciddy Boi P. Her new EP containing the zydeco/southern soul hybrid "CQ Slide" releases May 2nd. See Daddy B. Nice's New Album Alert!
Listen to "Mz Connie singing Curvy Queens Slide" on YouTube.
10. TIE: DBN notes...Just could not leave either of these two songs off the Top 10 and there's only one space left!
"My Own Party"-----C.J. Hill (Daddy C)
Been working its way up the charts for a while now, and deservedly so. By the way, based on two decades of doing this, I'd say C.J. Hill is a more unique name than "Daddy C".
Listen to C.J. Hill singing "My Own Party" on YouTube.
"Hell WhenYou Well"-----Troy Murriel
You won't be able to withstand the gravitational pull of this debut.
Listen to Troy Murriel singing "Hell WhenYou Well" on YouTube.
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Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 "BREAKING" Southern Soul Singles For. . .
-------APRIL 2023-------
 1. "Let's Chill"-----Carolyn Staten
Imagine the last dance before heading to the bedroom. Stepping beat. Plenty of hand-claps. Barefoot. Romantic. Rose petals on the floor. The kind of song that in the hands of most singers would dissolve into watery sentimentality. In Carolyn Staten's hands, however, the words come across with surprising and realistic force. It's all in the voice, which until now has transformed blues and funk-based jams. This is the first foray into love songs by the newest addition to Daddy B. Nice's The New Generation Southern Soul, proving this trending artist can do it all.
Listen to Carolyn Staten singing "Let's Chill" on YouTube.
2. "My Kinda Crazy"-----J-Wonn
J-Wonn has catapulted to a new high-altitude plateau with his last two albums. You'all know the kind of singer I'm talking about...My kinda crazy. From the new The Foundation album.
Listen to J-Wonn singing "My Kinda Crazy" on YouTube.
3. "Come Get Yo Shit"-----Queen Denae feat. M. Cally
Queen Denae hits the bullseye with this totally believable southern soul throwback. Whoever produced is a banger who knows his/her southern soul.
Listen to Queen Denae singing "Come Get Yo Shit" on YouTube.
4. "Get Out"------Sons Of Funk
Speed up the tempo a little, add a dancing groove, and presto! You have the male response to Queen Denae's "Come Get Yo Shit". Only the Sons of Funk put it like this: "I packed yo shit! / You gots to go!" Both debut singles just happened to collide this month.
Listen to the Sons Of Funk singing "Get Out" on YouTube.
5. "No Woman, No Cry"-----King Fred
What a long and winding road King Fred (Frederick Hicks) has taken in shaping his considerable mojo. Fred takes the title and chorus from Marley's reggae classic but inserts an entirely new song and verses, reminding us of his brilliant debut, "Morning Delight," which did something similar in taking off on another well-known pop tune of the time, "Afternoon Delight".
Listen to King Fred singing "No Woman, No Cry" on YouTube.
6. "Lovin' Me"-----Magic One
Magic One's new Magic Show 3 continues his meteoric rise up the southern soul ranks with not only his usual singles-chart fare ("Henpecked," "Super Fine") but this short (only 2:40) and bittersweet, acapella-like bomb.
Listen to Magic One singing "Lovin' Me" on YouTube.
7. "Just Like That" (DJ Calie Remix)"-----LaMarr Deuce Lubin
This song is soooo much fun, just like Lubin's plaid pants in the dance-delirious, YouTube video. You can't play this one loud enough.
Listen to LaMarr Deuce Lubin singing "Just Like That" on YouTube.
8. "The Cowboy Slide"-----Jeter Jones
Trailride stepping and sliding as only Jeter can do. Nifty synth line. Get up and party!
Listen to Jeter Jones singing "The Cowboy Slide" on YouTube.
9. "Super Fine"-----Magic One
Quintessential Magic One (pronounced Magic Juan) from his hit-laden Magic Show 3.
Listen to Magic One singing "Super Fine" on YouTube.
10. "Drink My Liquor"-----Big Mel
Ever run into a guy who's mired in sadness, and you feel for him but don't know what to say? "Don't hold it against me," Big Mel says, "if I seem to be holding my distance."
Listen to Big Mel singing "Drink My Liquor" on YouTube.
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Send product to:
SouthernSoulRnB.com
P.O. Box 19574
Boulder, Colorado 80308
Or e-Mail:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
************
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...Monthly Singles Charts continued in bottom half of middle column....
UNDER CONSTRUCTION! UNDER CONSTANT REVISION!
Send product to:
SouthernSoulRnB.com
P.O. Box 19574
Boulder, Colorado 80308
Or e-Mail:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
************
************
Send product to:
SouthernSoulRnB.com
P.O. Box 19574
Boulder, Colorado 80308
Or e-Mail:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
************
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