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

February 2026

1. "To Love Somebody"-------Al Green

Al Green. Pass the tissue. Tears welling up. Not as old as Johnnie Taylor would be if he were still alive. (Incidentally, J.T.'s fabulous, AI-generated "Soul Heaven" short is currently blowing up TikTok.) Nor as old as Bobby Rush, Latimore or Clarence Carter. Yet of all these greats---and despite his mainstream fame---Al Green has been the most neglected by 21st-century southern soul-ers, having disappeared down the rabbit-hole of gospel for decades. But you don't have to be a nostalgia-hooked grannie to appreciate the cutting-edge force of this unforeseen bombshell combining vocal grit and brilliance, authentic emotion and state-of-the-art production on a scale contemporary southern soul has seldom if ever attained, notwithstanding 2025's award-winning (and jaw-dropping) "Gas Station Love". With its symphonic instrumental track blending live organ, piano, violins, viola, cello and more, "To Love Somebody" reminds us of how much studio money went into the great 20th century soul tracks and, sadly, how much was lost with their demise. In fact, this cover of an early Bee Gee's hit single marks the best use of strings of any southern soul song of this century. From the brand new, four-track Al Green EP of the same name.

Listen to Al Green singing "To Love Somebody" on YouTube.

2. "Don't Stop"-----King George feat. Pokey Bear

Time to move to the dance floor. A nice rocking-the-cradle beat, nothing too fast to start off. Chunky, muscular rhythm track. Moving the eyes around the room, checking out the ladies who really know how to move their bodies. So many to see, so many to choose from. King George is on a roll this year, and Pokey wants some too.

Listen to King George and Big Pokey singing "Don't Stop" on YouTube.

3. "Cold World"----Devonese feat. L Dot D

It starts out like a Richie Havens protest song, only with a much softer acoustic guitar. It's not "Freedom," but it is a protest song, and it's about time. If federal thugs in masks killing innocent, unarmed bystanders with impunity isn't worthy of protest, then what is? A total police state? Hats off to Devonese (Sherita Devonese Turner) and her husband-producer Isaac Turner for their courage. Musically, too, it delivers---or I wouldn't be talking about it.

Listen to Devonese singing "Cold World" on YouTube.

4. "Get With It (Or Get Out)"----Donnie Ray

I love Donnie Ray. Just when things are beginning to get a little stale, he searches for that diamond in the rough to jumpstart the next phase of his career. Thus "A Letter To My Baby" segues into "Who's Rocking You" and "Who's Rocking You" segues into "Get With It".

Listen to Donnie Ray singing "Get With It" on YouTube.

5. "Is Dat Alright"----Myia B

Myia B's having a little trouble with her gal. No problem for us fans though, because she's even more irresistible and compelling when her ire is visible. Heart starts pumping faster, as does the music that accompanies.

Listen to Myia B singing "Is Dat Alright" on YouTube.

6. "We Drink, We Eat, We Party"----Bigg Robb & The Problem Solvas

No one but Robb is going to accuse the Problem Solvas of being the "southern soul super-group," but I love him saying it. And with the Bigg Fat-Man leading us, no one's going to refuse getting in line either, swagging 'till the early morn. Love that title!

Listen to Bigg Robb & The Problem Solvas singing "We Drink, We Eat, We Party" on YouTube.

7. "Brang N Da Dawgs"----Da Director

"Is Dat Alright," "We Drink, We Eat, We Party" and "Brang N Da Dawgs" make a great, sweaty-armpit set for deejays wanting to fill that dance floor. Da Director is fast becoming a southern soul "regular".

Listen to Da Director singing "Brang N Da Dawgs" on YouTube.

8. "(Good Weed & A Bottle Of) Moonshine"-----Mr LD

This one's hard to find, although it's on Apple and Spotify. I first heard a complete rendition on YouTube but have not been able to find it again. No AI acknowledgement so I'm going with the real person, Lamar Willie Davis. Melodic, smoothly produced, with a horn (sax) intro that had me gasping with pleasure, plus an outro featuring an equally enjoyable guitar solo. Also lyrically fine, toasting three of my favorite things---pussy, weed and moonshine. (One day later...stumbled upon it again in spite of A-I not being able to help me out...here it is.)

Listen to Mr. LD singing "(Good Weed & A Bottle Of) Moonshine" on YouTube.

"Shake It"----Nephew Jones

Fresh off his hit single and dance favorite, "My Type Of Carrying On," Nephew Jones introduces something...well...more pop-sounding.

Listen to Nephew Jones singing "Shake it" on YouTube.

10. "Make It Right"-----T.K. Soul feat. Jake Carter

Two very endearing vocals wafting in a luxuriously slow melody. And kudos to Terry Kimble for featuring one of the first white southern soul vocalists in manyyyyyy...years. I'd nibbled but never gotten hooked on Carter's solo efforts, but I'm enamored with him now.

Listen to T.K. Soul & Jake Carter singing "Make It Right" on YouTube.




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

January 2026

1. "No Rush""----King George

Sorry to fly in the face of public opinion, but I'm so tired of light fare from King George, be it the inanity of "Lil' Weight" or the too-cute, "hating-on-me" whining of "Believe 'Em". And even more than the light lyrical content, I'm talking about the trivial musical content of these recent singles, because light lyrics---fluff---can be transformed by rich musical depth (witness Tonio Armani's "Help Me Find My Drawls"). But from the minute I heard the "teaser" short of "No Rush" I thought, "Now this is what I'm talking about!" King George is getting back to the basics. Man. Woman. Heart. Soul. Desire. And you can hear it in his spectacular vocal. The tone is so pure. Simultaneously horny and reverent, with a dash of King George-style common sense (keeping it real with the opposite sex, you know). This is a great record, a Beatles-esque three minutes of soulful, artistic fare from the still-champion and undisputed master.

2. "The Book Of Love Chapter 2"----Tucka

Everything I said about King George above can be said of Tucka. What a way for these guys to start the new year. Listen to the "Chapter 2" instrumental track and all the wonderful things going on as the melody wends by like a glorious, sun-speckled river. The "will-he-make-the-note?" vocal---vintage Tucka, radiating vulnerability and charm. The rhythm section---delightfully chunky, as the strings move overhead like scudding clouds. Are we not entertained? Are we not reminded? Tucka is HIM.

Listen to Tucka singing "The Book Of Love Chapter 2" on YouTube.

3. "Mobtown Boogie"----Ida Lee

"Anybody wanna boogie with meeeeee?" Welcome the first fresh new talent of 2026, Ida Lee. This is pure, traditional, mid-tempo southern soul, modest, endearing and timeless. Play that bass, fella!

Listen to Ida Lee singing "Mobtown Boogie" on YouTube.

4. "Being Slept On"----Unkle Phunk

I think Unkle Phunk is "being slept on". I was guilty of underestimating him (Earl Williams) at first---possibly over-reacting to his moniker and consigning him to the funkster fringes of southern soul. Producing Carolyn Staten's "Nukie Pie" only strengthened that take. But when Unkle Phunk produced and guested on his cousin Stephanie McDee's wildly melodic and avant-garde "Let Me Take You There" my jaw dropped to the floor. I haven't got all the lyrics to "Being Slept On" figured out, but I've got the gist of it, and I'm sure enamored with the sound.

Listen to Unkle Phunk singing "Being Slept On" on YouTube.

5. "Still Got It"-----Lina

Lina (aka Shelina Wade) is back! Or almost...No YouTube. She recorded the ecstatic, quasi-acapella-and-bass triumph, "My Man (I Won't Let My Baby Down)" a decade and a half ago. She shoplifts the guitar lick from King George's "Keep On Rolling" for her new single "Still Got It" but that's soon forgotten. The bigger problem now is visibility, with so many new "Lina's" clogging the Google search engines you can't find her.

6. "Thick In All The Right Places"-----Maurice337 feat. J. Neaux

This one's from Opelousas, Louisiana, one of the funkiest little enclaves in the Deep South. Button accordionist J. Neaux teams up with singer Maurice337 for a southern soul/zydeco hybrid club blast second to none.

Listen to Maurice337 singing "Thick In All The Right Places" on YouTube.

7. "Chocolate Love"-----Stevie J. Bluez

"Chocolate Love" reminds me of Stevie J's (Stephen Johnson's) signature song, another soft-as-down record that initially made Stevie's name in southern soul, "Because Of Me". This delicate style is Stevie J's trademark and "Chocolate Love" fills it like a pair of comfortable old shoes.

Listen to Steve J singing "Chocolate Love" on YouTube.

8. "Trailride"-----Tonio Armani

Tonio borrows some of those heavy percussive effects ("Keep On Steppin'" anyone?) from his young colleague Mike Clark Jr. for this bonfire-lit rave down in the boondocks.

Listen to Tonio Armani singing "Trailride" on YouTube.

9. "In The Truck"----Avail Hollywood

Leave it to Avail Hollywood to best me in every way, dissing my most prized possession, a murdered all-black 1500 Dodge Ram with tires too big to make tight turns, with his new 3500 black Dodge Ram (who can afford that?) to while away the hours when he's not in the gym lifting weights so heavy they'd crush my skinny-armed ass. Plus...making it in the truck! Some people have all the fun.

Listen to Avail Hollywood singing "In The Truck" on YouTube.

10. "Cups In The Air"-----Mike Clark Jr.

He's a hit-making machine. Mike Clark Jr., always cutting-edge, drapes this ode to imbibing in an HBCU marching-band production full of big drums and in-your-face brass flourishes.

Listen to Mike Clark Jr. singing "Cups In The Air" on YouTube.