Chitlin Circuit Double-entendre -filled Soul 2004 (and onward) Theodis Ealey's "Stand Up In It" is a song of the year

Theo Huff does southern soul and funky songs; latest Theodis Ealey has southern soul and 12 bar blues

Beat Flippa- POTY ( producer of the year) has a who’s who of great southern soul singers guesting—Cupid, Omar Cunningham, Pokey Bear, Ghetto Cowboy, Tucka , Donnie Rays

Pokey Bear 2020 album was pretty nice too

https://www.southernsoulrnb.com/corner2021.cfm

Big Daddy Nice did an end of 2020 essay earlier; here’s his top singles

RIP Winfield Parker, 1960s Baltimore soul singer whose song "Mr. Clean" on Ru-jac Records became a Northern soul favorite. A retrospective Ru-jac compilation was issued a few years ago. He later acquired a new audience singing gospel, and also gained new fans for his soul music via gigs at Ponderosa Stomp, Dig Deeper, & MOJO WORKIN' Donostia R&B Weekend in Spain. He got Covid a few weeks ago, and didn't recover.

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/506198/city-lights-royal-height-says-trump-aint-gotta-go-home-just-gotta-git-the-hell-up-outta-here/

Royal Height is more old school soul than southern soul, but this song fits here

My votes for Beat Flippa and Pokey Bear albums were probably the only ones in the ilx album poll

I still need to go through all of Big Daddy Nice's 2020 faves

Not the right kind of beats or guitar on any of the cuts above to convince the rest of the ilxors in the poll.

I Can't Breathe From Jus' EPIK ft. Krystal D is a heartfelt good new one as is Margo Thunder “Paper or Plastic “

Big Daddy Nice did a more comprehensive list of best 2020 albums, best blues songs, best male vocalists songs , best female vocalist songs,

His fave cd is the Wendall B - Real Talk one, his other fave finalists are below:

Dee Dee Simon----Da Fire

Jeter Jones----Mufassa

R&B Pooh----The Prince Of Trail Ride Blues

Wendell B----Real Talk

Beat Flippa (Various Artists)----P.O.T.Y. (Producer Of The Year)

Ju Evans----All About Soul

Uncle Wayne----The Birth Of Hithm & Bluez Vol. 2

King Fred----A Taste Of Soul

Unkle Phunk (Various Artists)----Unkle Phunk's Juke Joint Vol. 1

Big G----Keep On Rockin'

Sir Charles Jones, Jeter Jones----The Jones Boyz: 2 Kings

CoCo Wade----Get Up And Dance

Lenny Williams----Fine

Ricky White----Southern Soul Nation

LaMorris Williams----Another Level

LaMorris Williams----Unfinished Business

Gregg A. Smith----The Real Deal

T.K. Soul----Chocolate Jamz

T.K. Soul----Southern Soul Royalty

Sir Charles Jones----Intimacy

Bobby Rush----Sitting On Top Of The Blues

Sheba Potts-Wright----So Damn Good

Pokey Bear----Crown Me

Tyree Neal----I'm Missing My Baby

Nelson Curry----It's Time For Soul

Jaye Hammer----Best Of Jaye Hammer

Willie Clayton----Born To Sing

Cupid----Capricorn

Big G----Midnight Love

Bigg Robb----Smooth Grown & Sexy

T.J. Hooker Taylor----Who Is T.J. Hooker Taylor? EP

Arthur Young----Funky Forty EP

Ronnie Bell----365

Magic One----The Magic Show II

Johnny James----The Book Of Isaiah

R.T. Taylor----The Mule Man

Itz Karma----Karma Unleashed

oh here's the link to it all

https://www.southernsoulrnb.com/corner2020.cfm

Wendell B has a deep almost Barry White esque voice. Sometimes goes for a polished nearly mainstream r’n’b style. Not bad but not my album of the year

Kinda quiet storm

I listened to Wpfw DJ Dr Nick play a bunch of great Ms Jody songs Saturday, but I still haven’t caught up on all the 2020 albums and tracks that Daddy B Nice listed in blogposts I linked to above

Great Southern Soul Rompin radio show from Dr Nick today—

Thanks to everyone who went Southern Soul Rumpin' with me today on WPFW, 89.3 FM in Washington, D. C. Maybe you listened online at wpfwfm.org. Hopefully you followed the show on TWITCH!!!

The music featured Southern Soul Duets. Here's the playlist:

Hardway Connection - Southern Soul Rumpin' (Opening Theme)
Bigg Robb & O. B. Buchana - Cuttin' Up
Mr. David & Nelson Curry - By My Damn Self
Theodis Ealey & Lacee - Think It Over
Omar Cunningham & Big YaYo - The Boots On Song
Willie Clayton & Sir Charles Jones - Do You Feel It
Joe Tex II & Sharnette Hyter - Hold On
Jeff Floyd & William Bell - Somebody's Gonna Lose
Missy B & LJ Echols - Choose Between 2
J Wonn & Mel Waiters - Jigga Jigga
J. Blackfoot & Sir Charles Jones - I'm Just A Fool
Sergio Davis & Jeff Floyd - Let's Go
Rosalyn Candy & Tucka - Boom Shaka Laka
J. Red The Nephew & Karen Wolfe - What's Up For The Night
William Bell & Snoop Dogg - I Forgot To Be Your Lover
Stevie J Blues & LJ Echols - My Ex
Rashad Tha Bluz Kid & J. Wonn - Shake It
Willie Clayton & Pat Brown - Equal Opportunity
Sir Jonathan Burton & Bishop Bull Winkle - Pouring Water On A Drowning Man
Floyd Taylor & Mel Waiters - It's On Me
Fat Daddy & Sir Charles Jones - Mr. Mailman
Arthur "Funky Forty" Young & Jeter Jones - Flashlight

See you next Saturday from 12 noon til 2pm EST!

The Boots On song is a classic

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/03/23/malaco-records-the-last-soul-company-rob-bowman-music-books/4735772001/

Rob Bowman who wrote a book about Stax has a new one about Malaco. Southern soul roots

Rob Bowman will be talking about his Malaco book tonight with great writer/ professor Scott Barretta at 6:30 et , 5:30 central zoom via Oxford, Ms book store Square

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P7DGZsL9TrOg2QprwqPLrw?fbclid=IwAR3cOaI25CJsGzEZyuaTswmbg_ZaqOp4Zu4WpUtZTXYEgPshBu80900H9Es

Fascinating interview that focused on beginning of Malaco w/ regards to southern soul ( Zz Hill and Denise Lasalle) plus how it stumbled into gospel and then became a leader in releasing black gospel quartets and some mass choirs .

Interview is archived for now on Square Books Facebook page, and may get added to their YouTube page.

Bowman talked about how the label put out Black music for Black people ( as compared to Alligator and other labels). Plus there was talk re how federal deregulation of radio allowed Clear Channel to buy up many southern soul and gospel stations, leaving less around now and hurting the musicians and labels

Oh Npr did a story on Malaco

https://www.npr.org/2021/03/23/980234533/last-soul-company-details-the-malaco-records-story?fbclid=IwAR3F21r4LsoV0ijdiFFKYofIE6kMpmV2Hf5p3tVe3m1gvyFnXnRDdmkUacM

Got the Malaco book for my birthday! It’s a big coffee table size one

Preston Lauterbach who wrote a great book on the history of the Chitlin Circuit now has a free email Substack

https://thechitlincircuit.substack.com/p/robert-johnson-and-ike-turner?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&utm_source=copy

Ann Powers & Amanda Petrusich who both write about roots/Americana music these days never write about southern soul.

Bobby Rush deserves his own thread. He is doing a pair of virtual solo concerts this month, May 16 & 23, making appearances on behalf of a new documentary he is in called “The Birth of Soul Music,” and will be releasing his memoir “I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story,” in June

So much old and new southern soul for me to catch up with

Sweet Angel “Jukin at the hole in the wall ( remix)” is a good one

Lotsa outdoor gigs happening in Mississippi but alas I am not there. I need to catch up on my listening online still.

Did I mention that Daddy B Nice has a subscription email now. It’s free

Preston Lauterbach also has one, plus he just helped with Stax, & Al Green & more drummer Howard Grimes new memoir Timekeeper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0HeYGpRyOY
Bobby Rush does talk overs during this Ms Lowe song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnsvInYOWGE

Klay Redd's "Chicken Wang" almost feels like a parody of southern soul. But some good line dancing

Then there's Ice Buck with Nellie Tiger Travis "Back that Country Thang on Me"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZuo4FWHn7U

.Ann Powers just retweeted this: @AmericanaFest Artist Of The Year @brandicarlile uses her speech to shout out @outsidechild13 (Alison Russell) @amythystkiah @iamyola @TheValerieJune @joyoladokun

and I have heard her plug these artists before, but contrarian me (who also likes southern soul more than singer/songwriter folk and thinks its more Americana ) is thinking "what about southern soul"

1. “I’m Gonna Win”—T.K. Soul
2. “Knee Deep (Soul Lion Bass Mashup”—Jay Morris Group
3. “I’ll Leave The Light On”—Karen Wolfe
4. “OMG”—Cadillac Man
5. “Tennessee Whiskey”—Sir Jonathan Burton
6. “For You”—Sean Ardoin
7. “Kush Kush”—Lacee
8. “Do You Wanna Ride”—Silky G McCoy
9. “Imma Let Him Get It”—Summer Wolfe
10. “Rough Ride”—Stephanie McDee

SIR CHARLES JONES: The Chosen One (Music Access)

Reading about international conference on the blues taking place in Mississippi today reminds me that my desire for the Americana awards people to recognize blues and southern soul is to expand the Americana pie and not a dis of all stuff they consider Americana. Also posting this in response to criticism Geoff Himes got for his Afro-Americana piece in paste

Sir Charles Jones is the man

Dr Nick was playing some awesome southern soul on his WPFW Saturday 12 to 2 pm et Southern Soul Rompin show. I need to listen to it again on their 2 weeks only available archives

Still need to listen to that Saturday show before it’s gone

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jan/07/booty-is-part-of-blackness-bobby-rush-on-blues-dirty-dancing-and-being-the-funkiest-man-alive

Good Bobby Rush interview

I think Dr Nick of WFPFW is gonna post his best of 2021 soon. Plus I think Daddy B Nice is also

Jeter Jones - "Plain Ol Country Boy"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEF9YopHuR8

That's #12 on Big Daddy Nice's top tracks of 2021

https://southernsoulrnb.com/corner2021.cfm

Just listened to Dr Nick’s Southern Soul Rompin show and he played a nice mix of new and old southern soul. Nellie Travis, Sir Charles Jones and so much more. WPFW has it archived for 2 weeks.

https://greyareanews.com/events/rocky-mount-nc-kings-of-southern-soul-concert-set-for-apr-30/

If you are in North Carolina April 30 this is a great show to see

Dr Nick has delayed his 2021 best of list posting and radio show. :(

Dr Mick might air his 2021 faves on WPFW next week on his Saturday afternoon Southern Soul Rompin show 12 noon to 2 pm et usa

Dr Nick

Daddy B Nice's top 2021-

Best Album
Fantastic ----- Bigg Robb

Stawberry Jamz ----- T.K. Soul

Electric Cowboy ----- Big Yayo

Long Story Short ----- Jay Morris Group

Who Is Hisyde? ----- Hisyde

Fish Grease Friday ----- Various (Jeter Jones)

It's Jaye Hammer Time ----- Jaye Hammer

The Summit ----- Urban Ladder Society (Stevie J. Blues)

You're Not My Competition ----- Tasha Mac

Southern Soul Brother ----- O.B. Buchana

Love On You Tha Album ----- Volton Wright

Now Dig This ----- Crystal Thomas

The Southern Side of Soul ----- Ra'Shad The Blues Kid

Bluz Me ----- Ra'Shad The Blues Kid

Trail Ride Certified Part II ----- Jeter Jones

I Love My Blues ----- Gerod Rayborn

Moe Better Blues -----Miss Lady Blues

Cowboy Style ----- Ms. Jody

The Chosen One ----- Sir Charles Jones

Winter Is Coming: A Southern Soul And Blues
Queens’ Christmas ----- Various (Dee Dee Simon)

Mood Swings ----- Rosalyn Candy

Hear Me Roar ----- T-Lyons

Decency ----- J'Cenae

Best Album

Long Story Short ----- Jay Morris Group

Dr. Nick's top requested songs on his WFPFW Southern Soul rompin' radio show

Jesse Redmond aka J Red The Nephew & Sham Redmond - A Party In Here Tonight
Omar Cunningham - Call Me Daddy
West Love - Stop Looking
Joe Tex II & Signature Live and EFFECTz - I Gotcha (Remix)
SIR Charles Jones & TK SOUL - We Ready To Party
Laquitta Stephens Willis aka Lady Q - Lumberjack
Agape Soul feat. Maysa - Nobody But You
LJ Echols & Missy B - Choose Between 2
Cupid & Big Pokey Bear-JSP Group - Take That
Karen Wolfe - I'll Leave The Light On
O.b. Buchana - Bet You Got A Good Un
Al Davis & Mark Luckett - It's A Party At The Juke Joint
Tygressa Music - Hey You (A Minute With You
Candace Woodson Experience - Midas Touch
Bigg Robb - He Can't Do
Ty Causey - U Vincent Turner

top requested in 2021 songs I mean

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/blues-buffalo-nichols-1296676/

So Much Damage Has Already Been Done’: The Fight to Reclaim the Blues
After years of watching white artists and fans dominate a genre pioneered by Black people, artists like Buffalo Nichols are trying to bring the music they love back to its roots

Paywalled article by David Browne that makes some good points, but fails to acknowledge the existence of southern soul blues. I decided to be a know-it-all and tweeted nicely that he should listen to Dr Nick's "southern Soul Rompin" show and check out Big Daddy Nice's southern soul website (linked above a number of times)

DieDra Hurdle-Ruff - Size Of The Ship ( sample lyric --"it's not the size of the ship, it's the way you move your hip")

Norfolk, VA born, North Carolina raised, Alabama resident singer who is married to a guitarist from Bobby Rush's band