|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
An album of Philly Soul covers done in Nashville, Tennessee? Hmm. It may seem like a strange concept at first, but the thing about great songs is that they transcend musical boundaries. This album came about because when I’m on the road, or sitting around with just an acoustic guitar, I’ll invariably start playing one of my Philly Soul favorites. “The Sound Of Philadelphia” is known for its big arrangements and lavish productions, but it occurred to me that it would also sound great to record some of these songs in a more stripped-down, or "unplugged” way. In Nashville, the song is king, and there is a tremendous respect for great songwriting. While this is not meant to be a definitive collection, these are some of my personal favorites, and ones that I felt could be reinterpreted in a way that showcases the great songwriting of the Philly Soul era. Country music is Nashville’s claim to fame, but there is also a love here for soul, blues, gospel, jazz, and roots music and a community of amazingly talented singers and musicians, both well-known and unknown. So, with a shoestring budget and a lot of good friends, I set out to create The Philly Soul Tribute Project -- I hope you like it!
Finally, thanks to my partner Dennis Wage for all of his help, thanks to all the great Nashville musicians and singers who appeared on the project, and thanks to my wife, Ellen Britton, for her support! Bobby King
|
 |
Now That We Found Love was originally a hit for The O’Jays (left), and later for the reggae group Third World. It has a mournful, haunting melody, almost like an old folk song. 
There were great versions of Brand New Me done by Jerry Butler (right) (who co-wrote the song with Kenny Gamble and Theresa Bell) as well as by Dusty Springfield and Aretha Franklin. I loved the unique, laid back piano part on Jerry’s version, and the gospel feel of Aretha’s – I hope this version combines a little of both. 
Although Break Up To Make Up contains Thom Bell’s very sophisticated chord changes, it still works great as a country waltz. After recording this, I read in an interview with Thom that his father played the steel guitar! Originally this song was done by The Stylistics (left). 
Another Stylistics hit, Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) is a gorgeous tune by Thom Bell and Linda Creed (right). 
When I first heard the Major Harris (left) record, Love Won’t Let Me Wait, I immediately tried to write a song that sounded like it with that little half-step, sliding minor chord. Mine paled by comparison. Written by MFSB guitarist/producer Bobby Eli and Vinnie Barrett, this is one of my all-time favorite songs, and it’s been covered many times, most notably by Luther Vandross. Nashville’s 
Wake Up Everybody was first recorded by Teddy Pendergrass when he was the lead singer for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes (right). There was a tradition in many Philly Sound tunes to have a socially-conscious message, and this is one that holds up. It was written by Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, and Victor Carstarphen (McFadden and Whitehead had their own big hit, “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”). As a kid, the first “rock concert” I ever saw was 
Backstabbers, by the mighty O’Jays, was one of the songs that really busted things wide open for producers Gamble and Huff. Once again, it was written by McFadden and Whitehead (left), this time along with Leon Huff. Sung here by my friend 
Drowning In The Sea of Love was a big hit for Joe Simon (right), and it has become a bit of a blues standard with covers by B.B. King and others. 
Sara Smile was not technically a “Philly Soul” tune. Philadelphians Daryl Hall and John Oates (left) were heavily influenced by Gamble, Huff, and Bell, but they made their records outside of the whole Sound Of Philadelphia “machine”. I’ll call Hall and Oates “honorary Philly Soul”. This was one of their biggest hits, and 
Could It Be I’m Falling In Love was from the first classic Thom Bell-produced album by The Spinners (right) and was written by brothers Melvin and Mervin Steals. This album, simply called “The Spinners”, is a masterpiece of Philly Soul. The great 
Every album needs an instrumental, and by all means, make it a shuffle! Here’s Hold Back The Night (which was not originally an instrumental) by The Trammps (left). This was written by MFSB musicians/producers Norman Harris and Ronnie Baker and their writing partner Allen Felder. I’ve always loved organ trios and funky sax players like Junior Walker, Maceo Parker, and King Curtis, and Nashville’s answer to those guys is my good friend, Blowin’ 
Being a session musician myself, I’m aware of the huge contribution to great records made by the players. It is a contribution that often goes unrecognized, so for all of your great playing and years of musical inspiration, I’d like to give thanks to MFSB (left), the musicians of the Philly Soul era: Earl Young, Charles Collins, Andrew Smith, Keith Benson, Larry Washington, Ronnie Baker, Jimmy Williams, Sugarbear Foreman, Bob Babbitt, Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, Roland Chambers, T.J. Tindall, Dennis Harris, Leon Huff, Thom Bell, Ron Kersey, Cotton Kent, Dexter Wansel, Lenny Pakula, Vince Montana, Don Renaldo’s Strings and Horns, the members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, background vocalists Carla Benson, Yvette Benton, Barbara Ingram, Carl Helm and Bunny Sigler. Thanks to Thom Bell, Bobby Martin, Jack Faith, Norman Harris and so many others for the beautiful arrangements. Thanks for the special sound captured on the records by pioneering recording engineer Joe Tarsia (above right) and his Sigma Sound Studios. My apologies to the many that I may have missed here! 