Daddy B. Nice’s Corner – news and opinion on Southern Soul music and artists
November 8, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: NOVEMBER
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in NOVEMBER 2024.
1. “Ain’t Got Time”—Sheba Potts-Wright
2. “Do The Rodeo”—Stan Butler feat. Deacon Low Down
3. “She Looks Good In Anything”—Ciddy Boi P feat. Mr. Stuff
4. “That Neck”—Unkle Phunk feat. Mr. Same Thang
5. “Good Woman”—Harold G
6. “Baby What’s The Matter?”—Andre’ Lee
7. “Whiskey”—Curt The Country Man feat. Countryboii Tye.
8. “Hole In The Wall”—The Real Hub
9. “Steppin'”—Lady Londyn
10. “Uber”—Stevie J. Blues
11. “Another One”—Lady Redtopp
12. “With Time”—J-Wonn
13. “Do Your Dance”—Terry B
14. “BBW”—Big Nick J
15. “Cookie Whipped”—Eazy Harbor
16. “I Had A Dream About You”—Sheba Potts-Wright
17. “Lean Back And Stroke It”—Jeter Jones feat. FPJ
18. “Miss Jackie”—Highway Heavy feat. Robert Butler & Omar Cunningham
19. “The Juice”—Demita Northern
20. “Watch What You Doing”—Marcellus The Singer
21. “Hangover”—Jaye Hammer
22. “I’m Killin’ It”—Doc McBreezy
23. “Party Don’t Start Until Bill Gets Here”—Bill Avery
24. “Help Me Find My Drawls”—Tonio Armani
25. “Ain’t Nothing Like Southern Soul”—O.C. Soul feat. Boogaloo Jones
26. “A Whole Lotta Woman”—Jay Da Franchize Watts feat. Jeter Jones
27. “Lotto”—Ronnie Bell
28. “Booty Doo”—Donnell Sullivan feat. 5-K
29. “Old School Love”—Coldrank
30. “Ladies Up In Here”—Leroy Allen
31. “Snappin’ Turtle (Remix)”—Theodis Ealeyfeat. Bruce Billups
32. “Country Wind”—Shantavia Nichole
33. “Still Cruisin'”—T. Bryant
34. “Fried Bologna Sandwich”—Rodney “Candyman” Wilkerson
35. “Saddle Up”—Mr. Mister
36. “Sneaky Link”—Lynny Redd
37. “Texas Grown”—C-Mo Smoove
38. “Borrowed Time”—Stephanie Luckett
39. “Stand On The Wall”—Meme Green feat. Shelton Richardson
40. “What You Sippin’ On?”—Quenton Daniel
October 20, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Mack Daddy Productions Will Host Gigantic Southern Soul Events in Dallas and Mobile!
Mack Daddy Productionsis making major moves in the mega-event, southern soul touring circuit. Renowned for its sponsorship of the annual “Spring Fling” festival outside Mobile and Pensacola, the company is now partnering with the Curtis Culwell Center, a 6,860-fixed seat arena in Garland, Texas, to bring you events second to only the Blues Is Alright Tour in audience capacity. The first concert, the “Southern Soul Super Bowl: Holiday Edition” will take place December 28th, featuringSir Charles Jones,Latimore, Tucka, Jeter Jones, T.K. Soul, Nellie “Tiger” Travis, Cecily WilbornandThe Jay Morris Group.
Then, after an old-school,Lenny Williams, Freddie Jackson, Alexander O’Neal-and-more headlined “Tribute To The Legends Of R&B” on Saturday, February 1st, 2025 at Curtis Culwell, Mack Daddy Productions returns to the Gulf Coast for a Spring Fling 2025 like no other, expected to bring in 30,000 southern soul fans. The unprecedented line-up features the top six performers(King George, Tucka, Sir Charles, Big Pokey Bear, Nellie “Tiger” Travis”andT.K. Soul)onDaddy B. Nice’scurrentTop 100 Southern Soul Artists: The New Generation—a first for any southern soul event—plus #9-rankedJeter Jones,#13-rankedJay Morris Groupand the legendaryO.B. Buchana, Lebrado, LaceeandFat Daddy.There has never been a concert venue that spotlighted such an exhaustive line-up of the premier performers of the southern soul genre. Congratulations toMack Daddy Productionsfor its success and unbounded ambition!
Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club Opens Another Venue In Biloxi.
If memory serves,Morgan Freeman’sGround Zero Blues Club opened in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 2001. Hard to believe it’s been around that long, but a true southern soul fan can be forgiven for putting it out of mind. Over that period Freeman and his Caucasian partners—and for the most part Clarksdale as a whole—have shunned southern soul artists and the black audience which supports southern soul. I loveMorgan Freeman,one of the most empathic actors to ever grace the screen (the man you’d love to have as your father or grandfather), so I was elated to post a concert October 6th at a new venue for Ground Zero in Biloxi, Mississippi.
3 pm, Sunday, October 6, 2024. Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club Biloxi, 814 Howard Avenue, Biloxi, Mississippi. Bluzin’ The Coast Blues & Southern Soul Concert. Sharnette Hyter, Donyale Renee, Big 251, Brady C. Smart & Company Band, Jones and more.Tickets.
It wasn’t a high-profile affair.Sharnette Hyterhas recorded sporadically and made a brief splash with theJ.J. Caillier-aided“Stilettos & Jeansalmost a decade ago, and
Donyale Reneerecorded some southern soul tunes in the early 2020’s. But it was a sign that maybeMorganand his partners had sniffed the southern soul in the air and were open to catering to what appeals to the black blues audience. Sorry to say, those hopes for the Biloxi extension of the Clarksdale Ground Zero haven’t materialized.Marcia Ball,a deserving white blues singer, is the only headliner of note in the upcoming events for the club, and there’s not a single southern soul performer booked.
A Southern Soul YouTube Video To End All Southern YouTube Videos
Don’t read this unless you’re a YouTube music video fanatic, and even if you’re into music videos you may not like it because the damn video is eighteen minutes long, is mostly talk, and makes no sense. Plus it’s old. I found it irresistible. It opens with Pokeyescaping the house “sidepiece style,” then cuts to a meandering conversation between two salty ladies in a beauty shop. A couple of snippets: “I got me a sugar daddy…I just want his money though, I don’t want his sugar…The only thing he want me to do is show him my butt cheeks and my breasts and that’s it and he give me my money….What his name is?…They call him Pokey Bear…Oh I heard of him…” The scene cuts to Pokey cultivating his new sidepiece, then cuts again to Pokey walking in a bar and meeting up withStephaniein a booth while ladies line-dance past. Finally, twelve and a half minutes in, Stephanie starts singing her song. The last scene takes you back to the house where Stephanie has thrown Pokey’s clothes into the yard. The beauty shop talk, not the song, is the heart of the video. If you don’t get out much any more and miss “street” culture, you might want to try it. Over 900,000 other viewers have.
Listen to Stephanie, Pokey, Tyree et.al. in “Cheating On Me”.
Listen to Omar Cunningham singing “The Beauty Shop” on YouTube.
DJ Jammin’ Jay Continues To Rip It Up
I’m always looking for good mixtape deejays, and surprisingly many (no names) are disappointing. Many don’t have a real feel for southern soul. Not only doesJammin’ Jaysequence tunes with the best of them. Not only does he have a wonderful ear for southern soul. I love the way he will mix the vocal tracks from one song with the instrumental tracks from another song. Example:Aretha’s“Respect” segueing intoTheodis Ealey’s“Stand Up In It” with “Respect’s” instrumental track below and Theodis’ vocal above. Or Nellie Travis’s instrumental track from “If I Back It Up” segueing into King George’s vocal on “Keep On Rollin'”.Jammin’ Jayis his name. He keeps the songs short, almost sample size, so if you really love and keep up with southern soul, you’ll be thrilled with all the tweaks and permutations and sheer breadth of familiar music covered and made to sound new. The most recent videos are the best:
Listen to Jammin’ Jay’s Mixtape #304.
Listen to Jammin’ Jay’s Mixtape #302.
New EP’s From O.B. Buchana & Sheba Potts-Wright
Buy O.B’s new CHEATING ON THE WEEKEND EP At Apple.
(featuring “Cheating On The Weekend,” a great new single featuring O.B. at his vintage best)
Buy Sheba’s new Ain’t Got Time, The New Beginning EP.
(featuring Sheba’s new single: “I Had A Dream About You”.
These two artists started around the same time—a quarter-century ago!—and they’re still at the top of their game.
—Daddy B. Nice
October 6, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: OCTOBER
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in OCTOBER 2024.
1. “The Game”—Nila Milan
2. “Living For The Weekend”—Cecily Wilborn
3. “Stand On Business”—Myia B
4. “Too Many Irons In The Fire”—Derek “The Change Man” Smith & Niecy Leshae
5. “My Dog Don’t Bark No More” aka “D.D.B.N.M.”—Arthur Young
6. “Changed The Game”—Big Mel
7. “Bring That Here”—Tina Brown
8. “Nothing But You”—Big Mel
9. “Black Cat”—Arthur Young
10. “I Love This Man”—Tina Brown
11. “Southern Soul Party”—Joe Nicefeat. Nelson Curry & Doug E. Fresh
12. “Grannies Anthem”—Rico C
13. “Country Anthem”—Denise Cannon
14. “1-800 Good Loving”—Tiffany Rachal
15. “Party At The Trailride”—Badd Newz feat. West Love
16. “Web Of Love”—Big Cutty feat. B.J. Moodswing
17. “Life”—Highway Heavy feat. Porter
18. “Back To The Streets”—Sunshine The Singer
19. “Listen”—Knott Enuff
20. “Stand On The Wall”—Meme Green feat. Shelton Richardson
21. “I Don’t Get Down Like That”—Volton Wright
22. “A Whole Lotta Woman”—Jay “Da Franchize” Watts feat. Jeter Jones
23. “Queen’s Night Out”—Gregg A. Smith
24. “Ain’t Going Nowhere”—Shae Nicole
25. “Sponsor You”—Maurice 337
26. “All I Do Is Talk About You”—Jeff Floyd
27. “Must Be Nice”—Marcellus The Singer
28. “Still Out In The Country”—RnB Pooh feat. Volton Wright
29. “Not Worried”—Married Couple Of Southern Soul
30. “When The Smoke Clears”—Big Mel
31. “Hold On To Something”—Adrian Bagher
32. “Liar (Sidepiece Edition)—Mr. House
33. “Strokin’ And Pokin'”—Staci Russell
34. “Miss Jackie”—Highway Heavy feat. Robert Butler & Omar Cunningham
35. “Swing Baby”—Ms. Priscilla
36. “In Da Country”—Cecily Wilborn
37. “Hole In The Wall”—The Real Hub
38. “Tipsy Mix”—Chrissy Luvz
39. “All The Above”—Synethia
40. “Work Dat Body”—Mister Cotton
September 18, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
First Explicit Lesbian Southern Soul Video Is Stunning (Myia B)
I just heardJammin’ Jay’sSouthern Soul Video Mixtape #302by accident while taking a shower less than a hour ago. YouTube was rolling with southern soul in the background, and I could hear a nifty slow/fast mix ofLebrado’s“I’m Missing You” as I was toweling off.Jammin’ Jaywas obviously a master mixer, his transitions inspired and seamless in the club/dj tradition, only with more frequent, 1-2 minute breaks, as if the choices were endless. Thankfully, he had an ear for it—he loves southern soul.
By the time I looked at the computerWillie Claytonwas singing “Just One Of Them Things”. (About 21 minutes in.) That’s when I noticed the mixtape featured actual music video fragments. “That’s neat,” I thought, ready to be hypnotized by the screen. Then Clayton led intoMyia B’s“Stand On Business”.It sounded so good. It was like the radio station playing the one song you wanted to hear but slipped your mind, an incredible pairing of melody, tempo and a vocal timbre (Myia B’s) straight from heaven.
And then came the video. It was not an excerpt from the “Stand On Business” video yourDaddy B. Nicehad hyper-linked for fans in August’s Top 10 Singles. It was a new video, the first explicit lesbian southern soul video. And this was mainstream. Not some creepy corner of the internet. This was too good, both musically and visually, not to be mainstream.
Southern soul fans, I think, will be stunned. Not because they’ve never seen love between women—but because they’ve never seen love between women presented in a southern soul context. The song is so beautiful, the first time you hear it you imagine the lyrics to be about a man and woman, as in every other southern soul tune. It’s only as the words begin to sink in (does she keep saying “she”?…) that you realize, “No, this is something different.” And yet, the emotions and hormonal pull of the relationship involve the familiar passion and swagger of a heterosexual relationship. (Myia B, by the way, is the dominant partner.)
Whatever your reaction and opinion, you’ll find the video fascinating—and electric, certainly, at first. Having said that, I am moving fromJammin’ Jay’smixtape to search for the new (official)Myia Bvideo in its entirety….Yes, here it is. The “pretty little thing” is strolling down the street in her cowboy hat and daisy dukes, catching Myia B’s eye…:
Listen to Myia B singing “Stand On Business” (The Official Music Video) on YouTube.
In my commentary on “Stand On Business” in August I wrote: “Bottom line? It’s a flat-out great song, the kind of song that launches a career.” I think the career has launched.
Cruises, Cruises, Cruises…
What’s trending for 2025? Southern Soul vacations. The advertising and arrangements are still to come, but here’s what’s on tap for next summer. The most star-studded sea voyage may be the Big Cruise hosted byDJ Trucker,who attracts performers like a magnet draws paper clips.King George, Jeter Jonesand a host of southern soul artists will be headed withDJ Truckerto Jamaica. The
TheCupid Cruisewill depart from Galveston, visiting Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya for the better part of a week in late May. The surprise performer on this trip will be storied croonerGlenn Jones,whose“Baby Come Home”has been the #84-ranked single onDaddy B. Nice’soriginalTop 100Southern Soul Songs since the early 2000’s.
What? You can’t wait that long? Have to chill ASAP? How about an October 1st to 5th getaway withWest Love & Terry Wright,who just teamed up on the #11-charting single for September, “Backyard Party”? They’re headed to Montego Baby, Jamaica accompanied byFPJ, Big Yayo, King Fred, Magic One, Big Mel & Mr. Smoke,not to mention famed producerKang 803 (King George, Cecily Wilborn).
And in other news…
Philly legendFrankie Beverly(ofMaze),whose music defined urban R&B in the late 70’s and 80’s, died September 10th at the age of 77….Lomaxreturns to the stage September 7th at the Atrium in Stone Mountain, Georgia (Atlanta)….William BellandCandi Statonwill be inducted into the National R&B Hall of Fame in Cleveland October 6th….
Listen to Frankie Beverly singing “Joy And Pain” on YouTube.
Comment overheard on YouTube:
From the “Comments” section ofKendo Country Trim’smusic video for“That OuuWee (Official Video),”which features Kendo and two buddies shirtless in an Alabama pasture:
“Bet they went through a whole can of OFF.”
—Daddy B. Nice
September 7, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: SEPTEMBER
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in September 2024.
1. “Can’t Judge Nobody”—King George
2. “Dirt Road”—Jeter Jones
3. “Night On That Tequila”—Tucka
4. “2 20’s”—F.P.J.
5. “Cheating On The Weekend”—O.B. Buchana
6. “Real Good Day”—Kendo Country Trim feat. Curt The Country Man
7. “Have A Good Time”—Karen Wolfe
8. “Gin And Juice”—Avail Hollywood
9. “Dog House”—Mike Clark Jr.
10. “Don’t Bother Me”—Charles Wilson
11. “Backyard Party”—Terry Wrightfeat. West Love
12. “Slide”—Dopeboybluez
13. “Leave”—Jeter Jones feat. Gary Charles Jones, David Jones & Tiffany Rachal
14. “Sippin’ For The Club”—Bigg Robb
15. “Trick On Ya”—Gold Gillis feat. LaMorris Williams
16. “Auntie Fine”—Ty Juan
17. “Spoil Me” (Re-entry)—Boosie Badazz feat. King George
18. “Tell The Truth”—L.J. Echols
19. “Knock On Wood”—Black Koffee
20. “Azz Whooped”—Brown Bottle Boyz
21. “Karma”—Cecily Wilborn
22. “Just One Of Them Things”—Willie Clayton
23. “Party For Y’all”—Rico C. feat. Nelson Curry
24. “I Wanna Go”—Geno Wesley
25. “Too Young (Remix)”—J. Red The Nephew
26. “Cat Smasher”—Rodnae
27. “Black Cat”—Arthur Young
28. “Complacent”—Jeter Jones
29. “Keep Lighting My Fire”—D. Riggs
30. “I’m In A Good Man”—T-Man
31. “Grown Man”—Ronnie Bell
32. “Whole Lotta Woman”—Jay Watts feat. Jeter Jones
33. “Going Through Some Thangz”—P2K DaDiddy
34. “Yummy Yum”—Mr. Don’t Leave
35. “Junk In Yo Truck”—Mizz Coco
36. “It Gets Hard”—Kandy Janai
37. “Body”—Lokey Country feat. Till 1
38. “Drama Girl”—Jeter Jones
39. “Give Him His Papers”—Big G
40. “Party Tonight”—Alex Williams
August 18, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Top Southern Soul Audience: The Carolinas!
Judged by the number of major southern soulconcertson tap for this fall, North and South Carolina audiences are the top revenue generators for the genre. It wasn’t always so. Mississippi used to be the “big dog on the block,” followed by Louisiana and Alabama. In the last decade, Texas and Georgia have made surprising inroads in representing southern soul. But neither the original Delta states nor Texas and Georgia with their urban metros holds a candle to the Carolinas.
Is this theKing Georgeeffect? No doubt. The Carolinian’s“Keep On Rollin'”is being called—quite accurately in yourDaddy B. Nice’sestimation—the greatest southern soul song of the era. And, it goes without saying,King Georgeis the headliner on each and every date, along with fellow starsPokey Bear, Tucka,legendsLenny WilliamsandTheodis Ealeyand others.
Here are the metrics, taken from Daddy B. Nice’sConcert Calendar,based on Blues Is Alright Tour dates (three to six thousand average attendance per venue) scheduled for October and November 2024. This is phenomenal saturation for a market once know primarily for “beach music” and the occasional southern soul crossover act likeKlass Band Brotherhood.
Greenville Oct. 12thKing George, Pokey Bear, J-Wonn, Lenny Williams, Tucka
Columbia Oct. 19thKing George, J-Wonn, Tucka, Lenny Williams, F.P.J.
Greensboro Oct. 25thKing George, F.P.J., Tucka, J-Wonn, West Love, Pokey Bear
Fayetteville Nov. 1stKing George, Pokey Bear, Tucka, West Love, J-Wonn, Lenny Williams
North Charleston Nov. 2ndKing George, West Love, Tucka, Pokey Bear, Lenny Williams, J-Wonn
Labor Day Weekend Highlights:
Pokey BearandTuckain Lake Charles, Louisiana…
Nelson CurryandMr. Smokein Waynesboro, Georgia (Augusta)…
Narvel Echolsand thePC Bandin Phillip, Mississippi (the Delta boonies…RememberBobby Gentry’s“The Day Billy Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge?”)
Magic Onein Pensacola, Floria (Gulf Coast…home of Southern Soul’s storied “Spring Fling,” immaculate white sands and the occasional, stinging jellyfish…)
Coldrankin Colfax, Louisiana (Delta boonies southwest of Natchez…)
King George, Donnie Ray, Marcellus the Singer, S. Dott and Brian Jackin Shreveport, Louisiana…(Where legendary producer Stan Lewis jump-started twenty-first-century southern soul)…
T.K. SoulandMose Stovallin Bessamer, Alabama (Birmingham)…
F.P.J.in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (SEC, anyone?…
All in all (and although the concert list is nowhere near exhaustive), Labor Day’s charcuterie board of southern soul offerings isn’t as big as the record-setting Mother’s Day numbers and other holidays earlier this year. What, you say? It’s kinda hot out there? One positive trend I’ve noticed leading up to Labor Day 2024, though, is a proliferation of venues and playbills for aspiring artists. These multi-act events are evidence of southern soul’s cachet with young up-and-comers. For dates and times, venues and ticket sales, seeDaddy B. Nice’sConcert Calendar.
More On Johnnie Taylor
In July I announced the appearance of a new and actually first-ever biography of Johnnie Taylor,which is hard to believe when one takes into account the universally-held opinion within the southern soul community that Johnnie was the godfather, the supreme influencer, and to this day the deepest well of inspiration for young artists searching for the thematic dimensions and musical textures of the genre.See Top 100 Southern Soul Artists.
That, I think, speaks to how marginalized southern soul still is amongst the type of people who critique music. Happily, one of the old-school journalists,Heikki Suosalo,who himself admits to not keeping up withKing Georgeand the new generation of southern soul singers, has chimed in with areviewof the new biography byGregory M. Hasty(assisted byT.J. Hooker Taylor),I Believe in You: The Incredible Journey of R&B Legend Johnnie Taylor.
Suosalois the last of a handful of once-vibrant Scandinavian blues lovers and magazine writers who still write about southern soul occasionally. The others have all abandoned ship since the early stars(Taylor, Bland, Campbell, King, Davis etc.)passed and the genre brought influences from hiphop, funk, zydeco and country into its tent. Suosalo is most decisively disappointed in the book’s treatment of Taylor’s early years (even before “Who’s Making Love?’), an era he knows well, nor does he have much good to say about the book’s anecdotal accounts of Taylor’s later life, which he finds “gossipy”. And although he doesn’t go so far as to say it (the closest he comes is “it reads like a scrapbook”), you’re left with the impression he considers the biographer to be something less than professional. I myself, in scanning through Hasty’s prior “books,” found them somewhat superficial. On the other hand, some of those anecdotes and some of that gossip that annoys Suosalo may be as gratifying as a box of chocolates to a certain type of social media-loving, Johnnie Taylor fan. You can decide for yourself and read the review atSoul Express.And once again, the link to buy the book isI Believe in You: The Incredible Journey of R&B Legend Johnnie Taylor.
Miscellany
In a recent reviewofBig G’slatest album, “Sitting On The Sidelines,” I discussed the “new normal” for veteran artists like Big G (not to mentionVick Allen, Terry Wright, Lacee, Omar Cunningham, Lomax, Stevie Jand so many others), who find themselves being passed in social media traffic and lucrative touring by younger peers with hot new recordings likeKing George, F.P.J., Marcellus The Singer, J’Cenae, Young Guy and West Love. Cynthia Vaughn, Big G’s#2, wrote in to remind me that Big G’s “It’s Crazy” YouTube page (not to be confused with “Going Crazy” from his latest album) has 2.8 million views, which has increased to 2.9 million in the interim between the email inbox and this column.See Big G’s “It’s Crazy”.….
Recommended:DJ Bubba Yae’sbeen doing mixtapes on YouTube for years. Lately he specializes in weekly Sunday Matinees.See Dj/Vj Bubba Yae’s Sunday Matinee at Tha Grown Folks Spot 8-4-2024….Jeter Joneshas a new, 14-song album out this month.Buy Trailride Kang at Apple.….F.P.J.has been invited as a headliner on this fall’s Blues Is Alright Tour, one of southern soul’s most exclusive and hall-of-fame-like honors….Lamar Braceis dropping a new EP entitled “In The Key Of L”.
—Daddy B. Nice
August 6, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: AUGUST
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in August 2024.
1. “Wasn’t None Of You”—LLJunafeat. Tavarus
2. “Low Down Soul”—Prince DeLeon feat. Tre’ Williams and LaMorris Williams
3. “Love Will”—Lenny Williams feat. West Love
4. “Pour Me A Drank”—Sir Charles Jones
5. “Stand On Business”—Myia B
6. “Just Friends”—Tia Catillia
7. “Two Beers”—Curt The Country Man
8. “Let It Move”—Arthur Young
9. “Dangerous Love”—Catt Daddy feat. Jalesa McRae
10. “What You Waiting For”—Ciddy Boi P feat. Sugar Daddy
11. “Big Boss Moves”—Lady Redtopp
12. “Foolish”—Squirt Kelly
13. “Homewrecka”—Shelton D. Richardson feat. Meme Green
14. “Addicted”—Ty Juan
15. “Friday”—Curt The Country Man
16. “In Da Kuntry”—Cecily Wilborn
17. “Lil’ Ol’ Shaq”—Memphis Jackson feat. Bigg Robb
18. “Hey Mr. DeeJay”—Chavonna Adams
19. “Set The Groove”—J’Cenae
20. “A Mother’s Plea (Slack Mix)”—DJ Wildman Tim
21. “She’s Ratchet”—Jeter Jonesfeat. Pokey Bear
22. “Party In The Country”—T. Bryant
23. “Mr. Mechanic Man”—Sheba Potts-Wright
24. “Grey Goose & Cranberry Juice”—Vince Hutchinson
25. “Damage”—Napoleon
26. “Southern Girl”—Showtyme
27. “She’s So Fine”—M. Cally feat. Roi “Chip” Anthony & Nino
28. “Cake And Eat It Too”—Brei Carter
29. “Sexy Mothafucka”—Mr. Smoke
30. “Pound Cake”—King Fred
31. “D.D.B.N.M”—Arthur Young
32. “Little Girl Left Me”—Big G
33. “Lord I’m Trying”—Sir Charles Jones feat. Boosie Badazz
34. “Good Feeling”—Meme Yahsal
35. “Birthday Train”—Poka Jones
36. “Honey Swang”—T. Honey Brown
37. “Ladies Up In Here”—Leroy Allen
38. “Goodie”—Matthew Davis
39. “Sneaky Link”—Lynny Redd
40. “Buck Love”—Kyia Buckingham
July 15, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Johnnie Taylor
A biography ofJohnnie Taylorhas appeared. Surprisingly, it’s the first written narrative on the godfather of contemporary southern soul. In the nineties the former Stax star/Malaco recording artist was the most frequently played singer on the radio stations of the Deep South and the most sought-after act on the chitlin’ circuit, anchoring the highest-ranking position (#1) onDaddy B. Nice’soriginalTop 100 Chartof Southern Soul Artists and influencing an entire generation of new southern soul performers. Good Love!,Taylor’seighth album for Malaco, reached number one on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart (No. 15 R&B), becoming the biggest record in Malaco’s history.
I Believe in You: The Incredible Journey of R&B Legend Johnnie Taylorwas written byGregory M. Hasty,with the assistance ofT.J. Hooker Taylor,one of Taylor’s far-flung children and a contemporary southern soul artist familiar to today’s fans. In addition to Archway Publishing (click link above), the book is available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. For review copies or interview requests contact Archway Marketing Services at 1-812-358-7483 or pressreleases@archwaypublishing.com.
Southern Soul On The Beach
When I heard about the 2nd Annual Blues & Southern Soul Getaway(October 1st-5th) I naturally thought, “Oh, another cruise.” Just about every southern soul performer fromT.K. Soul(in the early days) toJeter Jones(recently) has dipped their toes in the water, so to speak, of cruise packages featuring fellow artists leaving the U.S. for Caribbean getaways with shiploads of fans eager to see them perform and spend off-time just hanging out. But I was puzzled by this trip to Jamaica featuringWest Love, Big Yayo, Terry Wright, FPJ, King Fred, Mr. Smoke, Magic One & Big Mel.There was no port of departure listed in any of the flyers. Finally, after checking around I wondered, “Are they flying direct?” And that, as it happens, is the case—a first in my experience—although the fact that this is the “2nd Annual” such direct-flight event presumes at least one prior and maybe others.
YourDaddy B. Nicehasn’t been especially kind or accommodating to cruises. I don’t feature them on theConcert Calendar,and a couple of years ago when one of my younger brothers told me he and his wife were contemplating a cruise, I talked him out of it, telling him I didn’t like spending a lot of time on boats nearly as much as spending a lot of time wriggling my toes in the sand. And I’ve done a lot of that in the Caribbean, including my favorite “paradise,” Playa del Carmen, back in the day before the big hotels when it was filled only with a few German tourists sleeping in hammocks on the beach and going topless. I used to dream of a family reunion in Mexico. Hah! That was never going to happen! And nowadays I’m too blind to even get to my family reunion in a neighboring state! But southern soul, sand and margaritas under a palapa in the Jamaican sand? That sounds like my kind of vacation.
CD Baby & My CD Store
Recently I came across a YouTube video of Carl Marshall’s“I Lived It All”.This is one of those remarkable songs I’ve long championed, even mentioning it in a “News & Notes” column on “southern soul country” earlier this year. It had been posted only three months ago and had only 295 views, but the fact that it was posted at all, a couple of decades after its original release, was significant, and what intrigued me even more was that it was posted to YouTube byCD Baby.Now the very name CD Baby seems outmoded, just as the title of yourDaddy B. Nice’sCD Storedoes. After all, you can’t even buy CD players anymore. But years ago CD Baby was the go-to site to buy southern soul albums (like Apple and Amazon today). Now CD Baby no longer sells albums and instead operates more like Music Access.
Similarly, my CD Store is a skeleton of what it once was, riddled with links to albums formerly retailed by CD Baby but since de-activated, along with no longer active links to early CD Universe and Barnes & Noble pages. When a reader clicks the link to buy the album…poof! it’s gone. Many of these albums are now rare and out of print. Although theCD Storeis sprinkled with new (and some older) offerings with active and/or intact links to buy, it can be frustrating. So I’ve considered phasing out my CD Store too. However, it’s still a valuable map to the way things were in southern soul in the last twenty years. At the least, potential buyers can quickly click the album links of an artist’s catalog and, if the page is no longer available, move onto eBay and elsewhere (at often sky-high prices). But that too is a good sign for southern soul—an indication of its popularity, tradition and staying power.
Geographical Notes Of Interest (Contained In Recent Songs)
“Back Roads”—Curt The Countryman
I never knew that Tennessee had neon lights
And it gets so cold in this weather I can’t sleep at night
Ride—Jali The Gentleman
I say she got an accent from Alabama
But she born and raised out in Mississippi
Good New Mixtape Deejay
For the industry types and diehard fans who constantly want “More, more, more!” when it comes to new music—who never met a batch of unknown tracks they didn’t want to explore—I recommend a good new YouTube deejay:DJ Dirty Baby.If you likeDJ Haynes,DJ Dirty Baby has the same style of presentation. He’s no-nonsense and keeps the music rolling. And he’s productive, with seemingly endless videos. On a recent outing he was playing the new one byP2K,a new guy namedBoulevard Redw/ “Donkey Kong,” another guy namedMalcom Simmonsw/ “Love Potion,”Mr. Smoke’snew one “Rodeo” and a lady namedTia Cotilliaw/ a good new song called “Just Friends”. Here’s DJ Dirty Baby’s newest “new music Monday”:
Listen to New Music Monday (July 8th 2024) Southern Soul by DJ Dirty Baby.
Southern Soul Artists In Strange Places
Pokey Bearwith old-school funkstersBootsy Collins, Zapp and Jagged Edgeat the African-American Festival in the Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio July 20th.
Jeter Jonesat the Louisville Jazz Fest—yes you read that right, it is not a typo— with “jazz” artists Saturday, August 3rd in Louisville, Kentucky.
Wouldn’t you love to be in a funk audience and soak up the first impressions whenPokeycomes onstage and does his thing? And wouldn’t you pay double to seeJeterperform in front of an audience of fastidious jazz fans? It’s hard to imagine. And yet, click the ticket link in theConcert Calendarand you’ll find an entire effusive page devoted almost exclusively toJeter Jones.This is good for the genre and good for the mainstream audiences being acclimated to southern soul.Nellie “Tiger” Travis, Sir Charlesand many others have logged similar cross-genre venues.
—Daddy B. Nice
July 5, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: JULY
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in July 2024.
1. “Take It Slow”—Tucka
2. “Whatcha Know”—F.P.J.
3. “100 Missed Calls”—Young Guy
4. “Love Me No More”—Tee Dee Young
5. “Cruising With The Top Down”—T. Bryant
6. “Blues Paradise”—F.P.J.
7. “$$ Looking Good”—Highway Heavy feat. Robert Butler & Johnny James
8. “Touch It”—Tara Keith
9. “Fallay Party”—Uncle Fallay
10. “Ride”—JaLi The Gentleman
11. “She Got That Cougar Love”—Mr. Willyfeat. Ms. Jody
12. “Texas Grown”—C-Mo Smooth
13. “Summer Time”—Jack Forte
14. “Sweet Love”—Frank Johnson feat. King George
15. “Southern Soul Jam”—A.G. Thomas
16. “Trail Ride Slide (Remix)”—Honey Gurl feat. Jeter Jones & JFly Barber
17. “Shame On Me”—Tucka
18. “Sipping And Thinking”—Bigg Robb
19. “Spoil Me”—Official Boosie feat. King George
20. “Can I Tell On Me”—Fat Daddy
21. “Mr. Truck Driver”—Young Guy
22. “Party In The Country”—T. Bryant
23. “Dangerous Love”—Catt Daddy feat. Jalesa McRae
24. “Step In This Party”—Solomon Thompson
25. “If I Put This Thang On Ya”—Sweet Nay
26. “Trail Ride Love”—Avail Hollywood
27. “She Ready”—Jeter Jones
28. “Good Love Recipe”—Mr. Bowleggs
29. “Stop Fussin'”—Joe Nice
30. “Shake With Those Fries”—Lamar Brace
31. “Lied On Me”—Curt The Country Man
32. “Lotto”—Ronnie Bell
33. “Forever And Ever”—Roi “Chip” Anthony feat. Keith Sweat
34. “Can’t Run Me”—Nephew Jones
35. “Big Steppin'”—Toy Toy feat. Love Jesse
36. “I Got My Hands Up”—Coco Wade
37. “Just Wanna Party”—Chill Will
38. “Trying To Love Two Ain’t Easy”—Rick Lawson
39. “Spinnin'”—Gentry-Jones
40. “Southern Soul Party”—Sheila B. Sexi
June 16, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Jackson, Mississippi’s “Ellis Avenue” Renamed…
BOBBY RUSH BOULEVARD!
In the hierarchy of fame few honors are more prestigious than having a municipal street named after you. It’s a tribute usually reserved for presidents and politicians. And yet, at 1 pm on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at the Cadence Bank at 1005 Ellis Avenue, Jackson, Mississippi, the blues and southern soul music’s last remaining superstar from the Johnnie Taylor/B.B. King/Tyrone Davis generation was feted with a street-sign unveiling transforming Jackson’s north/south artery through the heart of this largely black city from Ellis Avenue to Bobby Rush Boulevard.
When I heard the news everything stopped for me. I’d encountered one of those “it’s a small world” moments that, likethe Dude’srug in“The Big Lebowski,”ties one’s life together. For it was in the hotel at the northwest corner of I-20 and Ellis Avenue in south Jackson in the late nineties and early aughts that I got my street-wise doctorate in southern soul.
It was situated on the hill just north of the I-20 interchange, and to this day I cannot remember its name, although I can remember Ellis Avenue as if it were yesterday. Kitty-corner across the highway was a supermarket where I was introduced to packaged chitlin’s (on a rack, just like potato chips!) and—and, although it isn’t culturally correct to say so anymore—more chicken products than I had seen in a lifetime.
The hotel I stayed in on Ellis was a national chain, at least in those years. It had a large, two story building in front with a big convention ballroom, surrounded by a parking lot with a L-shaped perimeter of one story rooms, two connected rooms of which I would rent as a suite for less than a hundred dollars a day.B.B. Kinghad a permanently-reserved two-story room in that complex. His band would stay on the ground floor and King on the top floor. Of course I didn’t find that out until years later, when I had become something of a regular.
What was I doing on Ellis Avenue? I was recording southern soul music on cassette tapes on a couple of boomboxes (like the one Radio Raheemcarries inSpike Lee’s“Do The Right Thing”). I’d shut myself in, hardly going out to eat, stuffing cassette after cassette into the boombox 24/7. Waking up in the middle of the night and popping in a fresh cassette (or turning it around, as old-timers used to do), trying to cram it all into two or three days. And it was in those wee hours of the night where I encounteredUncle Bobo,the deejay version of producerSenator Jones,the pivotal figure in contemporary southern soul who opened the door that Jackson’s Malaco Records had shut onSir Charles Jones.And some of my most cherished memories are of Uncle Bobo playing early Sir Charles cuts (probably just mastered) at 3 and 4 am in the morning, gushing in ecstasy over the results.
Charles Evers’radio station WMPR, located not far away, was the only station in the South that played southern soul on a consistently daily basis (along with gospel in the mornings). Its signal came through with a cathedral-like sound on Ellis Avenue. And not much farther away was the Suit Store, home for celebrity black clothing, but that too came later for me. I recorded it all: music, public service announcements and commercials, including the unsinkableReverend Mother Walker,the Deep South’s answer to psychiatrists.
But as voracious for the culture as I was in those days, it never occurred to me to go to a club or concert. I was totally preoccupied and infatuated with the sound of the records, and trying to figure out if southern soul was a “thing”. Anything else—people, small talk—was pretty much out of the question.
Music on the internet was in its infancy. There was no YouTube, there were no websites, and even when I succeeded in finding the name of an artist who went with a particular song—for instance “Let’s Straighten It Out” byLatimore—I had to continue my investigation into whether it was “just out” or an “oldie”. I knew nobody and nothing.
And yet it was in those days of blissful mystery and discovery on Ellis Avenue—longggg before the idea of a platform like Daddy B. Nice’s Southern Soul ever entered my brain—that my passion for southern soul ran its purest. All I cared about was finding some new songs to take me through the next month or two. (That’s right, close readers—the genesis for what would become theTop 10 Singles.)And I approached it with the fever pitch of a convert. And, frankly, still do. Only now, twenty-five years later, I know everybody, includingBobby Rush,and pretty much everyone knows me. How things have changed. And the onetime folk-funkster? He’s now the Dean of All Bluesmen. And Ellis Avenue? Well, it now goes by the name ofBobby Rush Boulevard.How amazing! How fitting!
Congratulations, Bobby Rush!!!
Listen to Bobby Rush singing “Up In Here” on YouTube.
Listen to Bobby Rush singing “Bare Mouth Woman” on YouTube.
Buy Bobby Rush’s “Night Fishin'” album at Apple.
Read Daddy B. Nice’s Artist Guide to Bobby Rush.
And in other news…
Speaking of harmonica-playing Bobby Rush, watch for a history-setting concert this fall in Greenville, Mississippi:King GeorgeandBobby Rushon the same bill September 21st. Bigg Robb will be honored July 27th in the Black Music Walk of Fame.William Bell’s“You Don’t Miss Your Water,” published by Stax Records in 1961, has made the Grammy Hall of Fame song list. The awards span all genres and eras.
And more on touring…
Another concert tidbit. Quite a few southern soul concerts are selling out in advance. So far your Daddy B. Nice hasn’t been listing these venues on the Concert Calendar,but I’m open to readers’ preferences. July 4th arrives on Thursday this year, and it will be a monster weekend for live outdoor southern soul. I don’t post ticket prices on the Concert Calendar, but I just had to share this one as an outstanding bargain:Jeter Jones, J’Cenae, Adrian Bagher, Jeff Floyd, P2K and Coldrank:$25 for all day long. The gig takes place Sunday, July 7th in New Albany, Mississippi. The reason for the low price is probably the location. I’d guess New Albany is a good two-hour round trip from either Jackson or Memphis, the nearest cities.
–Daddy B. Nice
June 4, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: JUNE
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in June 2024.
1. “I’ll Beg”—Stacii Adams
2. “One More Day”—Ciddy Boi P
3. “I’m Soul Country”—Black Koffee
4. “Tell Me Baby”—B.J. Moodswing
5. “The New Jody”—Ced Wade feat. Ciddy Boi P
6. “(Two) Faces”—Catt Daddy
7. “Under There”—Hisyde
8. “Sorry”—Ty Daniels feat. Boss Lady
9. “Just Won’t Break”—Sky Whatley feat. Tonio Armani
10. “My Kind Of Man”—Crystal Thomas
11. “Cheating On Me”—Magic One
12. “Where The Party At?”—Lacee
13. “I Can’t Choose”—Sir Charles Jones
14. “Slow Hand”—Big Yayo
15. “Soul Party In VA”—Souja Kwan
16. “What You Won’t Do”—Mr. Boo Leggs
17. “Do U Wanna”—Mr. Magic
18. “Stepping And Swinging”—Magic One
19. “Cornbread Fed”—Mr. Beatz
20. “What’s It Going To Be?”—Boss Lady feat. Ty Daniels
21. “Juke Joint Lover”—Joe Nice& Nelson Curry
22. “The BK Shuffle”—Black Koffee
(DBN notes: Also see #3 single “I’m Soul Country” by Black Koffee, the same song.)
23. “Back To The Streets”—Sunshine The Singer
24. “Cut Up”—Dolla Bill Dodson
25. “Too Young For Me”—J. Red The Nephew
26. “Hey Pretty Lady”—Cuz Band
27. “Are You Serious?”—Arthur Young
28. “I Ain’t Gone Spill No Drank”—Cupid
29. “Hey Mr. DJ”—Teeza
30. “Come And Play”—Miss Storm
31. “I Will”—J-Wonn
32. “He Lied”—J’Cenae
33. “Country Boys”—Big Yayo feat. LaMorris Williams
34. “Cafe Messie”—Shonta Greer feat. Messie C
35. “I Can’t Walk Away”—Mz. Suga
36. “Lying On Me”—Jo-Us Band
37. “Keeper Not A Sweeper”—Lonne G
38. “Dump Truck”—Terry B
39. “Man Of Mine”—Mz. Dria
40. “I Wanna Love”—Mose Stovall
May 19, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes:
Record-Setting Mother’s Day Weekend Crowds Presage Big Revenue Summer For Southern Soul
To name just a few of the top revenue-generating festivals from this past Mother’s Day Weekend, Tucka’ssecond annual, 48-hourTucka JamesMusic Fest took place at the Evangeline Downs Casino Event Center in Opelousas, Louisiana, featuringLenny Williams, Fat Daddy, Mz. Suga, Big Pokey Bear, Mr. Hot Topic, Dee Dee Simon, Mr. Smoke & J. Paul Jr,while down the road at Parc International in Lafayette, Louisiana,Cupidentertained the crowds at the Spring Swing Music Festival withRoi “Chip” Anthony, Chris Ardoin & J.J. Caillier.
The redoubtable Sir Charles Jonesheld court at Rock Hill, South Carolina’s Southern Soul Mother’s Day Extravaganza whileBig Yayoperformed at the newly booming and revamped V.I.P. Center on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, assisted byBig John Cummings, David Sylvester, O. Emmons, Zach McGhee & Cassandra The Soul Child.The event was hosted by deejay personalityJazzii A.
The Jay Morris Groupheadlined a stellar bill including three of the most accomplished songstresses in southern soul—J’Cenae, Karen Wolfe & Carolyn Staten—along with newcomerBig Melin Monroe, Louisiana’s Richwood Park. Meanwhile,L.J. EcholsandNarvel Echols(no relation) were entertaining fans on a multi-act bill held at the Civic Auditorium in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
The grounds at Forrest City, Arkansas’s Larry Bryant Multi-Purpose Center hosted a capacity crowd for performances by Cecily Wilborn, Jeter Jones. L.J. Echols, Marcellus The Singer, & FPJwhile over at Hattiesburg, Mississippi’s Multi-Purpose Center Fairground, fans were feted byPokey Bear, West Love, Jay Morris Group, Young Guy, FPJ, J-Wonn, PC Band & Lady Trucker,with WMPR Jackson’sDJ Ragmanamong the celebrity hosts.
The Mother’s Day festivities were preceded by an unprecedented number of Easter holiday bashes, from the King George-headlined Gateway Blues Festival in St. Louis to the The Good Friday “Blues You Can Use” shindig in Fairhope, Alabama to the Blues Is Alright Tour in Indianapolis to the Aries Celebration at the Vicksburg City Auditorium to theLatimore & Lenny Williams-headlined Grown Folks Blues Party in Greenville, South Carolina to the Pre-Easter Bash in Monroe LA. to the Easter Sunday Blues Extravaganza starringJeter Jones, Tucka, Ms. Jody, Lenny Williams, Tre Williams & Arthur Youngat the Liddell Ranch in Utica, Mississippi. From MLK to Valentine’s Day to Spring Fling and on through Memorial Day, Father’s Day and the heart of the summer, concerts are the lifeblood and payday for southern soul artists, and for every major venue starring southern soul’s top-grossing performers there are dozens of smaller venues catering to aspiring musicians eager to make it to the top of the genre.
Jackson Music Awards
Award shows are proliferating like kudzu on utility lines, but none have been around longer than the Jackson (MS.) Music Awards, hosted by the city where I learned to recognize and cherish southern soul music. The 50th (that’s right, the “Golden”) Jackson Music Awards takes place July 29th. The theme is “A Night Like No Other, Celebrating the Best of The Best”. The honorees are Bobby Rush, The BarKays, Dorothy Moore, Benny Latimore & Lenny Williams.The performers areLenny Williams, Latimore, Cecily Wilborn, S. Dott & Bre Wooten.The event will take place at the Jackson Convention Center’s Trustmark Ballroom. For information call 601-862-6629.
The Heights & The Depths According to Sir Charles
Having a hard day? So it goes, even for the best of us.
The Heights:
“Don’t be hating on me
Because I’m blessed.
I’m the K-I-N-G of southern soul.
Birmingham, Alabama
Is where I come from.
Just a little country boy
That went #1.
Like Biggie said, baby,
It was all a dream.
Little did I know
That I’d be a king.
And the ladies,
They won’t leave me alone.
They say, “Oooh we love that pretty boy
Named Sir Charles Jones.”
I’m the chosen one.
You can’t beat me, boy,
Even in your dreams.”
The Depths:
“Driving downHighway 55
With tears in my eyes,
Pulled over to gain my composure.
I grabbed the gun
And put it to my head,
Thinking about my life.
What have I to live for?
Because everything’s going wrong.
And all the fortune and fame.
So many depend on me.
Using and taking and using,
And don’t know what’s wrong with me.
Oh Lord, forgive me.
And I began to cry.
Lord, I’m feeling all alone,
So alone.”
Miscellany
David Brinstonhas been inducted into the Alabama Blues Hall of Fame.Crystal Thomashas returned to her southern soul roots with a new single inspired by West Love’s “Southern Man”. It’s called “My Kind Of Man”.Robert “The Duke” Tillmanwill make a rare appearance June 1st in Selma, Alabama.Uncle Fallay,formerly known asLil’ Fallay,has returned to recording, as has theJo-Us Band,with a new song titled “Lying On Me”. Long-absentRick Lawsonhas also returned to the recording studio with a new single titled “Trying To Love Two Ain’t Easy”.
Arthur Younghas published a new version ofTyrone Davis’“Are You Serious?” Meanwhile,Willie Claytonhas recorded a new cover ofAl Green’s“Tired Of Being Alone”. And perhaps influenced by the success of the 2023Sean Dolby/Nelson Curryremix ofMel Waiter’s“Got My Whiskey,”Joe Nice & Nelson Curryhave paired up on a lyrical redo ofMarvin Sease’s“Candy Licker” called “Juke Joint Lover”.
May 5, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: MAY
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in May 2024.
1. “Back Road”—Curt The Country Manfeat. Marcellus The Singer
2. “Can’t Make ‘Em”—Koffee Bean feat. Jeter Jones
3. “Fishing Hole”—Ciddy Boi P
4. “Take You Out Tonight”—T-Man
5. “Jeans And Boots”—Country Boy
6. “On Ya Feet”—Big Mel
7. “Body Roll, Fast Or Slow”—Narvel Echols
8. “In Love With You”—B.J. Moodswing
9. “No Way”—Sheba Potts-Wright feat. L.J. Echols
10. “On The Way”—Big Nick J
11. “Do Me”—Marcellus The Singer
12. “Mama Don’t Worry”—ERealist feat. Big Mel
13. “Found My Peace”—Breeze MrDo2Much
14. “One More Day”—Ciddy Boi P
15. “She Wants That Money”—Mr. House feat. Ciddy Boi P
16. “Karma”—Cecily Wilborn
17. “Party At Home”—Sean Dolby feat. Ms. Nikita & Joe Nice
18. “Tell Me Baby”—B.J. Moodswing
19. “Hole In The Wall”—Lamar Brace
20. “Better Man”—Curt The Country Man
21. “Follow Me”—Laceefeat. J-Wonn
22. “I’m With You”—Dee Dee Simon
23. “Let Me See It”—Gold Gillis feat. Narvel Echols
24. “Good Time”—Tamara “Mz Hollywood” McClain feat. Audi Yo
25. “Put That Thang On Me”—Nelson Curry
26. “Fed Up”—Ronnie “Rude” Perkins feat. Lacee
27. “You Can’t Use Me”—Freaky B 2.0
28. “If I Step Out”—Lisa Denevo feat. Ciddy Boi P
29. “Big Boi Stroke”—Big “Ro” Williams
30. “Country Girl”—The Signature Band
31. “Red Rooster”—Coldrank
32. “Club House”—Rico C
33. “You Don’t Have To Down Me”—Son Of Soul
34. “Feel Sumthin'”—Zach Stewart McGee & Dolla Bill Dodson
35. “Party Ride”—Lamar Brace
36. “Loving Girl”—Rylo
37. “Summertime Fine”—Cadillac Man
38. “Love Me No More”—Tee Dee Young
39. “Big Girl World”—Gwen Yvette
40. “I Put A Claim On That Thing”—Jesse James feat. Millie Jackson
April 15, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Will Southern Soul Deejays Play Country Western/Southern Soul?
(We Discuss Two Months Later.)
February’s “News & Notes” asking if southern soul deejays are playing or will play countrified southern soul drew an overwhelmingly positive response. As one deejay wrote,“The fans are comfortable with country music because it is a parallel genre to Southern Soul. Because of the explosion of Trailride music it does fit well.”I might add that in addition to trail-ride, southern soul has welcomed funk(Nellie Travis’s“Mr. Sexy Man”), zydeco (T.K. Soul’s“Zydeco Bounce”) and hip-hop(Joe Nice&Sean Dolby’s“Take Your Time”) into its inclusionary tent with results that have energized the genre.
Why does “country” sound so good right now? There’s a lot of emotive power coming through. Sometimes branching into fresh styles frees recording artists from the constraints that—unconsciously or consciously—make the music too familiar and formulaic. Certainly that was the case withNellie Travis’s“Mr. Sexy Man”.That brash, biting, funk/disco guitar riff was as shocking in a southern soul playlist in 2013 asCurt The Country Man’s“Back Road”is today, and yet it elevatedTravis’scareer to a stature unthinkable before.
Am I advocating for every southern soul artist to record “country”-style? Please no! By no means. What I’m advocating is something every fan wishes for. What do we want? To be surprised. This “country” thing has been building momentum for some time. Only think of songs like “Country Boy Remix”(Chu’Zu, Vince Tucker & Jeter Jones),“Down In The Country”(Stan Butler, West Love)and“Country Girl”(Jus Epik, Money Waters.)Nor is there anything truly new under the sun, even in our beloved southern soul. Check outCarl Marshall’s“I’ve Lived It All”(1999).
Speaking of country, not to mention zydeco, 39 years ago the Lake Charles native and accordionist Sidney Simien,better known asRockin’ Sidney,had a Top 20 hit on thecountry chartswith a song calledMy Toot Toot”” (aka “Don’t Mess With My Toot Toot”). The tune had already been a smash in New Orleans and the Delta. Covers byJean KnightandDenise LaSallesoon charted on the pop and R&B charts. To say it was a boost to LaSalle’s career in particular would be an understatement, and she often acknowledged it.
As was evident in her no-show at this year’s Best of 2023 awards, where she’s perennially a “Best Vocalist” nominee, Tasha Mac—who has been on “sabbatical” of late—is rumored to be back on the southern soul scene soon.
A year after the Dialtone release of his No Soul, No Blues album, Stan Mosley’s“Blues Man”remains the sole track available on YouTube. No comment here, as my views are known, but what struck me is the difference in marketing between the “major” independents and southern soul labels. NO SOUL NO BLUES, for those who missed it, features one of the all-time, southern soul wailers backed by one of the greatest live soul bands ever assembled. Imagine southern soul in an alternate universe. (Read the review before it’s deleted: under“Recently Reviewed,”right-hand column of CD Reviews.)
William Bellis no longer with Wilbe (his own longtime label). The Grammy Hall of Famer has signed with Concord.
Jesse James,another seasoned veteran, charted with legendary partnerMillie JacksononDaddy B. Nice’sTop 25 Songs of 2011with the single “Let’s Get A Room Somewhere”. Then, in 2014,Jameshad the#1 Song of the Yearwith “I Lost My Baby On Facebook”. After a near-decade-long absence he has a new album in the works. The first single will be “I Put A Claim On That Thang,” once again teaming withMillie Jackson.The track was first released in 2022.
Cecily Wilborn’s“country” style in“Red Cup Blues”reminds me ofMs. Jodywhen she first appeared.Ms. Jody’sfirst successful radio single was“I Never Take A Day Off,”a whiff of pure country if ever there was one, and that sugary country tone has remained in Ms. Jody’s vocal arsenal ever since.
Finally, country-style once again topped Daddy B. Nice’sTop 10 Singlesin April, withCiddy Boi P’sflagrantly country“This Is Texas”in the #1 spot andKing George’squasi-country“It’s Over”at #2.
—Daddy B. Nice
April 6, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: APRIL
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in April 2024.
1. “This Is Texas”—Ciddy Boi P
2. “It’s Over”—King George
3. “Keep Pushing”—West Love
4. “Puttin’ In Work”—Mr. Jimmy
5. “I Gotta Leave Home”—Mr. Laidback
6. “Swing My Way”—LaMorris Williams
7. “Do You!”—Big Nick J
8. “(He Ain’t Gon’) Do Right”—Shae Nicole
9. “Goin’ Jackie Neal (At The Zydeco)”—Tyree Neal feat. Pokey Bear, C-Loc, Adrian Bagher, Johnny James & Bro Bro)
10. “Ride It”—Mikal feat. Angel Faye Russell
11. “Rub My Head”—Unkle Phunk
12. “Put It In The Bag”—Solomon Thompson
13. “Southern Soul Type Of Lady”—Ciddy Boi P
14. “Can I Vibe”—The Jay Morris Group
15. “Big Ol’ Wagon”—Avail Hollywood
16. “No Getting Over Me (Re-Entry)”—Tucka
17. “Blues Paradise”—F.P.J.
18. “Back Road” (Re-Entry)—Curt The Country Man feat. Marcellus The Singer
19. “In Love With You”—B.J. Moodswing
20. “Zydeco Swing”—Eric Hunter aka Mr. Don’t Leave
21. “No Poking”—Jeter Jones
22. “Back To The Blues”—Mr. House
23. “We Riding”—Mama Do
24. “Good Time”—Willie Rich
25. “I Hear You Knocking”—Mr. House feat. Ciddy Boi P
26. “Big Bone Girl II”—Ced Wade feat. Willie Clayton
27. “Gumbo Love”—Le’Jit Brothers
28. “Not How It Goes”—Mz. Poochie
29. “Dreamin'”—Rico C. feat. Cupid
30. “Big Boss Moves”—Lady Redtopp
31. “Coming In Hot”—Arthur Youngfeat. J-Wonn
32. “That’s My Man”—Mz. Dria
33. “I’m An Undercover Lover” (Re-Release)—Bobby Rush
34. “Doggone Shucky Ducky””—Anissa Hampton
35. “Every Night”—T.J. Hooker Taylor
36. “Thursday”—Carlin Taylor
37. “Monkey See Monkey Do”—Angel Faye Russell
38. “Good Loving”—Alex Williams
39. “Put That Thang On Me”—Nelson Curry
40. “Hard On Me”—Highway Heavy feat. Dave Mack
March 17, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
New Faces: Comprehensive Index
Here is a list of newly installed southern soul artists in Daddy B. Nice’sComprehensive Index,with hyperlinks to their first-time appearances on the southern soul charts. Click on the highlighted name to be transported to their page locations in the Index, then click the hyperlink(s).
March 17, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Southern Soul Clubbing: A Fresh Look
Entertainment clubs come and go. The hardest business in the world. Southern soul music survives and thrives on audience revenue and nothing compares to seeing southern soul stars in intimate, small to mid-size clubs. Here’s an update on performance venues old and new, indoor and outdoor, based on Daddy B. Nice’sstewardship of the genre’sConcert Calendar.
Union City Fairgrounds, El Dorado, Arkansas
This long-standing outlet for southern soul singers stands out amidst all the other city, county and state civic and convention centers, colliseums, parks and fairgrounds (most of which are located in the Mississippi Delta to the east and far too numerous to mention) by virtue of its resourceful promoterMichael Jackson’sfrequent shows.
Vicksburg City Auditorium
This venerable facility is renowned for its successful, once-a-month “Southern Soul First Fridays,” althoughL.J. EcholsandYoung Guywill be onstage Saturday March 30.
Liddell Ranch, Utica, Mississippi
Situated in the boonies south of Jackson and Vicksburg, this venue has played host to an amazing run of multi-act concerts over the last few years, most recently this coming Easter weekend’s show withTucka, Jeter Jones, Ms. Jody, Lenny Williams, Tre Williams and Arthur Young.
Palace Theater, McComb, Mississippi
New place! Said to be beautiful and tasteful.Avail Hollywood, Arthur Young, Adrian Bagher, Johnny James and Ms. Tywill be appearing May 18th.
R.L.’s Blues Palace, Dallas, Texas
The place for southern soul and blues in Dallas, run by storied hostR.L. Griffin.
Club Oasis, Hazlehurst, Mississippi
Temporarily closed, and so it goes….
Magnolia Lounge, Forest Park, Georgia
Atlanta just isn’t “country” enough for southern soul to saturate its collective consciousness, but suburbs like Forest Park and Lithonia are doing their best to change that.
The Original Red Rooster, Houston, Texas
Located on Almeda Road, this relative newcomer to the southern soul scene hostsJeter JonesApril 14th.
The Queen’s Lounge, Houston, Texas
Hosts Southern Soul Sundays, just like the M. Callysong.
Kandy Factory, Crystal Springs, Mississippi
Relatively new—opened during Covid era. TheJay Morris Group, Tonio Armani and Derek “The Change Man” Smithperformed in February.
Club Oasis, Hazlehurst, Mississippi
“Temporarily closed”. We deliver the bad news with the good.
The Grounds
Just outside Pensacola, this Mobile-area outdoor facility is famous for Spring Fling, the biggest outdoor audience venue on the southern soul circuit.
Huntsville Dragway, Huntsville, Alabama
HostsKing GeorgeandSir Charles Joneson the same bill May 25th, one in a series of high-profile events here in the last few years.
440 JXN
Located at 440 Mill Street in Jackson, this new club enters the small-club niche formerly dominated by Underground 119 and F. Jones Corner. The club will host T.K. SoulandYoung GuyApril 5th.
Classic Soulz, Memphis, Tennessee
A new venue on East Brooks Road in a city that has a brutal record when it comes to sustaining southern soul clubs.FPJwill appear in April.
C C Blues Club, Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis’s longest-running southern soul club. Gritty. Hole-in-the-wall, but huge.
Thalia Mara Hall, Jackson, Mississippi
Hosts more upscale southern soul concerts a few times per year.
Evangeline Downs Casino Event Center, Opelousas, Louisiana
Occasionally hosts multi-acts southern soul such as Tucka’sbig to-do Mother’s Day Weekend. Lafayette and Monroe, Louisiana also boast frequent southern soul events.
Fiesta Center, Lubbock, Texas
Coming on strong for southern soul but pricey.
Pantheon, Austin, Texas
New southern soul venue, mostly local talent. Hosting Southern Soul Saturdays and Sundays.
Southern Soul Lounge, Shreveport, Louisiana.
Small club with great atmosphere in the land ofJeter Jones.
Ranking the top ten states for southern soul events in order:
Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Arkansas, North Carolina, Georgia.
See Concert Calendar (new website).
Send updates, suggestions or comments to…daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
—Daddy B. Nice
March 7, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: MARCH
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in March 2024.
1. “Red Cup Blues”—Cecily Wilborn
2. “Back Roads”—GMB Li Curt feat. ShawtyMac
3. “Texas Hold ‘Em”—Beyonce
4. “Come Over Baby”—Lady Redtopp feat. Bri Rocket
5. “Let’s Get Drunk”—L.J. Echols
6. “Church Girl”—Tex James feat. Stan Butler
7. “You My Man”—Jay Morris Group
8. “Party Tonight”—P2K DaDiddy feat. Urban Mystic
9. “Lost And Found”—Volton Wright feat. Sir Charles Jones
10. “Going Out”—Curt The Country Man feat. Countryboii Tye
11. “Biggest Mama”—Rosalyn Candy
12. “Keep Your Dog On A Short Leash”—Sheila B. Sexi
13. “Big Boss”—Jeter Jones feat. T. Howell
14. “This Is Texas (Beyonce Reply)”—Ciddy Boi P
15. “Chocolate”—Mz Tori feat. Pardeeboy
16. “I Gotta Leave Home”—Mr. Laidback
17. “Rumors”—LaMorris Williams
18. “Got It Going On”—Mike Clark Jr. feat. DJ Trucker & Mr. Hanky
19. “Where They Do That At”—Al Davis feat. Princess LaShelle
20. “Show Me”—Brutha
21. “Rock That Man In The Boat (Remix)”—Chuck Strong
22. “Langadang”—Hambone Bandicoot
23. “Me And My Hennessy”—Sema’J
24. “5-Star Kitty”—Darnell Da Bachelor
25. “Swing My Way”—LaMorris Williams
26. “The Electric Slide”—Klay Redd
27. “Boots On”—Lokey Kountry
28. “Let’s Stay Together”—Willie Clayton
29. “Get Loose”—Cecily Wilborn feat. Bre Wooten
30. “I’m So Ready”—Uncle Luck
31. “Tell Me Where You From”—Solomon Thompson
32. “Big Girl World”—Gwen Yvette
33. “Puttin’ In Work”—Mr. Jimmy
34. “Ride It”—Mikal feat. Angel Faye Russell
35. “Don’t Forget About Me”—Adrian Bagher feat. Big Yayo
36. “Really Love You”—Keneisha feat. Omar Cunningham
37. “Give Me Love”—Melodic Princess
38. “Heaven”—Carlin Taylor
39. “Trailriders Party”—Electrohorse feat. Nigel Perkins
40. “Should’ve Been Home”—J. Red The Nephew
February 18, 2024
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Will Southern Soul Deejays Play Country Western/Southern Soul?
“Texas Hold ‘Em,”Beyonce’sunabashedly country-western-styled dance jam, is generating controversy amongst country music deejays across America. The same thing—in reverse—is happening on a lesser scale in the world of southern soul. I’m not just talking about the preponderance of cowboy hats, “daisy dukes” and boots, horses, trail rides, pickups and musical blending of country themes into southern soul that has been going on now for roughly a decade sinceBig Yayo’spre-cowboy-hat-wearing“Cowgirl”appeared and a half-decade sinceJeter Jones’“Black Horse”officially kicked off the “country-fication” of southern soul. Nor am I even talking about the avalanche of country-styled tunes and titles that have followed, songs likeJus Epik’s & Money Waters’“Country Girl,”in which country influences both musical and lyrical customize a still sturdy southern soul chassis.
Which brings me to the present moment: the pure country-western vocals of Jeter Jonesnew “Country Girl” andCecily Wilborn’s“Red Cup Blues”. Yepp. Two major artists have crossed the boundary between southern soul and country. All the way. Are they experiments? It’s hard to say. Jeter Jones recorded a song that’s become a southern soul classic:“My Country Girl”.But his new“Country Girl,”from the just-releasedBig Boss EP,is pure country—not least the exaggerated vocal. But even that shocker is surpassed byCecily Wilborn’snew song,“Red Cup Blues,”in which she nearly outdoesBeyoncein her genuine transformation into a bonafide country singer. So much so that yourDaddy B. Nice’sTop 10 Singles for March might sound more like a country-western chart than southern soul. As if that weren’t enough, the producer for “Red Cup Blues” isKang 803, King George’sproducer and the hottest southern soul producer of the moment. If you remember, Kang 803 inserted delicate steel guitar fillips into King George’s #1 song of 2023, “Night Time”. And they—he and George—used to be rappers!
I recently stumbled upon a song that came out in the latter part of 2023 called
“Back Roads”byGMB Li Curt and ShawtyMac,just a couple of the black artists includingK.D. Conner, Curt The CountrymanandCountryboi Tyecurrently recording country.Marcellus The Singeractually guests on another version of the song byCurt The Countryman.“Back Roads” is too good to ignore, but I confess to almost feeling guilty enjoying it because it is country, man, so much so that when the rap verse came in I felt a twinge of relief because, ironically, the rap validated it as a contemporary southern soul song!
As long as there has been country music there have been black country artists. The greatRay Charlesstraddled both genres like a colossus back in my young day. But here’s the kicker. These new songs ARE pure country. They’re not southern soul. If a new generation of musicians follows suit, you can’t really call it southern soul anymore. Or can you?
Miscellany
Bobby Rushhas done it again—won his third Grammy. Best Traditional Blues album of 2023 forAll My Love For You.The singer is a living legend. He out-lived his fabled contemporaries—Johnnie Taylor, Marvin Sease, Mel Waiters, Little Milton—and having reached the pinnacle of visibility for a traditional black artist, made the necessary adjustments to his recording style and performance routine to make fame stick. Congratulations, Bobby! We love you back!
Jerry “Boogie” Mason,the indefatigable and longest-running media facilitator in southern soul music, will be honored at the 2nd Annual Radio Music & Film Conference in Atlanta Saturday, August 17, 2024.
Need more evidence of southern soul infiltrating the white audience? Larry Chambersof Ecko Records in Memphis recently sent out an email for a newMs. Jodysingle, “Burger King” from her 5-star-rated albumA Night To Remember.The email blast included a YouTube video of white folks line-dancing to“The Southern Soul Bounce”.They’re not the kind of people you’d think of as southern soul fans if you saw them on the street, to say the least, and there’s not a black body in the room, but click the link above—it’s great, they get it.
Gina Brown Passes
Southern soul singer Gina Browndied Wednesday, January 31, 2024. A Celebration of Life Concert was held at the Fillmore At Harrah’s in New Orleans on Thursday, February 15th. Gina Brown’s song“We’re Having A Party”was Daddy B. Nice’s #1 Southern Soul Single in December of 2011 (click link). Find hyper-links to more appearances by Gina Brown on the website in Daddy B. Nice’sComprehensive Index.
–Daddy B. Nice
************
January 3, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: FEBRUARY
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in February 2024.
1. “Swing Out”—West Love
2. “In Front Of Me”—The Jay Morris Group
3. “You Baby”—Marcellus The Singer feat. Cecily Wilborn
4. “Crazy About You”—Derek The Change Man Smith
5. “Put It In Ya Life”—Lil’ Runt feat. Jeter Jones
6. “Too Soon”—Kandy Janai
7. “Love Bone”—Donnie Ray
8. “Yo Truck (Ain’t Better Than Mine)”—Jeter Jones
9. “Let It Be Said”—J. Lake
10. “Can I Get A Witness?”—LaMorris Williams
11. “Back To Myself”—Karen Wolfe
12. “Mz. Judy”—CuznJed feat. Prince Hodge
13. “Wet Anthem”—Big 251
14. “Southern Soul”—El Willie
15. “Let Me Know”—Big Mel
16. “Why Not?”—J-Wonn
17. “Henn Peck Man”—Lady J
18. “Swing My Way”—Ice Doll feat. Cupid
19. “Loving You Wright”—Champagne Wright feat. Dope Boy Bluez
20. “He Ain’t Gone Do Right”—Shae Nycole
21. “God Still Working On Me”—Avail Hollywood
22. “Alone”—King South
23. “Elevator”—Royal D feat. Cupid
24. “Give Him His Papers”—Big G
25. “Yapping”—Summer Wolfe feat. Narvel Echols
26. “Don’t Fuck With Me”—Lady Shebazz
27. “Sexy”—Black Diamond
28. “Just Us 2”—Memphis Jackson
29. “Outside”—Mz. Pat feat. Ciddy Boi P
30. “Transition”—Columbus Toy
31. “Make It Rain”—Vick Allen
32. “Baby Come Home”—Mz. Poochie
33. “Living My Life”—Jeff Floyd feat. Roi “Chip” Anthony
34. “You Can Make It”—Maia B
35. “Put It On Me”—Shell-B
36. “Good Good Man”—T.J. Hooker Taylor
37. “Thick Country Girl”—Mr. Laidback
38. “Tootsie”—O.B. Buchana
39. “Ain’t Nobody Crazy”—Princess Towanna Murphy
40. “Party People”—Ms. Priscilla feat. Narvel Echols
January 8, 2024
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: JANUARY
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in January 2024.
1. “Until We Meet Again”—Marcellus The Singer
2. “Down In The Sippi”—FaLisa JaNaye
3. “Busted Cheating At The Holiday Inn”—Mr. Midnight
4. “I Can’t Live Without You”—Memphis Jackson
5. “Party”—Cecily Wilborn
6. “Let’s Get Married Today”—Stan Butler
7. “Cut Friend”—Sky Whatley
8. “Good Tyme”—P2K DaDiddy feat. Frank Johnson
9. “Older Woman”—S. Dott
10. “Sooner Or Later”—Tonio Armani
11. “Trail Ride”—Jonathan Burton
12. “Mr. Right”—Ced Wade feat. Willie Clayton
13. “Let’s Ride”—David J
14. “Feenin'”—Urban Mystic
15. “Here For You”—Big Mel
16. “Why Not?”—J-Wonn
17. “Mr. Fix It”—Ty Juan
18. “Rooty Tooty”—Cadillac Cho
19. “Ayyyeeee”—Sean Dolby feat. Dani Dolce
20. “Pull Up On Me”—Keneisha
21. “”Steppin’ And Swingin'”—Magic One
22. “Get My Party On”—Meeka Meeka
23. “Big Bone Girl”—Ced Wade feat. Big Mel
24. “How Does It Feel”—Dee Dee Simon
25. “Used To Love Her”—Willie Rich
26. “Show Me That You Love Me”—Delo Brown
27. “Stress Me Out”—Marcellus The Singer
28. “Cafe Shuffle”—MTM Rara
29. “It’s U”—Volton Wright feat. Songbird
30. “Glide”—Rosalyn Candy
31. “It Ain’t Good For You”—Tyree Neal
32. “Make That Body Roll”—Ciddy Boi P
33. “Wind It Up”—Choppa Law
34. “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)”—Joe Nice feat. Jonathan Butler
35. “Flow With It”—Meme Yahsal
36. “Club People”—UNYQC
37. “Take You Out Tonight”—T-Man
38. “Don’t Get Mad At Jody”—Uncle T
39. “Hot And Spicy”—Gentry-Jones
40. “Grownman”—Rico C
January 1, 2024
2023: THE YEAR IN SOUTHERN SOUL
Two questions preoccupy my end-of-year thoughts. 1/ How famous is King George,really? And…2/ What happens to southern soul music if someone becomes so famous, so dominant (say, likeElvisbringing the black sound and style of rhythm and blues into early rock and roll in the late 1950’s) that he or she transcends chitlin’ circuit-based southern soul?
In spite of the Deep South being the birthplace of nearly all American popular music, contemporary southern soul has long been marginalized as a kind of “local” music, not ready commercially or technically for the “prime time” of the national scene, with occasional exceptions elbowing their way onto the national best-selling charts. Now comes the phenomenon ofKing George.How famous is he? Fame implies that a person has transcended the boundaries of his or her chosen field. I was trolling through a college football-recruiting podcast chat thread recently when I came upon this post:
Minister Philly: “Ohhh, I said ‘King George’ but I meant King Joseph.”
For those who don’t follow college football,King Josephwas a much sought-after linebacker recruit. But the fact thatKing Georgewas thrown into the post by mistake astounded me, as did the fact that the poster assumed thatKing Georgewas a name that everyone reading the post would recognize not as a football player but as a well-known performer.
And consider this. In the summer of 2023, in only his sophomore year as a southern soul singer and with only one album-length, solo collection under his recording belt, King Georgehung out with the likes ofErykah BaduandSnoop Dogg,the latter even reportedly considering signing him to the hiphop label Death Row Records he had bought fromSuge Knightin 2022. (FYI, it didn’t get done but not for reasons having to do withKing George.) And meanwhile,King Georgebecame the “must-see,” indispensable headliner on the Blues Is Alright Tour on every darned tour stop, be it the East Coast, West Coast, the North or the South. 2023 provedKing Georgeis a generational talent and the biggest thing to happen to southern soul sinceJohnnie Taylor.
Southern soul advocates can already see where I’m going with this. WillKing Georgedrag the rest of southern soul music along with him like a bride with a long-trained wedding gown, reflecting the comforting glow of his fame over the entire genre asBob Marleydid for reggae in the 80’s and 90’s? The comparison is apt because George’s vocals, like Marley’s, are incomparable in their tone and ability to communicate, andGeorgeoperates in that mid-tempo “sweet spot of southern soul” (to use aDaddy B. Nicephrase) just asBob Marleyused to do in reggae.
One thing we do know. King Georgedominated 2023 just as he dominated 2022. Not only was he not a flash in the pan; his 2023 recordings (“Night Time,” “Grown Man,” “Messy,” “U-Turn,” “Lil’ Weight” etc.) were of the same rarefied quality (songwriting, vocalizing, producing) that catapulted him to the top of the southern soul charts in 2022. His collaborations with colleagues were the most coveted projects in the genre.P2K DaDiddy’s“U-Turn,” for instance, changed the trajectory of his entire career, lifting him to an entirely new “pay-grade”. And scores of singers piggy-backed onKing George’ssongs, recording covers and tributes and parodies and posting them on YouTube.
Meanwhile, for longtime southern soul veterans and prognosticators in particular, 2023 was a year of sheer chaos, illustrating the old adage,You can’t expect something to grow and then be sorry you can’t control it.The workings of the southern soul industry had been changing for years but 2023 seemed to mark a definitive end to the “old” era.
I remember opening my post office box and being surprised I had received an actual CD in a brown mailer (Ecko Records’ “Blues Mix 34: Sensational Southern Soul”). It was the first physical piece of southern soul product I’d received since “Da Legend of Sweet Jeter Jones”a year earlier. Back in the day, I’d get a couple of CD’s a week—and from a much smaller pool of active recording artists. I still have two huge chests of drawers in a back bedroom stuffed with nothing but return-addressed mailers I used to save in case I ever wanted to visit.
In a recent “News & Notes” I complained about another seismic shift in the way things are done: songwriters and producers self-promoting with intrusive “bumps” in the middle of the masters of their songs. That is the direct result of the demise of small indie labels, once the backbone of southern soul distribution, a good portion of which were owned by artists, just as they could be today. The indies sent out bio’s, liner notes and credits. Songwriters and producers (two-thirds of the triumvirate necessary for a hit record) were given their due. Now at best we have a Tower of Babel of social media postings, mostly visual. Amateur hour.
Not only are the old ways becoming extinct. The “old guard” itself has changed. There are a few exceptions. Sir Charles Jonesstill resides on threeDaddy B. NiceTop 100 charts representing successive eras in contemporary southern soul, butBobby Rushdoes not; he’s now a nationally-recognized blues artist and no longer qualifies as a practicing southern soul artist.O.B. Buchana,who spans two generations and two charts, occupies a similar yet different kind of no-man’s-land, no longer recording with Ecko or recording much of anything, but still singing what the fans want to hear. That would be his original classic, “Let’s Get Drunk”.
Ten and twenty years ago, there was a set group of artists and it didn’t change much from year to year. It was difficult to break into this insular world of southern soul, but once you did,you were in.You had a long-term lease. Nowadays—and especially in 2023—it’s as if a giant fist swept across the surface of the industry and sent a tableful of fine china flying across the room. All that is gone, and it’s almost easier to be an unknown breaking into southern soul than it is to be a veteran trying to hang in there and retain relevancy. In this sense current southern soul music recalls the insane, tumultuous, and predatory creativity of early rock and roll.
YouTube has been such a game-changer and a veritable playground for the chaos that now characterizes southern soul. I remember when MTV transitioned from 24/7 music videos. Awful. And yet, another generation later, we have MTV music videos to the zillionth degree in YouTube, where once you start playing your favorite southern soul songs your algorithms feed you a never-ending diet of southern soul in the style you prefer. And on this platform you have dozens upon dozens of aspiring southern soul artists a month and hundreds upon hundreds of newcomers a year.
In spite of the demise of the old ways of doing things, however, the music lives on—indeed prospers as it hasn’t since the heyday of Stax and Hi and Malaco, with old stars passing through one set of turnstiles and promising newcomers coming through another. In 2023 we said good-bye to the magnificent Wendell B,the legendaryLove Doctorand the belovedBilly “Soul” Bondswhile welcoming the inspiring and talentedM. Cally, Lady Redtopp, Big Mel, Mike Clark Jr., Cecily Wilborn, Young Guy, Queen DenaeandMiron Simpsonamongst many, many more. Life is a wheel of change turning inexorably and southern soul mirrors life.
—Daddy B. Nice
December 17, 2023
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Fame-Seeking Songwriters
It used to be that composers (creators of music and lyrics) recognized that they were a different breed from the performers who had the off-the-charts talent and fearlessness to negotiate those songs in front of an audience. Only think of the great, seminal figures who transitioned what was a fragile thread of southern soul music through the turn of the century into what it is today:Peggy Scott-Adams,Johnnie Taylor, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Marvin Sease, B.B. King, Denise LaSalle, Uncle Milton, Shirley Brown, Z.Z. Hill.Their catalogs were fueled by composers whom the sophisticated and paying-attention segment of the southern soul audience holds in the deepest regard, legendary figures such asFloyd Hamberlin, Lawrence Harper, Harrison Calloway, George Jackson, Charles Richard Cason, Frederick Knight, Jimmy Lewis,to name a few. And as we listen to their tunes today—Frederick Knight’s“Sleep With One Eye Open”sung byShirley Brownfor instance—we can’t imagine a “bump” inserted into the recording saying,“Frederick wrote this.”It would sound almost sacrilegious.
That was what was going through my mind as I listened to“Real Real Woman,”Omar Cunningham’soutstanding new composition, both musically and lyrically, as performed byJ’Cenae(#2 Daddy B. Nice’s Top 10 December ’23), in whichOmardoes just that—says“Omar wrote this”—once in the beginning and once again near the end. It was the second one that killed me, and a few readers noticed when I called out Omar, one noting, “You sure don’t pull punches.” But I believe featuringOmarasSongwriter Supremethe last few months should signal my heart is in the right place. I’m thinking ofCunningham’sown legacy. Twenty years from now, how will he feel when he plays it for himself and/or others? How will he feel about it when the need for promotion is no longer a factor? Will the bumps ever give him a twinge of discomfort?
This practice of inserting commercial bumps that interrupt or “voice-over” the music began in Baton Rouge in the mid-teens withBeat Flippa (Daniel Ross)andHighway Heavy(Charles Lewis).This, you might remember, was the era of the much-heraldedLouisiana Blues BrothasandPokey Bear,a tremblor that shook the southern soul scene in a precursor to theKing Georgeearthquake of the last couple of years.Beat Flippainjected each song he wrote/produced with an introductory bump that went,“B-b-b-b-Beat Flippa!”A few years later, another prolific Louisiana composer/producer,Ronald “Slack” Jefferson,would mimic the practice with the bumper“Slack-Traxxxx!”). Tony T (Tony Tatum)was yet another producer who bumped, and in his case, being lesser-known or at least less-visible, it at least had the benefit of being informative.
Lewis (Highway Heavy)took the self-promotion to an even higher level with his “pinky ring music”. Not content to just insert a bump,Heavyinsisted on headlining as the performer, in effect elevating the instrumental track over the vocal and turning the credits upside down. Lewis relegated the primary vocalist to “featured artist,” as in“Highway HeavyfeaturingChampagne”or“Highway HeavyfeaturingDave Mack”. Heavyhas even appeared in YouTube videos as a vocalist of late, but his rapping hasn’t translated well to southern soul. By the way, in charting Highway Heavy’s hit singles over the years yourDaddy B. Nicehas almost always switched the primary credit to the vocalist, in keeping with the genre’s long-accepted routine.
Dee Dee Simon Triumphs at Harlem’s Famed Apollo
Dee Dee Simonwas crowned winner of “Amateur Night At The Apollo” in New York City on November 22nd. In this history-rich contest, begun in 1934, audience members decide the winner, participating in the competition’s tradition of “cheering” or “booing” each contestant to determine who advances. Former winners include luminaries likeElla Fitzgerald, Billie HolidayandThe Jackson Five.Simon performed “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Coming” and was awarded the Amateur Night Grand Prize of $20,000.
West Lovemakes her first appearance on the prestigious Blues Is Alright Tour Saturday, February 24th at the Altria Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. And that’s not all. She will be a headliner March 1st at the Savannah Blues Fest (another tour stop) taking place at the Johnny Mercer Theater in Savannah, Georgia’s Civic Center.
A new “Sir Charles” is piggy-backing on theSir Charlesname and trademark. The artist is marketing his music under the nameSir Charles Caryand he has recently posted a song video on YouTube titled “The Door” featuringTrinity Eubanks.
“Dance With Me,” the very first CD that El’ Williereleased, has been re-released, along with its semi-famous single,“You Got Me Where You Want Me”.El’ Williefirst gained renown under his given nameWilliam Travisfor writing or co-writing (althoughTheodis Ealeyhas been loath to acknowledge it) “Stand Up In It” and “All My Baby Left Me Was A Note, My Guitar & The Cookie Jar”—the two hits, in fact, that madeTheodisa star.Daddy B. NiceawardedEl’ Williethe prestigiousBest Male Southern Soul Vocalist of 2007 for the song “You Got Me
Where You Want Me,” but Travis’ solo career under theEl’ Williebrand soon devolved into a soft-jazz style (thinkMichael Franks) which he relentlessly marketed to Daddy B. Nice over the years, a practice whichDBNfinally skewered in a scathing review titled“What About El’ Willie?”,a parody of theBill Murraymovie “What About Bob?” in which a psychiatrist played byRichard Dreyfussis driven crazy by a patient(Murray)who obsesses on being close to him.
Website Stuff
The original website went down for ten days in December, a casualty of a server hosting renovation that went awry. The outage took hundreds of southern soul artist guides off-line and interrupted new postings. At its worst I worried that my life’s work, a quarter-century of chronicling southern soul artists, might never be recovered. BecauseFeatured Artists of the Monthcould not be accessed, either through the original or new website, December’s featured artists will be extended through January 2024.
While we’re on the subject of websites, I will acknowledge the demise ofDaddy B. Nice’smonthly“Newsletter”.I know some readers really enjoyed it and the more personal revelations (like my struggles with severe glaucoma and blindness), but it was just too much to handle. SouthernSoulRnB is still a one-man show, with a little help from Nat on ads and new-website postings. I doallthe content and am always “behind”.
Speaking of which, apologies to veteran southern southern soul starJeff Floyd.As I was working with theComprehensive Indexrecently I noticed that there was noJeff Floyd!No links whatever—not even to his two Artist Guides. I have no idea how this happened, but I will be working on rebuildingJeff Floyd’slinks soon. I also need to resume work on theTop 100: New Generation Southern Soulchart after a couple of months of inactivity. The countdown is now up to thirty artists (those at the top) and the next segments will begin appearing in 2024.
Finally…
….A letter-writer in the currentMailbagopines that “one part of the Southern Soul style that I appreciate is the (almost) complete absence of profanities”.” Well, although that’s usually the case….Not always. And you know yourDaddy B. Niceisn’t going to shy away from the “grown-folks” aka prurient stuff, don’t you? There’s a new female-version parody ofKing George’s“Keep On Rollin'” by a young thing namedKam Tunechi.The clothes she’s wearing alone take me back to childhood, as do the weeds growing robustly through the dilapidated steps leading up to her front door.Tunechiuses the “N” word liberally and substitutes “hoe-ing” for “roll-ing”.The videohas already drawn 43,000 views. And—as an extra bonus—the hilarious comments below the video are not turned off! It does remind me of the shock of hearingKG’s“Keep On Rollin'” the first time. NowKing Georgeis the establishment, “Keep On Rollin'” is the status quo, and it takes this to make our ears perk up.
Merry Christmas, everybody! And Happy New Year!
—Daddy B. Nice
December 2, 2023
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: DECEMBER
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in December 2023.
1. “Grown Man”—King Georgefeat. CharMeka Joquelle
2. “Real Real Woman”—J’Cenae
3. “Trail Ride”—Lady Redtopp feat. Bri Rocket
4. “Do You Wanna Go?”—Tucka
5. “Fallin’ For You”—Adrian Bagher
6. “Walk Out On My Love”—Dee Dee Simon
7. “Party”—Mike Clark Jr. feat. E. Realist & Charity Harris
8. “I Need Me A Drink”—Ju Evans
9. “Do It Right”—Meeka Meeka (Meeka Noble)
10. “Country Party”—Myia Bry (Myia B)
11. “Letter”—West Lovefeat. Myia B
12. “Yummy Yummy”—Itz Karma
13. “Take Care Of Home”—Volton Wright
14. “Sistah”—Sweet Nay, Donyale Renee & Miss Lady Blues
15. “Ladies Night Out”—C.J. Hill
16. “Still Alive”—Freaky B
17. “Jeans & Boots”—Country Boy
18. “Hate On Me” (Re-Entry)—Frank Johnson
19. “Slide”—Madam Latrese
20. “Party All Night”—Royal D
21. “Door Knob”—Nelson Curry
22. “Rock Me Baby”—Vluva
23. “Daddy’s Home (Remix)”—Carolyn Staten feat. Omar Cunningham
24. “That Comeback” (Re-Entry)—M. Cally
25. “I Got Time Today”—Otis Flowers
26. “Old School Love”—Cold Drank
27. “She Took My Drawers”—Lenny Williams
28. “Wiggle”—Michael Brown
29. “Auntie”—F.P.J.
30. “Bigg Rigg”—DJ Trucker feat. Arthur Young
31. “Can’t Make ‘Em Drank”—P2K Dadiddyfeat. West Love
32. “Wrapped Up Tied Up Tangled Up”—Jaye Hammer
33. “You Got Me”—Darrell Ruger
34. “Mr. Right”—Ced Wade feat. Willie Clayton
35. “Sideshow”—Willie Rich
36. “Turn It Up”—Chrissy Luvz feat. Hisyde
37. “Lucky Charm”—Jus K
38. “Auntie Love”—Sky Whatley
39. “Make You Moan”—Eric Hunter
40. “Juicy”—Joe D
