When discussing the most distinctive voices in the history of soul music, the conversation doesn’t go far before the name Russell Thompkins, Jr. comes up. As the lead singer for The Stylistics, Russell’s one-of-a-kind tenor voice helped to define the elegant side of Philadelphia Soul in the 1970s with such memorable hits as “You Are Everything,” “Betcha By Golly Wow” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New.”
Russell has continued to wow audiences for more than a half century, most recently with his solo career, for which he received the SoulTracks Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. Happily for his fans, Russell has recorded more regularly in the past few years, with a number of tasty singles. And now he has issued The Lost Love Songs, an album of eleven songs first recorded in 1997 and thought to be lost to the world. They are now available for the first time, showing his interpretations of a number of wonderful songs, many of which didn’t get the shine they fully deserved when they were originally recorded by other artists.
Produced by Christopher Biehler, The Lost Love Songs is a welcome addition to Russell’s fantastic discography: an excellently selected group of well known songs and rarities that clicks on all cylinders. We’ve already featured the single “Crazy Love,” and there is so much more to recommend here.
Russell makes these songs his own, with sensitive covers that work beautifully. And it just feels good having this long lost album find its way to soul music fans around the world. Check it out below.
By Chris Rizik
