Today in Music History (November 20, 1984): Philip Bailey steps out of Earth Wind and Fire for #1 hit
November 20, 1984 – Philip Bailey hits #1 with “Easy Lover” By 1984, Philip Bailey was already well into a Hall of Fame career as the inimitable falsetto lead singer for Earth Wind & Fire, the recognizable voice behind a string of now classic singles and album cuts. But in addition to their roles in […]
On This Day in 1986: Howard Hewett leaves Shalamar to go solo
October 21, 1986 – Howard Hewett goes solo During the turn of the decade and for the first half of the 1980s, the group Shalamar was red hot, utilizing the production of Leon Sylvers to create a run of great hits that still stand up beautifully four decades later. And with their dance moves and […]
Today In Music History: Curtis Mayfield triumphs over paralysis with “New World Order”
September 27, 1996: Curtis Mayfield triumphs over paralysis with his final album, New World Order He is undoubtedly one of the most important artists of the second half of the twentieth century, and the King of Conscious Soul. Curtis Mayfield pulled few punches in his thoughtful, insightful soul music in the 60s and 70s, addressing issues of […]
Today in Music History (November 12, 1972) : Hall & Oates begin historic recording career
November 12, 1972 – Hall & Oates release their debut album, Whole Oats They are the most successful singing duo in history, and on this day in 1972, the world met the legendary twosome, Daryl Hall and John Oates. During the late 60s, as Detroit ruled the pop and soul airwaves, the seeds for the next […]
On This Day in 1992: Boyz II Men began recordbreaking #1 run
August 15, 1992 – Boyz II Men begin 13 weeks at #1 with “End of The Road” First as a quartet and then as a trio, Boyz II Men has created a seemingly endless collection of great songs over more than three decades in the spotlight. And today celebrates one of the act’s biggest achievements. […]
On This Day in 1991: The great David Ruffin dies
June 1, 1991 – The great David Ruffin dies June 1 marks the anniversary of the death of the great David Ruffin. Certainly one of the greatest Soul singers of all time, David Ruffin was an enigmatic man whose own internal struggles and contradictions led to a tumultuous career, both as the lead vocalist of the […]
Today in Soul Music History (May 6, 1977): America, meet Maze feat. Frankie Beverly
May 6, 1977: Maze releases debut album By any measure, one of the most talented but criminally underappreciated self-contained bands of the past four decades has been Maze feat. Frankie Beverly. Their ability to fuse soul and jazz with an irresistible groove and intelligent lyrical content has gained for them an extremely loyal following among […]
Today in Soul Music History (April 23, 1974): The Ohio Players hit the big time with “Skin Tight”
April 23, 1974: The Ohio Players release their first #1 album One of the funkiest groups in the funkiest decade, the Ohio Players became the template for a generation of Midwest jamming groups. And on this day in 1974, the group finally hit big time pay dirt, releasing their signature album and their first #1 […]
On This Day in 1974: The Hues Corporation had their moment with “Rock The Boat”
July 6, 1974: The Hues Corporation hits #1 with “Rock The Boat” To many, they defined the term “one hit wonder,” but The Hues Corporation is more appropriately remembered as an act that helped define 70s pop and soul via one of that decade’s truly great hits. “Rock the Boat,” was not only one of […]
Today in Music History (June 27): Isaac Hayes releases the iconic album “Hot Buttered Soul”
June 27, 1969 – Isaac Hayes releases Hot Buttered Soul album It is incredible to comprehend that Hot Buttered Soul, one of the most important soul music albums of all time, and the LP that help reinvigorate the Stax label after its gutting by Atlantic Records, is more than a half century old. Until Isaac Hayes released Hot […]
