Southern Soul Corner

       With The Soul Dog 

Corner Talk: He’s been performing and recording for over forty years, making racy lyrics and juke joint jammin’ a Soul music staple.  Legendary singer Marvin Sease is back on the Southern Soul charts with a tune entitled I’m Coming Home……………….

Long standing Beach music fans remember one of the all-time classics from 1966, When You Wake Up, by Cash McCall. Cash is still getting it done – his latest album, The Vintage Room, is with a group called The Blues Experience. It has several good down home bluesy tracks, including Slice of That Pie, I’m Ready and Catch Me Before I Go………

What is your favorite song that was popular in Beach music by Rue Davis?  Would it be Cutie or Shoopedoo or maybe In Love With the Girl Next Door? Although never a big factor nationally, Davis has proven to be huge in the Southern Soul arena. He has written or co-written over a hundred songs for himself and his peers such as Trudy Lynn, Patrick Green, Tina Diamond, Lady Audrey and The Superior Band and has had several successful albums over the last twelve years. ……………..

It is certainly sad to note the passing in June of Soul music veteran Bill Coday. Bill began singing professionally while still a teenager in  Mississippi, relocated to Chicago in 1961 and worked with legendary producer Willie Mitchell. Bill scored his first national hit in 1971 with Get Your Lies Straight. He worked closely with Denise LaSalle for many years and signed on with Ecko Records in the early ‘90’s. Big hits at Ecko included Moans, Grunts and Groans, Country Back Hills Juke Joint, When This Dance Is Over and It’s a Blues (Beach too) Thang. Bill started his own B&J label in 2005, producing Karen Wolfe’s recent charting hit Backdoor Love Affair (and also a great Christmas tune called Mr. Claus is Cheating).  Bill will certainly be missed in the music world…………….

There is definitely a lot of irony in the music business. About two years ago, I received a full length promo CD in the mail from a group called The K Band. It was from Roya Records out of South Carolina, which I believe is actually Roy C’s label. The first track entitled The Party Is Right Here practically jumped out of the CD player at me!  After listening for about fifteen seconds I said ‘Man,  that is bound to be a hit!’ We immediately began playing it in on our Sunday Beach radio show. The entire 10-track CD was well produced with excellent vocals and instrumentation, with a good mix of upbeat and slow numbers and even a line dancer called  K- Band Slide. Don’t think any of it ever charted and haven’t heard anything since about the band. Which is really unfortunate, I was convinced they would take off big time. Oh well……that’s all the chatter from me this month!

Spotlight On…..Vick Allen

Although a relative newcomer to the Southern Soul scene, Vick Allen began singing and playing piano in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi at the age of five. He was producing and recording music while still a teenager,   joining gospel favorites The Canton Spirituals right after graduating high school.  Vick later went out on his own, touring and performing with such notables as Buddy Miles, The O’Jays and Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland.

Vick established himself as a producer and arranger prior to his more recent success as a performer. He formed his own production company, Test-Mic Productions, and has produced, arranged and/or accompanied several key performers on albums including Bobby Rush, Willie Clayton, Shirley Brown, Omar Cunningham, Mel Waiters, O.B. Bryant, Pilgrim Jubilee Singers and The Sensational Nightengales.

Vick has had tremendous results recording and performing in the last five years. Signing with Malaco’s subsidiary Waldoxy label, his 2004 Old School…New Flava release included hits with I Better Walk Away, Clean House and a couple of tunes that got significant Beach play, So Sweet, So Fine and Let’s Dance. Let’s Dance was actually a reprise of the title track from his very first solo CD released on the Brown Hill label in 2002. Allen followed up in 2005 with his second Waldoxy release, Simply Soul, which contained huge charters Creepin’ Ain’t Easy and Who You Been Giving It To. Vick’s latest CD, Baby Come Back Home, has produced two songs, the title track and When You Pack Your Bags that both made it to #1 this year on the Soul and Blues Report’s Top 25.

Vick Allen is one of the brightest young stars in Soul music, combining stylings that are reminiscent of yesterday’s music legends integrated with today’s more contemporary sounds. He is just getting warmed up – look for much more to come in the future!

 Soul Dog’s Hot Soul Tracks

       Try Me – T.K. Soul

       It’s Going Down – Denise LaSalle

       Good Lovin’ Will Make You Cry (remix) – Big Robb/Carl Marshall

       I Got That Feeling – Reggie P

       I’m Coming Home – Marvin Sease

       Blues Party – Little Phil

       That’s My Shugga Daddy – Jewel J

       It Was Just My Luck – Donnie Ray

       Love That Girl of Mine – Doktu Rhute Muuzic

       Friday (Shut the Club Down) – Raheem DeVaughn

Old Skool Replay

       Please Don’t Stop the Music – Johnnie Taylor

Be sure to check out the latest version of our radio stream here at  www.beachmusic45.com for the best in Southern Soul music from today’s top performers. Also don’t forget to listen to our 24/7 radio program Way Down South on www.live365.com for the best in Southern Soul, Northern Soul, Beach, Boogie and Blues. Thanks for your support!!