LocoBop picks 30 Southern Soul tracks from its catalog to showcase many of the very artists who established the art form’s lasting popularity, musical pioneers whose roots were in the gospel of the church and the blues of the soil.

Luther Ingram, The Bar-Kays, Eddie Floyd, Rufus Thomas,  Carla Thomas, Shirley Brown, Tommy Tate, The Green Brothers, and R.B. Hudmon were all part of the scene at Stax Records in Memphis. J. Blackfoot and Shelbra Dean were also at Stax as members of The Soul Children. Another Stax vet, Randy Brown, was a member of The Newcomers at that time. Rufus Thomas wrote the only instrumental on this album, “Philly Dog,” which was recorded live in Italy by the Memphis All Star Band, led by Carla’s brother Marvell Thomas, and featuring Stax session leader, guitarist Bobby Manuel.

Similar in name, the Memphis All Stars come from a slightly younger generation of soulsters, though leader Greg Reding was in Black Oak Arkansas, a band once signed to Stax. Keena Green, daughter of The Green Brothers’ Bobby Green, recorded with her two sisters as Sweet Obsession, scoring five chart singles. Ivory Joe Hunter sold millions of records in a career dating to 1945, but always remained current, as his track from ‘73 proves. Beale Street Queen Ruby Wilson notched ten acclaimed albums, and acted in films such as Cookie's Fortune, The People vs. Larry Flynt, The Chamber, The Client, and The Firm. The Masqueraders, still active after 50 years, show off their famously tight harmonies, while Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Butler (“The Ice Man”) contributes two of his classics to this set. Dobie Gray turns in a solid soul performance worthy of the man who gave us “Drift Away”.

Raise Your Hand (Eddie Floyd)

Traffic Jammer (The Bar-Kays)

Taxi (J. Blackfoot)

Western Union Man (Jerry Butler)

I Feel Good (Chewy Thunderfoot Black)

Feel Good Better (Keena Green)

I Forgot To Be Your Lover (Tommy Tate)

Hard To Handle (R.B. Hudmon)

Love Anonymous (The Masqueraders)

Standing On Shaky Ground (Veda Love)

Give It All You Got (Randy Brown)

A Song for You (Ruby Wilson)

The Breakdown (Eddie Floyd)

Philly Dog (Memphis All Star Band)

Come Over Here (Ivory Joe Hunter)

Make It Easy On Yourself (Jerry Butler)

Pity For The Lonely (Luther Ingram)

Midnight Holiday (Tommy Tate)

Love to Burn (Dobie Gray)

This Love (Shirley Brown)

Freakshow on the Dance Floor (Bar-Kays)

Lovely Memphis Day (Memphis All Stars)

Lovey Dovey (Carla Thomas)

Let’s Face Facts (The Masqueraders)

Keep On Searchin' (The Green Brothers)

That’s No Good (Rufus & Carla Thomas)

I’ll Be The Other Woman (Shelbra Dean)

It's Too Much (Luther Ingram)

Sunshine Lady (J. Blackfoot)