Divine Soul Divas Volume Two is the second release in LocoBop’s series of southern soul music performed by some of the greatest lady interpreters of the genre.

SHIRLEY BROWN’s debut release, the Grammy nominated “Woman to Woman,” quickly became a massive hit in 1975, and was actually the last hit for the Stax Records. CARLA THOMAS became America’s Soul Sweetheart with her very first release, “Gee Whiz.” She and her father Rufus Thomas were instrumental in establishing Stax Records as the undisputed fount of soul music in the 1960s and ‘70s. CAROL FRAN is a New Orleans favorite, a downriver barrel house reflection of Memphian DI ANNE PRICE, both of whom channel the spirit of classic blues divas Ida Cox, Alberta Hunter, Stippie Wallace, and Memphis Minnie. Profoundly soulful singers, their expressive voices are etched with pain or brimming with sly humor while tickling the ivories barrel piano style on two-fisted shuffles, rolling blues, and boogie woogie workouts. RUBY WILSON, The Queen of Beale Street, recorded 10 albums and performed with B.B. King, Ray Charles, Robert Goulet, The Four Tops, Jerry Butler, Willie Nelson, Isaac Hayes, and many more. An accomplished actress, Ruby appeared in Black Snake Moan, Cookie's Fortune, The People vs. Larry Flynt, The Chamber, The Client, and The Firm. Detroit’s KEENA GREEN and her two sisters made up Sweet Obsession and scored five singles on Billboard’s R&B charts, two of which went Top Ten. AMBER saw chart success in the UK in the early ‘80s (EMI and London), but couldn’t seem to break through the noise in their native USA. Many fans still wonder why. TARA DARNELL gives us a stunning version of “Ain’t No Sunshine”, while fellow New Orleans resident VEDA LOVE resurrects the soul standard “Standing on Shaky Ground.” Memphis torch singer BRENDA PATTERSON delivers a mesmerizing rendition of the old Ivory Joe Hunter hit, “I Want to be Your Baby, Baby.”

Highlights: FEVER (Ruby Wilson), AIN’T NO SUNSHINE (Tara Darnell), and the soulful plaint TO HELL WITH LOVE (Di Anne Price).