Southern Soul
tagStarted 1961Peak 1965-1974Last big hit still activeFrom US South, United States
Located in 1 route
Earthy, blues-saturated soul from the American South: greasy guitar, Muscle Shoals/Memphis rhythm pockets, churning horns and singers who holler, plead and moan. Country and gospel sit right under the surface, with a swampy, unhurried groove and lyrics steeped in heartbreak, sin and salvation.
History
Forged across Memphis (Stax), Muscle Shoals' FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound studios, and Macon and Nashville sessions, with white and Black players pooling country and gospel feel. Rick Hall's FAME backed Percy Sledge and Wilson Pickett; the style stayed alive on the chitlin' circuit and Malaco Records long after the 1960s heyday.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_soul
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/southern-soul-ma0000011917
- https://www.britannica.com/art/soul-music
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAME_Studios