Here in the UK, we didn't have very many 'locally based' soul stars. So, we never rated any singers / groups on how long it had been since their last US chart hit [[most never even got close to having a UK chart hit). So, in the 60's / 70's and even later, US soul acts would be booked to tour here on their past 'track record'.
ALSO, though BBC radio wouldn't play many original US soul recordings back when they were originally released, just about always going with a UK 'cover version', that changed in the 70's / 80's / 90's. In fact BBC Radio 2 [[their oldies stn) made a point of playing loads of 60's / 70's Motown & soul right thru to around 20 years ago.
So UK youf were always exposed to old Motown recordings, not so much now I think. But old soul still gets lots of exposure due to the UK club scenes based around Northern Soul, Modern Soul, Funk, Philly & Rare Groove events. These get loads of media exposure here + the children / grandchildren of those still on those scenes, get incidental exposure to that music.
LAST YEAR, my grandson, who had just got into music via rap, told me his fave record was currently "Get Down Saturday Night" by DJ Prodigio feat. Raphael Prince of Soul. I immediately gave him a spare 12" copy of Oliver Cheatham's original. One 16 year old truly educated.