Nashville Soul

[jsmith]

Is there a book on Nashville soul available ???
Usually books on Nashville music are [[largely) all about country music in which I have no interest at all.
But I'd love a book dedicated to the subject of Nashville soul .......
... the artists who cut there, the studios used, producers, record labels, etc.

5118

[robb_k]

5130
In addition to SPAR, Ref-o-Ree, Piedmont and JED Records, Monument, Sound Stage 7, SSS International, Excello, Nashboro, A-Bet, [[The Excellorec Group of labels) all produced lots of good Soul Music.

Unfortunately, I haven't heard of a book on that subject.

[Amithesameboy]

5130
In addition to SPAR, Ref-o-Ree, Piedmont and JED Records, Monument, Sound Stage 7, SSS International, Excello, Nashboro, A-Bet, [[The Excellorec Group of labels) all produced lots of good Soul Music.

Unfortunately, I haven't heard of a book on that subject.

There is such a book : " You can make it if you try " which is basically the life story of Ted Jarrett [[ written by him and Ruth White ). Not a particularly great effort, in my opinion, but it certainly covers Spar and Ref- O - Ree, for example.

[motony]

WLAC the 50,000watt radio station out of Nashville that was all soul music at night with dejay John R [[who owned Sound Stage 7 Records) might be covered in a book.Their nightly shows were sponsored by Nashville record shops.

[robb_k]

5131
A story about John R [[Richbourg-also owner of Rich Records) would also be interesting. But there were more people involved in Soul music in Nashville than just Ted Jarrett and John Richbourg, There was Bob Holmes, and several others. What the OP was referring to was a general book covering the overall history of Soul Music in Nashville-not just books on one record company or one producer at a time. I don't think such a book exists. Something like Bob pruter's book on Chicago Soul, would be nice for Nashville [[Memphis, Detroit, New York, L.A., Philadelphia, Washington/Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Miami, San Francisco Bay Area would be nice as well).

[oldiesmusicfan]

Regarding Memphis, there is this book - Soulsville U.S.A.: The Story Of Stax Records.

http://www.amazon.com/Soulsville-U-S-Story-Records/dp/0825672848/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342052280&sr=1-1&keywords=soulsville+u.s.a.+the+story+of+stax+recor ds

I haven't had time to read it yet, but the reviews are good.

Oldies

[soulster]

I can say that country/soul was quite big in the 60s and early 70s. There's O.C. Smith, Joe Jeffery Group, Freddie North, and my favorite, Joe Tex. Most of them recorded some of their biggest hits in Nashville.

[jsmith]

Anyone know much about the Joe Jeffery Group ??
They were based in Cleveland but hardly anyone there knows much about them [[most strange).
Did they do anything else after their Wand recordings ?

[Amithesameboy]

Anyone know much about the Joe Jeffery Group ??
They were based in Cleveland but hardly anyone there knows much about them [[most strange).
Did they do anything else after their Wand recordings ?

A posting asks if there are any books on Nashvile soul. I answer the question which is then completely ignored. I wont bother next time.

[robb_k]

A posting asks if there are any books on Nashvile soul. I answer the question which is then completely ignored. I wont bother next time.
5141
Thank you for posting the reference to the Ted Jarrett book. It was appreciated and not ignored [[other than no post saying "Thank you"). So, I hope my post here addresses that.

[jdwheat]

In addition to the T.J. book, you might look for some articles on the web that came out in conjunction with the "Night Train to Nashville" albums and exhibit back in 2004-2005. For a time, the country music folks showed some love for the Music City R&B/soul scene:

http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1485999/climbing-aboard-night-train-to-nashville.jhtml

The articles are obviously less info than you would find in a book, but there are still some interesting tales there [[like when Jimi Hendrix was part of the Nashville scene).

BTW, the music on the NTTN albums is extraordinary. I also like the CD "Uptown Down South," a Kent collection of Excello and A-Bet tracks mostly out of Nashville. Amazingly great stuff.

[robb_k]

In addition to the T.J. book, you might look for some articles on the web that came out in conjunction with the "Night Train to Nashville" albums and exhibit back in 2004-2005. For a time, the country music folks showed some love for the Music City R&B/soul scene:

http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1485999/climbing-aboard-night-train-to-nashville.jhtml

The articles are obviously less info than you would find in a book, but there are still some interesting tales there [[like when Jimi Hendrix was part of the Nashville scene).

BTW, the music on the NTTN albums is extraordinary. I also like the CD "Uptown Down South," a Kent collection of Excello and A-Bet tracks mostly out of Nashville. Amazingly great stuff.
5150
Yes! That's a great one. I'm glad to have contributed to it.

[roger]

It came as a surprise to me when I puchased the "Best of Major Lance" C.D. issued by B.G.O. records in 1997 [[a reissue of a U.K. compilation from 1976) to find out from the booklet notes that some of those Okeh recordings of his were cut in Nashville ... i.e. .. "The Beat" and "Investigate" .. I'd previously just assumed they were done in Chicago .. :)

Roger

[jsmith]

Seems that a book connected to the NTTN CD series was printed up .....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Train-Nashville-Rhythm-1945-1970/dp/0915608227/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1342171372&sr=1-1-catcorr

[jsmith]

An extract from the book ...........
no doubt it is just a summation of all the articles written around the CD series ........
5152

[jsmith]

There are some 'strange' Nashville soul racks on those NTTN CD's .....
One such track is " Screamin' And Shoutin" [[Sound Stage 7 in 1966) from the Fabulettes who were really the Miami Based Marvells. Guess the track was cut in Nashville but everything else connected to the track wasn't Nashville really.

[robb_k]

It came as a surprise to me when I purchased the "Best of Major Lance" C.D. issued by B.G.O. records in 1997 [[a reissue of a U.K. compilation from 1976) to find out from the booklet notes that some of those Okeh recordings of his were cut in Nashville ... i.e. .. "The Beat" and "Investigate" .. I'd previously just assumed they were done in Chicago .. :)

Roger
5153
After Carl Davis left Okeh for Brunwick [[and took his Chicago production team with him) in 1966, Major Lance got a new production team, which was located in New York. I believe that they recorded his post Carl Davis sessions in New York and Nashville. A few of Lances Carl Davis-run Chicago recordings that had remained in the can were also released during his later Okeh period.

[roger]

5153
After Carl Davis left Okeh for Brunwick 9and took his Chicago production team with him) in 1966, Major Lance got a new production team, which was located in New York. I believe that they recorded his post Carl Davis sessions in New York and Nashville. A few of Lances Carl Davis-run Chicago recordings that had remained in the can were also released during his later Okeh period.

Yes Robb_K, that would be correct .. the notes with that "Best Of" C.D. state that "Ain't No Soul [[In These Old Shoes)" was cut in New York on November 8th 1966. Of the two Nashville recordings on the C.D. "It's The Beat" and "Investigate" were both recorded on April 2nd 1966.

Incidentally I've found this link to an archived copy of one of John Richbourg's R&B shows on WLAC .. I'm listening at the moment .. not sure of the year but I would guess late '60s .. AND I'VE NOT RECOGNISED ONE TRACK HE HAS PLAYED SO FAR!! :)

http://airchexx.com/2004/11/12/john-r-on-1510-wlac-nashville/

Roger

[Amithesameboy]

5141
Thank you for posting the reference to the Ted Jarrett book. It was appreciated and not ignored [[other than no post saying "Thank you"). So, I hope my post here addresses that.

Sure it does, thank you.

[imnokid]

Incidentally I've found this link to an archived copy of one of John Richbourg's R&B shows on WLAC .. I'm listening at the moment .. not sure of the year but I would guess late '60s .. AND I'VE NOT RECOGNISED ONE TRACK HE HAS PLAYED SO FAR!! :)

http://airchexx.com/2004/11/12/john-r-on-1510-wlac-nashville/

Roger

GREAT find! Thanx for posting.

[soulster]

Anyone know much about the Joe Jeffery Group ??
They were based in Cleveland but hardly anyone there knows much about them [[most strange).
Did they do anything else after their Wand recordings ?

From what I always understood, Joe Jeffery was born in Cleveland but was based in Houston, Texas when he recorded "My Pledge Of Love", and it was not originally an actual band. He recorded his lone hit and played most of the instruments on the basic tracks himself.

[ady_croasdell]

I can say that country/soul was quite big in the 60s and early 70s. There's O.C. Smith, Joe Jeffery Group, Freddie North, and my favorite, Joe Tex. Most of them recorded some of their biggest hits in Nashville.
I think one of the points about a lot of Nashville soul is that locally they were not that interested in using the country influence, they were far more busy trying to get the Motown or Impressions sound than the Memphis southern soul approach. Bob Holmes told me that and it holds out. I'm sure there were a lot of country soul recordings out of Nashville but the local acts and scene was looking at something more sophisticated in the mid 60s; witness Freddie North's early recordings.