Time-Life Soul Recommendations

[Ngroove]

Until recently, I was quite hesitantly dubious to the concept of owning the multi-artist compilation. But, lately, have come to realize the practicalities of owning such collections; all great-sounding tunes all in one place!

Other than the same-company collections [[like I have always had quite a few Motown collections, and a Stax), Compilation companies...not sure who to trust reliably, if they contain all-original songs [[over live or "sounds like" new recordings), whether they gained the copyrights legally, and such. Have trusted Rhino well indeed [[ got my Spinners, Dionne Warwick, Howard Hewett, En Vogue, and others with that imprint on compilation). Not very sure about K-Tel. And seems to be hundreds of small names outta the woodwork, especially on visits to Secondhand Stores.

Somehow, ever since my childhood, from reading from their premium-made well-informative books, always knew Time-Life as the "sure thing"; especially when in regular collaboration with PBS when airing those neat sixties or seventies music comeback concerts. And gosh, from looking over many of their CDs in Amazon; wow; a disc that can play Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Wilson Pickett in one place! May even downsize my carrying twenty-thirty discs of my favorite artists, to only a few 2 CD sets!

Soooo, Time-Life buyers; what's THE reccomendation of soul music sets of theirs, for variety of music, and for the value of the buck?

Looks like the Rhythm & Blues Years / Solid Gold Soul sets have the most music and variety; BUT at 24-32 volumes, which means 24-32 times the price if aiming to buy em' all eventually!

Apparently, the Soul Story 2-disc sets have it down to 8-9 volumes of soulful melodies, but on mixed bag of all assorted years, compared to Rhythm & Blues organizing it by individual years.

And, there's the Classic Rythm & Blues Collection, 2-disc sets, 30 tracks each volume, at 4 volumes, and focused on a time frame each volume. Although they mostly have little rarities, but all usual essentials, all hits, which could mean track-by-track of all great-sounding grooves, beginning to end. Few days ago, just found the 1955-1959 collection; awesome to sit back, listen or even rock out, to golden age rock & roll standards, like "Tutti Frutti" and "Ain't That A Shame", soul shouters like "Lonely Teardrops", and "Please, Please, Please" to voices of Doo-Wop like "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" or "Little Bitty Pretty One". 100% awesome listening experience all the way. BUT, at only 30-tracks per music phase [[1955-1959, 1960-1963, 1964-1967, 1967-1969), it's mostly all-essentials, and little rarities.
But hey, still does sound like hearty helpings of Aretha Franklin, Jerry Butler, Solomon Burke, Percy Sledge, and the rest, right?

[Kamasu_Jr]

I have bought The Rhythm & Blues Years and enjoyed them a lot. I started in the 1950s and worked up to 1969. As you said, Time Life always includes an interesting mix or variety of artist and the cover illustrations are fun. You won't find a lot of rarities, but if you want the music from certain years - It's the way to go. I got them relatively cheap on Amazon.Com sometimes waiting for a good used copy at less than $5.00. For rarities, there were two discs called On the Soul Side Vols. 1 & 2 that featured rare tracks by artists like Howard Tate, James Carr, O.V. Wright and Jackie Ross. However, these were issued years ago part of the Classic Rock series as so the CD sound quality may not be the best.
Another Time Life series I bought was AM Pop from 1964 to 1969 and recently I've bought Time Life's "Pop Memories of the 60s" It's not soul music but songs that topped the easy listening or adult contemporary and pop music charts.

[Ngroove]

"AM Pop" / "Pop Memories of the 60s" huh? Not a problem at all! I myself may be first and foremost be a "Soul Man" in the traditional soul / rhythm & blues kind of sense, once I get the soul sets, I may think about those pops; as my ears also does enjoy often enough "Soul" music; in the just as equally universal sense I could truly tell they are putting all their soul, conviction, voice, and heart into making them those beloved radio / album confections and beyond that they still are remembered to this day.