friday cat blogging

Solomon Burke has long been the King of Country Soul. I don't know how many times I go and play his Just Out Of Reach Of These Two Empty Arms, a cover of a song by Bakersfield pioneer Wynn Stewart. It is THE Country Soul version of any song.

Although for many of us music knobs snobs aficionados tragics he never went away, for many he is seen as making a comeback. Unlike many other artists from the early days Burke probably doesn't need the money. He has a reputation as a savvy businessman from the early days of selling food and drink to his band members, to his later, and current, successful ownership of chains of funeral parlours, pharmacies, and hotdog and hamburger companies. Not only does he come from a church background, he is currently an active preacher in his own church.

His last release Don't Give up on Me whilst head and shoulders above most current "soul" offerings, didn't sustain as evenly as I would have liked throughout the whole album, despite having songs written for Burke by Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, Nick Lowe, and Van Morrison.

The latest release, Nashville, produced by Buddy Miller, looks as if it is the real thing right through every track. I've only heard about 4 tracks on radio but the Tom T Hall song, That’s How I Got to Memphis, alone is worth the price of admission. Amanda Flop Eared Mule has written a detailed listen over at Road To Surfdom.

Solomon Burke - Cat of the Week