(July 17, 2019) There is a story about singer Candace Woodson that tells a lot about her tenacity. Twenty-eight days after her 2014 breast cancer surgery, Woodson was back to business as usual performing at the wedding of one of John Cougar Mellencamp’s daughters. And since that event, Woodson has kept on working hard, ascending to soul star status, especially in the UK, where her composition “Free” and her female empowerment ballad “The Answer Is No” became big hits.

(July 15, 2019)  Carl Carlton, the talented Detroit-born singer who topped the charts with two VERY differently styled hits, is ailing in a Detroit hospital after reportedly suffering a stroke. The stroke caused the 66 year old Carlton to miss a planned concert in Detroit last night. Fortunately, he is reportedly alert and speaking.

(July 14, 2019) With all the attention on the looming Iowa caucuses and the Democratic blue wave campaigning that’s happening now, it’s comforting news to know that there’s some “sweet soul music” coming out of there. In the middle of America’s heartland, the Iowa City-based eight-piece band The Diplomats of Solid Sound have dropped “Move On,” a stellar single showcasing their love for ‘60’s soul, retro funk, and sassy horns.

(July 13, 2019) What do you do when you have a role in a historic figure’s final act?  Well, if that figure is Bobby Womack and you add the funky bass line to a tune that turned out to be Womack’s final live studio recording before his passing in 2014, you might want to put that song out.

(July 13, 2019) When we last heard from legendary music producer Dr. Marlin McNichols, he was working on the excellent new album from another iconic act, The Undisputed Truth. Now Marlin returns with a new production, guiding the emerging multicultural band, Goood News.

(July 12, 2019) Forget Pentatonix and Straight No Chaser. Forget The Nylons. And as special as they are, walk right by Take Six. When examining the explosion of popular a cappella acts, all roads lead back to The Persuasions, a true anachronism of a group that stood tall for a half century and more than two dozen albums, paving the way for all that would come later. And when talking about The Persuasions it all begins with Jerry Lawson, a singular voice and, for my money, one of the five greatest soul singers ever.

(July 12, 2019) Soul travels on the rails, the interstates and backroads, seas, rivers, lakes and airwaves. Whatever the mode of transportation may be, the music always manages to find welcoming ears and artists ready to be inspired – whether the highways, airways or boats take from the Mississippi Delta to New York, London or Lincoln, Nebraska. Soul music found Josh Hoyer in the heart of Cornhusker Nation, where he fronts an award-winning band called Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal.

(July 12, 2019) If you get two powerhouse voices together, you can usually expect that something special will come out of it. We wouldn't have thought of the combination of legendary vocalists Angie Stone and Jaheim,  but now that we've heard it it seems like the most natural pairing in the world.