VARIOUS ARTISTS
SOUL CLASSICS (LTD MARBLED VINYL)

Soul music has its roots in the rhythm and blues of the 1950s, when African-American musicians in the USA began to combine traditional blues with elements of jazz and gospel. The first song in soul history is considered to be »What‘D I Say« by Ray Charles, who paved the way for other soul artists with this new creation. In the early 1960s, soul music began to develop into an independent genre. The record labels Stax from Memphis and Motown from Detroit played an important role. Both cities that already had a rich African-American musical tradition. Stax released hits by Otis Redding and Booker T. & The MG‘s, Motown artists like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Soul music was characterized by emotional vocal styles and complex arrangements. Lyrics often dealt with themes of love, heartbreak and social problems that were relevant to many African American musicians and their listeners. The compilation comes with the big names and classics of this pioneering era.