News & Updates — soul!
Rufus Thomas / March 26, 1917 - Dec 15, 2001
The crown prince of dance, the comically inspirational and legendarily entertaining R&B showman Rufus Thomas was born on this day in 1917. A singer, dancer, radio DJ, comedian and father figure in a musical family, Thomas charmed everyone with his songs, dances and personality. A Memphis native, he worked with a minstrel show in the '30s and started performing on the city's nightclub scene in the '40s. He cut his first record in '41. He became a popular radio DJ on the black owned radio station WDIA and hosted talent shows on Beale St. His first big hit ("Bear Cat",...
William Onyeabor / March 26, 1946 - Jan 16, 2017
One of West Africa's (and indeed the planet's) most unique and independent musicians was the Nigerian synth-funk artist William Onyeabor, who passed away earlier this year. Born in Enugu, southeastern Nigeria, he studied cinematography in Russia and upon returning to Nigeria attempted to produce movies but found better luck when he opened a record pressing plant, recording studio, publishing company and record label. In the late '70s and into about 1985, he self-produced several unique, avant-garde records driven by synthesizers, drum machines, sequencers and very funky, groovy psych-disco rhythms. It has been speculated that he acquired all his expensive and...
Charles Stepney / March 26, 1931 - May 17, 1976
A fine vibraphonist (and pianist) and a visionary producer, conductor and arranger, Charles Stepney was the psychedelic soul man over at Chess Records and their subsidiary Cadet Concept. Producer of classics by Ramsey Lewis, Minnie Ripperton, The Howlin' Wolf Album, Muddy Waters (Electric Mud), Terry Callier, Marlena Shaw, The Dells, The Emotions, Phil Upchurch and more, he was co-founder of Rotary Connection and Earth, Wind & Fire (although due to his contract with Chess could not always be listed in the credits). As a sideman he performed on many Chess songs, as well as played on albums by Eddie Harris,...
Don Covay / March 24, 1936 - Jan 31, 2015
Singer & songwriter Don Covay came out of DC singing gospel with The Rainbows (a group that has included Marvin Gaye and another March 24 birthday Billy Stewart), making a debut recording in 1956. The next year he went to work for and tour with Little Richard. He recorded some tunes for Atlantic, Columbia and other smaller labels, did some writing at the Brill Building, and started to come into his own when he re-signed with Atlantic, and saw a big 1964 hit with "Mercy, Mercy" (with a young Jimi Hendrix on guitar). Atlantic sent him down to Stax to...
Dave Pike / March 23, 1938 - Oct 3, 2015
Hipster jazz vibraphonist Dave Pike has always been part of the rare groove & funky music landscape thanks to his classic tunes like the Indian-inspired "Mathar" and his great covers of "I Got The Feelin" and "Spooky" with The Dave Pike Set. Born on this date in 1938 in Detroit, he played drums before moving to amplified vibraphone and marimba. He came up playing bop and made his first recording with Paul Bley's group in '58. He cut a bunch of records as a leader that touched upon Latin jazz, bossa nova and Caribbean musics. He played in Herbie Mann's...