The Temptations > Get Ready
Composed by Smokey Robinson

Ella (or Norman) picked a good one.

What Was That? Week #2
Legends of Soul #10 
Legends of Songwriting #18

Sam & Dave > Hold On, I’m A-Comin’
Composed by Isaac Hayes & David Porter

I’m even sure I had heard of soul music, as separate from pop or rock or hits or whatever, before I joined this group. It didn’t occur to me where my bandmates found all these great records, but they kept showing up with them and we kept learning them. These guys turned me on to everything from Smokey Robinson to Pink Floyd, and everything in between; it was an incredibly vital moment for the world, and for me personally.

It seems like we gravitated towards the Southern soul of Stax a bit more than Motown (though we did play Shotgun), maybe because of our instrumentation. We existed at the peak of soul as pop, which was just OK.

Neglekted Few Week #7 
Legends of Soul #40, #41, #42
Legends of Pop #12
Tribute to Isaac Hayes #6

Otis Redding > Respect
Composed by Otis Redding

In the haze of a 40 year look back, I think of us as a soul combo. Though we probably looked at ourselves as a rock group, or a covers band. I remember rehearsing Respect out on Ray portico overlooking the beach the summer of ‘67 after Aretha made it a pop smash. Our arrangement was from Otis (via The Vagrants of Long Island, Farfisa and all), and Rodney couldn’t avoid Ree’s “R.E.S.P.E.C.T! “

Neglekted Few Week #4 
Legends of Soul #5 

Wilson Pickett > In the Midnight Hour
Composed by Wilson Pickett & Steve Cropper

In 9th grade my great friend Rodney Johnson and I had a “band” because after the Beatles you had to be in a band. I taught myself guitar (you had to play guitar; accordian and flute, my other two instruments didn’t really work), Rodney sang and played tambourine (he was a drummer, but we had no drums), and our buddy Phil Couremanche played second guitar. Rodney named us “The Evil Lords” (hah!).

In the 10th grade we got together with Phil Alexander on guitar and vocals, Ray Frisby on drums and vocals, and Brian North on bass. Now we had a real band.

“In the Midnight Hour” was our closer at every gig (though it’s really a cheat playing Wilson’s here; we copped The Rascals ). Rodney was an unbelievable singer, and had some of Wilson’s moves to bring the house down.

Neglekted Few Week #2 
Legends of Soul #39

The Jackson 5 > I Want You Back (Z-Trip Remix)
Composed by The Corporation

I suppose, in the end, this is what everyone is saying.

Michael Jackson Week #5
Legends of Soul #38
Legends of Pop #10

Michael Jackson > Billie Jean
Composed by Michael Jackson

It’s hard making MJ Week shorter than a month, but I couldn’t avoid Billie Jean, yes?

This was the track that made everyone take notice, since many thought MJ had just gone from being a Motown toy to a Q tool (not that Quincy wasn’t a force in his own right).

Michael Jackson Week #4
Legends of Soul #37
Legends of Pop #9 
Legends of Singer/Songwriters #6

The Jackson 5 > I’ll Be There
Composed by Berry Gordy, Bob West, Hal Davis, Willie Hutch

This ballad proved Michael was the beginning of the proof that Michael was a musician not a machine (and it was written and produced by humans not The Corporation). Always one of my favorites.

Michael Jackson Week #2
Legends of Soul #38
Legends of Pop #10
Legends of Songwriting #17

Michael Jackson > Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
Composed by  Michael Jackson

I heard this record and realized that Michael’s talent seemed to come from somewhere in the sky, completely bypassing his brain and going right to his voice and his feet.

Michael Jackson Week #1
Legends of Soul #37
Legends of Pop #9 
Legends of Singer/Songwriters #6

Ray Charles > Oh What A Beautiful Morning
Composed by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II

Can’t help myself, two Ray Charles beauties in one week! I’ve got an irrational RC cover love, this one in particular, in spite of the corny late-Basie charts.

Beautiful Week #5
Legends of Soul #26 
Legends of the Piano #9 
Legends of Pop #7
Cover #49 

Ray Charles > America the Beautiful
Composed by Katharine Lee Bates & Samuel A. Ward

Despite its ubiquity when I was young, I’m not sure I ever really heard this song until Ray imprinted it in my soul when I was in my 20s. Most young people don’t seem to know it now, so maybe he can still make a difference.

Beautiful Week #2
Ballad #35 
Legends of Soul #26 
Legends of the Piano #9 
Legends of Pop #7