Forgotten Country Soul
A 1000 recordings in Tom Moon's book, but 2 stood out as seeming to come from nowhere. Minnie Riperton's 1975 Stevie Wonder produced Perfect Angel and Narvel Felts' Bear Family Retrospective from 1996.
Riperton's album may have defined the future Old School genre. Even in 1975, the melodies and words sounded like the genre would from 75-80, the peak years of Old School. Riperton died at a young age, and she followed up this album with a pretty good one, but there's a reason why "Lovin' You" sounds ahead of its time.
Outside of Charlie Rich and Conway Twitty, no one sang Country-Soul better than Narvel Felts. You want falsetto in Country, he had it. Or he could go low like Conway. Felts' biggest hits were cover songs, usually of Soul hits, but he gave it his all in each performance. The Bear Family collection is the only one out there that does him justice.
Riperton's album may have defined the future Old School genre. Even in 1975, the melodies and words sounded like the genre would from 75-80, the peak years of Old School. Riperton died at a young age, and she followed up this album with a pretty good one, but there's a reason why "Lovin' You" sounds ahead of its time.
Outside of Charlie Rich and Conway Twitty, no one sang Country-Soul better than Narvel Felts. You want falsetto in Country, he had it. Or he could go low like Conway. Felts' biggest hits were cover songs, usually of Soul hits, but he gave it his all in each performance. The Bear Family collection is the only one out there that does him justice.
posted by Tom Lane at 8:36 AM
<< Home