Solomon Burke - The Complete Soul Singer

Solomon Burke, one of soul music’s greatest recording artists, is an interesting and larger than life figure. One of the stalwarts of Atlantic’s sixties “soul clan”, he was crowned King of Rock and Soul in 1964.

Burke lived the part to the hilt even appearing in regal velvet and ermine robes during his live performances!

Born in 1940 in Philadelphia, Burke gravitated to the church at an early age and was preaching sermons by the time he was seven, not only in his hometown but also on the radio. In 1954, at the age of 14 he started recording with the Apollo label with his debut gospel track Christmas Presents From Heaven selling more than a million records.

In 1960 Burke was introduced to the Atlantic label by producer Jerry Wexler, who was to later proclaim him “The best soul singer of all time”.

Here Burke applied gospel techniques to the more secular R&B to create a strong deep sound that would later come to epitomise classic soul music. Between 1961 and 1968, Burke released 32 singles with the label, many of which topped both R&B and pop charts. Cry to Me, Got to Get You Off Of My Mind, and If You Need Me were some of the memorable hits from that period.

Burke wrote or collaborated to write much of his own music. Fellow Atlantic soul artistes like Wilson Pickett and Don Covay also wrote some of his songs with one of Burke’s biggest hits Tonight’s the Night being co-written by them.

While still at Atlantic, Burke joined four fellow soul greats in a show of solidarity to record the single Soul Meeting in 1968. Calling themselves the Soul Clan, the group consisted of Ben E King, Don Covay, Joe Flex, Arthur Conley and Solomon Burke. According to Burke, “We wanted to interlock ourselves as a group, to express to the younger people how strong we should be and to help one another, work with one another and support one another.”

In 1969, Burke left Atlantic Records. In the years that followed he recorded for a number of other labels like Chess, Savoy, Rounder and Blacktop, singing in a variety of styles.

Burke’s appeal went far beyond recording hit singles for his label. A consummate showman and a colorful personality, Burke reached out to audiences with ease. With his electric performances, deep baritone voice and ability to swing from smooth vocals to gritty soul there is little doubt as to why Jerry Wexler called him a “vocalist of rare prowess and remarkable range” and said “His voice is an instrument of exquisite sensitivity”.

In 2001 Solomon Burke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2002, he won the Grammy for the Best Contemporary Blues Album for Don’t Give Up On Me while in 2006 he was nominated again for Make Do With What You Got.

On of the highlights of Burke’s career came in 2005 when he was invited by the Pope to perform with Maestro Renato Serio and the Vatican Symphony Orchestra at the Vatican’s Christmas concert.

With over 17 million record sales to his credit, Solomon Burke continues to record, tour and live life king size. In between he runs a string of mortuaries and attends to a lifelong ministry from his Beverly Hills home.

TJ Grooves - Soul Music TV & Rare Soul Grooves.com