The Soul Music Genre

Soul music got its illustrious start in the early nineteen forties, and has grown into one of the most loved music genres over the last decades. The music has a recognizable flow about it that is calming, and sincere. It was generally a combination of the gospel genre, and some rhythm and blues music. Over the years it has taken many twists, and turns. The music has been blended to include hip hop, and a little bit of rock and roll as well. What once was a popular vocal combination of the African American culture, has become a way of vocal success for all singers of today.

As with any popular musical genre, Soul music has evolved and changed with the times. For the most part it has keep its original roots, and just found better ways to incorporate a fresher, and more appealing sound. Chicago was the original birth place of soul, and you can still hear some of the original sounds of the music there. The music was made popular by several groups and some very talented solo artists over the years. Some of the most recognizable groups of soul are the Jackson Five, Commodores, and Baby face. They all played a role in the heightened popularity of the musical styling’s that they provided to their listeners.

When it comes to the most popular solo artists of Soul music, there are a few that stand very tall. Diverse singers such as Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, and the queen of soul Aretha Franklin topped the billboard charts repeatedly spanning over several decades. The music is not only a popular radio genre. It can be found in countless movies, television series, and even live competitions. The smooth and sultry sound that is created forms the foundation for the music; it has contributed to the popularity of the demand for the music around the globe. Meeting with that particular demand, artists have come up with their own spin on the vocal ranges that it provides to listeners. That is why the music will have the power to change throughout the years, and still keep its integrity intact.

Soul music has a very distinguished sound, which dates back longer than the style was originally founded. The way that the vocals blend with the chorus of the song, makes it flow very naturally. The songs usually have a pattern that it follows, and it sets the stage for the entire song. Lyrics can make or break any song, and this type of music has some of the most heartfelt lyrics of any of the most recorded music genres. With a captivating beat, easy listening tone, and direct vocals it has managed to outlast many others in the past. It continues to be one of the most listened to music types, and has had more number one hits than many of the other types of music. Soul music has paved the way for many talented performers, and it will continue to do so over the next generation as well.

Shades of Blue

Shades of Blue is all about a commentary regarding the great soul music, composed right from the 1940s till date. Apart from the comments and reviews, the site contains a diverse range of information about the popular soul artists and their compositions. The site is more like an elementary textbook for those who has a keen interest about the saga of soul music.

Shades of Blue

Marvin Pentz Gay(e) - The Man With The Golden Glow

Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr., better known as Marvin Gaye was born on 2nd April 1939 and walked this earth till 1st April 1984. He was a multi-talented artist who not only wrote songs but also instruments at a vocal range of three octaves. He started his career as a member of The Moonglows which was a doo-wop group in the late 50’s. Later he went on to perform as a solo artist and in 1960 started singing with Tamla which was an auxiliary of Motown Records. Gaye earned fame as the best selling performer of the label in the 60’s after he had worked for a year as a session drummer. He was known for his hits like ‘How Sweet It Is’, ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’, and ‘I Heard It through the Grapevine’. He also delivered certain duet hits with singers like Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell and was recognized as ‘The Prince of Motown’ and ‘The Prince of Soul’

Gaye proved his mettle with hit albums like ‘What’s Going On’ and ‘Let’s Get It On’ and in the process he also inspired his fellow singers like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. In fact, his album ‘Let’s Get It On’ gave way to the genres of urban contemporary and slow jamming phenomena. Following his self chosen exile Gaye came back to the scenario with his hit ‘Sexual Healing’ which won him the Grammy Award and this was also accompanied by the album named Midnight Love. Following his death he was included to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year 1987.

The music magazine in America named Rolling Stone rated him 6th on the list of ‘The Greatest Singers of All Time’ and in the list of ‘Greatest Artists of All Time’ he ranked 18 among 100 artists. Marvin also has a half brother named Michael Cooper. His second album with Motown Label was known as The Soulful Moods. This record featured the tunes of R&B ballad numbers like ‘Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide’. Unfortunately this record failed to gain fame after which Marvin produced two more albums which failed as badly.

Gaye’s first hit number was ‘Stubborn Kind of Fellow’. This song went on to become one of the major hits on Hot R&B Songs chart. This was followed by the top 40 singles by Gaye. These songs were ‘Hitch Hike’, ‘Pride and Joy’, ‘Can I Get a Witness’ in the year 1963. Gaye continued with his success story in 1964 as he came up with his hits, ‘You Are a Wonderful One’, ‘Try It Baby’, ‘Baby Don’t You Do It’ and ‘How Sweet It Is’. Gaye also made his contributions in writing ‘Dancing in the Street’ while his tie-up with Smokey Robinson for a 1966 album churned out top 10 hit singles in a row in the form of ‘I’ll Be Doggone’ and ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’. He also became a darling among the various teen shows.

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