The opening chant of Vivian Jackson’s debut single in 1972 is what gave him his nickname of Yabby You (or sometimes Yabby U). (more…)

The Toys were a teenage trio who formed at high school in New York in 1961. They sold two million copies of their only hit single. (more…)

Antony Szmierek comes from Manchester: he’s a rapper with a relaxed, conversational delivery and an emotional flow. Unlike a lot of spoken word music – and there’s loads around now – this one makes me want to listen again and again.

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The TV drama The Offer is the inside story of the making of The Godfather. This is the theme music by Isabella Summers (aka Florence’s “Machine”).
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I just couldn’t make up my mind which version of this sweet soul song to post. It was recorded and released by two Texans named Bobby only a few months apart in 1973. (more…)

Here’s another slice of classic soul from Detroit’s Soulhawk label, written and produced by Popcorn Wylie. (more…)

Jim Sohns, who died this week, was only 16 when he became the singer in a new Chicago band, The Shadows Of Knight. (more…)

When I think of 1967 I think of psychedelia, hippies, flower power, LSD. This record came out that year – the Summer of Love – but it’s nothing like that. (more…)

He’s not exactly a household name but Popcorn Wylie is one of the key figures in Detroit soul music. A producer, songwriter, singer, bandleader, pianist and record label boss, he discovered some of the biggest names and played on some of the biggest Motown hits. (more…)

This is what used to be called a “Negro Spiritual” dating back to slavery days in the USA. It was first published in 1867 and I think the first recording was by Marian Anderson in 1925. (more…)