Corner 2025

April 25, 2025:

Daddy B. Nice's

News & Notes:

Southern Soul in New York City!

I never thought I'd see it. They're street-dancing to 803Fresh's "Boots On The Ground" in Times Square outside the discount Broadway tickets booth. Ubiquitous in NYC, these street buskers are taking the line dance moves to a whole 'nother level, attracting crowds who watch, stupefied, wondering what the hell they're witnessing. Very few will comprehend they're listening to a genre called southern soul, and even fewer will enter the nirvana where we southern soul fans pass our pleasurable days. But it's happening nevertheless, and what was unimaginable for the southern soul scene a couple of decades ago---that is, the younger generation completely enthused and energized by southern soul---is now a reality. One amusing footnote: most of the YouTube and TikTok videos chronicling these impromptu street dances in Manhattan label it "Texas culture". Guess they don't know it originated in South Carolina. Are line dances Southern Soul's entree into the national consciousness?

Bobby Rush at the Grand Ole Opry

Three-time Grammy Award-Winner Bobby Rush is headed to the Grand Ole Opry with white blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shephard in August. Here's what Bobby had to say about it:

"Although I'm known for being a Bluesman and I live the blues, sleep the blues, breathe the blues, and eat the blues, I actually grew up listening to country classics on WLAC radio. Willie Nelson is one of my favorites, and I've always loved listening to the Opry and artists like Minnie Pearl and Roy Acuff. After all these years well into my career, to be making my debut at the iconic Grand Ole Opry at 91 years old, is a dream come true."

New Music Alerts

Willie Clayton has a new album: Double Play Soul R&B. Willie has also done something he's never done before. The master vocalist has gone country. That's right. He's recorded a pure country single called "Tequila" and it is an experience. Bigg Robb has a new album out whose title will remind longtime fans of his early work: "Juke Joint Soul". "David Brinston Live" is the title of David Brinston's latest project, due for release soon. Lomax, whose career was put on pause due to a fire a couple of years ago, is rumored to be readying an album of new work. Volton Wright has published a new long-play set called "Love Games," the subject of a four-star New Album Review this month by Daddy B. Nice. And new artist Jay Swag has entered the scene with a new album called "Southern Swag". Avail Hollywood has published a set of all new work called "The King Of Grown Folks Music". Omar Cunningham also has new music packaged in a "limited edition" CD titled "The Love Album". And Ricky White, absent from the publishing world of late, is back with a collection called "Turn My Life Around".

Why Re-Inventing The English Language Hurts Recording Artists In The Long Run

You think it's cool. You think it's hip. You think it distinguishes you as cutting-edge. What I'm talking about is new song titles. Let's get rid of the "C" in "country" and call it "Kuntree". Let's get rid of the "you" and replace it with "U". Re-inventing the spelling of song titles may seem a nifty thing to do at the time, but it is not a prudent thing to do if you want your song remembered for posterity. Two or three (or many more) years after the fact, when people are trying to find your song in their music library, do you think they're going to remember you put a "U" instead of "You" or a "K" instead of a "C" in "country"? But it's worse... If you're searching for a song on YouTube or other music apps, you're at a more serious disadvantage. People aren't going to find you, bro'.

Money On A Scale Southern Soul Has Never Seen Before

Checking into Ticketmaster on a recent Saturday, tickets for an upcoming King George concert were selling at the rate of 45 sales per hour. At an average rate of $200 per sale (very modest considering most sales involve more than one person), that's ticket revenue coming in at nine thousand dollars per hour. Multiply that times approximately 12 peak business hours in a day and that's over one hundred thousand dollars per day! And remember, many of those tickets sales are upwards of $400 or $500 per item (twice as much as calculated) and there are another 12 hours in the day when sales (if less) are still being transpired. Yes, pinch yourself. It's a new era for contemporary southern soul.

Deejays...

There are so many southern soul-spinning deejays it's becoming impossible to keep up. Following the example of DJ Jammin' Jay, the latest music jock to turn to "retailing" his mixes is DJ Cutty Cut. One of his latest is "Southern Soul Expo 8," a playlist that features both "clean" and "dirty" edits. Another deejay I've been favoring on YouTube is DJ Blast, who wears a cowboy hat and dances continuously. He's got his pulse on the newest material, as does another talented and knowledgeable jock, DJ Mix Master T, whose mixes can run almost two hours. (Check out his "Southern Soul Wild And Loose Mixshow.") An additional "perk" of the latter pair. No commercial breaks, at least for the time being.

Miscellaneous...

"Boots On The Ground" lyric references are proliferating in new music by other artists. That's the evidence a tune has become a sure-fire classic (i.e. "Stand Up In It," "Hole In The Wall," "Keep on Rollin'," "Slow Roll It".). Even musical snippets are showing up in the music of others, particularly the three-beat verse-end that makes the line-dancers shake their fans and butts. 803Fresh fans can listen to an interview with their beloved singer/songwriter on YouTube: "I Am Carolina featuring 803Fresh (Episode 3)". And out of left-field: Rickey Smiley has a YouTube video called "Church Folks Version of Boots On The Ground".

Old-school southern-soulers may appreciate a new and potentially controversial YouTube profile of Tyrone Davis entitled "The Shocking Secret Tyrone Davis Hid For Years".

New artist Tina Brown, who's been introduced to the southern soul audience by Jeter Jones and "Slack" Jefferson, has a unique, raw, country vocal sound that attracted me. I downloaded her new single "Perfect Man" in anticipation of it charting in May. Then, on the third listening (the first close listening), I literally let a yowl of pain. OUT OF TUNE! Tina must by sharp or flat on at least half the notes. OUCH! If she's really this raw, it's up to the producer to shield her from the public embarrassment.

---Daddy B. Nice

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April 6, 2025:

TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: APRIL

An expanded list of the songs vying for "Top Ten Singles" in APRIL 2025.

1. "Keep On Steppin' Remix"---Mike Clark Jr. feat. The Ying Yang Twins
2. "Pressure"---Big Pokey Bear feat. Boosie
3. "5 Mo' Minutes"---Myia B
4. "Waste Your Time"---Marcellus The Singer
5. "I'll Be Your Lollipop"---Ms. Jody
6. "Paying My Baby's Bills"---Sir Charles Jones
7. "Blow The Whistle"---Big Mel
8. "Pop That"---Mike Clark Jr.
9. "Big Bone Girl Party"---Ced Wade feat. Queen Thickums
10. "Ain't Nobody"---OldMan MP


11. "Bitch You Better Not Have"---Ms. Jody
12. "One More Day"---Vick Allen
13. "F.Y.B. (I'll Fuck You Better)"---Squirt Kelly feat. FPJ
14. "Work Dat Pole"---Da Director feat. Jeter Jones
15. "Big Ol' Horse"---Big Bo
16. "Knock It Out The Box"---Cousin Dee
17. "Leave With You"---Frank Johnson
18. "Trailride Love"---Tyrus Turner
19. "Trail Ride Slide Remix"---Honey Gurl feat. Jeter Jones & JFly Barber
20. "It's Still Yours"---Ms. Jody

21. "It's Two Sides"---L.J. Echols
22. "Angel Wings" (Re-Entry)---Myia B
23. "18 Wheeler"---ERealist feat. Arthur Young
24. "Hoo Down"---Tee Doe Brown
25. "The Blame (Remix)"---Fat Daddy
26. "What Would You Do"---Donnie Ray feat. Jeff Floyd
27. "Look Good Feel Good"---Roi "Chip" Anthony feat. Lil' Runt & Eazy Harbor
28. "All Night Long"---Mr. Nelson feat. Edrick Hill
29. "Perfect"---Fat Daddy feat. FPJ
30. "Let Me Rock You"---Troy Henry

31. "Closing Time"---Crystal Thomas
32. "Shake It Baby"---Lomax
33. "Party (Cut Up And Get Loose)"---Willie Clayton
34. "Moonshine In The Trunk (Remix)"---Nephew Jones feat. Jeter Jones
35. "Handy Man"---Shae Nicole
36. "Cougar Thang"---Tre Davis feat. Rabbitt Orr
37. "Juke Joint Slide"---Jay Swag
38. "Fireball Moonshine"---Avail Hollywood
39. "Country Wood"---Da Director
40. "You Gonna Make Me Cry"---Ghetto Cowboy

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March 17, 2025:

Daddy B. Nice's

News & Notes:

Welcome back to "News & Notes" as we bid a fond farewell to the 2024 music award nominees and winners and welcome an abundance of new southern soul music for 2025.

New Music:

Of course, if you've been watching the music scene closely, you know Sir Charles Jones and Jeter Jones published new albums over the holidays. Both Charles' The Elite King and Jeter's My Fans Only gain high praise from Daddy B. Nice in New Album Reviews, as does T.K. Soul's Timeless, which arrived in late January.

Top 10 charting singles from that trio of releases in the first three months of 2025 include "Nail In The Middle," "Can't Run From Love," "Another Round" (Jeter Jones), "Flow Like A River," "Where I Belong" (Sir Charles Jones) and "Put A Freak On Me" (T.K. Soul). In addition, Calvin Richardson charted in the Top 10 with his single "Changed Man" from his new album, Five Years Later.

The first quarter of '25 also brought some fresh departures from the country-dominated southern soul of 24's singles charts. Hip-hop re-emerged with King George's "Unbelievable" featuring Snoop Dogg. And a wave of up-tempo dance jams led by 803Fresh's viral line-dancing smash "Boots On The Ground" gave the new year a jolt of high energy. Mike Clark's hypnotic "Keep On Steppin'" and Simply Wayne's a re-release of "Juke Joint Love" continued the club-dancing mania. Even more surprising after a year of scant CD activity was an unexpected influx of long-play albums.

New Album Releases:

A silky and refined-looking Ms. Jody re-emerged with Cougar On The Prowl on her long-time label Ecko Records with recommended tracks "Cougar On The Prowl," "I'll Be Your Lollipop" and "I'm In That Mood Again".

Her former label-mate, Sheba Potts' Wright, packaged her Best Southern Soul Song By A Longtime Veteran, award-winning single "Ain't Got Time" into a five song EP titled Ain't Got Time, The New Beginning.

Meanwhile, southern soul's vocal maestro Willie Clayton dropped a new twelve-song album entitled Double Play Soul & R&B. The set begins with Willie's current #4 single "Lose My Cool" and closes with a remix of his slow classic "Boom Boom Boom".

Not to be outdone, the ever-prolific Tyree Neal published a seventeen-track LP called Love Intervention. Among the generous selections is a track named "I Left Home" featuring the smoky keyboard/organ of Highway Heavy and a duet with Veronica Ra'elle entitled "Do Me".


Meanwhile, southern soul rapper Joe Nice has self-published an LP called The King Of Southern Soul Hip-Hop, available in only a twelve-inch vinyl format. The set features multiple appearances by fan-favorite Nelson Curry and also a rare guest stint by "Roll It Roll It" star Mr. Sam.

But that's not all. Rodnae aka Rodnae Da Boss ("I Just Came To Party," "You Must Be Smokin'") released his third full-length album Strictly For The Ladies, a seventeen-track set peppered with guest artists including Jeter Jones, Avail Hollywood, Coldrank, Kiko Pryor, Calvin Taylor, Ray Lavender, Omar Cunningham, Volton Wright and Cupid.

Rising southern soul artist Tiffany Rachal put out her second full-length album, Southern Soul Country Girl, on the Jones Boyz label. The set includes a dance jam titled "Southern Soul Shuffle" and her latest single, "Grass Ain't Greener".

Another upwardly-trending, young southern soul artist, Memphis Jackson, published his first collection, It's All About You. The album brings together singles he's released over the last year, including "It's Been A Long Time," "I Gotta Have You" and "I Can't Live Without You".

And in case you missed it, Ronnie Bell ("I'll Pay The Shipping Cost") released Moments in Time, Pt. 1: Cookout Classics late last year. The 10-track set includes the single "Grown Man" and "I Ain't Going Nowhere" featuring guest artist Pokey Bear.

Two Interviews Of Note:

A couple of extremely enjoyable interviews are currently available on YouTube.

Marcellus TheSinger On His New Music & More---Interviewed by Jazz E Jeff And The Crew

Jeter Jones Da Kang of Trailride Blues on Southern Soul, Life Lessons, Trail Rides, & Marine Life---Interviewed by Nestor the Don and Pac-Man

The Jeter Jones interview in particular is a doozey. Two hours long. I was digging it but only got through an hour. It begins with Jeter singing his cover of "My Mind Is Playing Tricks Of Me," which I want to remind folks your Daddy B. Nice was the first to give its rightful accolades, and the interview just gets better and better. Marcellus is great too, opening up on his very own opinions of his music. Enjoy!

R.I.P.: Angie Stone, Jerry Butler, Roberta Flack, Gwen McCrae, Chris Jasper of the Isleys

---Daddy B. Nice

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March 8, 2025:

TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: MARCH

An expanded list of the songs vying for "Top Ten Singles" in MARCH 2025.

1. "Boots On The Ground"---803Fresh
2. "Keep On Steppin'"---Mike Clark Jr.
3. "Turn Me Loose"---Carolyn Staten
4. "Lose My Cool"---Willie Clayton
5. "Hoedown Showdown"---Cecily Wilborn
6. "Country Man"---West Love
7. "Put A Freak On Me"---T.K. Soul
8. "Whole Lotta Country"---Sonny Boi feat. Jeter Jones
9. "Love My Southern Soul"---Catt Daddy feat. Jeter Jones
10. "Soul Train Line"---Tee Doe Brown


11. "Nobody But You"---Cecily Wilborn
12. "Mississippi Woman"---Carolyn Staten
13. "Baby Got Us Jamming"---T.K. Soul
14. "Pillow Talk"---West Love
15. "I Need It From You"---Necie feat. Mr. Smoke
16. "Baby If I"---King George
17. "Turn Me Loose"---Tucka
18. "Waste Your Time"---Marcellus The Singer
19. "Mr. Right"---Kyia B (Kyia Buckingham)
20. "Paying My Baby's Bills"---Sir Charles Jones

21. "One More Day"---Vick Allen
22. "Dance All Night"---B.J. Moodswing feat. J-Wonn
23. "In Love With You"---Mr. Sipp
24. "I'm In That Mood Again"---Ms. Jody
25. "F.Y.B. (I'll Fuck You Better)"---Squirt Kelly feat. F.P.J.
26. "Ain't Goin' Nowhere"---Shae Nicole
27. "Ride"---Solomon Thompson
28. "Pop That"---Mike Clark Jr.
29. "Hooked On Me"---Mr. Nelson
30. "Fine Man"---Adaeze O.

31. "5 Mo' Minutes"---Myia B
32. "Go Ahead And Do Yo Thang"---Unkle Phunk feat. Big Yayo
33. "Sexy And You Know It"---Avail Hollywood feat. DJ Trac
34. "Southern Soul Forever"---Joe Nice feat. Nelson Curry
35. "Blow Your Whistle"---Ali-Jamal feat. Jeter Jones
36. "It's Yours"---Lenny Williams
37. "Pressure"---Big Pokey Bear feat. Boosie
38. "Like A Lady"---Sonny Boi feat. Volton Wright
39. "Young Folks Blues"---Squirt Kelly
40. "Trigger Blues"---Marvin "Boogie" Brown

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February 8, 2025:

TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: FEBRUARY

An expanded list of the songs vying for "Top Ten Singles" in FEBRUARY 2025.

1. "Unbelievable"---King George feat. Snoop Dogg
2. "Where I Belong"---Sir Charles Jones
3. "Juke Joint Love"---Simply Wayne
4. "Can't Run From Love"---Jeter Jones feat. Myia B
5. "Boots On The Ground"---803 Fresh
6. "Flow Like A River"---Sir Charles Jones
7. "If You Love Southern Soul"---Teeza (Antonio Coney)
8. "Rodeo Style"---Avail Hollywood
9. "Girl I Like Your Booty"---O.C. Soul feat. Boogaloo Jones
10. "Gotta Have You"---Memphis Jackson


11. "Keep On Steppin'"---Mike Clark Jr.
12. "Lose My Cool"---Willie Clayton
13. "Come Dance With Me"---CharMeka Joquelle feat. Cupid
14. "I Need It From You"---Necie feat. Mr. Smoke
15. "It's The Weekend"---Jhordyn Datcher
16. "Whole Lotta Country"---Sonny Boi feat. Jeter Jones
17. "Be Myself (Remix)"---Cecily Wilborn feat. Sir Charles Jones
18. "Rock Me (Remix)"---Mista Kane feat. Jeter Jones
19. "Country Girl"---Tonio Armani
20. "Dance All Night"---B.J. Moodswing feat. J-Wonn

21. "Turn Me Loose"---Carolyn Staten
22. "Southern Soul Shuffle"---Tiffany Rachal
23. "If U Don't"---Avail Hollywood
24. "Country Wind"---Shantavia Nicole
25. "Caboose"---Mr. Campbell
26. "About A Horse"---Mr. Mister feat. Jeter Jones
27. "On Time Lover"---Tina P
28. "Mississippi Woman"---Carolyn Staten
29. "That Thang Thangin'"---Big Money Fame
30. "Play It Off So Cool"---Mr. Hot Topic

31. "P.T.S.O."---FPJ
32. "Can't Replace My Love"---Sweet Lysa
33. "Paying My Baby's Bills"---Sir Charles Jones
34. "These Arms Of Mine"---Tucka
35. "All White"---Jus Epik feat. Gylo & Money Waters
36. "I Saw You Looking"---DJ A.J. Capone feat. Willie P
37. "My Fans Only"---Jeter Jones
38. "Boss Lady"---Young Guy
39. "Get Down"---Big Yayo feat. J-Wonn
40. "Country Man"---West Love

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January 7, 2025:

TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: JANUARY

An expanded list of the songs vying for "Top Ten Singles" in JANUARY 2025.

1. "Feels So Good"---O.B. Buchana
2. "Nail In The Middle"---Jeter Jones
3. "Thin Line (Remix)"---Marcellus The Singer
4. "Changed Man"---Calvin Richardson
5. "Stay At Home"---Jay Morris Group
6. "Keep My Man"---Ashley Ave
7. "Another Round"---Jeter Jones
8. "Hell On My Hands"---J'Cenae
9. "Shake Your Rump"---Jumpin' Joe
10. "Shoot My Shot"---J-Wonn


11. "Cougar On The Prowl"---Ms. Jody
12. "There She Go"---T.K. Soul
13. "Party On A Dually"---Ashley Ave
14. "This One Is For You"---Erica Henderson
15. "Take Me To The Trailride"---V. SunShyn
16. "Mississippi"---Ace4K
17. "Rooster"---Sir Charles Jones
18. "Can't Run From Love"---Jeter Jones feat. Myia B.
19. "Country Love"---West Love
20. "I Came To Party"---Troy Henry

21. "Turn Me Loose"---Carolyn Staten
22. "Cornbread"---Married Couple of Southern Soul
23. "Don't Waste My Time"---DJ Trans feat. Cheff Da Entertainer & Zee Man
24. "I Feel Good"---Mister Cotton
25. "Kind Of Woman"---Sampson Boyz
26. "Two Steps"---Mr. Don't Leave
27. "Good Cookin'"---Jake Carter
28. "Pop That Fan"---Cupid feat. M.C. World
29. "What You Gone Do"---Miss Lady Soul feat. J-Wonn
30. "Party On"---Keneisha

31. "Good Vibes Only"---Fat Daddy
32. "Try Loving Me The Southern Soul Way"---Anthony Q. feat. Cecily Wilborn
33. "Girl I Like Your Booty"---O.C. Soul
34. "A Change Gonna Come"---West Love feat. Boosie
35. "Good Wood"---K.D. Dawson
36. "Can't Walk Over Me"---Keith Brougham
37. "What You See Is What You Get"---Stephanie McDee feat. Shaun Allen
38. "Good Lovin'"---Adaeze O.
39. "Watch Auntie Ride"---Cheff Da Entertainer feat. Zman & DJ Trans
40. "Just One Night"---Carl Sims

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December 28, 2024:

Southern Soul 2024: The Year In Review

It was a year of parity.

At last, after two years of unforeseen takeover and absolute domination of the southern soul music scene, the mighty King George came down to earth, recording songs ("It's Over," "Can't Judge Nobody") that seemed almost ordinary in comparison with his incandescent hits of 2022 through 2023. In a distinct but little-noticed mutation, the new tunes arrived not so differently in artistic stature than the new work of his distinguished peers. One of those eminent rivals, Big Pokey Bear, didn't even bother to record anything, which---at least in the short term---did nothing to hinder his popularity, as Pokey's acclaimed stage show made him a virtual lock on southern soul's most acclaimed national circuit, the Blues Is Alright Tour. Another esteemed member of southern soul's elite and another mainstay of the tour, Tucka recorded steadily throughout the year but favored more introspective, low-key ballads ("Take It Slow," "Night On That Tequila," "Give It Up") that fell well short of his multi-million-viewed classic singles.

The careers of other members of southern soul's top echelon of artists---Sir Charles Jones, Nellie "Tiger" Travis, J-Wonn---maintained a holding pattern based as much on their storied histories as their current recording output, as well could be said of the still-living, baby-boomer legends---Theodis Ealey, Bobby Rush, Lenny Williams & Latimore.

J-Wonn was the most prolific but also the most monochromatic, his post-Big Yayo work being consistently romantic, slick and more suggestive of the mainstream R&B of Calvin Richardson than the rougher, bass-heavy and gospel-grounded sound of southern soul and the blues. Sir Charles bulled his way through the year, sometimes singly and successfully ("Pour Me A Drank") and sometimes (and less successfully) duetting, while Nellie Travis's declining studio work (with no Floyd Hamberlin material or production) was indicative of a troubling trend in which trips to the creative well by southern soul's top female performers---including Ms. Jody, Lacee and Karen Wolfe---were less frequent and productive.

Headlined by Jeter Jones, Avail Hollywood, L.J. Echols, The Jay Morris Group, T.K. Soul, Bigg Robb & Big Yayo, the tier of southern soul artists just below these nationally-famous luminaries could best be defined by their abilities to sell out stadiums and outdoor festivals across the black Deep South---the traditional "chitlin' circuit"---and that they did in record numbers (at least until the intolerably hot weather of late July and August). In addition, they were the major engines of the southern soul recording industry. Wendell B's passing (2023) continued to be as huge a loss as Bishop Bullwinkle's a few years prior, but despite hinting he would be otherwise, Jeter Jones was jaw-droppingly prolific, and in spite of the doubters L.J. Echols continued to prove his durability, while the Jay Morris Group persisted in confounding their critics by maintaining and enlarging their fan base. It was the hard-working productivity of this second-highest tier of top southern soul artists who primarily generated the most common lament of southern soul deejays in 2024: the "gap" between the haves and have-nots.

It was a year of changing of the guard.

But wait.... If there was a breach between the haves and have-nots in 2024, why the talk of parity? Well...While the "blue-bloods" dominated the big-money venues, it was the emerging younger generation who captured the hearts of the fans as memorialized on the monthly charts and YouTube streams. And if you consider the history of popular music, this has always been the case: the wheel turning with new artists and new sounds replacing the old and familiar. The most prominent "new-blood" was West Love, who---propelled by her recent hit singles---surpassed Ms. Travis, Ms. Jody et.al. to claim the southern soul diva's throne. She even became the female fixture on the perennially male-dominated Blues Is Alright Tour, a major indicator of strong national interest.

The dominant new male performer was arguably balladeer Marcellus The Singer, whose every single and live performance drew interest and even top billing above stars with historically more cachet. Marcellus was seemingly everywhere, bolstering other young talents like Curt The Country Man with guest-artist stints. Moreover, other young artists like F.P.J., Young Guy & Mike Clark Jr. catapulted to southern soul stardom, performing songs that collected millions of YouTube views and leaving day jobs for their own headlining tours. Notched close behind were other up-and coming stars: Arthur Young, Ciddy Boi P, M. Cally, Coldrank, Lady Redtopp, Stacii Adams, J'Cenae, Derek "The Change Man" Smith, Summer Wolfe, P2K DaDiddy, Stan Butler, Magic One, Big Mel, Tonio Armani & B.J. Moodswing, among others.

And yet there was one other artist who went from no-name to the glittering glare of fame. Her name was Cecily Wilborn and her ground-breaking rise was synonymous with the most momentous and noteworthy change in the southern soul genre in 2024: the merger and incorporation of country music into the southern soul genre, including unabashedly country-style vocalizing, pedal-steel guitar and all the county-western tropes.

It was the year "country" integrated into southern soul.

Southern soul singers---which is to say African-American singers---had historically dabbled, gone back-and-forth, and even migrated like the great Ray Charles to world-wide fame via country music. But in spite of their roots in rural America, the two genres' stylistic differences had remained seemingly incompatible. Either you heard it on a country station or a rhythm & blues station, and if you were a black singer singing country, you had to make it in the (white) country market. That all changed in 2024, albeit not without the confusion and outcry that accompanies any tectonic musical shift, and the main reason was a young black singer named Cecily Wilborn.

Wilborn had crashed the southern soul scene in 2023 with her hit song, "Southern Man," reprised later that year in a duet with West Love that further burnished its reputation. In 2024 Cecily took the country vibes that worked to perfection in "Southern Man" to a level never before seen in southern soul in the take-no-prisoners, country-styled, quasi-acapella anthem "Red Cup Blues," in effect daring southern soul deejays to either accept or reject it. Later in the year, she returned with yet another country/southern soul hybrid hit single, "Living For The Weekend," blending country instrumental motifs with lyrical references that only avid southern soul music fans could truly appreciate:

"Play me some Johnnie Taylor
Or some Marvin Sease...
If I play that Tina Turner
He know I'm about to fight,
If I play that Barry White
He know he get lucky tonight."

Meanwhile, a much lesser-known, less industry-sophisticated singer named Curt The Country Man came to the attention of Daddy B. Nice via a YouTube video from late 2023. The song was "Back Roads," originally published under the name GMB Li Curt with assistance from the rapper ShawtyMac. Although infused with the soul and spirit of a southern soul singer, the vocal was stylistically pure, unadulterated country. The video, replete with horses and the kind of country scene that characterized dozens of popular, Jeter Jones, trailride-influenced song videos throughout the year, featured the cowboy-hatted Curt doing a perfect back flip out of the bed of a pickup truck onto a Mississippi-green pasture.

Marcellus The Singer, the wunderkind of southern soul mentioned above, recognized the song's worth and partnered with Curt (now called Curt The Country Man) on a remix called "Back Road" (deleting the "s"), inserting a southern soul verse in place of the rap stanza. Due to Curt's lack of marketing savvy, the tune never achieved the success of Wilborn's material, but "Back Roads" struck like lightning amongst southern soul insiders, with Daddy B. Nice comparing it favorably in historical significance to J-Wonn's "I Got This Record". And Ciddy Boi P ("This Is Texas: Beyonce Reply," "One More Day"), Tucka ("Take It Slow") and other artists paid it subtle homage by imitation.

It Was The Year Southern Soul "Came Out"

Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't report 2024 was the year southern soul expanded its sexual boundaries for the first time since Peggy Scott-Adams' nationally-acclaimed, nineties' hit single "Bill" and its brief spate of imitators. As in "Bill," there was no political motive, no progressive theme, no "woke" agenda. And once again like the Jimmy Lewis-written "Bill," it came about purely organically---real life colliding with love.

Gifted with a rich, gospel-influenced vocal timbre, the recording artist was Myia B. The beautifully-melodic, mid-tempo gem was "Stand On Business," a phrase, coincidentally, that had replaced "Keep It 100" in hip black culture. The tune recounted Myia's pursuit of a "pretty young thing" who just happened to also be a woman, had two young kids, and was listening "to that Johnnie Taylor" (to come full circle) "before she put that snapper on my face". The late, beloved and always ornery Jimmy Lewis would have loved it!

Reporting from the headquarters of southern soul...

Daddy B. Nice

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SouthernSoulRnB.com
P.O. Box 19574
Boulder, Colorado 80308
Or e-Mail:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
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December 15, 2024:

Daddy B. Nice's News & Notes
Holiday Edition

Pictured: Donnie Ray

Website Changes

Hopefully, most of you never even noticed we revamped the Daddy B. Nice website this month. This website is OLD. Gracing this month's "News & Notes" is Donnie Ray Aldredge, just one of the many artists whose careers I've been promoting for close to a quarter-century. It's a span of years that's seen the advent of YouTube, cell phones and social media, a time that's seen my archives (older pages) riddled with busted hyperlinks to record-sellers who no longer exist, but what's a person to do?

Don't look for any changes there. There's only so much time in the day. But around a decade ago I started a second website (southernsoulrnbnew.com) to more readily accommodate cell phone users. Oh, what a money pit that has been. With my time being finite, I've had to pay someone to essentially copy and paste everything I write from this, the original website, to the new phone-friendly website. And the irony is the great majority of you, my readers, have remained partial to the original website.

At last, I've found a sophisticated "coder" who has been able to make this, the original website, dynamic. That is, the screen expands or shrinks according to the device you're using: laptop, tablet, phone or whatever they come up with next. For example, when you access Daddy B. Nice's southern soul by phone, the side columns vanish and move to the bottom of the center column, making just one column easily read on the cell.

So the only readers who may be confused are those souls who did regularly use southernsoulrnbnew.com, which is now inactive. Please spread the word to those people. Daddy B. Nice isn't gone. I'm still here, doing my thing.

An Abundance Of New Southern Soul

Just in time for the holidays, southern soul fans can rejoice in an eruption of new music such as we haven't seen all year. Just as he did during the year-end holidays in 2023, Sir Charles Jones has dropped a new LP of twelve new songs called The Elite King.

And Calvin Richardson, who has come in for his fair share of criticism from your Daddy B. Nice, has a new album of eleven songs out. And, surprise, the aptly-named Five Years Later does contain more of a southern soul influence.

Summer Wolfe, who scored her first #1 single on Daddy B. Nice's Top 10 for December 2024, has a new EP, Get It Right, containing the decorated single, "Step By Step" and four other tunes.

J'Cenae, who came to prominence at the late and beloved Wendell B's label, is scheduled to release a new LP, The Evolution Of J'Cenae, tomorrow, December 16th.

Lady Redtopp, whose "Trail Ride" and other tunes catapulted her to wins in multiple categories of Daddy B. Nice's Best of 2023 awards, is working up an album tentatively titled "Lady Redtopp Sings The Blues".

M.Cally, another decorated debut recording artist in 2023, has a new EP named 40 & UP for sale. The set garnered a 5-star review from Daddy B. Nice last month.

Kandy Janai, who crashed the southern soul gates with Das My Kitty in 2022, not to forget "Too Soon" earlier this year, has a new set of songs in the works with the projected title, Sex In The City.

And last but certainly not least, watch for the new album from the man himself, T.K. Soul. The working title is "Timeless".

Best Wishes For The Holidays

First, a....

Shout-Out To All The DJ-Dominated Southern Soul Festivals & Club Scenes

And that includes our beloved dancing performers...Pokey? Jeter?....Are you listening?

Yeah, live music is great, but true southern soul paradise is a dance floor with an ace deejay. As a one-time club dancer, the kind of dancing nut who waded out solo (but not for long) onto the dance floors in thick wool socks and Chinese sandals, dancing with strangers, there's no feeling more glorious than dancing to dj-spun tracks, different artists every time, just as there's no spectator activity more mesmerizing than watching cool dancers doing their thing. The only thing better? Dancing with them!

Second, a grateful nod to....

Best Live Performance of The Month Memorialized on YouTube

And that would be....

Watch Shae Nycole Performing “Do Right” Live in Zebulon NC on YouTube.

And, finally....

A Big Holiday Thank You to Coach Prime, Shedeur Sanders, and Travis Hunter, Who Just Won The Heisman Last Night, For Bringing Southern Black Culture To Boulder, Colorado!!

You made my year. You made me watch as many Colorado podcasts as Southern Soul music videos. I love you guys! And if anyone in Jackson, Mississippi knows Uncle Neely, the big, bearded bear of a man who follows Deion around the football field, send me his email (daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com), because I want to shower Neely with southern soul mp3's in gratitude. He doesn't know Daddy B. Nice lives in Boulder.

They play a lot of rap up there in the CU football facilities, but I know their moms and pops must play that southern soul at home in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas. And as much as Uncle Neely loves Jackson, Mississippi, he must know DJ Ragman, DJ Handyman, WMPR and southern soul music.

With my vision loss I can't get out anymore, but Coach Prime and the boys have brought the culture to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

And to all my readers...

Have a happy and trail-ride-blazing new year!

Watch a laughter-filled interview with Coach Prime on YouTube.

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Questions?
Comments?
Or Information for Daddy B. Nice?
e-Mail:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************

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Questions?
Comments?
Or Information for Daddy B. Nice?
e-Mail:
daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************