Southern soul

Southern soul is a type of soul music that emerged from the Southern United States. The music originated from a combination of styles, including blues (both 12 bar and jump), country, early rock and roll, and a strong gospel influence that emanated from the sounds of Southern African-American churches. The focus of the music was not on its lyrics, but on the "feel" or the groove. This rhythmic force made it a strong influence in the rise of funk music.

History

Pioneers of southern soul include: Georgia natives Ray Charles and James Brown; Little Willie John, Bobby "Blue" Bland, New Orleans R&B artist Allen Toussaint; and Memphis DJ Rufus Thomas and Elvis Presley who was steeped heavily in not only country and western and the jump blues of the south, but also heavily influenced by gospel music. At its core, gospel is the main influence of soul music.

Southern soul was at its peak during the 1960s, when Memphis soul was created. In 1963, Stan Lewis founded Jewel Records in Shreveport, Louisiana, along with two subsidiary labels, Paula and Ronn. Jewel and Ronn Records were the leaders for R&B, blues, soul and gospel tunes. Lewis signed artists such as John Lee Hooker, Charles Brown, Bobby Rush, Buster Benton, Toissaint McCall, Lightin’ Hopkins, Ted Taylor, Little Johnny Taylor and The Uniques. The Carter Brothers in 1965 landed Jewel Records its first national hit on the R&B charts.