A Morning With Motown and Martha

Watching a PBS fundraising special on Motown last night, I realized it has been way too long since we tasted the sweet sounds of the Motor City. Now the talent of Motown was so vast, it needs to be savored one bite at a time.

Today we go with one of the great girl groups: Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. Rosalind Ashford, Betty Kelly, Annette Beard and Martha Reeves were the main members responsible for a boatload of hits in the early to mid-60's. The group was always a trio with a few changes in personnel, most notably when Beard left and was replaced by Kelly.

Members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Martha and the Vandellas created a body of work with equal measures of fun and dance-ability. Listening to them, no way your feet aren't moving.

Kick up the volume, kick off your shoes and dance.

"Nowhere to Run"
"Honey Chile"
"Heatwave"
"Jimmy Mack"
"Quicksand"
"Dancin' in the Street"

yeah.

"If your feet ain't tappin', baby you're dead."

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Hold On, I'm Coming: Sam and Dave

If you ask most people if they are fans of Mr. Moore and Mr. Prater, they will look at you and say "Who?" But,  if you ask those same people to name a song by Sam & Dave, most will smile and start singing "Soul Man."

The soul/R&B duo began in the 60's and were together until the 80's. Two more members of the Memphis musical church known as Stax Records, Sam & Dave brought the sweet, soulful sound of the South and fused it with a tinge of gospel, R&B and pop. Members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there is not a musician worth his salt around today, who has not been influenced by Mr. Moore and Mr. Prater.

I was never lucky enough to have seen them perform, but it is well documented that a Sam & Dave show was one of the greatest live acts of all time.

Let's get the morning off to a good start with a few tastes of the masters...

"Soul Man" ...live 1967 footage...the Blues Brothers got nothing on the originals
"Hold On (I'm Comin')
"When Something Is Wrong With My Baby"  ...Duck Dunn on bass. RIP
"Soul Sister, Brown Sugar"
"I Thank You" ...No, we thank you.


If your foot ain't tappin'...baby you're dead.

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For Duck Dunn: Serving Up Some More Green Onions

Donald "Duck" Dunn left us yesterday.  On tour and doing what he loved, he went to sleep and never woke up. Another sad note on the list of musicians who are gone. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work as the bass player for Booker T & the MGs, he is also remembered for playing himself in The Blues Brothers movie.

In February, one post was devoted to Roy Buchanan doing a cover version of  "Green Onions."
Enjoy again that great rendition and for Duck, have a taste of the original.

Booker T & the MGs "Green Onions"

Easy Journey Duck

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