Just in time for Valentine’s Day, an episode that celebrates extraordinary vocal performances in one of our most influential and significant musical styles: American Soul. Joined by our resident vocal expert, we listen to a playlist of fantastic—but relatively obscure--recordings by mostly famous soul singers, with a couple of lesser-known artists included, too. This episode's playlist covers recordings from 1964-1976, and also captures the pivotal moment when more traditional, blues- and gospel-tinged Soul transmogrified into Funk (that most essential of styles). 

Playlist for this episode:

1. Aretha Franklin - You’ll Lose A Good Thing (1964)
2. Otis Redding - I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) (1965)
3. O. V. Wright - Motherless Child (1965)
4. Wilson Pickett - Ninety-Nine and One-Half (Won’t Do) (1966)
5. Betty Harris - What’d I Do Wrong (1969)
6. Nina Simone - To Love Somebody (1969)
7. Lee Dorsey - Yes We Can (Pt. 1) (1970)
8. Al Green - Love and Happiness (1972)
9. Labi Siffre - I Got The.. (1975)
10. Bootsy Collins - I’d Rather Be With You (1976)