Daddy B. Nice’s Corner 2022 – news and opinion on Southern Soul RnB music and artists
July 19, 2022
Daddy B. Nice’s News & Notes
Robert “The Duke” Tillman was one of the artists your Daddy B. Nice featured in the original (and first ever) Top 100 Chart of Southern Soul Artists (1990-2010)……
Listen to Robert Tillman singing “I Found A Love” on YouTube.……
……Heiki Suosalo’s well-researched retrospective of the legendary Frank-O Johnson continues (and touches on Tilllman) in Part 2 in Soul Express, taking up Johnson’s career from the early nineties on. “When I was still with Malaco, Johnny Vincent told me, ‘You know, with your writing and singing ability and with my knowledge of the music business, we could make a lot of money.'” Together Frank-O and Vincent re-started Ace Records for another great run in 1992 with the publication of Robert “The Duke” Tillman’s album Thinking of You. For this and many other stories straight from the fascinating mind of one of southern soul’s most storied insiders……….
Read the Frank-O Johnson Story: Part 2 in Soul Express.
……..In appreciation of his three decades of disbursing the blues and southern soul, Rojene Bailey, host and producer of nationally-syndicated Blues Time In The City, will be honored in August with “The Ruben Hughes Lifetime Achievement Blues Radio Personality Award”. The Jus Blues Music Foundation is also feting Bailey at its 22nd Annual Convention on August 4th……
Of course, we fans lucky enough to drink from the southern soul springs as the music gushes out fresh, clear and sparkling have known about Lenny Williams’ smash single “Can’t Nobody” for years. It’s history. It’s on the shelf with the rest of the trophies and mementos. But in the summer of 2022 it’s also on Billboard’s R&B chart, #27 with a bullet in early June. (Thanks to Mike in Austin for the heads-up.)
Listen to Lenny Williams & Shirley Jones singing “Can’t Nobody” on YouTube.
……Ever wonder how southern soul music is doing around the world? I’m surprised by the changes in blues-friendly nations from year to year. I used to think it had a lot to do with black servicemen stationed overseas, but that doesn’t account for the current positive response from countries as anti-U.S. as China and Russia. Here’s a peep at the world rankings by nation based on their visits to SouthernSoulRnB.com so far this summer of ’22……
(World)
1. Sweden
2. United Kingdom
3. Israel
4. Belgium
5. Russian Federation
6. China
7. Germany
8. Canada
(Europe)
1. Sweden
2. United Kingdom
3. Belgium
4. Germany
5. Ukraine
6. Poland
7. France
8. Romania
9. Netherlands
10. Switzerland
(Asia)
1. Israel
2. Russian Federation
3. China
4. Japan
5. Islamic Republic of Iran
6. Republic of Korea
7. Taiwan
8. India
9. Vietnam
10. Iraq
With the exception of Brazil, there’s very little interest in South America, and with the exception of South Africa, very little interest in Africa. In North America our neighbor to the north likes southern soul but our neighbor to the south does not, and among island nations southern soul is most popular by far in Australia……
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……Carolyn Staten has a hot new single based on King George’s “Keep On Rolling,” just the latest to do so.
Listen to Carolyn Staten singing “Somebody Gotta Leave” on YouTube.
….Instrumental tracks…..Have you noticed? Chimes are in. I’m assuming they’re programmed, although the sound could also be achieved on guitar. And it’s always subtle, adding a delicate touch to the sound. I first noticed it a few months ago on “Mr. Willie,” the debut single by C. Jones, where it evolves into a soft bagpipe sound. I noticed it again, along with a lot of other “bells and whistles,” in K. Renaa’s excellent “She Could Never Be Me (The Remix)” (Top 10 May). Then came this month’s #1 single, the debut by Lil’ CJ, “Step Into My Room”. Here the chimes sound like a percussionist’s triangle or a rhythm guitarist softly strumming the same chord. And I also hear it in Harrison Hollingquest’s (whose name is more interesting than his song title) Top 10 single, “Making Plans (Jody)”. I don’t know if that’s enough to indicate a trend, but it adds undeniable texture. Of course, if everybody starts doing it, it may soon lose its luster……
……Here’s a “shout-out” to the internet’s DJ Cutty Cut and DJ Bubba Yae. When it comes to mixtape deejays, I often mention DJ Sir Rockinghood, the maestro of new and cutting-edge music. And last year, after hearing him play the previously unknown Night Affair Band’s “Drink Of You,”I finally caught up with the popular DJ Haynes…..
…… There are two distinct types of mixtape deejays. DJ Cutty Cut resembles DJ Rockinghood in not talking between songs. DJ Bubba Yae resembles DJ Haynes in live-streaming with the accompanying radio-personality excitement. Whether you want the music served up with or without talk, or like it both ways depending on your mood (as I do), what’s good about these deejays—what’s indispensable, actually, for us grown folks who grew up on radio—is that they fill the tremendous vacuum left by the dearth of land-line stations playing southern soul….
…..Check out DJ Cutty Cut’s Southern Blend (Skegee City Boy) or We Got The Streets On Lock (Tucka James & King George). DJ Cutty Cut’s concepts and themes are inspired, as you can see by the Tucka/King George-pairing…..
…….Bubba Yae has a live-streaming Sunday Matinee At The Grown Folks Spot (1-3 pm Central), and these and other of his mixes are available 24/7 on YouTube. He’s also a frequent host at southern soul concerts throughout the South. Not a bashful guy, folks. Come out and see him when he’s in your town……
…..”Come, come!” Get ready to spread the love for Jeter Jones, whose new sixteen-track CD Da Legend Of Sweet Jeter Jones is out on Jones Boyz Entertainment. Watch for more on Da Legend coming up in August…..
— Daddy B Nice
July 3, 2022
TOP 40 SOUTHERN SOUL SINGLES: JULY
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in July 2022.
1. “Step Into My Room”—Lil’ CJ
2. “Country Girl”—Jus Epik feat. Money Waters
3. “Girl You Got It”—King George
4. “You Don’t Need It”—Lacee
5. “Tell Me How You Want It”—Ms. Ty feat. Arthur Young
6. “Making Plans (Jody)”—Harrison Hollingquest
7. “Hard Working Brutha”—Meme Yahsal
8. “Country Girl Lovin'”—Robb Blacc
9. “The Remedy”—Napoleon Demps
10. “Roll And Rock”—Melani
11. “Lost And Found”—Volton Wright
12. “Doing It Better Than Me”—Parooze
13. “Steppin'”—Choppa Law feat. Jeter Jones
14. “Work That Kitty”—Young Vet feat. Rich Wright & Hot Topic
15. “I’m Curious”—Wilson Meadows
16. “Strokin’ Kind”—Cadillac Man
17. “Call It What You Want”—CoCo Wade
18. “Baby Can You Ride”—Lebrado
19. “Reverse Cowgirl”—Gold Gillis
20. “My Man”—Lady Q feat. Stefunie
21. “Girl You Got It Going On”—T.K. Soul and O.B. Buchana
22. “Working Dat Jelly”—Rodnae feat. Summer Wolfe
23. “Knock It Out The Box”—Jesi Terrell
24. “Don’t Wanna Lose”—Mr. Fredlo
25. “Booger Bear”—Da Meatman feat. Jeter Jones
26. “Party Ride”—Lamar Brace
27. “Saturday Vibez”—Joe Nice feat. Marcus Allen
28. “Brown Sugar”—Ricky White
29. “Baby”—Omar Wilson
30. “No No No”—Mike ‘n Mike
31. “Slow Motion”—T-Lyons feat. Jeter Jones
32. “Granny Kat”—Mose Stovall
33. “You Got What I Want”—Willie Clayton
34. “Get Away”—Bird Williams
35. “I Need A Juke Joint Woman”—Big Dude
36. “Shake It Shake It”—Charles Wilson
37. “Night Time Love”—Uncle Wayne feat. Sweet Nay
38. “Used To Be Mines”—K.D. Dawson
39. “Friends With Benefits”—Remo ‘n Rush
40. “Miss Cougar”—Sheila B. Sexi
July 2, 2022:
Daddy B. Nice King George Update:
The latest-breaking news is that King George’s much-anticipated album (actually two albums) is out and for sale. See Daddy B. Nice’s Featured Artist for July ’22: King George #18 The New Generation Southern Soul (New Album Alert!).