Daddy B. Nice’s Corner 2020 – news and opinion on Southern Soul RnB music and artists
June 18, 2020
Singer/Songwriter Larome Powers Dies
The artist passed away at 67 Wednesday, June 17th, in Dallas, Texas.
Under his given name, Gerald Robinson, longtime songwriter Larome Powers had over 100 registered song titles at BMI, including Jesse James’ “I Can Do Bad By Myself.” Here are new YouTube links for Powers’ most well-known songs as a solo artist:
Listen to Larome Powers singing “Shake And Shimmy” on YouTube.
Listen to Larome Powers singing “I’m Knockin'” on YouTube.
Robinson was born in Tupelo, Mississippi–the birthplace of Elvis–in 1952, but spent most of his formative years in Michigan (Ann Arbor), moving to Detroit in his twenties.
Proficient as a singer, producer, bassist and pianist, Powers entered the music business in the 70’s as a composer while also performing at various West Coast venues.
Under his given name, Robinson, Powers worked as a staff writer under producer/writer Don Davis at Groovesville Productions for a decade, then became CEO of his own company, Super Disc Productions (later SGH&R), working with artists like Harvey Scales on Casa Blanca and Melvin Griffin on the Henry Stone label. Five of Super Disc’s writers, including Larome, also toiled as writers in the April Blackwood Division at CBS.
During that time Powers wrote or cowrote such hits as “I Can Do Bad By Myself” (Jesse James), “It Ain’t What You Do” (Johnnie Taylor) “Come Inside” (The Dramatics) and “That Thing That You Got” (Harvey Scales). He also produced Kenne Wayne’s debut album, Old Fashion Love (1996), and Reggie Wayne Morris’s touted Blues Binge CD (2001).
Powers made his solo recording debut on the Blues Club International label in 2003: Somebody’s Chasin’ My Cat.
That led to a recording contract with Southern Soul label Waldoxy Records (a Malaco affiliate) and the release of Larome Powers’ signature single, “Shake And Shimmey,” and the album, What’s Life Without Love, in 2006.
Five years went by without Powers recording until, in 2011, he released the single “I’m Knockin’ (At Your Door)” (Waldoxy), awakening fan interest and becoming Power’s biggest Southern Soul single since “Shake And Shimmy.”
Larome Powers Discography
2003 Somebody’s Chasing My Cat (Blues Club International)
2006 What’s Life Without Love (Waldoxy)
Stepping Out (2014)
2014 Stepping Out (Waldoxy)
–Daddy B. Nice
Read more in Daddy B. Nice’s Artist Guide to Larome Powers.
June 1, 2020
JUNE TOP TEN “SPILLOVER”: Top 40 Southern Soul Singles
An expanded list of the songs vying for “Top Ten Singles” in June 2020 (Expanded to 50 this month)
1. “Rock With You”—R.T. Taylor
2. “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”—Jeter Jones
3. “Staying In Love Ain’t Easy”—Wendell B.
4. “Go Get A Room”—Ronnie Bell
5. “Can Somebody Take Me”—Tyree Neal feat. Omar Cunningham
6. “Last Few Dollars”—David J feat. Tony Tatum
7. “Still In Love”—Sir Charles Jones feat. Jeter Jones
8. “Can You Keep A Secret?”—Big Pokey Bear
9. “I Sing Da Blues”—Chrissy Luvz
10. (Tie) “Operate On Me”—Sheba Potts-Wright
“Give Him Love”—T.J. Hooker Taylor
11. “Cadillac Willie”—Wendell B
12. “Sad Rat”—Chris Ivy
13. “Put It On Him”—Dee Dee Simon
14. “Southern Soul”—R.T. Taylor
15. “Take Me Back”—Kami Cole
16. “Thinkin’ Bout”—Ronnie Bell
17. “It’s Time”—Nelson Curry feat. Joe Nice
18. “Candie Love”—Missy B
19. “Be With You”—Sir Charles Jones
20. “Let The Juices Flow”—LaMorris Williams
21. “Pass The Wilson”—Shell-B
22. “Where The Party At?”—T.J. Hooker Taylor
23. “Breaking Up Don’t Feel Good”—LaMorris Williams
24. “I Got A Real Good Woman”—Jo Jo Murray
25. “Country Girl”—Fat Daddy feat. T.K. Soul
26. “She Got Me Trippin'”—Mr. Laidback feat. Tyree Neal
27. “Freight Train”—Koffee Black feat. Lomax
28. “Get Your Money”—N.J. Speights
29. “Stay With Me”—Sir Charles Jones
30. “Jody’s Girl (Remix)”—Tamara McClain feat. Johnny James
31. “Let’s Straighten It Out”—Night Affair Band
32. “Love U Right”—Connie G
33. “Different From The Rest”—King Fred feat. DJKJ
34. “Quarantine Crazy”—Marquee of Soul
35. “Put It In Your Face”—West Dawn
36. “Pokey Bear Birthday Bash 2020”—Dia Grover
37. “Electrical Love”—Kae Divine feat. Rodnae
38. “Good Love (Remix)”—Cadillac Man
39. “Things Will Get Better”—Jamelia Scott
40. “Watching The Clock”—Billy Cook feat. Marcell Cassanova
41. “She’s Got The Juice (Remix)”—Geno Wesley feat. Fatman Scoop, Sean Dolby & Lina
42. “A New Way Of Love”—Randy Hall
43. “Dancing In The Mirror”—Napoleon Demps feat. LaMorris Williams
44. “Tonight”—Lady Soul
45. “House Party”—Mr. David
46. “Show Us Your Line Dance”—Mister Cotton, Redboy & Mose Stovall
47. “Hey Boo”—B. Dupree
48. “Drinking And Smoking”—Reesy
49. “I’ve Been Downhearted”—Frank Rimmer
50. “The Meat Man”—Freaky B 2.0