Clyde McPhatter – A Shot of Rhythm and Blues
Clyde McPhatter
Listen/Download – Clyde McPhatter – A Shot of Rhythm and Blues MP3
Greetings all.
Before we get rolling….
My new weekly radio show for WFMU’s Give the Drummer Radio, Testify! had it’s inaugural episode last Wednesday and is archived over there. If you dig Funky16Corners and/or Iron Leg I think you’ll dig it. I’ll be on the air every Wednesday night (tomorrow!) from 10-12, live, so tune in when you get a chance!
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I am endlessly fascinated with artists who are associated with the earlier days of R&B who continued to make music (often overlooked or forgotten) well into the classic soul era.
Today’s performer is a great example thereof.
Clyde McPhatter sang with Billy Ward and the Dominoes, was a founding member of the Drifters and had a string of solo hits stretching from 1955 to 1965 (though most of those fell between 55 and 61).
Though he dropped off the charts for good in 1965, he continued to record well into the 70s for a variety of labels (his great cover of ‘In My Tenement’ appeared her a while back).
Today’s selection hails from a brief run (1966-1967) that McPhatter had with the Amy label.
His smoking cover of Arthur Alexander’s classic ‘A Shot of Rhythm and Blues’ (a landmark of early soul which became something of a Beat group standard in the UK) was recorded in Muscle Shoals with Rick Hall at the board, and it shows.
Opening with rock solid drums and horns, McPhatter drops in followed by guitar and bass and a groovy combo organ and he is joined in the chorus by female backing singers.
It’s a great update of the tune, and packs plenty of soul power, which is why it’s so disappointing to see that it doesn’t appeared to have gained an audience anywhere, even regionally.
Perhaps audiences associated McPhatter with an earlier style/sound, but someone missed the boat by not promoting the 45, since it sits right up there with pretty much anything else coming out of the Southern soul sound at the time.
An object lesson is keeping your ears (and mind) open.
I hope you dig it, and I’ll see you all on Friday.
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Keep the faith
Larry
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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.