One of the greatest female soul records over! The album's a gem all the way through – and probably our favorite (and the rarest album) cut by southern soul diva Ann Sexton – produced with a smooth style that's a lot different than some of her other work! It's got great arrangements by Clayton Ivey, who gives the set the compressed bubbling soul feel of Gloria Scott's classic album for Casabalanca – a nice mix of modern and rootsy styles, one that steps strongly past even the best of the southern soul scene of the time. Includes the incredible track "I'm His Wife (You're Just A Friend)", plus "Who's Gonna Love You", "I Had A Fight With Love", "Be Serious", "I Want To Be Loved", "You've Been Doing Me Wrong For So Long", and "You Can't Lose With the Stuff I Use". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest female soul records over! The album's a gem all the way through – and probably our favorite (and the rarest album) cut by southern soul diva Ann Sexton – produced with a smooth style that's a lot different than some of her other work! It's got great arrangements by Clayton Ivey, who gives the set the compressed bubbling soul feel of Gloria Scott's classic album for Casabalanca – a nice mix of modern and rootsy styles, one that steps strongly past even the best of the southern soul scene of the time. Includes the incredible track "I'm His Wife (You're Just A Friend)", plus "Who's Gonna Love You", "I Had A Fight With Love", "Be Serious", "I Want To Be Loved", "You've Been Doing Me Wrong For So Long", and "You Can't Lose With the Stuff I Use". LP, Vinyl record album

The tremendous debut of the great Millie Jackson – a new standard-setting deep soul record for the 70s, and one that's quite different than some of Jackson's work from later years! The record's got a heartbreaking southern female soul approach – similar to work by underground favorites like Ann Sexton, Doris Duke, or Shirley Brown – and even though the arrangements are done north of the Mason/Dixon line (in New York by Bert DeCoteaux, and in DC by Tony Camillo), the record feels like it was lifted off the pressing plant in Muscle Shoals or Jackson! Titles include "I Ain't Giving Up", "I Miss You Baby", "Ask Me What You Want", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Just Can't Stand It", and "Strange Things". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early work from Candi Staton – recorded for Rick Hall's famous Fame studios in Muscle Shoals! The tracks here are quite different than some of Candi's later, more famous work – very much in the best deep soul tradition of singers like Ann Sexton, Betty Harris, or Ann Peebles – really drenched in emotion and feeling, and recorded with rootsy backings that really bring out the best in her vocals. And sure, lots of folks love Candi for her later disco work – but honestly, this is the stuff that really moves us, and we're really happy to finally have some of it on CD! Plus, this set is the first time most of this work has been legitimately reissued – a fact that makes us even happier – and the CD features 26 tracks in all, with titles that include "Love Chain", "The Best Thing You Ever Had", "Evidence", "I'm Gonna Hold On", "The Thanks I Get For Loving You", "Freedom Is Beyond The Door", "In The Ghetto", "Sure As Sin", "How Can I Put Out The Flame", "Too Hurt To Cry", "Do Your Duty", and "What Would Become Of Me". CD

A killer female soul set – with the hardness of work by singers like Gloria Scott or Ann Sexton, but an extra touch of sweetness that almost gives the record a New Jersey soul feel. The album's really solid – with loads of original tracks, no filler, and the kind of tight soul sound that makes it every bit as good as it is rare! Tracks on that set include "Tear Stained Pillow", "Questions", "What Made You Change Your Mind", "Lovin At Midnight", and "I've Been Hurt So Many Times". CD

A lost southern soul album from the 70s – recorded down at Muscle Shoals by singer Sandra Wright, and originally intended for release on Stax Records – but never issued at the time! Sandra's a great singer – deep soul, but with a touch of class, too – and the approach here shows that maturing Muscle Shoals sound, recorded at the Broadway Studio by David Johnson – at a level that's a bit in the Ann Sexton side of the spectrum – a sparkling, sophisticated feel that almost reminds us of the best female soul coming from Detroit or Chicago at the time, but with a slightly deeper range. Stax issued a few singles, but never issued the full album – which makes this one even more of a treasure for collectors of that time! Titles include "Wounded Woman", "The Sha-La Bandit", "Midnight Affair", "I Come Running Back", "I'm Not Strong Enough To Love You Again", "Please Don't Say Goodbye", and "A Man Can't Be A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

The tremendous debut of the great Millie Jackson – a new standard-setting deep soul record for the 70s, and one that's quite different than some of Jackson's work from later years! The record's got a heartbreaking southern female soul approach – similar to work by underground favorites like Ann Sexton, Doris Duke, or Shirley Brown – and even though the arrangements are done north of the Mason/Dixon line (in New York by Bert DeCoteaux, and in DC by Tony Camillo), the record feels like it was lifted off the pressing plant in Muscle Shoals or Jackson! Titles include "I Ain't Giving Up", "I Miss You Baby", "Ask Me What You Want", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Just Can't Stand It", and "Strange Things". CD version features a whopping 11 bonus tracks – many of which were never issued before – and titles include the MGM numbers "My Heart Took A Licking" and "A Little Bit Of Something", plus "Ask Me What You Want (unedited master)", "Untrue Men", "I Don't Wanna Talk About It", "Strange Things (alt mix)", "My Man A Sweet Man (unedited master)", and "You're The Joy Of My Life (alt take)". CD

A fantastic collection of the work of Betty Lavette – an amazing southern soul diva who crafted some incredible recordings! Betty's right up there with great like Betty Harris, Carolyn Franklin, and Ann Sexton for sheer hard, raw, soul sister power – and this 12-track set features a great mix of funky soul tunes and mellower ballads, all recorded for the SSS International label during the early 70s. Titles include the break cut "He Made A Woman Out Of Me", plus "At The Mercy Of A Man", "Let Me Down Easy", 'I'm In Love", "My Train's Comin In", and "Do Your Duty". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy soul from one of the most under-discovered singers of the early 70s! "Try Me" is a cover of the James Brown classic – but the real winner here is "Drown In My Own Tears", a killer groover with a righteous feel and sock-solid vocals by Queenie! File this one next to the best of the best by Ann Sexton and Joyce Williams – but keep it handy, because you'll be playing it a lot! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Female soul galore – and a set that mixes together work from the 60s, 70s, and 80s – mostly pulled from the older catalog of Charly Records, and featuring styles that include funk, deep soul, and modern club! The stylistic mix is a bit all over the map, but there's plenty of great cuts on here that haven't been reissued in awhile – and as long as you're prepared for a genre shift as the set moves on, you'll find plenty to enjoy. 30 tracks on 3CDs – with titles that include "You're Losing Me" by Ann Sexton, "If My Friends Could See Me Now" by Linda Clifford, "There's A Break In The Road" by Betty Harris, "Funky Love" by The Staple Singers, "Girls Are Out To Get You" by The Fascinations, "Jessie Joe" by Jean Knight, "Take Care" by June Conquest, "All I Want Is You" by Zilla Mayes, "One Man's Poison" by Liz Lands, "Baby Don't You Know" by Bobbi Humphrey, "You Gotta Push" by Jodi Gales, "It's You I Need" by Deniece Chandler, "I Know You Care" by Ethel Beatty, "If You Don't Start" by The Jones Girls, and "Love & A Friend" by Eddie Bo & Inez Cheatham. CD

An early Northern Soul collection from the UK, done before Charly and Ace really started hitting the record racks – and with a great batch of 16 tracks from American soul singers, including work from Barbara Mills, The Showstoppers, Dobie Gray, Johnny Bragg, Gloria Jones, Sandy Wynns, The Carstairs, Ann Sexton, Eloise Jaws, The Jelly Beans, and others! LP, Vinyl record album