News — northern soul

NEWS - The boys at Diggin' Deep Records are now taking pre-orders their latest release, including an unissued southern soul recording by Sir Ted Ford. Sean Hampsey reveals all: "....The latest 45 is an astounding double-sider that Diggin’ Deep are extremely proud to be able to bring to you. Two slabs of pure southern soul from Muscle Shoals! Both are classic ‘Muscle Shoals’ tracks, emanating from the legendary FAME studios, Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This latest release came about via a chance conversation with the world’s leading soul music dealer, John Manship, where we learned that Sir Ted Ford had previously...

As regular site visitors will be aware, we don’t only present reviews, biographies and other aspects of a literary nature. A Nickel And A Nail is also keen to support other hardworking independent enterprises in the soul music world who provide worthwhile contributions to the scene through vinyl, CD and digital releases; keeping soul music history alive with previously unissued and quality reissued releases. To that effect, this month sees a great second 7” vinyl release by the Fun & Funk Family, via up and coming MD Records. Label owners Mark Anderson and Des Parker fill us in on the...

The Chashers’ “Without My Girl” is one of the more obscure releases and not that well known even among rare soul collectors, partly due to the record being one of the more recent discoveries on the northern scene. The track may have been first played in the UK at the Middleton all-nighters by DJs Carl Willingham and Phil Shields. By the time “Without My Girl” came out in late 1968, The Chashers had evolved from a merger of earlier bands.  The two writers, Lamar (aka Tom) Collins, lead singer and Roy Thompson, guitar, were members of The Avalons, originally from...

The Spidells were formed in 1962, by four students from Tennessee State University. This R&B vocal harmony group was comprised of Billy Lockridge (lead and second tenor), James Earl Smith (senior student, second lead and first tenor), Nathaniel Shelton (tenor), Lee Roy Cunningham (baritone / tenor) and Michael Young (bass / baritone). Sam Jones, of The Astors from Memphis, remembers being introduced to them by Larry Lee at the Club Del Morocco as early as 1962. Lee was associated with the group at that time, perhaps as part of the supporting band but also as songwriter.   Author collection.  Their...

Nashville based Stop Records Inc. was perhaps an unlikely source of rare soul. The label was founded around 1967 by session guitarist and producer Pete Drake. An Augusta, Georgia born and raised son of a Pentecostal minister, he moved to Nashville in the late 1950s to pursue his dreams as a musician. Several country, folk, pop and religious hits featured Drake on guitar including Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man”, Bob Dylan’s “Lay, Lady, Lay” and Elvis’ take on “How Great Thou Art”. By 1970, Drake was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Walkway of Stars. Drake may...