R-E-S-P-E-C-T

The rise of Soul Music in the Early and mid 1960’s The beat tended to become heavier and more empathetic than Rhythm and Blues. Blues and Gospel-derived melodic usages expanded to embrace more elements of pop song craft. Jazz content was minimized. Lyrics addressed more specifically teen-age concerns.

Major artists who spearheaded the movement: Ray Charles, Isley Brothers, and Sam Cooke

Major Record Companies Motown, in Detroit; with his by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Supremes, The Temptations, Martha and The Vandellas, The Four Tops, and Stevie Wonder. STAX/VOLT, in Memphis; with hits by Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett. Fame Studio; in Muscle Shoals, Alabama produced hits by Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett & Aretha Franklin.

Breakdown of Soul Within a year after the assassination of Martin Luther King, black acts no longer thought it was cool to work in the white owned studios in the South. The R & B soul acts were replaced by the pop acts such as Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, and Rod Stewart. James Brown was redefining the modern rhythm section and ushering in the Funk era. Sly and the Family Stone were combining rock and psychedelic elements, with complex angular funk rhythms.

“During , the rising aspirations of the inner city were looking toward other things than this (soul) kind of church- based music. There was a new spirit, it was more secular.”