Maggie Rose & Friends [2020] - Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall [Live]

Only a couple of days ago I posted a new single from Joy Denalane with a cover of Bill Withers' 'Use Me'.  I have just come across a live set by Maggie Rose & Friends recreating Bill Withers' 1973 'Live At Carnegie Hall' album. It was recorded 14 Sep 2020 in Nashville, TN.

There's a review of the show on LiveForLiveMusic.com

The standout performance for me was Maggie Rose's rendition of Let Me In Your Life @ 25:40

Tracklist:

Maggie Rose - Use Me

Maggie Rose - Friend Of Mine

Joy Oladokun - Ain't No Sunshine

Maggie Rose - Grandma's Hands

Devon Gilfillian - World Keeps Going Around

Maggie Rose - Let Me In Your Life

Larry 'Brother Love' Florman (Them Vibes) - Better Off Dead

Maggie Rose - For My Friend

Wil Merrell - I Can't Write Left Handed

Wil Merrell, Maggie Rose & Devon Gilfillian - Lean On Me

Maggie Rose   - Lonely Town Lonely Street

Wendy Moten - Hope She'll Be Happier

Maggie Rose - Let Us Love

Devon Gilfillian - Harlem/Cold Baloney

Featuring: Barber Brothers Brass Band

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Wil Merrell [2021] - Free [Strong World Entertainment]

Wil Merrell is a new talent to watch out for. He appeared with Maggie Rose & Friends last Sep. on their live recreation of Bill Withers Live At The Carnegie Hall concert (posted here).  He has a powerhouse voice, steeped in the gospel tradition and released his debut single on 14 Jan 2021.

He has also been performing with The War & Treaty, who are husband and wife Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya (nee Blount) Trotter.

He's currently working on his debut album due later this year. There's an article on him at LiveSessions.NPR.org.

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Details

Rating:	8
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Strong World Entertainment
Cat No:	None
Year:	14/01/2021
Key:	10A
BPM:	129
Value:	£1

Natasha Watts [2021] - Go Slow / Change [LRK Records #09]

First release on vinyl for these two tracks from 2014 by Natasha Watts is due on 31 July 2021. Limited to 300 and available now for pre-order on BandCamp (click image below). 

The two tracks were originally released on her debut self-titled album issued on German label Sedsoul, which i believe may be owned by Cool Million's Rob Hardt.

(NB as of  8 Apr there are only 100 left so if you want one you'll need to be quick)

Go Slow

Change

Bobby Barnes [2021] - Super High on Your Love / I've Had My Share of Loving You [Soul4Real #S4R14]

Alex Subinas has just announced the latest release on Soul4Real which will be two superb tracks (previously unreleased on vinyl) from Bobby Barnes recorded for Lawrence Carroll's Phoenix, AZ, based  Raina label. The record isn't currently posted on their website but I've put links to the site on the label images so you can keep checking and also look at their other releases.

Alex is taking pre-orders €13 plus postage (€6.80 UK/Europe, €2.50 Spain, €10.50 US & rest of world) via PayPal (Friends & Family) soul4realrecordlabel@gmail.com 

Coincidentally, Sean Hampsey's Diggin' Deep has also announced the release of three new singles and one side is Bobby Barnes 'Super High On Your Love'. Another is a brilliant track I posted a while ago by Lee Hurst 'Whole Lotta Your Love'.

DD015 - James Carr - I Don’t Want To Be Hurt Anymore / There Goes My Used To Be

DD016 - Lee Hurst - Whole Lotta Your Love / Terry & The Pyrates - Someone

DD017 - Bobby Barnes - Super High On Your Love / Chuck Womack – Losing Your Good Thing

You can pre-order all three for £44.40 incl. postage (UK only) at Diggin' Deep.

Listen to samples of each here.

Raina released three singles from him in 1973,1974 & 1985. In total the label only issued around ten (listed) singles between 1973-84.

Barnes & Carroll met when Barnes was performing at Harlem's famous Apollo. Carroll was a staff drummer, producer and label executive at Motown at the time they met but remembered Barnes when he set up his own label in Phoenix.

Barnes actually released 'I've Had My Share of Loving You' on Raina in 1985, but the version on Soul4Real is a previously unreleased version from 1984.

Both tracks have been previously issued digitally by Fervor in 2017 on a five track EP which features both versions of  'I've Had My Share of Loving You', plus 'Super High on Your Love', 'Keep It Funky' and a previously unissued track called 'Neon Lady'.

Listen to Full EP here.

Barnes is credited with releasing six singles, the three on Raina, plus two sides released on two different labels, The Scamm Sound and Cross-Tone, both released in 1969.  He did a great version of Eddie & Ernie's 'You Make My Life (A Sunny Day)' on Poormans in 1980. The only other known release is on a Las Vegas label, Discovery, which released only three known singles. One of the singles was recorded, and the other two produced, by, Buck (Samuel) Ram (who managed The Platters as well as The Drifters and The Coasters, Ike & Tina Turner and others), so I would hazard a guess that he owned the label. Ram also wrote The Platters' biggest hits 'Only You and 'The Great Pretender'.

SirShambing has a good article on Bobby Barnes.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Genre/Style:	Deep Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Soul4Real
Cat No:	S4R14
Year:	01/05/2021
Key:	N/A
BPM:	N/A
Value:	€13

Tracy Masaniai [2021] - If You Ask Me To [Self Released]

An independent/self release on 5 Apr 2021 from Tracy Masaniai who I can find no info about.  It's a nice neo soul ballad.

There is a YT channel (link below) with her name with video clips of The DTF Band from 2018 which features three female singers, so I am guessing that she is one of those?

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sel Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	05/04/2021
Key:	?
BPM:	?
Value:	£1

Nanette Maxine [2021] - In The Fairytale [X-am-an Records]

Nanette Maxine is a gospel singer from Richmond, VA. As far as I can ascertain, she's released two albums in 2003 and 2005. Her latest single was released 5 Apr 2021 is a pleasant enough, timeless, soul ballad without setting the world alight.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	7.2
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	X-am-an Records
Cat No:	None
Year:	05/04/2021
Key:	?
BPM:	?
Value:	£1