Dee Dee Simon [2020] - What's Left To Give (After Givin' It My All) [Raza del Soul]

This is an artist I raved over in March 2020 when I first came across a few of her recordings, check out that post here.  There's some background info on her at Taste Of Oakland.

This is her latest offering released on 27 Nov 2020, a cover of a track recorded by The Whatnauts in 1970, and it certainly doesn't disappoint.  It's great to hear someone actually sing 'properly' not the insipid, inane, auto-tuned R&B nonsense that is so prevalent with many neo soul artists who all sound the same to me and thus their music is lost in 'the mix'. They don't stand out sufficiently to seek out other material from them or their music is littered with profanities and/or sexuality in a vain (and vain) attempt to get them noticed.  It's reasuring to see upcoming artists like Dee Dee Simon and TanQueray Howard getting recognition.

The Whatnauts [1970] - What's Left To Give (After Giving It All) [Stang #ST 5018]

Here's the original version from The Whatnauts. It was their third single and was released in Oct 1970 and 'criminally' didn't even enter the US R&B charts.  I have to admit though, that I do I prefer Dee Dee's version. 

The song was written by Wesaline Kerr (aka Hopson), the wife the legendary producer George Kerr, who also produced the track. It's quite fascinating following the links as for the 'True Soulies', she also wrote some other fabulous tracks incuding Whatnauts - 'Instigating (Trouble Making Fool)', Skull Snaps - 'My Hang Up Is You', The Hesitations - 'Is This The Way You Treat A Girl', Barbara Jean English - 'Guess Who' (curiously quite similar to  Martha & The Vandellas - Love, Guess Who), Derek Martin - 'How Can I Get Away', Debbie Taylor & The Hesitations - deep soul cut 'All That I Have'.

Dee Dee Simon [2019] - If I Leave You [Vulnerable]

SoulStrutters Rating: 9.5

I've only recently 'discovered' the vocal talents of Miss Dee Dee Simon from the strength of her latest outing 'Queenin' which samples Kool & The Gang's Ladies Night taken from her new album 'Soulmate.'

The track featured here, however, is  a non-album track from Sep 2019 released as digital single only (as far as I am aware).  It is a tremendous deep soul cut in the vein of the Betty Wright/Shirley Brown school of southern soul. It could easily be mistaken as a vintage cut from that era (i.e. the 70s).  If you like your soul deep then I can't recommend this track highly enough.  I'd go as far as to say it is the best neo deep soul cut I've heard.

The 'official' release is only 3:08, however Dee Dee has posted up an extended 4:45 version on her YouTube channel (That Lady DJ Productions) and that is the track featured here as even almost 5 minutes is not long enough!

Taken from a recent concert promotion for House Of Soul II June 2019 :

"A native of Oakland, California, Ms. Dee Dee Simon was born to sing. Her skills have been compared to the sassy vocal ability of Patti LaBelle, the richness of Gladys Knight, the fire of Chaka Khan, the edge of Tina Turner and the pureness of Whitney Houston. With a five-octane range, this songwriter, thespian, and executive producer has been hailed as the Soul of the Bay.

Dee Dee has opened for Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Faith Evans, Jeffrey Osbourne, Charlie Wilson and many more. She is a winner of the Steve Harvey National competition, twenty-two Black Music Awards, a Best Female Vocalist award, and is the reigning Entertainer of the Year. She sings with all of her heart and soul because that’s all she knows."

Her latest album 'Soulmate' is available HERE.

And her previous album 'Ahh Hell Queen Dee' is available HERE:

She has done another album 'Diamonds Are Forever' in 2014 but can't find it for sale anywhere.

Dee Dee Simon @ Facebook

Dee Dee Simon @ YouTube