Sydney Recording Studio: Some of Motown’s best singles include You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me and The Tracks of My Tears by The Miracles, Uptight (Everything’s Alright) by Stevie Wonder and I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye, whose 1971 album What’s Goin’ On is now regarded as one of the greatest albums in the history of popular music. Motown’s biggest hit was I’ll Be There by The Jackson 5, featuring eleven-year-old Michael Jackson on lead vocals. With his amazing talent, young Michael could sing in any style including classic soul, as in the song Who’s Loving You.
Sydney Recording Studio: New Styles of Soul
A very different style of soul developed in Chicago, Illinois. Curtis Mayfield and his group The Impressions had been recording for Vee-Jay Records since 1956, but in the early-60s Curtis became involved in the civil rights movement. He began writing powerful songs about the problems African Americans were facing, such as poverty, racism and injustice. These songs included Keep on Pushing, We’re a Winner and his biggest hit People Get Ready, now regarded as one of greatest songs ever written. In 1970 Curtis began his own record label, Curtom Records, and released a series of classic soul albums including his soundtrack album for the film Superfly.
Sydney Recording Studio: Southern Soul
The two main styles of soul music that developed in the South were a powerful, dynamic style called “deep soul” and a smooth, beautifully-produced style called “Memphis soul”. Both styles developed in Memphis, Tennessee, with Stax Records producing deep soul and Hi Records producing Memphis soul. Stax produced records with driving R&B rhythms played by their mixed-race house band Booker T. & the M.G.’s and funky brass riffs played by their horn section The Mar-Keys. As well as recording their own hits like the classic R&B instrumental Green Onions, the house band played on dozens of deep-soul hits like Wilson Pickett’s In the Midnight Hour and Sam and Dave’s Soul Man and Hold On, I’m Comin’.
