screamin' sounds: SOLOMON BURKE

Sunday, January 22, 2012

SOLOMON BURKE

(from Burke's official on-line bio)
At a time when rock and roll was in its infancy and R&B was just starting to get its groove on, Solomon Burke burst onto the scene, shattered the cultural barriers of the time, scored a massive hit with “Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)” and quickly redefined the way the world would think about music. Conquering hearts, moving hips and electrifying fans in ways no one thought possible, the Philadelphia born legend’s soul-stirring smashes and charismatic presence captured the imagination of young people like no one else of his era. Dubbed by legendary Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler as “the best soul singer of all time,” Burke, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer since 2001, is more than simply a pioneering American legend from another time and place--he is an innovator whose timeless music spans generations and has inspired millions of fans and hundreds of recording artists across the decades.

According to Tim Newby: "Despite the endless parade of fans and praise, Burke always seemed to be two steps ahead or one step behind his contemporaries. While he was always at the forefront of the Soul movement, paving the way for a slew of singers who followed in his large wake, he never had that one timeless hit like so many others of the time that would forever endear him to our memories. So many of his peers of the time had that one huge mega-hit that would stamp them as eternal legends, and while Burke came close, he never found that one everlasting song. He became more known for his inspiration on other musicians than for his music. He is often criminally overlooked by the casual fan".

Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy, praised Burke soon after his death: "GRAMMY-winning soul singer Solomon Burke was revered as one of music’s greatest vocalists and a pioneer of the genre. A deeply spiritual man, his love and passion for his craft kept him touring and performing to sold-out audiences right up to his final days. Few artists have had careers as long, rich and influential as his, and he leaves a larger-than-life legacy as powerful and soulful as he was. The music industry has lost one of its most distinctive voices"

By Phil Gallo:

In a 1983 essay for the album "Soul Alive!," writer Peter Guralnick described Solomon Burke as "the most compelling secular preacher of them all," proposing that Burke's talents were superior to all other soul singers.

Burke did not take that compliment lightly. He consistently paid tribute to his peers by covering the songs of Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Ray Charles at his concerts, making it clear that he was part of an inspiring group came from the same roots of country, gospel, pop and R&B.

Burke died Oct. 10 at the age of 70 in Amsterdam, where he had flown to perform. He lived in Los Angeles.

A native of Philadelphia with considerable amount of gospel experience before he went secular, Burke distinguished himself in the early '60s by fusing country with his R&B style. He had a substantial influence on the Rolling Stones as well as Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. In the late 1970s, the Blues Brothers' had America singing his song "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love."

In 2002, he recorded one of that year's finest albums, "Don't Give Up On Me," which featured songs from Elvis Costello, Tom Waits and Nick Lowe. But with no top 20 hits, Burke remained a cult artist from the 1970s up through his last album, "Nothing's Impossible," released earlier this year.