We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago….
Memphis Tennessee was the place to be for soul music in the 60’s and early 70’s. While Motown continued to crank out “cleaned-up” soul and R&B for the masses…Memphis was where the grit was. And the two big studios that were the backbone of the sound were Stax & Hi.
Stax was led by producer Al Bell and the label boasted the likes of Otis Redding, The Staple Singers, Johnnie Taylor, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett and Booker T & The MGs.
But today we are going to focus on a 1971 LP on Hi Records, “Al Green Gets Next To You”. It was Green’s 3rd LP on the label and it launched him into stardom. Combining the crooning ability of Sam Cooke and the growling edge of Otis Redding, Green’ style of music became all the rage in the soul world. A big part of that was the work of his backing band known as the Hi Rhythm Section. The groove they laid down was so basic yet so infectious, I dare you to sit still when you listen to this record.
The band included The Hodges Brothers, Leroy on bass, Charles on organ and Teenie on guitar. Drummer Howard Grimes rounded out the band. They were the subject of a great documentary of the sound a few years ago called ‘Take Me To The River” and toured around it including a stop I saw at the Grand Theater in Wausau. It was a great night of music indeed. Seek it out if you can.
Now, about the Al Green record. It’s otherworldly in its groove. And Green’s voice is a wonder. It starts from the first cut where Green and the band rework the Temptations hit “I Cant Get Next To You” into a horn drenched blues tour de force.
Ray Charles once said you take alot of Saturday night but you gotta mix some Sunday morning in as well. Green does that as well as anyone. The man who later became a Reverend takes us to the pulpit a few times on the record including a cover of Johnnie Taylor’s “God is Standing By”. He also covers the Doors, “Light My Fire” which in my opinion is one of the weaker tunes on the LP.
The middle of the record is my favorite. The hit single was “Tired of Being Alone”. Just a great slice of soul and emblematic of what Green’s sound would gravitate to for the next few years. “I’m a Ram” and ‘Driving Wheel” are just so tight and groovy you can’t help but smile as you swing and sway. The guitar work of Teenie Hodges really gives these tunes some spice.
If you had to pick one city that did more for American music than any other….I think I would go with Memphis Tennessee over all the rest. And Al Green and the Hi Rhythm Section was a driving part of that. Enjoy.
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