Johnnie Taylor Blues, Soul and Disco!

Memphis based Stax recording star soul singer Johnnie Taylor is probably best remembered today for his R&B hits. But very few crossed over to top 40 radio. So unless you are an in-depth fan of Stax records hits from the 1960s or perhaps a follower of vintage disco you probably do not know much of his catalog of soul and blues and his dance disco hit. It is odd sometimes that artists are remembered for just one or two things when they had relatively successful lifetime careers. There is no doubt that Taylor was a talented singer. He was often compared to his friend Sam Cook and his label mate Otis Redding. Both of whom the world lost far too young (He was a pallbearer at Redding’s funeral). Although success seemed to overlook him compared to the superstars of soul music his music is making a comeback and he is finally getting more of the attention he is so deserving of.

If you look at his career from the viewpoint of statistics he did achieve a record industry milestone. He was the first artist to be verified for selling over two million copies of a single song. OK, I admit selling two million copies of a song today is not all that earth shaking anymore. Songs hang around for a lot longer. And of course downloads count today along with physical sales, so maybe not quite the same.....But still for artist to achieve that kind of success must be appreciated for being in touch with the musical cultural zeitgeist of a time period.

Lets be honest to have a hit is no small feat. And Johnnie Taylor may not be a household name outside of R&B, Blues and Soul music but he did have hits. Along with recording the first 2X Million seller Platinum record, he also had an R&B hit that is often still played on oldies and vintage soul stations. And when you hear it you very well might recognize it. It is one of many recordings he made before sliding out onto the discotheque dance floor. And that journey from the blues to disco is a great story.

COMING June 30th— For Subscribers: Coda To Episode 2:8.
Stax Songwriter Bettye Crutcher Was One of John Lennon’s Favorites; She Is Finally Getting The Attention She Deserves.

Wow & Flutter is a special bonus for subscribers to Return To Vinyls + FREE THREE DAY TRIAL ON APPLE. Look for it on Apple Podcasts.

The music industry has a long history of not being friendly or very supportive of women, be they singers, musicians, songwriters or management. Stax Records songwriter Bettye Crutcher was unique. According to USA Today on her death in 2022 "fellow writers at Stax understood her unique value. Her perspective was powerful and necessary for the company because we were all male songwriters.” said David Porter, Stax’s hall of fame songwriter and producer. “She brought that feminine view and understanding, and helped us understand as well.”

You will know some of her hits from Season 2 Episode 8 from Stax Blues Singer Johnnie Taylor. But she did so much more including releasing an album of her own material. Long overlooked she is finally getting the attention she deserves.

---

Copyright Notice: All of the music samples used in this podcast series are used under Fair Use provisions of the US Copyright Law which states: “it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports.”

The copyright of all music in this podcast series is held by the individual holders. The theme and end songs are licensed from Fresh Music Library. All commentary is copyright by David Husom. All rights are reserved. Contact the author for educational use of this material.