A Tribute to the Silky Soul Music All-Stars
In this blog post, we pay tribute to the greatest soul music artists of all time. These are the artists that have truly shaped the genre and influenced other artists that came after them.
Introduction
The Silky Soul Music All-Stars are a group of singers, songwriters and musicians who came together in the mid-1990s to pay tribute to the great soul music of the 1970s. The group is made up of some of the most talented names in R&B and soul music, including Terence Blanchard, Miles Davis, Ron Carter, George Benson, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Teena Marie, Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin, Al Green and many more.
The Temptations
The Temptations are an American vocal group who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group’s repertoire includes pop, R&B, soul, and disco. The band members are Ali-Ollie Woodson, Ron Tyson, Otis Williams, and Theo Peoples.
The Four Tops
Formed in 1953, the Four Tops were one of the most enduring groups of the Motown era, with a string of hits that spanned four decades. The group’s classic lineup consisted of Abdul “Duke” Fakir (lead singer), Levi Stubbs (baritone/bass singer), Renaldo “Obie” Benson (tenor) and Lawrence Payton (tenor/keyboardist).
The Four Tops were one of the few Motown groups whose original lineup remained intact for their entire career. They were also one of the most successful groups on the label, scoring more than a dozen top ten hits, including “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There” and “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got).”
The group continued to record and perform together until Payton’s death in 1997. Fakir is the only surviving member of the Four Tops’ classic lineup.
The Spinners
The Spinners are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, United States, that formed in 1954. They enjoyed a string of hits throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including “I’ll Be Around”, “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love”, “One of a Kind (Love Affair)”, “The Rubberband Man”, and “Working My Way Back to You”. The group continues to tour, with Henry Fambrough as the only original member.
The Spinners were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. In 2015, they were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Delfonics
The Delfonics were an American R&B/soul vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, that formed in the mid-1960s. They are best known for their romantic ballads, including their signature song, “La-La (Means I Love You)”.
The group was founded by brothers William and Wilbert Hart, who recruited their friend Randy Cain to join them. The group’s name came from a variation of the Cadillac Delphine, a luxury car which they aspired to own. The Hart brothers began writing and singing together while they were choirboys at Philly’s Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic school; they later added Cain to their act.
The Stylistics
The Stylistics were one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the early 1970s. They formed in 1968 and are best known for their hit songs “You Make Me Feel Brand New”, “Break Up to Make Up”, and “Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)”. The group’s distinctive sound was a result of lead singer Russell Thompkins, Jr.’s falsetto voice and the production work of Thom Bell. The Stylistics were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005.
Conclusion
We would like to thank the Silky Soul Music All-Stars for their contributions to music and culture. They have inspired generations of artists and continue to do so today. We hope you have enjoyed this tribute and we encourage you to support their work. Thank you!
