The 60’s Soul Movement

The 60’s Soul Movement was a time when music was used as a tool for social change. The music of the time was reflective of the struggles and triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Birth of Soul

The 1960’s was a time of change in America. Race relations were tense, the Cold War was in full swing, and young people were tired of the status quo. They wanted to create a new kind of music, one that would reflect their experience and express their feelings. This new music was called “soul.”

Motown sound

In the late 1950s, a number of small record companies began cropping up in Detroit, Michigan, each hoping to get in on the new sound of rock and roll. Among these was Motown, founded by Berry Gordy. Gordy was born in Detroit in 1929, the son of a housekeeper and a dishwasher. He quit school at age 15 and took a series of odd jobs before landing a job at the local Lincoln-Mercury plant. In his free time, Gordy loved to write songs and dreamt of making it big in the music industry.

In 1957, Gordy had his first big break when he co-wrote the song “Reet Petite” with Jackie Wilson. The song became a hit, and Gordy was soon able to quit his job at the plant. He used his earnings to start up his own record label, Tamla Records. Motown’s first big hit came in 1960 with Marvin Gaye’s “Shop Around.” The label continued to find success throughout the early 1960s with artists like Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder.

It was Robinson who came up with the name “The Motortown Sound” to describe the unique style of music being created at Motown. This sound was a mix of R&B, pop, and gospel that appealed to listeners of all ages and backgrounds. By 1963, Motown had become the most successful independent record label in America.

The Motortown Sound would go on to define an era and change the face of popular music forever.

Stax Records

Founded in 1957, Stax Records was a soul music label based in Memphis, Tennessee. The label was home to such legendary artists as Otis Redding, Booker T. & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, and the Staple Singers.

In the early 1960s, Stax released a string of hit singles that helped to define the sound of soul music, including Redding’s “Respect” and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” Hayes’s “Theme from Shaft,” and the Staple Singers’s “Respect Yourself.” These and other classic soul tracks from Stax remain popular to this day.

The 1960s were a turbulent time in America, and the social and political upheaval of the era is reflected in the music of Stax artists like Redding and Hayes. The label’s output captures both the hope and frustration of a generation striving for change.

Despite its success, financial mismanagement led to Stax declaring bankruptcy in 1975. The label was eventually revived in the 1990s and continues to release new recordings by contemporary soul artists.

The Rise of Soul

In the late 50’s and early 60’s, a new sound began to emerge from the African American community that would soon change the music industry forever. This new sound would come to be known as “soul.” Soul music was a melding of gospel, R&B, and blues, and it quickly caught on with both black and white audiences. By the mid-60’s, soul music was one of the most popular genres in America.

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 included doo-wop, pop, R&B, soul, and psychedelia.

The Temptations were founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1960 by Otis Williams, Elbridge “Al” Bryant, Melvin Franklin, Larry Street and Ron Tyson. Originally forming as part of a doo-wop group called The Elgins (not to be confused with the chart-topping recording act from the same era), they were soon discovered by Berry Gordy and signed to Motown’s Tamla imprint in 1962. By 1964, Bryant had been replaced by David Ruffin and the group began releasing a string of hit singles; their first major hit was “The Way You Do the Things You Do” (1964), followed by “My Girl” (1965) and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (1966).

As their popularity increased, The Temptations began working with producer Norman Whitfield on psychedelic soul recordings such as “Cloud Nine” (1968) and “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)” (1970); these songs would prove to be influential on future generations of R&B and soul artists. In 1971, Ruffin was replaced by former Contours member Dennis Edwards; under Whitfield’s guidance, the new lineup continued to produce hits including “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” (1972) and “Masterpiece” (1973). However, creative tensions within the group came to a head in 1977 when Whitfield left Motown; The Temptations subsequently began working with new producer Richard Perry.

With Perry at the helm, The Temptations entered a commercial decline that was exacerbated by internal conflict; Edwards was fired from the group in 1984 due to his drug addiction, while Franklin died of AIDS-related complications two years later. However, The Temptations rose to prominence once again in 1988 with the release of Ron Tyson’s lead single “Treat Her Like a Lady”; this song marked a return to their classic sound and helped spur a successful comeback for the group in the following years. The Temptations were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and remain active to this day; they have released 43 studio albums (including 24 Top 40 hits) and have sold over 100 million records worldwide.

Aretha Franklin

In the 1960s, Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler coined the term “soul” music to describe a new style of African American popular music that was rooted in gospel, but had a more insistent beat and a sexually suggestive edge. The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was one of the most important and influential figures in this musical movement. Born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1942, Franklin began singing gospel music as a young child. When she was 18, she signed with Columbia Records and released her first album, “Songs of Faith,” which featured traditional gospel standards.

In 1967, Franklin released her breakthrough album “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You.” The album’s lead single, “Respect,” became an anthem for the Civil Rights movement and is still beloved by fans today. Franklin continued to enjoy success throughout the 1960s and 1970s with hits like “Chain of Fools,” “Think,” and “I Say a Little Prayer.” She remains an iconic figure in popular culture and is widely considered one of the greatest singers of all time.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye was one of the most influential soul artists of the 1960s. He was known for his smooth, silky voice and his ability to convey emotion through his music. Gaye began his career as a drummer and background vocalist for Motown Records. He soon began writing and singing his own songs, and his debut album, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” was released in 1968. The album was a huge success, and its lead single, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” became one of the most iconic soul songs of all time. Gaye released several more successful albums throughout the 1960s and 1970s, cementing his place as one of the greatest soul artists of all time.

The Legacy of Soul

The 60’s was a time of social and political upheaval. Racism was prevalent, and the American dream seemed out of reach for many. However, despite the negativity, the decade was also a time of great cultural change. One of the most influential movements of the time was the soul movement.

The impact of soul on popular culture

The impact of soul on popular culture was immeasurable. It became the soundtrack to the Civil Rights Movement, and gave a voice to a generation of African Americans who were fighting for their rights. Soul music was also a force in the flowering of the Black Power movement, and helped to shape the post-World War II generation of black musicians. The 1960s saw the rise of Motown Records, which featured such artists as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder. These artists and others like them created a new sound that would come to be known as soul.

The heyday of soul music was the 1960s, but its influence can still be felt today. Many modern R&B and hip-hop artists cite soul as a major influence on their music. And the sound of soul still resonates with audiences around the world.

The influence of soul on contemporary music

The term “soul” has been used to describe a wide variety of music over the years, but it’s perhaps most commonly associated with a style that arose in the African American community in the late 1950s and 1960s. This music was a fusion of gospel, R&B, and Jazz, and it quickly became popular with young people across the country.

The soul sound was characterized by its deeply emotional vocals, its use of bluesy melodies, and its groove-oriented beats. It was often said to have a “funky” or “groovy” feel, and it became one of the most important genres of the 20th century.

Today, soul music is still hugely popular, and its influence can be heard in many different genres. Contemporary artists like Adele, Bruno Mars, and Amy Winehouse have all been influenced by soul music, and the genre continues to evolve and change with each new generation.