The Best Soul Music Musicians of All Time

From the classic Motown greats to modern R&B superstars, these are the best soul music musicians of all time.

Otis Redding

Otis Redding is often cited as one of the greatest soul musicians of all time. His voice was both powerful and emotionally stirring, and he was a master of writing soul songs that connected with his listeners. Otis Redding’s short career was filled with hits, and his influence continues to be felt in soul music today.

His life

Otis Redding was born in 1941 in Dawson, Georgia. He began singing in his church choir at a young age and by his teens, he was performing with local bands. In 1960, he moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he began working with producers at Stax Records. His first hit single, “These Arms of Mine,” was released in 1962, and he continued to have success with songs like “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and “Try a Little Tenderness.”

In 1967, Redding recorded the now- iconic song “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” just days before he died in a plane crash at the age of 26. The song was released posthumously and reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Today, Redding is considered one of the greatest soul musicians of all time.

His music

Otis Redding is widely considered one of the greatest soul musicians of all time. His unique style combined elements of gospel, blues, and R&B, and he had a profound influence on the development of soul music.

Redding began his career singing in churches in his hometown of Macon, Georgia. He caught the attention of producer Jerry Wexler, who signed him to Atlantic Records in 1964. Redding’s debut album, Pain in My Heart, was released that year. He achieved his first major hit with the single “These Arms of Mine,” which reached number eight on the Billboard R&B chart.

Redding continued to have success with subsequent singles like “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and “Respect.” His performances at the Monterey Pop Festival and Wattstax concert cemented his reputation as a dynamic live performer. His album Live in Europe was released posthumously after he tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 26.

Redding’s influence can be heard in the work of many subsequent soul musicians, including Otis Clay, Al Green, and Bill Withers. His music continues to be popular and is often used in film and television soundtracks.

Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke was an African American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered as one of the pioneers of soul music. He had a string of hits in the early 1960s. Cooke was also a noted civil rights activist.

His life

Sam Cooke was an American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur who is considered one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the “King of Soul” for his distinctive vocal abilities and influence on the genre. Cooke had 29 Top 40 hits in the U.S. between 1957 and 1964, including major hits “You Send Me”, “A Change Is Gonna Come”, “Cupid”, “Chain Gang”, and “Wonderful World”. Major streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music, continue to feature Cooke’s songs on their playlists.

Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1931. He began singing gospel music at an early age and joined the Teen Challenge choir in Chicago in 1950. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a session musician and singer for local labels before signing with Keen Records in 1956. His first single with Keen, “Lovable”, was a commercial success; it sold more than a million copies and peaked at number five on the Billboard pop chart.

Cooke signed with RCA Victor in 1957 and released his self-titled debut album the following year. It contained the hit single “You Send Me”, which topped the charts for seven weeks; the album also included Cooke’s version of “Ol’ Man River”. His second album, 1958’s Tender Lovin’, contained the Top 40 hit “Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha”. In 1959, Cooke released his third album, Ain’t That Good News, which contained his final top 40 pop hit, “Win Your Love for Me”; it would also be his last solo studio album for nearly a decade as he focused on writing material for other artists.

Cooke founded his own record label, SAR Records, in 1960; its first release was 1961’s Hits of the World by The Trumpeteers. The label’s first major success came with 1962’s Twistin’ the Night Away by The Sam Cooke Twisters (later renamed The Soul Stirrers). In 1963, Cooke began recording songs with a more political edge after hearing Bob Dylan’s protest song “Blowin’ in the Wind”; one of these songs, “A Change Is Gonna Come”, became an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement after Cooke was killed before its release.

On December 11th 1964 Sam Cooke was fatally shot at age 33 by Motel manager Bertha Franklin at Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles under disputed circumstances. At the time of his death he was married to Barbara Campbell with whom he had three children: Linda (born 1958), Tracy (born 1959), and Vincent (born 1963).

His music

Singer, songwriter, and record producer Sam Cooke was one of the most influential black musicians of the 20th century. He is best known for his soul music classics “A Change Is Gonna Come” and “Bring It On Home To Me.”

Born in Mississippi in 1931, Cooke grew up singing gospel music in the church choir. He began his career as a professional musician in the early 1950s, singing with the gospel group The Soul Stirrers. In 1957, he launched his solo career with the release of his hit single “You Send Me.”

Over the next few years, Cooke continued to churn out hits, including “Cupid,” “Chain Gang,” and “Twistin’ the Night Away.” His 1962 live album, Live at the Copa, was a huge success. In 1964, he recorded one of his most famous songs, “A Change Is Gonna Come.”

Cooke’s career came to a tragic end when he was killed at age 33 under mysterious circumstances. But his music lives on; he is widely considered to be one of the greatest soul musicians of all time.

Marvin Gaye

Many people would say that Marvin Gaye was the best soul music musician of all time. He was a true pioneer in the genre and his work has influenced countless other artists. Gaye was known for his deeply personal lyrics and his smooth, soulful voice. He had a unique ability to connect with his fans and his music continues to resonate with people today.

His life

Marvin Gaye was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who contributed greatly to the Motown genre of music. He was born on April 2, 1939, in Washington D.C., and his full name was Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. As a child, he showed an interest in music and learned to play various instruments, including the piano and drums. He joined his first band, The Purple Knights, while still in high school.

After high school, Gaye enlisted in the United States Air Force, but he was discharged after only two years due to anxiety and a fear of flying. He returned to Washington D.C., where he began working as a drummer for various R&B artists such as the Moonglows and Harvey Fuqua. In 1961, he started his singing career with Motown Records after being discovered by Berry Gordy.

Gaye released his first solo album in 1961, titled The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye. However, it was his second album, That Stubborn Kinda Fellow, released in 1962, that garnered him more attention and success. From then on, Marvin Gaye went on to release a string of hits throughout the 1960s and 1970s including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” , “Ain’t That Peculiar” , “Let’s Get It On” , and “Sexual Healing” . He is considered one of the best soul music musicians of all time and has influenced numerous artists across different genres.

His music

Marvin Gaye (/ˈɡeɪ/; born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of hits, including “Ain’t That Peculiar”, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, and duet recordings with Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Diana Ross and Tammi Terrell, later earning the titles “Prince of Motown” and “Prince of Soul”. Gaye’s later recordings influenced several contemporary R&B subgenres, such as quiet storm and neo soul. Following a period in Europe as a tax exile in the early 1980s, Gaye released the 1982 Grammy Award-winning hit “Sexual Healing” and its parent album Midnight Love.

On April 1, 1984, Gaye was shot to death by his father Marvin Gay Sr. at their house in the West Adams district of Los Angeles. Since his death, many institutions have posthumously bestowed upon him awards and other honors—including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1995) and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (in 1987). His musical career has been honored by many institutions including Induction into Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rolling Stone ranked him at number one on its list of Greatest Singers of All Timeand number six on its list of Greatest Artistsof All Time. Combs called him “the greatest black singer since Jackie Wilson”.

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin was an American singer and songwriter who released hits such as “Respect” and “Natural Woman.” She is widely considered to be one of the greatest soul musicians of all time. In addition to her powerful voice, Franklin was a skilled pianist and songwriter.

Her life

Aretha Franklin was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Franklin began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where her father C. L. Franklin was minister. At the age of 18, she embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records but only achieving modest success. Following her signing to Atlantic Records in 1967, Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success with songs such as “Respect”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, “Spanish Harlem”, and “Think”. These hits and more helped her to gain the title The Queen of Soul by the end of the 1960s decade. In 1998, Franklin won international acclaim for singing “Nessun dorma”, an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, at the Grammys of that year replacing Luciano Pavarotti.

During her 60-year career, Franklin recorded 112 charted singles on Billboard, including 77 Hot 100 entries,,17 top-ten pop singles,,100 R&B entries,,and 20 number-one R&B singles. She is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Franklin has won a total of 18 Grammy Awards including eight competitive awards and ten special honors.,Making her one of the best-awarded female artists in history.,The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted her in 1987,,and she was presented with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. She was also inducted to the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005.,and received the Kennedy Center Honors award in 1994.,The National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom were bestowed upon her by President Bill Clinton tied with Bob Dylan ,as one of only two female recipients,,in 1999.,She was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished achievement in music in 2019.,

Her music

Aretha Franklin’s music was more than just soul; it was a representation of the African American experience. In her songs, she captured the joys and struggles of black life in America. She sang about the pain of living in a racist society, the strength of black women, and the power of love. Her music was a call to action, and it inspired people to fight for change. Aretha’s voice was like no other; she could belt out a powerful gospel tune or deliver a heart-wrenching ballad with equal skill. She was one of the most influential musicians of her generation, and her impact is still felt today.

Al Green

Al Green is an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including “Tired of Being Alone”, “I’m Still in Love with You”, “Love and Happiness”, and “Let’s Stay Together”. In the 1980s Green increasingly turned to gospel music, producing popular gospel hits such as “Moses Theme” from The Bill Cosby Show and “The Lord Is My Shepherd”.

His life

Al Green was born in Forrest City, Arkansas. the sixth of ten children born to Cora Lee and Robert G. Green, Sr., who was a sharecropper and Baptist minister. Several of Green’s brothers and sisters died as infants. Following the death of his close cousin, Curtis Porter, from meningitis, Green moved with his family to West Memphis, Arkansas. After graduating from high school in 1963, he founded the soul music group Al Greene & the Creations. The group had a hit in 1965 with “Back Up Train”, but broke up soon afterwards when its members enlisted in the armed forces.

His music

Al Green has been described as “arguably the most important soul singer of the ’70s”.[1] He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s with a string of hits that remain popular today, including “Call Me (Come Back Home)”, “I’m Still in Love with You”, “Love and Happiness”, and his signature tune, “Tired of Being Alone”. Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. He has also been referred to as “The Last of the Great Soul Singers”.

Green was born Albert Leornes Greene on April 13, 1946, in Forrest City, Arkansas. The sixth of ten children born to Cora Lee (née Hancock) and Robert G. Greene,[2] he was raised by his mother after his father’s death during Greene’s childhood. When he was ten years old, Green and his siblings formed a vocal group called “The Greene Brothers” which performed at local churches and talent shows. Though his father died when he was ten, Green’s mother let him join the gastronomical honours fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha as an initiated brother[3] while he was still underage.

As a teenager, Green moved with his family to Chicago. After graduating from high school there in 1964, he enrolled at Tuskegee Institute on a football scholarship. However, he soon lost interest in school and decided instead to focus on singing. His early performances were part occasioned by furloughs from military service in Vietnam.

After signing with Hi Records in 1967, Green scored his first hit the following year with “Back Up Train”. He recorded a series of successful Soul music singles over the next few years,[4][5] including 1968’s “Love Is a Beautiful Thing” (#39 Pop,[6] #9 R&B).[7] In 1971 he had his first #1 R&B hit with “‘Tis So Nice to Be Wrong”,[8][9] setting the stage for a 1972 string of Top 10 R&B hits: “#1 R&B/#16 Pop hit “I Can’t Get Next to You”,[10][11] “#4 R&B/#32 Pop hit “#1 R&B/#5 Pop hit “[12][13] and “#2 R&B/#11 Pop hit “#2 R&B/#14 Pop hit .[14][15] These songs also established Al Green’s trademark sound: laid-back vocals against a backdrop of up-tempo percussion tracks adorned with strings.[16][17]