I have my own ideas of how “blue-eyed soul” music is defined and which artists and songs fall under the umbrella - but am often surprised to hear others characterize certain artists as BES singers who I think of as pure pop or rock n roll. Invite any of you to post favorite artists and songs within this sub-genre and to comment on the boundaries if it. Who’s in, who’s out and why. Bonus points for obscure + quality. I’ll kick off the song entries with the classic below and we’ll see if this idea has legs. Have to admit, this is the first time I’ve actually seen Roy Head on video. The dude can dance!
Some of my more loved (white) singers fit into the soul / blues sphere Darrel Nulisch Billy Price Tad Robinson Sven Zetterberg Another great who covers many bases including soul is Delbert McClinton And a couple of young & up an comers who fit into the southern soul style Marcus King Josh Teskey (Teskey Brothers) So no need to be stuck in the 60's
Mitch Ryder sounded more like a soul singer than an actual soul singer. Steve Marriott obviously. Early Steve Winwood.
Well, Dusty would be of the correct era and orientation, the others, fine singers where the pop rubric outweighs the soul title as soul no longer existed.
This one was written by Holland Dozier Holland on Motown and the singer was definitely the 'blue eyed' R Dean Taylor. There's A Ghost On My House. Dunno why they gave it to him, and not,say The Temptations but you can hear him bring a bit of his country, rockabilly background to it. It was a British Northern Soul Classic, a real dancefloor filler. (a 1974 UK hit but released USA 1967) Blue eyed soul? In the 60s...Production and musicians African American...the singer white? 'Dusty In Memphis' qualifies.
Boz Scaggs- first one I thought of. Paul Carrack of Ace, Squeeze, and Mike & the Mechanics (and solo) fame - the second one I thought of. Simply Red (Mitch Hucknall) was third.
I agree with many earlier comments e.g. Paul Carrack, Boz Scaggs, and Hall and Oates. I would add Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, especially on the early albums. I could also make a case for early Rod Stewart - he did some great soul covers on his classic solo albums, and his Python Lee Jackson “In a Broken Dream” single. But when I think of blue eyed soul, I tend more to songs like Misty Blue by Dorothy Moore.
I am too young for the 60s but the UK pub rock and college circuit scenes featured many artists that would fit that description. Taking their cue from Van and Dusty, Jess Roden (with and without his band), Frankie Miller, Cado Belle would be three. Kokomo for four. Ace were not really Soul as-such though How Long has a kind of mid period Isleys vibe to it. Already established and from a slightly earlier intake you can add Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer to that. And Average White Band of course. FBI, Gonzalez, Moon and Olympic Runners all fit the bill musically but had multi cultural line ups. Though for me it is not just about the racial make up of a band line up. That kind of sound in the UK brought in elements from other genres and an unusual degree of rock dynamics in the live arena instead of what I would call a more "cabaret" sound with performance values that were more Vegas / showbiz oriented. When Danny Baker talks about AWB being the best band he has ever seen I completely get that. Jess Roden Band were also capable of tearing it up. The likes of Graham Parker toughened that sound into an edgier, more Stones-ified thing but the Stones of the mid 60s and 73-76 not 69-72.
Average White Band - among so much else best ever rendition of Leon Ware and Pam Sawyer's If I Ever Lose This Heaven from Cut the Cake
The great Bobby Caldwell with What You Won't Do For Love. It has a cult reputation in the UK - it's from the debut album of the same name. Sampled and covered by many, but never bettered.
And the other great track that brought him to the attention of the UK : Down For The Third Time again from his incredible first album. For those not aware, this stuff is legendary.
Eddie Hinton was first name in my mind Dan Penn (who also wrote many true soul classics) especially his “Do Right Man” album
Hearing these two guys do it, stripped down to the bare essentials is about as good as it gets. This whole album is a treat.
The Four Seasons were more obviously soul in their 70s incarnation, but maybe because of their doo-wop background always struck me as blue eyed soul boys in the 60s. Such a great, consistent band whatever. 'Ragdoll', 1964.
