Two Sides from The Velvet Voiced Lou Rawls

• Listen to this song on youtube: A Natural Man, Trouble Down Here Below
• This song is available on Musical Episode #009: Singles Mixer v.3

Happy Labor Day to everyone out there!  Today we have a couple of beautiful pieces by the oh-so-talented Chicago native Lou Rawls to help you celebrate.

An immensely gifted artist, Lou, unlike many of the names that you’ll run across on this blog was rewarded with all the fame and accolades he deserved while living.  Today’s first track, A Natural Man, even won a Grammy.

Lou’s illustrious career began in Chicago, as did so many others, singing gospel, though he ended up in the distinguished company of Sam Cooke, eventually replacing him in the Highway QC’s (a group that, truth be told, had quite the rotating cast.)  His relationship with Cooke continued with Rawls singing back up vocals on “Bring It On Home To Me” before later in his career charting with a cover of the song.

Rawls work into the 60’s began to integrate Jazz more fully into his sound culminating with some absolutely brilliant work with producer David Axelrod, including today’s 45 “Trouble Down Here Below.”  At the end of the decade Rawls made the the move from Capitol over to MGM where he spent a few relatively quiet years though he would chart and create great music such as today’s selection it was when he moved over to that 70’s juggernaut of hits run by Gamble and Huff, Philadelphia International.

Despite singing at Ronald Reagan’s Inauguration (!?) Rawl’s put his fame to good use later in his career, appearing on Sesame Street and raising over 200 million dollars for the United Negro College Fund throughout his life.

Both of today’s songs, in the spirit of the holiday, reflect a strong social conscience and heaps and heaps of funky, jazzy soul.

I hope you enjoy them both along with this beautiful holiday and the beginning of my favorite month!

-George / Snack Attack

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