On TSS, we begin BHM ’24 with a feature I’ve intended to present for a long time. Motown, Stax and Philly International are the triumvirate of soul labels, but Atlantic Records laid groundwork in the forties and fifties. Led by Turkish immigrants, a dentistry student and a former Billboard writer, Atlantic transformed race music into Rhythm & Blues and, ultimately, Soul. Atlantic’s crowning achievement was the signing away of Aretha from Columbia Records. I hope you enjoy, and maybe even learn some musicology. I certainly did while researching the piece.
In many markets, The Soul Show airs on Saturdays. Check your listings for broadcasts or streams, or listen on demand.