The Essential Lou Rawls

Performer: Lou Rawls
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Alongside the Right Stuff's two-disc ANTHOLOGY compilation, ESSENTIAL is one of the best Lou Rawls collections on the market, arguably besting that set with its song selection, sequencing, and overall presentation. Rawls's genius was in his blending of blues, jazz, and pop, and that genius shines through on all 37 tracks here. Whether it's the Philly Soul smoothness of latter-period Rawls (the collection kicks off with "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine," one of his most successful singles), or the rawer, bluesier fare of his early career ("Tobacco Road"), the many faces of Lou Rawls are assembled here with care. Even given his many stylistic shifts, the set hangs together beautifully, thanks almost entirely to the man's inimitable, elegant singing. Simply put, The Essential Lou Rawls is the first of the many compilations tallying the output of this classy, unclassifiable singer that gets it all right. Rawls recorded for a number of labels during his four-decades-plus in the business, but his most important work was evenly split between two of them, Capitol, in the '60s, and Philadelphia International, in the late '70s. While other collections have tended to focus on one period or the other, or to spotlight one aspect of his wide-ranging canon, this two-disc, comprehensive collection covers the gamut. Because the release comes from Sony, which owns the Philly International catalog, it does emphasize that latter segment of Rawls' career perhaps just a tad disproportionately, but all of the most significant Capitol hits have been licensed and are generously represented, including "Dead End Street," "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing," and "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)." Of course, the key later tracks are accounted for, beginning with the set-opening "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine," a number two pop/number one R&B hit for him in 1976, and follow-up hits such as "Groovy People" and 1977's Top Ten "See You When I Git There." The compilers also made sure not to forget Rawls' 1971 Top 20 single for MGM, "A Natural Man." But The Essential Lou Rawls has plenty of space to go beyond the basic hits, and it makes its case for Rawls as one of the era's most endearing and unique vocalists by surveying his catalog and presenting his unmistakable baritone in a number of different settings. While always falling within the R&B/soul sphere, Rawls' sound was informed by and often touched upon jazz, gospel, pop, blues, and dance music; he even foreshadowed rap with spoken interludes long before a genre with that name existed. These 34 tracks, sequenced non-chronologically for a listening experience that is more satisfying than a strictly historical rundown would have been, acknowledge that diversity and present Lou Rawls' many faces in a way that leaves no doubt that he was one of the standout vocalists of his time. ~ Jeff Tamarkin

Chicago-born soulster Lou Rawls was one of the most popular and versatile singers in pop music during the 1960s and '70s. His distinctive baritone, as well-suited to pop and jazz as it was to straight soul, formed a seductive blend of silk and gravel, and made a fan out of, among others, Frank Sinatra. Rawls lent his unique style to some of the biggest names in the music business, including David Axelrod and Gamble & Huff. His later career was marked by occasional acting gigs as well his work with the United Negro College Fund. When Rawls died of lung cancer in early 2006, the music world lost a genuine treasure.

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