If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Want To Be Right: The Best Of Luther Ingram

Performer: Luther Ingram
Producer: Johnny Baylor
Distributor: RED Distribution

Notes: Liner Note Author: Bill Dahl. Luther Ingram never had a hit bigger than "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right," the 1972 smash that topped the R&B charts for four solid weeks. But even though it was far and away his biggest pop success, Ingram had been making records since 1956 (with the doo wop act the Gardenias, whose sole single was produced by Ike Turner) and he was a frequent presence on the rhythm & blues circuit from 1965 onward. Ingram's best and best-known work was cut for Koko Records from 1966 through 1978, and If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want to Be Right: The Best of Luther Ingram collects 17 songs from Ingram's tenure at Koko; if it isn't a complete overview of his career, this is a solid and thoroughly enjoyable celebration of Ingram's potent, soulful vocal style. Ingram knew how to milk the drama from a mid-tempo soul ballad like his biggest hit, he could wail hard on a funky dance tune like "My Honey and Me" or "Ain't Good for Nothing," and Koko prexy Johnny Baylor partnered Ingram with top-notch studio helpers, with these tunes ranging from late-period Memphis soul to polished Philly style arrangements. As a vocalist, Ingram doesn't always reveal a strongly individual style, but he shows the skill and the intelligence to craft his performance to match each tune, and every track on this collection hits an emotional bulls-eye, with Ingram never emotionally overplaying his hand while offering just the right touch. If Loving You Is Wrong convincingly demonstrates that Ingram is long overdue for recognition as one of the best and most thoughtful voices in '70s soul, and if you have a taste for classic R&B, this is as good a summary of Ingram's talent as you could hope to find. The mastering is excellent, and Bill Dahl contributes an informative essay on Ingram's recording career. ~ Mark Deming

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.5