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.

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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