Percy Sledge will without end be most carefully related together with his largest hit, the emotive “When A Man Loves A Woman,” which topped the US pop chart on May 28, 1966. But his dying on the age of 74, in 2015, robbed us of an Alabama soul man who recorded a number of different nice materials in a profession of fifty years-plus.
Sledge later revealed that he composed his signature music himself, however gave the writing credit to 2 bandmates from the Esquires, Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright, who helped him with it. After its large preliminary success, ‘When A Man’ reached a brand new viewers in 1987, turning into a success once more after it was featured in a Levi’s denims business. Here’s a superb clip of Percy performing the music the primary time round, launched by none apart from Otis Redding:
Percy’s complete of 11 R&B chart entries between 1966 and 1969 included three extra Top 10 hits. “Warm And Tender Love,” “It Tears Me Up,” and “Take Time To Know Her” have been all made for the Atlantic label on the top of its, and Sledge’s, soul powers. In 1973, he had one additional, modest Atlantic chart entry, adopted the subsequent 12 months by one on Capricorn. Sledge additionally registered 5 R&B pop album chart entries.
Soul on the weekend
Originally an agricultural employee from Alabama, after which a hospital orderly, Percy Sledge was solely in a position to moonlight as a soul singer at weekends. But his expertise ultimately led to a report deal and an enormous, enduring hit together with his first chart report. In 1966, “When A Man Loves A Woman” topped the R&B chart in America for 4 weeks, the pop chart for 2, and put him on the charts worldwide.
“When A Man” and “Warm And Tender Love” have been each included on the 1968 Atlantic compilation This Is Soul. This did a lot to unfold the phrase internationally concerning the joys of American R&B music, and in addition included Sledge’s fellow stars of the Atlantic roster. Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Arthur Conley, Ben E. King, Solomon Burke, Eddie Floyd, and Wilson Pickett all featured.
Sledge’s later Atlantic recordings introduced him into contact with an in-demand younger guitar-slinger referred to as Duane Allman, quickly to make his title with the Allman Brothers Band. Duane performed on Percy’s 1969 model of “True Love Travels On A Gravel Road” (additionally recorded by Elvis Presley and, later, by Nick Lowe). Allman could have moreover appeared on “Sister Soul,” for Sledge’s album Soul Africa. The 1971 soundtrack launch was recorded partly at Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia and partly in South Africa, the one nation by which the now sought-after LP was launched.
Seventeen weeks of reveals
Sledge’s African reveals for the challenge have been filmed, with the unique liner notes stating that “Sledge held concerts for 17 weeks, breaking all records in South Africa from Mouille Point to Mbabane. He captivated audiences throughout South Africa when he threw back his head, started jiggling with microphones and sang unforgettable numbers like ‘Come Softly To Me,’ ‘When A Man Loves A Woman,’ ‘Knock On Wood,’ and ‘Soul Fire.’”
After that encore success for “When A Man” within the Nineteen Eighties, Sledge recorded a superb 1994 album which we extremely advocate, the Grammy-nominated Blue Night, for the Sky Ranch label, by way of Virgin. It featured such friends as Bobby Womack and former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor.
‘This record is impeccable’
No much less a music business nice than Jerry Wexler (who had launched Sledge’s Atlantic recordings) wrote on the sleeve of Blue Night: “This record is impeccable. Percy’s voice is warmer and rounder than I remembered it and his intonation (‘pitch’ to the civilians) is flawless.”
Percy Sledge then made the Shining Through The Rain album in 2004, once more with Saul Davis and Barry Godberg, who had produced the Blue Night set. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and guested with Cliff Richard on his Soulicious tour of 2011.
Listen to the Greatest Soul 45s playlist, that includes “When A Man Loves A Woman” and dozens of different R&B greats.