Top Artists – Lou Rawls

Lou Rawls – Carryin’ On!

More Soul, Blues, and Rhythm and Blues

  • Boasting two STUNNING Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) sides or close to them, this superb copy (only the second to hit the site in over four years) could not be beat
  • Here are just a few of the things we had to say about this killer copy in our notes: “big and tubey”…”vox jumping out of the speakers”…”lots of space”…”breathy and open”…”rich and weighty”
  • Carryin’ On peaked at #2 on the Billboard chart for February 1967 and holds up just fine today, although this album has more of the Old School Capitol sound than some of the others we offer
  • Here’s Lou… singin’ it out just the way it ought to be. Lou – easy and natural. Sidemen – loose and groovy. Songs – blue and full of the feeling that’s there because it’s Lou. A great Lou… emerged, hailed, recognized as one of the greatest singers of our time! – back sleeve notes

(more…)

Lou Rawls – Live!

More Lou Rawls

Well Recorded Albums that Should Be More Popular with Audiophiles

xxxx

  • Lou Rawls Live! is an amazing recording that really comes to life on the best Hot Stamper pressings
  • The songs are fantastic, the musicians are brilliant, the sound is superb – Stormy Monday & Tobacco Road are highlights, but really, there’s not a bad track here
  • If you could only have one Lou Rawls album, no question it would have to be this one – everything that’s good about the man’s music is fully on display
  • 4 stars: “Lou Rawls gives a riveting performance on Live!, covering standards from Basie/Rushing’s tambourine-jumpin’ ‘Goin’ to Chicago’ to T-Bone Walker’s foot-stompin’ ‘Stormy Monday,’ and whole lot in between.”

What an album! For live soul-infused vocals, we know of none better. (more…)

Lou Rawls – Natural Man

More Lou Rawls

More Soul, Blues, and Rhythm and Blues

xxxx

  • This outstanding copy of Lous Rawls’ 1971 release boasts solid Double Plus (A++) sound from first note to last – exceptionally quiet vinyl too 
  • The immediacy of the vocals is striking, putting a living, breathing Lou Rawls right between your speakers
  • 4 stars: “Relying on his deep, rich voice, he sings with confidence everything from the bluesy ‘I’m a King Bee’ and the Beatles cover ‘Got to Get You into My Life’ to Duke Ellington’s jazz ballad ‘Sophisticated Lady’… a representative collection covering the eclectic range of styles in which Rawls has always performed.”

This Original MGM pressing has the kind of Tubey Magical Midrange that modern records rarely even BEGIN to reproduce. Folks, that sound is gone and it sure isn’t showing signs of coming back. If you love hearing INTO a recording, actually being able to “see” the performers, and feeling as if you are sitting in the studio with Lou, this is the record for you. It’s what vintage all analog recordings are known for — this sound. (more…)

Lou Rawls – Bring It On Home

More Lou Rawls

More Soul, Blues, and Rhythm and Blues

  • This is a great sounding Lou Rawls album, and this copy is guaranteed to knock you out with its Shootout Winning Triple Plus sound 
  • This early Stereo Capitol LP brought Sam Cooke’s most famous songs to life, with the kind of vocal presence and tubey richness that no other copy could offer
  • There are a lot of bad sounding Lou Rawls records out there, but this hidden gem is not one of them – not only is the sound superb, but Lou’s done his old pal Sam proud with wonderfully heartfelt versions of some of his best songs
  • It’s incredibly difficult to find big, bold, lively sound like this for any Lou Rawls title, but here it is!

(more…)