Carla Thomas - Sweet Sweetheart • The American Studios Sessions and More - (2013) Ace (FLAC) - Rare Soul

Carla Venita Thomas was born December 21, 1942 & is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. Thomas is best known for her 1960s recordings for Atlantic and Stax including the hits "Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)" (1960), "B-A-B-Y" (1966) and "Tramp" (1967), a duet with Otis Redding. She is the daughter of Rufus Thomas. Thomas was born and raised in the Foote Homes Projects in Memphis, Tennessee, Along with her siblings, Marvell and Vaneese. She was one of three musical children of Rufus and Lorene Thomas. Despite growing up in the projects, the Thomas family lived near the Palace Theater on Beale Street, as Rufus was the theater's Master of Ceremonies (MC) for their amateur shows. This access not only gave Thomas her first taste of the music world but it also provided a springboard for her transformation into the Queen of the Memphis Sound. In Memphis, the African-American-centered WDIA radio station sponsored a rotating musical group of high school students called the Teen Town Singers; notable alumni include Anita Louis and Isaac Hayes. Although the requirements to join the Teen Town Singers stated that the person should be of high school age, Thomas became a member in 1952 at the age of 10. She was able to sneak into their ranks thanks to the fact that her father Rufus was an on-air personality for the radio station. This opportunity with the Teen Town Singers did not come without its drawbacks though. As a 10-year-old student, Thomas was responsible for not only attending classes and completing her schoolwork, but she also had to attend rehearsals on Wednesdays and Fridays after school and then perform at the station on Saturday. However, despite this grueling schedule, Thomas thoroughly enjoyed the experience. According to her, “It was a lot of fun, it really was.” She remained with the Teen Town Singers up until the end of her senior year.
Thomas is best known for the work she completed for both Atlantic Records and most notably, Stax Records in the 1960s. Her first record, "'Cause I Love You" (1960), was a duet with her father, with brother Marvell on keyboards, that was released by Satellite Records, which eventually became Stax Records. Recorded when Thomas was still attending Hamilton High School in Memphis, the record drew enough local attention to catch the interest of Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records.He signed a deal with the owners of Satellite Records, Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton, to distribute "Cause I Love You" and thus paved the way for Thomas’ most famous single, "Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)", reaching number 10 on the pop chart and number 5 on the R&B chart. While she continued to have success on the R&B charts throughout the 1960s, her only other solo top 40 pop hit was "B-A-B-Y," reaching number 14 in 1966. Her duet, "Tramp," with Otis Redding reached number 26 on the pop chart the following year and her album of duets with Otis Redding, King & Queen, was a number 18 hit in the UK Albums Chart. After her last Stax recording in 1971, Love Means..., and an appearance in Wattstax in 1972, Thomas slipped into relative obscurity when compared to her 1960s musical heyday. However, she was featured in a number of modern-day projects, notably including a 1994 compilation of her greatest hits, a 2002 live recording of a Memphis performance and the 2007 release Live at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington, D.C., a long lost live recording of Thomas in 1967. She would also occasionally tour during the 1980s and became heavily involved in the “Artists in the Schools” program that provided Memphis schoolchildren with access to successful artists. These workshops were organized to talk to teenagers about music, performing arts and drug abuse. In 1991, she appeared with her father at the Porretta Terme Soul Festival.In 1993, Thomas was awarded the prestigious Pioneer Award, along with such musical heavyweights as James Brown and Solomon Burke, from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in honor of her career achievements. She was also featured in the 2003 documentary Only the Strong Survive, that was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and showcased important Stax recording artists.She only released six studio albums two live ones and countless compilations around the world.she joins the club that is LEGEND!

                                     THE LONG LOST ALBUM FEATURED HERE

During the summer of 1970, Carla Thomas wound up recording a full album's worth of material with famed country producer Chips Moman, but the recordings lay in the Stax vaults until Ace released this CD titled Sweet Sweetheart: The American Studios Sessions and More in 2013. The very presence of Moman suggests the direction Thomas took on these sessions: it's country soul rooted in the deep southern soul of Stax but steeped in Southern California show biz and hippie progressive country. A completed, compiled album was found in the vaults but remained unreleased, perhaps because the initial single "Hi De Ho (That Old Sweet Roll)"/"I Loved You Like I Love My Very Life" stiffed, its lack of success indicating the downward trajectory of Thomas' career more than the quality of the single. Nevertheless, the die was cast. The album was scrapped; Thomas did some more sessions for Stax, then the two parted ways. Hearing Sweet Sweetheart decades later, it's a little bit shocking that it wasn't released at the time, not because it's an unalloyed masterpiece but rather because it's a clean, pure, progressive soul record that belongs to its time; it plays by every commercial rule, from its sound to its song, it finds Thomas in impeccable form and the hazy soulful vibe - reminiscent of Dusty Springfield in Memphis, but not quite as eager to please is quite appealing. Ace rounds out the rest of the disc with alternate takes from earlier in Thomas' stint at Stax, ranging from a slow version of "Good Good Lovin" to a different take on "B-A-B-Y." It's all worthwhile, particularly for hardcore soul fans, but the real attraction is that unreleased album which suggests a different, fruitful course for this classic soul singer.
Carla’s “lost album” was recorded during the summer of 1970, at Chips Moman’s American Studios in Memphis. During June 1970, eleven songs were recorded. Chips brought together a band that featured some of Memphis’ best session players. They accompanied Carla, who was now twenty-eight. The Queen of Memphis Soul had musically, come of age during the last few years. Quickly, it became apparent that Carla had brought her A-game to the sessions. A carefully chosen selection of cover versions brought out the best in Carla’s voice. Soon, the eleven tracks were recorded. They were then delivered to Stax. Considering the quality of music, everyone thought that Stax would rush out a new Carla Thomas album. That wasn’t the case. The twelve songs sat in Stax’s vaults right through to 1975, when Stax was declared insolvent. Since then, what’s been referred to by soul connoisseurs as Carla Thomas’ “lost album” has lain unloved and unreleased. Until 2013.  As well as Carla’s lost album, twelve other tracks feature on the twenty-three track compilation. This includes demos and alternate takes. Truly, Carla Thomas-Sweet Sweetheart-The American Studio Sessions and More is a compelling collection of songs from the Queen of Memphis Soul. Memphis has been home for Carla Thomas since the day she was born. Born in the Foote Homes Housing Project, the Thomas household was a musical one. Each of the three children were musical, while her father Rufus, was a well known singer. Carla’s interest in music started in school, when aged ten, she joined the Teen Town Singers. Members were meant to be in high school. Somehow, Carla managed to juggle school work, rehearsals and concerts. Right through to her final year in high school, Carla was a member of the Teen Town Singers. After leaving school and Teen Town Singers, Carla headed to university in Tennessee and released her debut single Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes) , a song that’s become synonymous with her. This was a song that Carla wrote when she was just fifteen. On its release on Stax, it wasn’t a commercial success. A year later, Atlantic released Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes). It reached number ten in the US Billboard 100 and number five in the US R&B Charts. Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes) was a game-changer, launching Carla’s career. Given the success of Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes), Atlantic recorded Carla’s debut album. Gee Whiz was released later in 1961, and was meant to build on the success of her second single A Love Of My Own. It reached number fifty-six in the US Billboard 100 and number twenty in the US R&B Charts. Gee Whiz didn’t replicate the success of Carla’s first two single, failing to chart. This was a huge disappointment and it would be four years before she released the followup album to Gee Whiz.

AMM

 

                                                          Review Courtesy Of Oldsoulrebel

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