REPOST/UPGRADE from the old blog....Although Millie Jackson’s sassy big city image suggests otherwise, she’s a country gal. Born in rural Georgia, Millie grew up listening to country music as there were no R&B stations in the area. It was only when she moved to New Jersey as a teenager that she had the chance to regularly hear anything else 7 move back to her ethnic roots. Almost every album Millie made between 1975 and 1981 contained at least one country song. In 1977 she reached #5 on the Soul chart with ‘If You’re Not Back in Love By Monday’, a big hit for its writer Merle Haggard earlier that year. Millie also turned Kenny Rogers’ groundbreaking ‘Sweet Music Man’ into a Top 40 Soul hit in 1978. In 1980 Millie cut an album that lived up to its title of "Just A Li’l Bit Country" but the record did not receive the promotion it deserved due to personnel changes at her record company. Millie regards it as something of a "lost album" and is pleased Kent were able to include several of its tracks in this collection of her Soul Country material. The sweep ranges from 1950s classics and her duet with Isaac Hayes on Anne Murray’s "You Needed Me". Millie always picked her own material, usually in conjunction with producer Brad Shapiro. She chose all the songs here because she liked them and frequently liked the singers who sang them originally. "Black Bitch Crazy", Millie’s makeover of a then recent Country chart-topper "Redneck Crazy" created especially for this CD and her first new recording in 10 years (as from 2014) shows she can still interpret a country song in a compelling and contemporary way. Millie cut it this year after hearing Farr’s record on the radio and identifying with its message. It’s as good as anything she recorded at the peak of her chart popularity and is a more than welcome addition to her discography. They say "you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl". The selection of songs and performances here show just how true that is in Millie Jackson’s case, after all she is a legend and if she likes it so must we, dont we ? Only Millie Jackson can turn country records into Soul & make it acceptable to this man,s ears!
AMM
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The Tasters!
17 comments:
Didn't know she did country, too … Thanks for review, P.
Great upgrade .
Rose colored glasses is my favorite. Thanks, AMM. We all love Millie. Great review!
Thanks AMM for the upgrade and revist.
You're a Sweet Music Man. 😁
Thanks, AMM!
Great review AMM this compilation features my ultimate Millie track
I've youre not back in love by Monday
Country music and soul music have many hurting parts in the material. Thank you for Millie and the review. Thank you AMM.
Thanks AMM for this review
This looks very interesting... can't wait to check it out.
Many thanks AMM for the review.
BigD
many thanks for the upgrade AMM
thank you AMM for the flac upgrade
Thank you for the upgrade AMM!
Thanks for the flac and booklet upgrade AMM!
Thanks mate for the review
This is what a soul voice use to be, Taylor swift eat your heart out cos this gal can sing great album thanks for the upgrade AMM
Cheers Pedro
What a combination of soul and country. Millie was a real performer.
A Millie a day keeps the doctor away, thanks for this review AMM
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