Work Songs & Spirituals Musical Connections Work Songs & Spirituals Blues R&B Soul Gospel Funk

Soul Music Soul music was influenced by the Gospel music of the 1950s and early 1960s Soul singers where trained in the church Ray Charles was one such singer who was trained in the church but moved into secular music

Motown The leading record label for Soul music was Motown The label was based in Detroit and started by Berry Gordy Artist on the label were, Stevie Wonder, Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, Marvelettes and many more

Stax The record label Stax was based in Alabama and later became known as Atlantic recordings Artists on the label were Booker T,Rufus Thomas, Aretha Franklin & many more Recordings on Atlantic were harder than the well polished & slick sound of Motown

Motown To build a label that had continuity Berry Gordy had to have the following; A good song writing team provided by Brain Holland, Lamount Dozier, Eddie Holland & Smoky Roberson The Funk Brothers were the house band and were used on most of the Motown hits A good image for the label in all departments

Civil Rights & Music Aretha Franklin with Martin Luther King. Music helped spread the message of Civil Rights in the 1960s Aretha Franklin sang at Martin Luther King’s funeral Soul, Funk & Hip Hop all contain political messages