WELCOME TO SIR SHAMBLING'S DEEP SOUL HEAVEN

Here you’ll find articles – some brief, some less so – on soul music and the artists who made it. Mostly concentrating on deep soul and southern soul recordings from below the Mason - Dixon line in the Golden Age between about 1960 and 1980 when the dreaded synthesisers began to take over. But like all the “rules” of the site, this one was made to be broken, and a lot of other sorts of black music have found their way here as well.

Southern Soul labels montage

To help you find your way around the site:

Artists - an ever growing index that will lead you to biographies, discographies, label shots and, of course, the music from deep and southern soul artists - famous and not so famous. Sound files you can listen to or download are highlighted by this symbol

Articles - Index of some reviews, articles and ramblings from Sir Shambling and various guest writers. These include small features on what this site is all about, a definition of the music highlighted here, who Sir Shambling is and a "thank you" list of friends without whom this site would not have been possible.

Links - Sir Shambling's favourite websites, record dealers, magazines and other friends of this site.

Contact Sir Shambling - leave your comments positive or not right here.

NEW!! Search - Search for artists, labels or anything or anybody else covered in this website.

NEW!! CD Reviews - a section highlighting CDs both old and new of interest to southern and deep soul fans.

Latest additions : - 29 January - In response to a great many requests I've added a new section to my website - CD Reviews. This will cover both new releases and older favourites of interest to southern and deep soul enthusiasts. I intend this section to grow considerably over the next few months as we get up to date with the "backlog" of releases from the last 20 years or so. I'd like to thank Pete Nickols particularly for his hard work in kicking this section off. You can find the list of reviews here.

Additionally new artist pages added - Camlle LaVah, Nobody's, Sharen Clark, James Fry.

22 January - new artist pages added - Danny White, Edna Echols, Carlena Weaver, Joanne Murray and Jimmy Outler.

15 January - new artist pages added - Dynamic Adam, Gary Wicks, Mighty Sensations, Della Marie and Clarence Mobley.

8 January 2012 - new artist pages added - Cynthia Sheeler, James Dudley, Bobby Lacour, Delores Lynn and the Soul Twins.

22 December - The renowned and highly respected magazine "The Oxford American" have published an article by my great friend Greg Burgess and myself entitled "What Happened To Mississippi's Soul?". The article describes a series of possible reasons why the state of Mississippi never really became a center for Southern Soul like Alabama or Tennessee, despite it being the Home Of The Blues. You can read it here.

The magazine has also published a text "tie-in" interview with Sir Shambling. This covers all sorts of angles on soul music and my involvement with it over the years. You can read it here.

There is a companion page to the interview on my own website which includes several tracks I mention in my replies to OA's questions. You can read it and listen here.

18 December - new artist pages addded - Carolyn Veal, Lynn Day, Lynn Varnado, Georgie Boy and Timmy Norman.

11 December - new artist pages added - Randolph Walker, Chuck Rowe, Chuck Armstrong, Infernal Blues Machine and Gerald & Nancy Ray.

4 December - new artist pages added - Art Benton, Eddie Mayberry, Mamie Galore, Obrey Wilson and Townsmen.