Ian McCann

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Features3 days ago

‘A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’: How Black Sheep Stood Out From The Herd

With ‘A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing,’ Black Sheep made a classic laced with satire and sarcastic, acrid wit.

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Features5 days ago

‘Frank’: Amy Winehouse’s Bold, Bittersweet And Unflinching Debut Album

In thrall to the jazz music she grew up with, Amy Winehouse’s debut album, ‘Frank,’ found her at turns optimistic and wry.

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Features3 weeks ago

‘Live At Home With His Bad Self’: James Brown Burns The House Down

Scrapped in favor of the ‘Sex Machine’ album, the recently unearthed ‘Live At Home With His Bad Self’ finds James Brown in his full funky glory in Augusta, Georgia.

Features3 weeks ago

‘Redemption Song’: The Story Behind Bob Marley’s Timeless Anthem

Something of a last testament from reggae legend Bob Marley, ‘Redemption Song’ continues to spread its message of emancipation far and wide.

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Features3 weeks ago

‘Who’s Making Love’: The Johnnie Taylor Classic That Updated Stax In ’68

‘Who’s Making Love’ practically defined the 'can’t trust a lover' strain of soul and made Johnnie Taylor a Stax star during the label’s pivotal year.

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Features4 weeks ago

‘Mos Def And Talib Kweli Are Black Star’: Hip-Hop On A Higher Plane

In the late 90s, ‘Mos Def And Talib Kweli Are Black Star’ forged a new path.

Smokey Robinson And The Miracles Shop Around song story

Features4 weeks ago

‘Shop Around’: Behind Smokey Robinson And The Miracles’ Classic Song

The Miracles’ ‘Shop Around’ is one of the greatest soul songs of all time. Here's the story of how it got made.

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Features1 month ago

‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song’: How Melvin Van Peebles Lit The Blaxploitation Fire

With ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,’ Melvin Van Peebles kick-started the Blaxploitation genre with a gritty movie and a great soundtrack.

Features1 month ago

Barry White: The First, The Last, The Everything Of Romantic Soul Music

The most underrated icon of African-American Music, Barry White’s unique vision delivered a romantic soul music that seduced the world.

Features1 month ago

Best Barry White Songs: 20 Essential Tracks You Can’t Get Enough Of

Sexy and romantic, the best Barry White songs made him the boss of bedroom soul music. He had the funk, the soul and the disco – nobody did it like him.

Features1 month ago

‘Three Little Birds’: The Story Behind Bob Marley’s Slow-Burning Classic

Resonating as strongly as ever, ‘Three Little Birds’ was slow to take flight, but now stands as one of Bob Marley’s most affecting songs.

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Features1 month ago

How Berry Gordy And Motown Pioneered African-American Businesses

From a tiny $800 loan, Berry Gordy turned Motown into the biggest African-American business of its era, paving the way for black-owned labels that followed.

Ollie and the Nightingales self titled album cover

Features2 months ago

Ollie And The Nightingales’ Self-Titled Album: A Landmark Stax Recording

Full of soul and songs of love, Ollie And The Nightingales’ self-titled album came at a time when soul music was changing fast, but it held its own.

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Features2 months ago

Best Vocal Duos Of All Time: The 11 Greatest Musical Pairings

You only need two voices to make a unique blend and you’ll be rewarded with hits. But are you in harmony with our pick of the best vocal duos of all time?

Features2 months ago

‘My Cherie Amour’: How Stevie Wonder Closed The 60s With A Classic

Stuffed with classics – both those Stevie created and those he adopted – ‘My Cherie Amour’ still provokes wonder: how did he get so much joy into one album?