LAVERN BAKER / CARLA THOMAS / ARETHA FRANKLIN / MARY WELLS / 'LITTLE' ESTHER PHILLIPS - The Girls With Soul - Five Classic Albums Plus (Saved / Gee Whiz / The Electrifying / The One Who Really Loves You / Release Me!)

AVID R&B presents the latest release in our Five Classic Albums Plus series with a re-mastered 2CD release The Girls With Soul complete with original artwork, liner notes, personnel details.
“LaVern Baker: Saved”; “Carla Thomas: Gee Whiz”; “Aretha Franklin: The Electrifying”; “Mary Wells: The One Who Really Loves You”; “’Little’ Esther Phillips: Release Me!” plus 2 bonus tracks.
For our first artist on this superb five album set, we welcome back the first artist to appear on our Avid R&B label (AMSC1258), Rock n Roll Hall of Famer, Miss LaVern Baker. LaVern Baker signed to Atlantic Records in 1953 and had a series of R&B hits over the next few years including “Tweedle Dee”, “Bop Ting A Ling” and the all-time classic, “Jim Dandy” which would sell a million copies and go on to be voted Number 343 in Rolling Stones Top 500 All Time Greatest Songs as well as being voted as one of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame’s greatest songs to have shaped Rock N Roll! Next up Carla Thomas, queen of Memphis soul to Otis’ king! Here we feature Carla’s very first album which includes the smash hit she wrote when she was only 15 years old “Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)”. Our next artist really needs no introduction at all, the fabulous Queen Of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Recorded at Columbia studios in July 1962 our selection finds Aretha in fine form in the hands of legendary producer John Hammond. Mary Wells of course is best known for her massive 1964 hit ‘My Guy’ on Tamla Motown. However we have gone for her fine second album release featuring the songwriting talents of Motown stalwart Smokey Robinson. The break-out single, Smokey’s “The One Who Really Loves You” became Mary’s first hit while her next smash, another Smokey classic and a number 1 single, “You Beat Me To The Punch” was nominated for a Grammy in 1963 making Mary the first Motown star to ever be nominated. We conclude our survey of the girls with soul with the unique voice of Miss Esther Phillips. Esther, born in 1935, found early success in the 1950s with a string of hits which were sadly to dry up by the mid ‘50s partly due to her drug habit. She was re-discovered in 1962 by none other than Kenny Rogers singing in a Houston club and would go on to record our featured album “Release Me” for Rogers’ brothers record label Lenox Records in the same year. Sadly her career was undoubtedly affected by her long term drug abuse and she would pass away at 48 years of age. Esther did have a career resurgence in the 1970s with a couple of absolute classic songs, Gil Scott Heron’s “Home Is Where The Hatred Is” and a remake of the Dinah Washington hit, “What A Difference A Day Makes”. As with all AVID releases, we hope you enjoy this classic set and check out our extensive catalogue for more great music across R&B, Pop, Easy Listening, Rock n Roll, Jazz, and many other musical genres.
Check out:- The Big Easy (AMSC1453); The Coasters (AMSC1439); LaVern Baker (AMSC1258); Ruth Brown (AMSC1265); Betty Carter (AMSC1132); Etta James (AMSC1264); James Brown (AMSC1431); Sam Cooke (AMSC 1304); Chuck Berry (AMSC1238); Little Richard (AMSC1286); Bo Diddley (AMSC1296); Sound Of Detroit (AMSC1289); Ray Charles (AMSC1276 & 1233); Johnny Burnette (AMSC1406); Brenda Lee (AMSC1211); Classic Girl Groups (AMSC1419); Jackie Wilson (AMSC1401); Dion & The Belmonts (AMSC1423); Fats Domino (AMSC1272); Sings Gospel (AMSC1383); Earl Bostic (AMSC1210); Let’s Dance (AMSC1437).

CD1
1-12: ‘LaVern Baker: Saved’
1. Saved
2. For Love Of You
3. Manana
4. My Time Will Come
5. Shadows Of Love
6. Must I Cry Again
7. Bumble Bee
8. Shake A Hand
9. Don Juan
10. Wheel Of Fortune
11. Senor Big And Fine
12. Eternally
13-24: ‘Carla Thomas: Gee Whiz’
13. Gee Whiz, Look At His Eyes
14. Dance With Me
15. A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening
16. Your Love
17. Fools Fall In Love
18. To The Aisle
19. The Masquerade Is Over
20. A Love Of My Own
21. Promises
22. It Ain’t Me
23. For You
24. The Love We Shared
25. Maxine Brown: All In My Mind (Bonus Track)
26-31: ‘Aretha Franklin: The Electrifying’
26. You Made Me Love You
27. I Told You So
28. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
29. Nobody Like You
30. Exactly Like You
31. It’s So Heartbreakin’

CD2
1-6: ‘Aretha Franklin: The Electrifying’
1. Rough Lover
2. Blue Holiday
3. Just For You
4. That Lucky Old Sun
5. I Surrender Dear
6. Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive
7-16: ‘Mary Wells: The One Who Really Loves You’
7. The One Who Really Loves You
8. Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right
9. You Beat Me To The Punch
10. I’ve Got A Notion
11. The Day Will Come
12. Strange Love
13. You’re My Desire
14. I’ll Still Be Around
15. She Don’t Love You
16. Drifting Love
17-27: ‘‘Little’ Esther Phillips: Release Me!’
17. Release Me
18. I Really Don’t Want To Know
19. Am I That Easy To Forget
20. Why Should We Try Anymore
21. I’ve Forgotten More Than You’ll Ever Know About Him
22. I’d Fight The World
23. I Can’t Help It
24. Be Honest With Me
25. After Loving You
26. Just Out Of Reach
27. No Headstone On My Grave
28. Timi Yuro: What’s A Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You) (Bonus Track)