Solomon Burke

What's this? A black man singing country music? Hell yes! Yeah, Ray Charles sang country music years before King Solomon, but Burke's blues-tinged twang is way more gritty and soulful than Brother Ray's orchestral countrypolitan gloss. Does that make it better? You decide. If you're already a fan of the heartland hymns, you'll be glad to know that Buddy Miller produced this outstanding, revelatory album and that Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Gillian Welch sang backups. This is music, people.

Compared to some of his fellow R&B giants, Solomon Burke doesn't bring depth of feeling to
his music so much as an extraordinary ability to sell a song -- remember, this is the same guy
who used to sell bologna sandwiches to his bandmates on long bus rides. Wherever it
comes from, his music is electrifying, one part testament, one part lament. Since his 2001
induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he's released three albums that stand... More >