Shirley Brown
by Bill Pollak
Originally published in MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide, Gary Graff, Josh Freedom du Lac, and Jim McFarlin (eds.); Visible Ink Press (Detroit, MI): 1998.
Born January 6, 1947 in West Memphis, Arkansas
The specter of Aretha Franklin looms over many female vocalists who recorded in the 1960s and 1970s. Thanks to her range, power, and accuracy in the high register, St. Louis native Shirley Brown is one vocalist who doesn't suffer from the comparison. Shirley Brown is to Aretha Franklin as Esther Phillips is to Dinah Washington: derivative, but worthy of attention in her own right.
Brown is best known for having the last big hit on the Stax/Volt labels of Memphis, "Woman to Woman." Record sales of "Woman to Woman" delayed the inevitable padlocking of the doors. The record sold as it did for good reason: Brown's sassy spoken intro to a woman whose phone number appears one day in her old man's pockets (presumably Barbara Mason, whose "Shackin' Up" offered justification for man-stealing) represents one of the most entertaining explorations of this most enduring of soul music themes. It was the hottest thing on soul radio in 1975, touching off a flurry of quickly released rejoinders (e.g., "Man to Woman," Lonnie Youngblood; "From His Woman to You," Barbara Mason).
Orphaned by the Stax/Volt bankruptcy, Brown enjoyed varied success during the next 10 years recording for Arista (where she was one of Clive Davis' first signings), 20th Century, Sound Town, and Black Diamond before hooking on with Malaco Records of Jackson Mississippi. At Malaco, with the support of many of her fellow survivors from the golden age of southern soul, Brown has fashioned a contemporary soul/blues sound based on the eternal verities--great songs, great sound, supportive musicianship, and transcendent singing.
Buy first: [Woman to Woman] (Stax, 1974 / Fantasy/Stax,
1994, prod. Jim Stewart, Al Jackson, Jr.) (4 bones). The follow-up to
"Woman to Woman," "It Ain't No Fun," was an even more impressive display
of Brown's astonishing vocal chops than its predecessor. Both songs are
contained on this essential release of Brown's Truth recordings. Buy next: Among Brown's fine Malaco discs, [Diva of
Soul] (Malaco, 1995, prod. Shirley Brown, Bobby Manuel) (4 bones) has
the strongest material and most uncluttered sound and production, and
includes yet another variant on the woman-to-woman theme, "You Ain't Woman
Enough to Take My Man." One caveat: Brown suffers from a common tendency
among contemporary female vocalists to display all of her chops on every
song she sings. She is truly a diva, but sometimes you wish she would
show a bit of restraint. Approach this disc with caution, and keep something
by Ann Peebles handy to cleanse the aural palate. Avoid: None
The rest: On all of the other Malaco releases, southern
soul purists will have to tune out distractions such as vocal double-tracking
a la Chaka Khan, drum machines, cheesy electronic keyboards, and the occasional
visit to the Anita Baker/Sade school of contemporary soul. Strong material
and brilliant vocal execution easily divert attention from these occasional
lapses in taste, however.
Worth searching for: Two of Brown's earliest recordings
for Nashville's A-Bet label appear on the outstanding AVI collections
[Heart of Southern Soul: From Nashville to Memphis and Muscle Shoals]
(Excello/AVI, 1995, prod. Various) (5 bones) and [Uptown Down South] (Excello/AVI,
1995, prod. Various) (3 bones). Brown's 10 years in the wilderness between the Stax and Malaco years
remain undocumented on CD. The LPs are certainly worth searching for,
particularly Influenced by: Aretha Franklin, Clara Ward, Marion Williams,
Shirley Caeser Influenced: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey
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