Soul Discovery: An Origin Story
The essential ingredient that has made Soul Discovery a success is its passion.
About Us.
My Mum & Dad always had music playing in the house at all times. Artists like Jim Reeves, The Dubliners, Engelbert Humperdinck and Tom Jones among all the pop charts stuff.
One night my Mum & Dad’s friends asked them to their house party. Marlin & Fred were Teds, who I thought at the time had great fashion sense and were VERY COOL REBELS.
My first early exposure to real Soul music started that night on the deck they had.
- The Four Tops – “Reach Out I’ll Be There”
- The Tams – “Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me”
- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – “The Tears of a Clown”
Pandora’s Box Had Just Been Opened!
Some years later I started going out to the Dujon in Bedford, where some fantastic DJ’s were breaking stuff I had never heard before.
In 1974 a friend called Danny Duggan asked me if I would like to go to Wigan and the rest, as they say, is history. I stopped going from 1975. That first night I bought a 45 by The Vel-Vets, “I got to find somebody” and NOW I had got the bug !!!
Next was the Highland room which opened my ears to some incredible music. By this time I was completely hooked.
Also around this time we had an American airforce base near us called Chicksands. I got to know some of the personnel working there, and on some Friday and Saturday nights we went to the bar on the base. It was a long American lit up bar with Budweisers and a very loud Jukebox paying Delfonics, Al Green, Soul Children, James Brown, Kool & The Gang and so much more.
I learned, many years later, whilst presenting a California Ballroom special on Cambridge Radio from some of the Californian DJ’s in the studio, that because we lived so closely to American bases a lot of the forces personnel would come along to the California Ballroom bringing their own vinyl to be played on the night and leave their 45’s with the DJ’s, saying they would pick them up again after they had been to Vietnam.
Some never came back.
The Crazy Times: Soul, Jazz & Dance| Knowledge
Me with hat on & with my arm up
So I was on a roll and I visited some of the various clubs and events around the country over those crazy years.
- Ally Pally
- Purley
- Caister (1979 till 1981)
- Cornwall
- Isle of Wright
- The Colemine
- The Royaly
- Brighton
- Knebworth
- Reading
- Blackpool
- Bournemouth
- Southampton
- Papillon (Brighton)
- Jazz Rooms in Brighton
- The Pilgrims (Thursdays)
- Woking man’s club club in Kempston (Thursday nights)
- The Bull Royton 80’s (Thursday Nights Bob Jones)
- The Crown Dunstable (Sunday Nights)
- The King’s Head, St Neots – Soul Nights (DJ’S Stuart,Gary, Dean, Max 7 Myself)
- Soul Discovery – The Graduate (Myself plus guests)
- Canal Tavern Thorne (DJ spots)
- PolishClub (Bedford)
- Rock City (Discovered lots of new tracks here)
- Dom Poisiki Club (Beford)
- The Old Falcon soul nights (St Neots)
- Fames (Cambridge)
- And so many more…
The Radio Years:
I started playing around with being a radio presenter, from those early days with Huntington Radio hosting my own Soul Show which lasted about five years. Then I moved to 209 Radio Cambridge & 105FM Cambridge for about six years.
Whilst hosting the above shows I was co-hosting on Kiss Radio – Birmingham Alabama USA and Memphis Radio USA working with The Controllers, Billy Paul and Lenny Williams plus many more.
The next ten years I went on to present Solar Radio in London (Sunday evenings) and about two years after leaving Solar Radio I joined Eddie Piller at TWR London for another four years.
Present Day: The Soul Discovery Website & Shows
The culmination of this journey is Soul Discovery. A passionate dedication to music, artists, producers and record labels that make it not only unique but involving, enabling listeners to really absorb themselves, tapping into their emotions and taking them on discoveries of their own.
The show incorporates exclusive tunes and interviews in the sub-genres of Gospel, upfront soul & R&B, whilst dipping into forgotten gems and unearthing the new and the rare.
What’s on offer.
Blog
A collection of articles and stories from around the world of soul. Written and curated by us and our select team of guest contributors who were there, who lived and breathed the music and now tell the stories behind the tracks and artists you love, how only they know.
Podcast
The show. Dedicated to the music, artists, producers and record labels in the sub-genres of gospel, upfront soul and R&B. Each episode incorporates exclusive tunes and interviews, dips into forgotten gems and unearths the new and the rare.
Shop
Your chance to own genuine, rare and collectable recordings in physical format. Our stock items are found no where else, usually comprise of single items and often sell out quickly. We update products frequently so be sure to check in often not miss a rare copy to complete your collection.
What people are saying?
M Swanson“You give quality soul music and soul artists the exposure they do not get elsewhere.”
Oregon, USA
Soul Discovery Show Guest List
We have been blessed over the years to have had chance to collaborate with and interview so many incredible talents from the world of Soul, Gospel, R&B and beyond. To all that have contributed, advised, connected, inspired and just listened we are forever grateful.
Most know who you are, but for the rest here is the credits reel of the amazing talents who have left their mark on Soul Discovery in one way or another.
Artists
- A1 Lindsey
- AJ Sparks
- Angel Rissoff
- Barry Burford
- Bella Brown
- Bernadette Bascom
- Bertram E. Brown
- William Brown
- Betty Wright
- Billy Paul
- Black Girl Singer
- Bobby Manuel (Stax Records)
- Brandon Williams
- Brenda Vaughn
- Shirley Jones
- Brian Jackson
- Calvin Napper
- Candi Staton
- Carmen Hendricks
- Chapter 8: (Michael J. Powell , Valerie Pinkston, Gerald Lyles, Vernon, D. Fails and Courtlen Hale.)
- Chelly K
- Chris Crane
- Chris Walker
- Chuck Overton
- Clarence Dobbins
- Cleveland P. Jones
- Daniel Weatherspoon
- Darnel Alexender
- Daryl Reed
- David Sea
- David Washington (Original member of Chapter 8)
- E.R.I.C
- Eleanore Mills
- Zara McFarlane
- Eloise Laws
- Erica Falls
- Fathers Children
- Freddie Empire
- Earnest Walker, Jr.
- Garry Grant
- Gene Van Buren
- Maurice Jackson
- Gina Darby
- Greg Watson
- Howard Hewett
- James Mitchell
- Jason Little
- Jeanie Tracy
- Jenelle Roccaforte
- Jimmy Levine
- Jimmy Young
- Joe Leavy
- John Wilson (Sly, Slick And Wicked)
- Jonathan Winstead
- Joshie Jo Amrstead
- Jubu
- Kashious
- Kim Tibbs
- Klive D’Farley (Dreemtime)
- La Rombé
- Lady BlackBird
- Lakecia Benjamin
- Breeanna Maree
- Lamont Dozier Jr.
- Larry Kimpel (The Soul Hustlers)
- Lawrence Beamen
- Unified Tribe
- Lee Fields
- Len Walston
- Lenny Wiliams
- Lionel Cornelius
- Lorraine Feather
- Lou Pride
- Marcell & the Truth
- Marcell Russell
- Marcia L. Mitchell
- Mark Never
- Marva King
- Melvin Davis
- MicCulture Robbie Love
- Michael Dunston
- Michael Henderson
- Phil Perry
- Michael Stokes & Travis Brown (The Cobra Heart Band)
- Michelle David
- Michelle Stevenson
- Michon Young
- Mike Jemison
- Mikelyn Rodrick (By All Means)
- Nat Birchall
- New Soul Orchestra
- Nicola Conte
- Norman Connors
- Oak111
- Oliver Cheatham
- Omar Wilson
- Paul Tilman Smith
- Randy Brown
- Regina Belle
- Rene Jones
- Rhonda Thomas
- Richard Brooks
- Roame
- Ron Matlock
- Roy Roberts
- Ruby Baker
- James Whitney
- Samuel Burns (Original member of Chapter 8)
- Selina Albright
- Sharon McMahan
- Snowboy
- TMF: (Vance Taylor)
- Tanqueray Hayward
- Tasha Nicole
- Teri Tobin
- The Controllers: (Lenard Brown & Reginald McArthur)
- The Pule Of Boston
- Tim Whitsett (Stax Records)
- Tracey L. Whitney
- Ty Stephens
- Vanessia Mathis Holland
- William Bell
- William Mickey Stevenson
- William ‘Kooly’ Scott
- Willie Clayton
- XXCeption To The Rule
- Xiantoni Ari
- Ronnie Laws
Round Table
Special Guests
- Brain Goucher
- Colin Brown
- Colin Curtis
- Dean Johnson
- Don Brown
- Kevin Oxberry
- Mark Houghton
- Mark Merry
- Micky Gynn
- Mike Charlton
- Paul Thrower
- Rod Dearlove
- Steve Dolan
- Fish
- Colin Dilnot
- Eddie Hubbard
- Dave Fleming
- Mark Randle
- Mike Charlton
- Ady Croasdell – Kent Records
- Bob Cosby – Soul Essence
- Bob Jones / Colin Curtis / Snowboy – History of Jazz in Soul clubs
- Colin Curtis – Highland Room, Trafalgar, RockCity, Ritz, Rafters, Legends, Hilton
- Colin Dilnot – In Dangerous Rhythm
- Dave Porter- Vivid Sounds
- Doyle Wood – Daxwood Records
- Elaine Constantine – Northern Soul Film (Director)
- John Manship – Rare Records Special
- John Ridley – Sir Shambling
- Matthew Halsall – Gondwana Records
- Michael Mayberry – Da-man Records
- Mike Ward – USA Independent Soul
- Noel Waggener – Heavy Light Record
- Patrick Biggerstaff – Izipho Soul Records
- Paul Murphy – JazzRoom Records
- Ralph T – Expansion Records
- Renea Mitchell – Jomar Records
- Richard Searling – Va-Vas, Pendelum, Wigan Casino, Parkers, etc…
- Steve Guarnor – Collectors Special
- Stuart Cosgrove – Detroit 67