string(3) "dev" Jimmy Hughes - Something Extra Special - The Complete Volt Recordings 1968-71 - Ace Records

Something Extra Special - The Complete Volt Recordings 1968-71 Jimmy Hughes

£11.50

Genre:
60s Soul
Label:
Kent
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDKEND 341

Jimmy Hughes CDs might seem like the proverbial London bus, in that you wait ages for one and then three come along in quick succession. But his repertoire for Fame and Volt is so highly regarded by the soul cognoscenti that too much Jimmy Hughes can never be enough. The two Kent volumes of Fame recordings are now joined by a third CD that covers Jimmy’s time with Stax subsidiary Volt, at the end of the 1960s.

Although his career never flourished on Volt like he and Stax hoped it would, the label released several singles and “Something Special”, a fine album which demonstrated that Jimmy was ready to take what he had achieved at Fame to the next level. Unfortunately the rise to superstardom of his labelmates Isaac Hayes and Johnnie Taylor, and the ongoing success of Stax stalwarts Eddie Floyd and William Bell, pushed him down the pecking order. When his first offerings failed, his career suffered. In a little over two years, Stax released just 13 recordings on Jimmy. But like so many other acts, he recorded far more than was actually released. In his case, the Stax ledgers show a possible 17 unissued sides, three of which exist in backing track form only. The remaining 14 all appear here for the first time. You will hear that they were not shelved owing to lack of quality. The songs are great, the singing even greater. Had he scored a hit with any of his issued material, it’s doubtful that so many would have remained in the can for as long as they have.

Stax recorded Jimmy at Sam Phillips, at Ardent, in the McLemore Avenue building and, most successfully, at Royal Studios where he cut six sides that are the equal of anything that would soon be cut there by O.V. Wright, Otis Clay, Al Green or any other member of the redoubtable Hi Records roster. But Stax had lost interest in Jimmy by the time of that session and the two sides that were issued got lost in the shuffle. With concentrated promotion, the others could have returned him to the top. Instead, when his final Volt single failed to chart, Jimmy called time on his career and retired – just like that.

“Something Extra Special” brings together all 27 of Jimmy’s Volt titles. Sadly it also brings the curtain down on Kent’s restoration to catalogue of every surviving Jimmy Hughes recording. It’s been my personal pleasure to have assembled and annotated the three CDs that we’ve put out, and to have helped to turn the spotlight back on to a somewhat neglected pioneer of Southern Soul. Jimmy might never have achieved the worldwide popularity of his contemporary Otis Redding or his cousin Percy Sledge, but this collection and its two predecessors prove conclusively that his relative lack of mainstream success was in no way due to lack of talent – or no soul.

By Tony Rounce

Share

Track listing

Show

Side 1

Delivery & Returns

Show

We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

In the event that any products supplied to you by us are damaged or defective, we agree to replace or repair the damaged or defective products or refund the amount you paid for such goods (including postage & packaging) providing you notify us (either via post at or e-mail: orders@acerecords.com ) and return the goods within 28 days of purchase. Physical goods should be sent back to us in the same condition you received them to: “Returns” Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the e-mail address above including a copy of your notification.

You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

Customer reviews

Show

Related products

Customers who bought this item also bought