Shirley Brown
Shirley Brown is an acclaimed American soul and R&B singer, renowned for her powerful, gospel-influenced voice often compared to Aretha Franklin. Born on January 6, 1947, in West Memphis, Arkansas, she rose to fame with her 1974 million-selling single "Woman to Woman."
Brown grew up in Madison, Illinois, after being born in West Memphis, and began singing in church at age nine, honing her expressive style. At 14, blues legend Albert King discovered her performing at the Harlem Club in Brooklyn, Illinois, leading to nine years touring with his band while she balanced tutoring.
Signed to Stax Records through King's influence, her debut album Woman to Woman (1974) featured the title track, a Grammy-nominated No. 1 R&B hit that became a soul classic and delayed Stax's bankruptcy. Earlier, she recorded her first single, "Love Built on a Strong Foundation," in 1971 for Abet Records, produced by Oliver Sain, though it did not chart.
Brown's albums include Intimate Storm and Diva of Soul, blending Southern soul traditions with emotive storytelling. She performed on the chitlin' circuit for over a decade, opening for artists like Little Milton, and continued active into the 2020s.
Her raw, confessional style earned critical praise, with "Woman to Woman" inspiring answer songs and cementing her as a deep soul icon now aged 79.
Shirley Brown
A2 When You Really Love Somebody (Bettye Crutcher 4:19)
A3 Said I Wasn’t Gonna Give You No More Love (Bettye Crutcher 3:29)
A4 I Need Somebody To Love Me (Harvey Mason 4:35)
A5 Givin' Up (Clyde Wilson, Herbert Ross 4:58)
B1 Long On Lovin' (Bettye Crutcher 2:54)
B2 Midnight Rendezvous (Goldberg, Seals, Williams 4:13)
B3 (I’ll Be Right Here) Lovin' You (Bettye Crutcher 3:53)
B4 A Mighty Good Feeling (Bettye Crutcher 5:30)
Label: Arista – AL 4129
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Southern Soul
Shirley Brown's self-titled 1977 album, released on Arista Records, is a solid Southern Soul and R&B record that leans heavily on her powerful, gospel-infused vocals, often drawing comparisons to Aretha Franklin. It was her second album overall and first for the new label after Stax Records went bankrupt.
The album is steeped in Southern soul, though some tracks like "Honey Babe" and "I Can't Move Mountains" show a move toward the popular disco sound of the era. The arrangements are noted for being very well done, providing a rich backdrop for her "heart-rending" and forceful singing style.
The album was produced by former Stax owner Jim Stewart and writer/producer Bettye Crutcher, with arrangements by Marvell Thomas and Lester Snell, who were session players at Stax. This continuity in production helped maintain her signature sound despite the label change.
The album did not make a significant impact on the charts, likely due to disco's dominance in 1977. However, it is highly regarded by some fans as an underrated or even her best album.
Key songs from the album include:
"Blessed Is the Woman (With a Man Like Mine)": This soul ballad was the lead single and reached No. 14 on the Billboard soul charts. It is a standout track that allows Brown to showcase her gospel-infused vocal power toward the end.
"Givin' Up": Her version of this song is considered "awesome" by reviewers.
"A Mighty Good Feeling": Another highly rated track on the album.
"I Need Somebody to Love": One of the album's hits, known for its soulful delivery.
For fans of classic Soul and R&B, particularly those who appreciate vocalists like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, this album is often considered a must-have for its raw emotion and strong musical arrangements. You can explore available formats on sites like Discogs or Amazon.
Woman To Woman
A2 Long As You Love Me (Bettye Crutcher, Mack Rice 3:25)
A3 Stay With Me Baby (George David Weiss, Jerry Ragovoy 3:16)
A4 I've Got To Go On Without You (Al Jackson, Larry McIntosh 3:59)
B1 Woman To Woman (Eddie Marion, Henderson Thigpen, James Banks 3:54)
B2 So Glad To Have You (Arris Wheaton, Bettye Crutcher, Mack Rice 3:41)
B3 Passion (Arris Wheaton, Bettye Crutcher, Mack Rice 3:56)
B4 I Can't Give You Up (Frederick Knight 3:36)
B5 I Need You Tonight (Gregg Dempsey 3:14)
B6 Between You And Me (Al Jackson, Frederick Knight, Mack Rice 2:38)
Label: Truth Records
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1974
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Southern Soul
Shirley Brown's 1974 debut album, Woman to Woman, is a classic soul masterpiece known for its raw emotion, powerful gospel-influenced vocals, and the chart-topping title track. The album is a collection of slow ballads and mid-tempo soul songs that explore the complexities of love, loss, and vulnerability.
The Title Track: The album's centerpiece and lead single, "Woman to Woman," is an iconic seven-minute "love-triangle melodrama" that opens with a legendary spoken-word monologue. In this intro, Brown calls her husband's mistress, Barbara, to firmly but calmly explain that the man they are involved with belongs to her. The song became a #1 hit on the US Billboard R&B chart and reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was Stax Records' final major hit before the label's financial collapse.
The record features deep, confessional soul music with a sound rooted in traditional R&B, utilizing the talents of the Stax house band, including Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass and Al Jackson Jr. on drums. The arrangements incorporate the Memphis Horns and strings, providing a rich, atmospheric backdrop for Brown's dynamic and passionate vocals.
The songs on the album, such as "It Ain't No Fun," "I've Got to Go on Without You," and "Between You and Me," focus on the emotional highs and lows of relationships. Critics have praised Brown's ability to convey deep feelings and heartfelt stories with force and conviction, making the music highly relatable to listeners then and now.