Barbara Lewis
Pop-soul doesn't get much better than Barbara Lewis, whose seductive, emotive croon took "Hello Stranger" to number three in 1963. The Michigan native had been writing songs since the age of nine, and began recording as a teenager with producer Ollie McLaughlin, who also had a hand in the careers of Del Shannon, the Capitols, and Deon Jackson. Lewis wrote all of the songs on her debut LP (including "Hello Stranger") and confidently handled harmony soul numbers (some with backing by the Dells) and more pop-savvy tunes, some of which, like "Hello Stranger," were driven by an organ and a bossa nova-like beat. Follow-ups to "Hello Stranger" didn't sell nearly as well (although one of her singles, "Someday We're Gonna Love Again," was covered by the Searchers for a British Invasion hit). In the mid-'60s she began doing some recordings in New York City, with assistance from producers like Bert Berns and Jerry Wexler, that employed more orchestral arrangements and pop-conscious material. The approach clicked, both commercially and artistically: "Baby I'm Yours" and "Make Me Your Baby" were both big hits, and both among the best mid-'60s girl group-style productions. Lewis cut an album in the late '60s for Stax (on the Enterprise subsidiary) that, as one would expect, gave her sound a grittier approach, without compromising the smooth and poppy elements integral to the singer's appeal. It passed mostly unnoticed, though, and Lewis withdrew from the music business after a few other singles. The "beach music" scene of the Carolinas remains a bastion of appreciation for Lewis' records, which continue to enjoy popularity and airplay there decades after their original release.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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The Many Grooves Of Barbara Lewis (Remastered 2023)
R&B - Paru chez Craft Recordings le 11 oct. 2023
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
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The Platinum Collection
Pop - Paru chez Rhino Atlantic le 19 mars 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Many Grooves Of Barbara Lewis
Soul - Paru chez Stax le 1 janv. 1969
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Complete Atlantic Singles
Pop - Paru chez Rhino Atlantic le 22 avr. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Working On A Groovy Thing
Pop - Paru chez Rhino Atlantic le 8 févr. 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Essential Soul Masters
Soul - Paru chez Classic Music International le 15 févr. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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A Prairie Windstorm
R&B - Paru chez prairie windstorm le 3 févr. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Don't Forget About Me: The Atlantic & Reprise Recordings
Divers - Paru chez Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group le 13 nov. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Presenting Barbara Lewis
R&B - Paru chez Universal Digital Enterprises le 24 juin 1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Splash Of Color
R&B - Paru chez Sandmann & Walther le 28 août 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Aint Love Easy
Variété internationale - Paru chez Cutting Edge Productions le 15 avr. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Both Sides Now
Folk - Paru chez Cutting Edge Productions le 18 sept. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best Of
Divers - Paru chez Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group le 20 mars 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -