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 - Released by Craft Recordings on 11 okt. 2023
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
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The Platinum Collection
Pop - Released by Rhino Atlantic on 19 mrt. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Many Grooves Of Barbara Lewis
Soul - Released by Stax on 1 jan. 1969
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Baby, I'm Yours
Pop - Released by Rhino Atlantic on 25 dec. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Atlantic Singles
Pop - Released by Rhino Atlantic on 22 apr. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Working On A Groovy Thing
Pop - Released by Rhino Atlantic on 8 feb. 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Essential Soul Masters
Soul - Released by Classic Music International on 15 feb. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Don't Forget About Me: The Atlantic & Reprise Recordings
Divers - Released by Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group on 13 nov. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Presenting Barbara Lewis
R&B - Released by Universal Digital Enterprises on 24 jun. 1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazzy Christmas
Jazz - Released by Barbara Lewis on 15 dec. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Aint Love Easy
Internationaal variété - Released by Cutting Edge Productions on 15 apr. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Both Sides Now
Folk - Released by Cutting Edge Productions on 18 sep. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best Of
Divers - Released by Warner Music Group - X5 Music Group on 20 mrt. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Hara's Quest
Jazz - Released by Cutting Edge Productions on 1 jan. 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rhino Hi-Five: Barbara Lewis
Soul - Released by Rhino Atlantic on 15 mrt. 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo