Bettye Swann

by Bettye Swann

Overview

If Bettye Swann is remembered by anyone other than soul obsessives, it is for her chart-topping hit "Make Me Yours" from 1967. Hopefully, this collection will open a few ears to the low-key, genre-bending singer who blended the full-bodied gritty sound of Southern soul and the smooth sheen of soul from the urban North. It covers the years 1968 to 1970, after she left Money Records and set up shop with Capitol and producer Wayne Shuler. The union did not provide any hits, but the body of work is quite impressive. Swann was equally adept at slinky, sassy uptown soul like "(My Heart Is) Closed for the Season," "Cover Me," and "You're Up to Your Old Tricks Again" as well as down-home, heartbroken ballads like "Little Things Mean a Lot," the bluesy "Don't Touch Me," and Otis Redding's "These Arms of Mine," but also unique blends of styles like her Baroque soul take on the Bee Gees' "Words" and her countrified funk version of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't It Peculiar." In fact, she often dipped into country music for material and came up with some impressive songs like her aching version of Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams," which comes darn close to the original in the heartbreak stakes. Her takes on "Stand By Your Man" and "Angel of the Morning" are beautiful and soulful reinterpretations, too. Unfortunately, her duet with Buck Owens on "Today I Started Loving You Again" remains in the vault, but her solo version was released and is quite wonderful. Bettye Swann certainly deserves to be discovered; this disc is packed with original, soulful, and exciting music from beginning to end. Credit to Honest Jons for putting it out. First Candi Staton, now Bettye Swann -- first-class collections from a label that is doing things right. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	06/07/2024
Label:	Music On Vinyl
UPC:	0600753974032
Rank:	44983

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bettye Swann   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Mark Ainley   Compilation Producer
Phil Wright   Audio Production,Producer
Wayne Shuler   Audio Production,Producer
Tammy Wynette   Composer
Barry Gibb   Composer
Tony Joe White   Composer
Chip Taylor   Composer
Eddie Hinton   Composer
Smokey Robinson   Composer
Robin Gibb   Composer
Marvin Tarplin   Composer
Maurice Gibb   Composer
Hank Cochran   Composer
Will Bankhead   Design
Edith Lindeman   Composer
Don Gibson   Composer
Emory Gordy Jr.   Composer
Lee Diamond   Composer
John D. Loudermilk   Composer
Robert Rogers   Composer
Marlin Greene   Composer
James Cobb   Composer
Bonnie Owens   Composer
Billy Sherrill   Composer
Bettye Swann   Composer
Warren "Pete" Moore   Composer
James Cobb Jr.   Composer
Perry Carlton Buie   Composer
Tim Tooher   Liner Notes
Carl Stutz   Composer
George Davis   Composer
Buddy Buie   Composer
Otis Redding   Composer
Merle Haggard   Composer