Do Right Man

by Dan Penn

Overview

If James Brown is Soul Brother Number One, you can make a very credible case for Dan Penn being number two. The Alabama native has had a hand in writing a fair number of classic soul songs, and here he commits his versions of them to tape for the first time, recording, of course, in Muscle Shoals, with their fabulous house band, and a horn section including former Memphis Horn member Wayne Jackson. It's a tall order Penn sets himself, offering himself up for comparison with greats like James Carr, Aretha Franklin, and James and Bobby Purify, who have sung his songs -- and that's just the start of the list. However, he comes out very well, beginning with a quiet take on"The Dark End of the Street," coming across like a note to a secret lover, rather than a cry of pain. "It Tears Me Up" conveys the anguish,"You Left the Water Running" bounces in its pain, and "Do Right Woman Do Right Man" is advice to a friend, instead of Aretha's extra freedom cry for equal rights."I'm Your Puppet" becomes a sigh of resignation. Given tracks like that, the other songs will inevitably suffer by comparison, and, to be fair, "Memphis Women and Chicken" is little more than a throwaway. But even the lesser-known material from a craftsman-like Penn is head and shoulders above most of the competition, and "Zero Willpower," a song that he took 20 years to complete, has soul classic written all over it, as good as the greatest hits. Penn can't just write 'em, he can perform 'em too, in a manner as soulful as the greats, as this record shows. The man deserves to be an American musical icon. ~ Chris Nickson

Product Details

Release Date:	04/09/2021
Label:	Music On Cd
UPC:	8718627232972
Rank:	72195

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Dan Penn   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (12 String)
Wayne Jackson   Guest Artist,Trumpet
Delbert McClinton   Guest Artist,Harmonica
Jimmy Johnson   Guitar (Electric),Guitar,Guitar (Electric),Guitar (Electric)
Ava Aldridge   Vocals (Background)
Cindy Richardson   Vocals (Background)
Carson Whitsett   Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Piano (Electric)
Gary Nicholson   Guitar,Guitar (Resonator)
Spooner Oldham   Organ,Piano,Keyboards,Mellotron,Wurlitzer,Glockenspiel,Organ (Hammond)
Charles Rose   Trombone
David Hood   Bass
Lenny LeBlanc   Vocals (Background)
Reggie Young   Guitar
Florence Flash   Drums,Maracas,Triangle,Percussion,Wood Block,Finger Cymbals
David Briggs   Keyboards,Wurlitzer,Piano (Electric)
Roger Hawkins   Drums,Bongos,Tambourine
Buzz Cason   Vocals (Background)
Doug Moffet   Horn,Flute,Sax (Baritone)
George Soule   Vocals (Background)
Cindy Richardson Walker   Vocals (Background)
Bobby Emmons   Organ,Piano,Organ (Hammond)
Harvey Thompson   Sax (Tenor)

Technical Credits

Roy Cunningham   Photography
Jay Wilson   Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
David Gahr   Photography
Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Carson Whitsett   Composer
Gary Nicholson   Composer
Spooner Oldham   Composer
Johnny Sandlin   Mixing,Engineer
Donnie Fritts   Composer
Jonnie Barnett   Composer
Rick Hall   Composer
Peter Guralnick   Liner Notes
Oscar Frank   Composer
George Drakoulias   Producer
Dan Penn   Composer,Producer
Bobby Emmons   Composer
Chips Moman   Composer