Disco/soul artists doing country - But why?

[K-Bee]

I just put on the "Priority" album by the Pointer Sisters, and to my surprise there wasn't anything disco about it at all. It's more like country / rock with contributions by Robbie Robertson end even Mick Jagger!! :evil:
Had I known that already i'd definetely not have bought this album. Thank God I payed almost nothing for it but I guess this is what you get for not looking at the credits :oops:

I know there are some similarities between C&W and some of the southern soul stuff, but artists that are usually considered as being disco doing country stuff really surprised me in a bad way

I know Millie Jackson also did some country stuff but are there any others I should know of (ie avoid :lol: )

[FrontPage22]

Dolly Parton's turn at disco is worth a chuckle..."Baby' I'm Burnin"...yee haw!

And yes, Millie did country. Shudder. When I first saw the cover of Carrie Lucas' "Horsin Around" I thought it was a country album as well. Yikes!

[Forrrce]

Ray Charles, Bobby Womack, Joe Tex and Candy Staton are some of the soul acts I can think of who made country records also.
It's a bit of a cliche but it's true, I suppose, that the tell-it-like-it-is quality of country is a 'soul music' of sorts. My parents' tastes included country so I grew up listening to it as well as everything else. Don't go out of my way to listen to it now!

[markydefad]

The Pointer Sisters did "Fairytale"--a reeeaaal country tune. I like it!!!

Donna Summer's "On My Honor" has a steel guitar in it.

Diana Ross's "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" is country.

Al Green did lotsa countrified soul--all good. :D

[keefelc]

[quote="K-Bee"]I just put on the "Priority" album by the Pointer Sisters, and to my surprise there wasn't anything disco about it at all. It's more like country / rock with contributions by Robbie Robertson end even Mick Jagger!! :evil:
Had I known that already i'd definetely not have bought this album. Thank God I payed almost nothing for it but I guess this is what you get for not looking at the credits :oops:]

K-bee, the "Priority" album was their attempt to cash in on their success with the "Energy" album, especially Bruce Springsteen's "Fire". At this point of their career, their former label (Blue Thumb) had gone out of business and their records sales weren't doing too well. The switch to Richard Perry's Planet label had them trying a new direction.

I thought the "Priority" album went a little too far in the rock direction. At least "Energy" had a little more pop/rock feel with "Happiness," "Echoes Of Love" and "Everybody Is A Star". They obviously realized their misstep because the next album "Special Things" moved them back to pop/R&B (thank goodness!).

[NickNack]

Lionel Richie likes to flavor his ballads with a little country now and then. Not over the top, just a hint of 'twang'. As for the artists in Forrrce's list, all except Bobby Womack are 'country' boys and girls. Ray Charles is from Georgia, Joe Tex is from (duh?) Texas and Candi Staton is from Alabama. Country/Soul is in their blood. :D

[efunk_adelic]

At first I was like wtf when I heard the Commodores countrified Sail On... but got used to the song... I still like it and listen to it a few times a year. :)

[K-Bee]

Lionel Richie likes to flavor his ballads with a little country now and then.

Of Course!! how could I forget Lionel?? Deep River Woman and Ballerina Girl definetely have some country feel to them.
....and he even did stuff for Kenny Rogers too :lol: