Southern Soul

Southern soul is a style of Soul music that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Whilst not limited to any particular area, the majority of recording artists were historically from (and were most popular in) the southern USA, including household names such as Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and Al Green. Placing an emphasis on the groove of the music, Southern soul draws inspiration from its African American roots in Rhythm & Blues, Gospel and Electric Blues, as well as Rock & Roll and Country (most explicitly demonstrated in Country Soul). The style displays a gritty, raw sound (as opposed to the more polished, poppy arrangements of the Motown sound and Northern Soul) and is often made to be highly danceable, although more downbeat, intense, intimate numbers overlap with Deep Soul. Punchy horns, murky 'chicken scratch' guitar playing and a strong rhythm provide the musical template, resulting in an earthy-sounding groove that was influential on the development of Funk in the mid-1960s.