An artist whose most famous record, the one with which he is most associated, was the first he ever recorded. But Percy Sledge should be appreciated for far more than ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’, even if the track did help shape southern soul and establish the great Muscle Shoals studios. One of the truly great voices of soul music.
There are many great southern soul artists who could have been included in the Primer. The most obvious choice would have been Otis Redding, but he’s found himself relegated to the Twenty To Try page. For me, the very best of Percy Sledge is without equal and he therefore finds himself elevated to the Primer ahead of Otis, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, James Carr and many others.
Sledge was born in Leighton, Alabama and originally sang in a gospel group whilst working as a hospital orderly. ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’, recorded in 1965, released in 1966 and produced by Quinn Ivy in Quinvy Studios in Muscle Shoals catapulted Sledge from hospital orderly to one of the leading lights of soul music. A story of romantic treachery, the song’s fable was driven home by Sledge’s huge voice, which was already equipped with the trademark quavering emotion which helped separate him from the rest and which has stayed with him throughout his career. The song was a hit again in 1987, a career revived by the dubious honour of featuring in a jeans advert! The song was also the first gold record released by Atlantic Records.
Percy Sledge then went on to create a body of work the equal of any in the southern or country soul idiom. ‘Take Time To Know Her’, ‘It Tears Me Up’, ‘Warm And Tender Love’, ‘Sudden Stop’, ‘Cover Me’, ‘Out Of Left Field’ and the oft neglected classic ‘True Love Travels On A Gravel Road’ are just some of the tracks which demand to be heard by anyone remotely interested in soul music of any era. Jerry Wexler once described an earlier compilation of Percy’s music as the best ‘Best Of’ to be found in soul music. I agree, and all of his best stuff can now be found on the absolutely indispensable 23 track compilation “It Tears Me Up – The Best Of Percy Sledge” on Rhino records (Rhino 8122-70285-2). An absolutely must have release, one of the great soul vocalists accompanied by the great writing and playing of the likes of Spooner Oldham, Marlin Greene, Dan Penn, Roger Hawkins and Eddie Hinton. I still think this is the best of the single CD compilations but it might be hard to find. If so, then the “Platinum Collection” is a reasonable substitute. Rhino has also released the 4CD “Atlantic Recordings”, which covers all his Atlantic sides, is fantastic for completists, way too expensive and I would concede is overkill for a Primer.
Sledge also recorded for Capricorn in 1974 (“I’ll Be Your Everything”) which although not in the class of the earlier material was still a fine album – the title track also took him back into the R&B charts. After this, he ended up in virtual obscurity, touring Europe occasionally but in the main taking other jobs to make ends meet. The 1987 re-release of ‘When A Man….’ gave him a much needed lift and in 1994 he recorded a stunning comeback album “Blue Night“, working with distinguished back ups such as Bobby Womack and Steve Cropper. Percy’s voice on this album is a warm as ever, his intonation is faultless and the interpretation of the songs holds the same degree of integrity and emotion that he first exhibited way back in 1965.
His style and approach is in my view both poles apart and superior to more exalted contemporaries such as Otis Redding. He combined the rhythms and emotions he learnt in church with the country he heard as he grew up. Others did this as well of course – but he also has a purity and honesty in his voice which is apparent to everyone who hears it.
He sums it up best himself:-“Most artists judge their success by how much noise and excitement they create, but I prefer my audience to be quiet”.