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<title>Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</title><link>http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link><description>Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</description><category>Classic R&amp;B</category><language>en</language><ttl>720</ttl><pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:53:58 -0800</pubDate><image>
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<title>Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</title>
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<title>Ray Charles</title>
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<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:49:38 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Heaven and earth battle it out in the music of Ray Charles, who combined gospel with the best of secular music and helped give birth to soul, rock, and hard bop. His early work showed the silky influences of the Nat "King" Cole trio and the piano blues great Charles Brown. Charles combined their sophisticated styles with R&B and gritty gospel to create his signature sound: hard, snappy piano combined with exquisite vocals that fall somewhere between a preacher gone bad and a yearning romantic balladeer. Charles absorbed styles like a sponge: big band jazz, country and pop were all added to his musical arsenal, and he built up a musical empire that kept him in the public eye for decades up until his untimely death, at the age of 73, in June 2004. Just prior to his passing, Charles cut his first duets record with such fans as Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, and Elton John, which illustrates a multi-generational sampling of the artists who list him as a prime influence. An American institution, Ray Charles' rendition of "Georgia on My Mind" has even become that state's anthem. If only the other 49 states could be as fortunate.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>The Isley Brothers</title>
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<category>Funk</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:50 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[The Isleys have had success in many genres since their beginnings in the 1950s, arguably hitting their peak and writing some of their tightest music in the '70s. From "Who's That Lady" to "It's Your Thing," they've produced numerous hits that are still blaring on radios (and commercials) across the land. Centered for most of their career on the vocal talents of Ronald, Rudolph and Vernon, in their <i>3 + 3</i> era the Isleys benefited from the addition of a couple more brothers to the backing band: bassist
Marvin and fiery guitar player Ernie (plus a brother-in-law on keyboards). Some of their best work can be found on the album <i>Brother, Brother, Brother</i>, but the seminal "Footsteps in the Dark" is not to be missed either. Among other accomplishments, they toured with a young guitarist named Jimmy James (later known as Jimi Hendrix -- his work can be heard on the single "Testify"). From Doo-Wop songs to Soul tracks, Funk grooves to Disco beats, the Isley Brothers have always remembered how to inject a memorable melody into every number they record.
- Jessy Terry]]></description>
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<title>James Brown</title>
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<category>Funk</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:33 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[The interlocking drum and bass brilliance of "Funky Drummer," the exactly synchronized horns of "Cold Sweat," and the socially conscious "I'm Black and I'm Proud" all have one thing in common: repetitive perfection. The Godfather of Soul may have let loose with raw squeals, doo-wop moans, plaintive wails and commanding grunts, but the bands he led never missed a note. Intense raw energy has never been compressed as succinctly as the vacuum-sealed package making up James Brown's band. Over the years, Brown has served as a university for many of the tightest performers around -- his musical graduates include Maceo Parker, Clyde Stubblefield, Bernard Purdie, Jimmy Nolen, Fred Wesley, Bobby Byrd, Pee Wee Ellis and Bootsy Collins. His songs have crucially influenced genres like jazz (Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis), reggae (Lee Perry, Sly and Robbie) and hip-hop (hasn't every DJ sampled James Brown at one point or another?). Music hasn't been the same since. James Brown died in Atlanta, GA on Dec. 25th, 2006, at the age of 73.
- Jessy Terry]]></description>
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<title>Tina Turner</title>
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<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:51 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Tina Turner is one of the undisputed queens of soul, R&B, and rock. Possessed of a remarkably versatile and enduring talent, Turner electrified audiences throughout the 1950s, '60s, and '70s with her passionate, searing vocal style and impeccable sense of timing. After splitting from husband and music partner Ike in the mid-1970s, Tina retired from the music scene for a few years, only to return in the '80s with some of the most memorable and popular songs of the decade. Turner can turn a soul phrase inside out, creating an ecstatic interpretation akin to witnessing a slow burn, or rock as hard as the roughest boys, as evidenced on much of her electrifying material over the course of the last 15 years.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
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<title>The Drifters</title>
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<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:25 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[One of the longest lived groups in rock 'n' roll, the Drifters began playing in the early 1950s after R&B legend Clyde McPhatter left Billy Ward & the Dominoes to strike out on his own. Since that time, the Drifters have seen a revolving membership that includes Johnny Moore (who stepped in after McPhatter was drafted), Ben E. King and Rudy Lewis all filling in on lead vocal duties. The Drifters are probably best known for their songs "Under the Boardwalk," and "This Magic Moment." However, the Drifters not only pulled in audiences around the world, they also kept a fairly regular presence on the charts during their lengthy career. Their lush vocal stylings had a timeless quality that changed just enough to stay fresh. From smooth crooning to vibrant, leaping Gospel songs, the Drifters kept their cool for almost 50 years.
- Mark Murrmann]]></description>
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<title>Aaron Neville</title>
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<category>New Orleans R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:33 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[Aaron Neville's uniquely soulful, quavering falsetto is one of the marvels of music, but it rarely gets the treatment it deserves. The breakout member of the great Neville Brothers family of musicians has always had fine New Orleans R&B chops, and he should have been a star back in the '60s when "Tell It Like It Is" was a minor hit. Today Aaron's voice uplifts a wide range of material, from Adult Contemporary to R&B to country. His varied choice of material runs from the richness of John Hiatt to the dullness of Diane Warren, but he works best when singing songs like Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927." His wonderfully idiosyncratic voice meshes perfectly with equally original material.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>Dr. John</title>
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<category>New Orleans R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:52 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[Before making his name as a major New Orleans pianist, Dr. John was known as Mac Rebennack, a successful session guitarist who was forced to find a new instrument after being accidentally shot in the hand. As Dr. John, he garnered a reputation for performing in all-out Mardi Gras regalia, bringing a theatrical aspect to his shows that surprisingly never detracted from his soulful music. His hearty vocals have a thick Louisiana twang filtered through deep, earthy grit, while his rollicking keyboard and piano playing travel from home-style New Orleans R&B and jazz to spaced-out psychedelia, mixed into a secret musical gumbo that no one has quite figured out. He's probably best known for his '70s classic "Right Place, Wrong Time," a song that reached new levels of stripped-down voodoo Funk and was boosted by the help of supreme Cajun groovers, the Meters.
- Jessy Terry]]></description>
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<title>Fats Domino</title>
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<category>New Orleans R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:06:28 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[The good times start the second the needle hits a Fats Domino record. His Boogie-Woogie piano style meshes seamlessly with his charmingly laid-back vocals. He put out hit after hit during the '50s -- "Ain't That a Shame," "I'm Walking," and "Blueberry Hill" still float by on late night K-Tel commercials. A follower of the New Orleans R&B tradition, Domino was one of the few founders of rock 'n' roll who was widely respected by jazz and blues fans. When pop passed him by, he was still embraced in clubs and concert halls around the world. His last hit was a cover of "Lady Madonna" -- a song that the Beatles structured as an homage to his classic style.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>Little Richard</title>
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<category>'50s Rock 'n' Roll</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:49:42 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Some folks say that Little Richard invented rock 'n' roll. Others say Van Halen did, but those people usually smoke a pack of "Reds" a day and ride dirtbikes even though they're in their twenties and still carry a big comb in their back pockets. If Little Richard didn't invent rock 'n' roll, he's certainly responsible for reshaping its sound and style. By merging Gospel music with Cajun R&B and hyper Boogie-Woogie piano playing, Little Richard spawned a high-voltage, kinetic sound that has influenced everyone from Pat Boone to Jimi Hendrix, as well as almost every British Invasion band of the 1960s. Adrenaline-surged songs like "Tutti Frutti" and "Keep a Knockin" have been covered time and again by artists who appreciate and respect Little Richard's ongoing no-holds-barred electrifying performances and his uplifting, soulful songs. Anyone who has ever tried to sing along with one of his tunes has soon found out that it is nearly impossible to match Little Richard's elasticity and intensity. Just ask Cindy Crawford.
- Eric Shea]]></description>
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<title>Bobby "Blue" Bland</title>
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<category>Soul Blues</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:52:22 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[One of the few bluesmen who's solely known for his singing, Bobby "Blue" Bland has been a major player in blues since the mid-1950s. Often working with B.B. King, and always showcasing a voice that can be as smooth a silk one minute and deeply tortured the next, Bland had a string of hits in the '50s and '60s. Early on, his work was straight-up Texas country, but as he aged his music and singing style laid much of the groundwork for what's called "soul blues" today.
- Mike McGuirk]]></description>
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<title>Ike and Tina Turner</title>
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<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:46 -0800</pubDate>
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<description><![CDATA[Don't let Ike Turner's bad press keep you away from the greatest music Tina Turner ever sang. This highly charged blues-soul-rock duo could rock the house better than any act around. The music is so liberating, you won't even notice that Ike Turner helped create rock 'n' roll.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>Jackie Wilson</title>
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<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 3 Nov 2009 11:25:02 -0800</pubDate>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Jackie Wilson</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2811&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2811&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Among the most important of the early soul stars, a club which counts among its members such influential talents as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, is Jackie Wilson. Best known for chart-toppers such as "Lonely Teardrops" and "Higher and Higher," Wilson was one of the most dynamic vocalists of his era and therefore able to leap octaves in a single bound; and his vibrato melted his lyrics into silky, flowing notes. His R&B songs were accented not only by Wilson's lush balladry, but by the elaborate string and backing arrangements that flowed through his roster of hits. Unfortunately, Wilson's career was cut short in 1975 after suffering a heart attack on stage while performing, leaving him comatose for nearly a decade following. Based on the body of work left behind, Wilson was ultimately recognized as one of the critical forces in the development of '50s soul and '60s Motown music.
- Kali Holloway]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Booker T. &amp; The MGs</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6768538&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Soul</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 9 Oct 2009 10:32:48 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Booker T. &amp; The MGs</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6768538&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6768538&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[The world's greatest and tightest backing band, Booker T and the MG's began as the in-house band for Stax Records. Performing on over 600 of that label's releases, they virtually defined classic soul music as we know it today. The streamlined, uncluttered guitar work and no-frills drumming is best exemplified on tracks like "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" and their own eternally fresh "Green Onions." Unique in setting an example of racial harmony in a time of turbulence, the quartet continued breaking ground up until the mid-'70s. Records like "Melting Pot" predated Acid Jazz by about 20 years, while their cover of <I>Abbey Road</I> in its entirety showed they had a sense of humor. Surviving the untimely death of drummer Alan Jackson, Booker T., Steve Cropper, and Donald "Duck" Dunn continue with their prodigious output, dignity intact (save for that <I>Blues Brothers 2000</I> debacle).
- Jon Pruett]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>The Coasters</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1500&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Doo-Wop</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:04 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">The Coasters</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.1500</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1500&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1500&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[The Coasters were one of the greatest vocal acts of the 1950s, and their songs remain among the most entertaining in pop history. They had numerous hits (almost all penned and produced by the legendary Leiber & Stoller), but the two tracks that still play heavily today are "Yakety Yak" and "Charlie Brown." However, as perfect as these two songs are, the rest of the Coasters' catalog offers plenty of humor, irony and sly social observations. Many of Lieber & Stoller's finest numbers, from "Three Cool Cats" to "Smokey Joe's CafÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ©" to "Riot in Cell Block #9," were vehicles for the Coasters and deserve to be heard as often as "Yakety Yak."
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Brook Benton</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4738&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Soul</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:28 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Brook Benton</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4738&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4738&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Brook Benton's creamy baritone was so smooth, he must have had a throat lined with silk. An exquisite soul-balladeer, Benton finally hit the big time in the late '50s. Unlike his Mercury labelmate, Dinah Washington, Benton didn't have any jazz chops, even if he often sang standards. He was a pure R&B man and, similiar to Sam Cooke, his sexy soul sound had Gospel origins. Benton didn't seem to fit in to the late '60s scene, but he came back strong in 1970 with his searching version of "Rainy Night in Georgia."
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>The Meters</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.61767&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Funk</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 6 Oct 2009 09:54:08 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.61767</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.61767</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">The Meters</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.61767</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.61767&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.61767&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[As a top studio band in the 1960s and '70s, the Meters recorded seminal New Orleans Funk on their own while also backing other artists, including Dr. John's classic album <I>In the Right Place</I>. Art Neville fronted the band, bringing his keyboard and occasional vocals to their mostly instrumental songs. On tracks such as "Sophisticated Cissy" and "Look-Ka Py Py," guitarist Leo Nocentelli and bassist George Porter provided raw unison lines and turned them into pristine models of Funk. Indeed, the Meters knew more about subtleties of rhythm and space than just about anyone. Driven by the slick grooves of drummer Zigaboo Modeliste, the Meters have been sampled by more hip-hop artists than anyone this side of James Brown. They can still be found touring together in different personnel arrangements, keeping crowds on their feet all night long.
- Jessy Terry]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>El DeBarge</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3411&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Adult Contemporary</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 3 Sep 2009 10:33:52 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">El DeBarge</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.3411</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3411&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3411&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>The Bar-Kays</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6171&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Funk</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:39:03 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">The Bar-Kays</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.6171</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6171&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6171&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Beginning in the late 1960s as the Stax label's other house band, the Bar-Kays suffered a major setback when four of their members died in the same plane crash that killed Otis Redding. They returned stronger wearing Sly Stone influences on their sleeves and tearing up the R&B charts as Isaac Hayes' backing band. Eager to be recognized on their own, they finally hit funk pay dirt with "Shake Your Rump to the Funk" in '76. During a career that continues to this day, they've successfully incorporated P-Funk styles, disco, and soul ballads while never fakin' the funk. Even their contribution to the <I>Breakin'</I> soundtrack rocks the house.
- Jon Pruett]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>The Neville Brothers</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.207&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>New Orleans R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:58:27 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.207</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.207</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">The Neville Brothers</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.207</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.207&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.207&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[One of the great modern musical dynasties, the Neville Brothers formed in 1977 but struggled in obscurity until <i>Yellow Moon</i> (1989) became a crossover hit. Each family member brings a separate strength to the band's sound, showing the richness of New Orleans culture. Their songs are full of Funk grooves, R&B guitar licks, jazz saxophones, and soulful vocals, and though Aaron's dynamic, quivering voice has made him the group's breakout star, each member gets his deserved moment in the spotlight. Lately they've dropped some of their Worldbeat flourishes and returned to a more traditional Big Easy sound, only to find that the public has deserted them. Since they still brew the tastiest music around, this is simply due to the public's negligence.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Billy Paul</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8474&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Soul</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:20 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Billy Paul</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.8474</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8474&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8474&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[After getting his start on radio as a child, Philadelphia soul singer Billy Paul performed with legends like Coltrane and Charlie Parker in the 1950s and '60s. He recorded as part of a trio for many years, and began releasing solo albums in 1970. He hit the big time with his third album, <I>360 Degrees of Billy Paul</I>, which spawned the hugely successful single "Me and Mrs. Jones." He continued to release excellent material throughout the '70s, with help from Philly songwriting/production gurus Gamble and Huff. Blurring the lines between jazz, funk, blues and R&B (and later disco), his albums continued to sell well, earning him an international fan base and multiple Grammys. His output slowed in the '80s, and he announced his retirement in 1989. Since then, he has reemerged and toured extensively around the world. He released the concert album <I>Live: World Tour</I> in 2000, and in 2003 he received $500,000 in unpaid royalties for "Me and Mrs. Jones."
- Brolin Winning]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Allen Toussaint</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3754&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>New Orleans R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:50:59 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Allen Toussaint</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3754&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3754&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[The quintessential New Orleans pianist, Allen Toussaint helped define the Crescent City's unique brand of R&B while creating its swampy Funk sound. He began his career in the late 1950s when he sat in for Fats Domino in a recording session; the following decade saw him write and arrange countless hits for other artists. Al Hirt, Herb Alpert, Irma Thomas, Lee Dorsey, the Meters, the Neville Brothers, the Pointers Sisters and Glen Campbell are indebted for his work as a songwriter, arranger and producer. His playing has what he calls "flairs of Fess" -- a reference to Professor Longhair, patron saint of the New Orleans piano faculty. From Boogie-Woogie and jazz to ballads and blues, Toussaint plays them all amidst crafty horn arrangements, laying out the rhythm section with complex dialogues he makes sound easy.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Edwin Starr</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4267&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Motown</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:06:41 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Edwin Starr</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4267&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4267&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Edwin Starr was one of the few belters on the Motown label, and he seamlessly blended the more uptown Northern Soul style with the grittier Memphis sound. We all know his lasting protest hit "War," but the rest of his R&B output is just as strong. Picture James Brown in the land of Diana Ross.
- Charles Hodgkins]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Esther Phillips</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3174&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:25:47 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.3174</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Esther Phillips</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.3174</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3174&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3174&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Phillips was a wonderful vocalist who moved from '50s R&B to '60s blues-drenched soul to '70s jazz. With the exception of her foray into Disco, she worked well in so many musical fields because her voice reflected a time when popular music was truly as diverse as her career.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Little Anthony and the Imperials</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4132&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Doo-Wop</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:34 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.4132</guid>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Little Anthony and the Imperials</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.4132</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4132&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4132&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Starting off as a Doo-Wop sensation in the 1950s, the Imperials have never lost the swinging choral sensibility that made them the darlings of the scene. They had a string of solid hits clear into the '70s, including "Tears on My Pillow," "So Much" and "Going Out of My Head." And no wonder: as Little Anthony's precious, high-pitched tenor soars and clips itself in mock agony over the Imperials' saccharine "ooh"s, everything has to be well.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>The Jets</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1186&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Teen Beat</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:54:28 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">The Jets</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.1186</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1186&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1186&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[The Jets existed in a world where the walls were made of cotton candy and the ground of sticky, sweet bubblegum. In the '80s, the eight-piece Samoan group of brothers and sisters made everything from bubbly dance tunes to pensive teen-crush ballads, and even succeeded in placing five songs in the number one chart spot during their heyday. Unfortunately, the fickle teen market lost interest as the eighties wound down, and they were soon replaced by another group of enthusiastic kids-next-door.
- Kali Holloway]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Screamin' Jay Hawkins</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.43247&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>'50s Rock 'n' Roll</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:39:08 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Screamin' Jay Hawkins</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.43247&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.43247&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Former Alaskan middleweight Screamin' Jay Hawkins popped up in the late '50s as the polar opposite of such comparably family-oriented rock 'n' roll fare as Fats Domino or Chubby Checker. His bizarre showmanship and on-stage theatrics were a shot in the arm to early rock 'n' roll and a far cry from the comparatively restrained rebellion involved in doing "the Twist." His primitive version of rock consisted of spare instrumentation and manic booming vocals that spouted off about spell-casting, alligators, demons and -- of course -- constipation. His theatrics involved rising out of a casket at each performance, maintaining a friendship with a smoking human skull, and other general voodoo-isms. His campy schtick has landed him a secure place in the annals of rock while also securing a string of followers in bands like The Cramps or the Demolition Doll Rods.
- Jon Pruett]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>King Curtis</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.44168&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Blues Jazz</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 4 Oct 2009 09:42:33 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.44168</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">King Curtis</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.44168&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.44168&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[With his beginnings as a sessionman in the '50s, King Curtis perfected his hard-playing tenor sax skills. After playing with Buddy Holly and on tracks like the Coasters' "Yakety Yak," he began cutting his own pop/soul/jazz records, ultimately scoring a hit with the swinging "Soul Twist" in 1962. His prolific output and session work continued -- Curtis offered a notable performance on John Lennon's <I>Imagine</I>, for instance -- until he was murdered outside his New York apartment in 1971.
- Jon Pruett]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Lloyd Price</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2742&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>New Orleans R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:08 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.2742</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2742</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Lloyd Price</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2742</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2742&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2742&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[One of the founders of rock 'n' roll, Lloyd Price was a mainstay of the New Orleans R&B sound. He scored a long line of hits including "Ain't it a Shame," "Personality" and "Stagger Lee" in the '50s. Price entered the (reputedly nefarious) business end of music while still a star, but has since returned to performing.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.62123&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>'50s Rock 'n' Roll</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:53 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.62123</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.62123</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.62123</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.62123&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.62123&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Jean Knight</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11889&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:38:19 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Jean Knight</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11889&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.11889&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[While the name Jean Knight may not ring a familiar bell, the song "Mr. Big Stuff" surely does -- or should -- with it's poppin' 1970s Funk groove curled beneath Knight's sassy vocals and lyrics that make "You're So Vain" seem like a loving ode by comparison. Knight may not have produced another hit in the Disco or Reagan eras, but the song was enough to keep her memory alive on Soul stations and, in a slightly altered form, in Oreo commercials.
- Kali Holloway]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>The Clovers</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1472&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>'50s Rock 'n' Roll</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:13 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">The Clovers</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1472&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1472&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Ruth Brown</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.68409&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:38:58 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.68409</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.68409</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Ruth Brown</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.68409&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.68409&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[The incredible Ruth Brown helped create R&B, and she rode to the top of the charts during the 1950s. Brown had wanted to be a jazz chanteuse, so she brought a level of sophistication to her powerhouse R&B and scorching blues. She never saw most of her profits, and ended up cleaning houses when rock took over. But in the late '70s, her career slowly built up momentum again. A master entertainer, she has found work on TV, film, and radio. Yes, that was Brown as the funkily wise record store owner in <i>Hairspray</i>.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Junior Walker</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1942&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Motown</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:23:58 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.1942</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Junior Walker</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.1942</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1942&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1942&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Junior Walker was in the thick of Motown's mid-'60s explosion, blowing sax solos on countless records and leading his own band into the spotlight. A great tenor saxophonist, Walker was the man behind the vein-popping "Shotgun" -- a track that'll still make your speakers sweat when you play it. Though Walker's career waned by the beginning of the '70s, he's left an indelible mark on popular music.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Rufus Thomas</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.5971&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:29 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Rufus Thomas</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.5971</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.5971&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.5971&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[If at any point in your life you have uttered the phrase or attempted to dance "the funky chicken," then sit down and write Rufus Thomas a thank you note. The self-professed "Oldest Living Teenager" was a forefather to Funk as well as the model for the Memphis Sound. Not heart-wrenching but just plain wacky, Thomas' songs were usually about "do"-ing something (i.e., the dog, the chicken, the penguin, the monkey, the lemur, etc.). This would be accompanied by Rufus flailing about in his outrageous clothing. His bare-bones Funk proved an early hitmaker for Sun and a constant source of revenue for Stax. As the "dance craze" craze wore thin, Rufus took his old job back as a local DJ, content with being the elder statesman for general silliness.]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Professor Longhair</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.42054&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>New Orleans Blues</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 4 Sep 2009 10:46:52 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.42054</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Professor Longhair</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.42054</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.42054&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.42054&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Professor Longhair's contribution to the New Orleans musical vocabulary is immeasurable. In addition to penning the standards "Mardis Gras in New Orleans" and "Tipitina," he was a major influence on pretty much every pianist who ever played in that town. His rollicking style is Creole itself, with Rumba, Calypso, and Merengue flourishes all popping up here and there in R&B structures. His wandering yelp of a vocal delivery is almost never on key, but who cares? He embodies the indescribable <i>thing</i> about New Orleans: good music, good times, and the sleazier the better. With an infectious love of his craft, he effortlessly kept in check a sound that was always on the brink of disaster. Unutterably charming, and transcendently cool.
- Mike McGuirk]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>George McCrae</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2477&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:33 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2477</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">George McCrae</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2477&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2477&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Ike Turner</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3087&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:56:08 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.3087</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.3087</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Ike Turner</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.3087</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3087&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3087&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Ike Turner's infamous lifestyle has obscured the fact that he was a pioneer in the infusion of R&B into the realm of rock -- one need only examine the credits on early Sun Records releases for proof. His hopped-up swamp boogie and blues of the old days still pack a punch.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Irma Thomas</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2978&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>New Orleans R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:46:50 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2978</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Irma Thomas</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2978</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2978&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2978&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Irma Thomas may be one of the most ripped-off artists of all time, thanks to the Stones' heartless swiping of her signature song, "Time Is on My Side." The rancor sits to this day in a woman hailed as the Soul Queen of New Orleans. In the early '60s, Thomas and local genius Allen Toussaint produced a catalog of timeless ballads and Soul hits that boasted the double whammy of Toussaint's expert songcraft and Thomas' singing. Her voice could express such ache and emotion that listening was as painful as it was cathartic. Her songs roll along at the leisurely pace of life in a hot, boozy city, with Toussaint's flourishing piano supporting Thomas' radiant delivery and R&B-flavored backing vocals. Thomas continues to record, trying her hand at Gospel, Soul and more. This is romantic, yearning music with the pulse of New Orleans running through it.]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Duane Allman</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.5352&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Southern Rock</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:49:11 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Duane Allman</rhap:artist>
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<title>Dorothy Norwood</title>
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<category>Urban/Contemporary Gospel</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:09:51 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Dorothy Norwood</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[This former member of the powerhouse Gospel troupe the Caravans sings rousing, R&B-based spirituals in a commanding sandpaper rasp. Often supported by a piano-driven soul band, she can move the heart as well as the booty.
- Mike McGuirk]]></description>
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<title>Tony Joe White</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.371&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Country Soul</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:50:19 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Tony Joe White</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[There's a photograph of Tony Joe White floating about the Internet. He's smoking while strolling through a bayou jungle bare-chested, a guitar slung over his shoulder and black leather pants suctioned to his legs. He looks a lot like Elvis during his '68 comeback special, only cooler. A child of Louisiana with Cherokee blood flowing through his veins, White helped invent swamp rock in the late '60s with hits like "Polk Salad Annie," a murky fusion of stripped-down RnB and Hendrix-inspired wah-wah. Meanwhile, he became an in-demand songwriter after Dusty Springfield turned "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" into an instant classic, and Brook Benton followed suit with "Rainy Night in Georgia." By the '70s, White had toned down the lusty funk and transformed himself into an articulate singer-songwriter, one who detailed the complications of romance as well as the hardships of the Southern working class. Over the years the media-shy Louisianan has settled into cult artist status, scoring several more hits on the country charts. But in the end there can be no doubt that Tony Joe White, nicknamed the Swamp Fox, is indeed one of the coolest dudes to ever to wear black leather pants.
- Justin Farrar]]></description>
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<title>Archie Bell &amp; the Drells</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.12525&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:35 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Archie Bell &amp; the Drells</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[Archie Bell streamlined James Brown by polishing his R&B tunes like gleaming chrome Cadillac hubcaps. He only had one monster hit, but "Tighten Up" (1968) is the <i>Citizen Kane</i> of feel-good dance songs: perfection at 45 RPM. The Vietnam War sidelined Bell, but he bounced back by helping define the Philly Soul movement of the '70s.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>Little Milton</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2858&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Urban Blues</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:01 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Little Milton</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[Known as both a stinging blues guitarist and a powerful Soul singer, this Mississippi native has long made a name for himself by combining the best of those two worlds. Since the 1950s, he's recorded for top-notch labels like Sun, Chess, Stax, and Malaco, alternating between straight Electric Blues (most of his Sun catalog), horn-driven, Funk-tinged Soul Blues ("That's What Love Will Make You Do"), and pure Memphis soul ("Grits Ain't Groceries (All Around the World)"). Throughout his career, he's proven able to adapt his blues-rooted sensibilities to a variety of settings, without losing that all-important visceral quality.
- Will York]]></description>
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<title>The Contours</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1502&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Motown</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:49:13 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">The Contours</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.1502&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
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<title>Clarence "Frogman" Henry</title>
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<category>New Orleans R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:39:12 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Clarence "Frogman" Henry</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[R&B singer Clarence "Frogman" Henry (so named for his trademark croak) was born and raised on the west bank of the Mississippi River in the Algiers section of New Orleans in 1937. He got his start singing at talent shows, where he would perform dressed as his hero, Professor Longhair. Henry is best known for the novelty gem "Ain't Got No Home." The single kicked off his career in 1956, and while he also scored a handful of minor subsequent hits, Henry never quite duplicated the success of that debut song. Regardless, he has made a life of the song, touring as the Beatles' opening act in 1964 and for decades performing for tourists on Bourbon Street in his hometown.
- Mike McGuirk]]></description>
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<title>Conya Doss</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.56143&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:19:44 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Conya Doss</rhap:artist>
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<title>Eddie Floyd</title>
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<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:40 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[Renowned composer for more celebrated singers such as Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd cracked the charts twelve times as a performer in the late 1960s. Because he was merely Very Good in an era of Greats, Floyd isn't always remembered as fondly as some of the artists who had hits with his material; but in his prime, he was a solid vocalist who was at his best on driving numbers with a lot of bottom like "Raise Your Hand" and "Big Bird." "Knock on Wood," perhaps his most famous song, is a perfect example of what Floyd did best: simple lyrics sunk precisely in the pocket of an irresistible groove.
- Tim Quirk]]></description>
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<title>Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs</title>
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<category>'50s Rock 'n' Roll</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:49:46 -0700</pubDate>
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<title>Yahzarah</title>
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<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:52:46 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=58&amp;rws=%2Fsoul-r-b%2Fclassic-r-b%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Classic R&amp;B Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<title>Urban Mystic</title>
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<category>Classic R&amp;B</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 6 Oct 2009 09:54:04 -0700</pubDate>
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