Solomon Burke
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Solomon Burke (born March 21, 1940 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a soul and country music pioneer and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He began his adult life as a preacher in Philadelphia, and soon moved on to hosting a gospel radio show. In the 1960s, he signed with Atlantic Records and began moving towards more secular music. His first hit was "Just Out Of Reach Of My Open Arms", a cover of a country song. Though well-received by both peers and critics, and attaining a few moderate pop and several major R&B hits, Burke never could quite break through into the mainstream as did Sam Cooke or Otis Redding. Burke's biggest hit was a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary".
In 1964 he wrote and recorded "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love," Burke's most prominent bid for an enduring soul standard. Almost immediately covered by the Rolling Stones the same year, other well-known versions include one by Wilson Pickett and another a decade and a half later in the 1980 feature film by The Blues Brothers.
His career was to some degree revived in 2002, with the release of Don't Give Up On Me, where he sang songs written specifically for the album by various top-rank artists, including Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits.
He is featured in the 2004 movie Lightning in a Bottle singing "Turn on Your Love Light" and "Down in the Valley"
In 2005 he appeared as a guest with Jools Holland on his autumn tour of the UK.
As of October 2002 Burke was the father of 14 daughters and 7 sons with 64 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Several of his children and grandchildren have had successful careers in various facets of the music industry, though none as much so as their patriarch.
Discography
- 1962 - Solomon Burke (Kenwood)
- 1964 - Rock 'n' Soul (Atlantic)
- 1965 - The Rest of Solomon Burke (Atlantic)
- 1968 - I Wish I Knew (Atlantic)
- 1968 - King Solomon (Sequel)
- 1969 - Proud Mary
- 1972 - King Heavy
- 1972 - Electronic Magnetism
- 1974 - I Have a Dream
- 1975 - Back to My Roots
- 1975 - Music to Make Love By
- 1979 - Sidewalks, Fences & Walls
- 1979 - Lord We Need a Miracle
- 1979 - Get up and Do Something
- 1981 - King of Rock 'n' Soul
- 1983 - Take Me, Shake Me [live]
- 1985 - Soul Alive!
- 1986 - A Change Is Gonna Come
- 1990 - Into My Life You Came
- 1990 - This Is His
- 1990 - Homeland
- 1993 - Soul of the Blues
- 1994 - Live at House of Blues
- 1997 - Definition of Soul
- 1998 - We Need a Miracle
- 1999 - Not by Water But Fire This Time
- 2002 - Soulman
- 2002 - Don't Give Up On Me
- 2002 - The Incredible Solomon Burke at His Best
- 2003 - The Apollo Album
- 2005 - Make Do With What You Got
