Solomon Burke

One of the last remaining voices of the great 1960s Southern pantheon that included Otis Redding and James Carr, Solomon Burke produces a benevolently gritty blend of gospel, country, and rhythm and blues that was successful on both the pop and R&B charts, and influenced iconic singers Van Morrison and Mick Jagger. His robust baritone has aged quite well, still scaling high notes with majestic conviction, remaining resolutely dignified even while emotively imploring, "Let Somebody Love Me." It's an elite song interpreter who can remake another's song into his own, which Burke gloriously achieves here, covering the Band's "Makes No Difference" and the Rolling Stones' "I Got the Blues," slathering each with a honey-thick soul sauce made from sumptuous Hammond B-3 organ, scintillatingly spare electric guitar, mournful horns, and a sanctified female chorus. Aside from King Solomon's '60s recordings for Atlantic and Bell, it doesn't get much better than this.