George Jackson - In Memphis 1972-1977 [Remastered] (2009)

George Jackson is one of the legendary names of southern soul. As a songwriter he has been responsible for scores of breathtaking songs the past 50-odd years. He has written beautiful southern soul gems for the likes of Spencer Wiggins, James Carr and Johnny Taylor but has been versatile enough to write One Bad Apple for the Osmonds, Old Time Rock and Roll for Bob Seger and to see his Only Way Is Up become a UK number one for Yazz.

As a performer he is revered for his beautifully versatile tenor voice, but his records were released on a variety of labels over a number of years and as such he never achieved anything like the success he should have done. This compilation mixes both released and unreleased cuts from his time in Memphis throughout the middle part of the seventies, and is the first of its kind.

Our release features the three tracks that he cut for Hi Records in 1972 on his return to Memphis. They are the first flowering of a style that he would fully explore over the next six or so years, and include the astounding Aretha, Sing One For Me. To these tracks we bring you all of his released tracks from his time at Sounds Of Memphis Recordings. These were the three singles released via MGM, the super-rare Macking On You which was leased to Chess and the impossible-to-find collectable on ER Music Talking About The Love I Have For You backed with I Don't Need You No More which would set you back £500 in the UK if you could ever find one.

Throughout the period that he was at Sounds Of Memphis Jackson also recorded many demos for prospective singles. The rest of our compilation is made up with tracks from this stash such as the glorious All In Your Mind and Dear Abby, which was also recorded by Clarence Carter on his 1975 LP. We bring you seven previously unheard masters and all are classic slices of Southern soul.