Arthur Conley
b. 1 April 1946, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Recalled as something of a one-hit wonder, this Otis Redding protégé remains underrated. Initially signed to his mentor's Jotis label, further singles were leased to Volt and Staxbefore Sweet Soul Music (1967) hit both the US R&B and pop charts. A thin reworking of Sam Cooke's Yeah Man, saw the song's original lyrics amended to pay homage to several contemporary soul singers. Although Funky Street was a US Top 20 hit, Redding's tragic death forestalled Conley's progress. Minor successes followed throughout 1968 and 1969 before the singer switched to the Capricorn label in 1971. Conley's debut album, SWEET SOUL MUSIC, is a strong collection, highlighted by each of his first five singles and two Redding originals. Conley is still to be found on '60s package tour revivals