My 2 favorite blue-eyed soul singers- Rich Restaino and Wayne Cochran

If you know me at all you know I am kind of a musical racist... I own a few thousand records and maybe 2% of those are not artists of color. I don't know what it is it's just what I like. Today I am going to pay small tribute to two of my favorites. Let's start with Wayne:



This is an obviously strange mid-tempo rock cover of the classic Otis song, "I Can't Turn You Loose." So much has been said about Wayne over the years but no one can deny that he is a song stylist. I love the arrangement on this one and on the B-side.

"If I Was A Carpenter" is a classic. Say what you will about the song but there are so many great versions (Eldridge Holmes' is among my favorite)done in so many styles that it keeps the song interesting after all these years. When I first heard this version, the B of "Can't Turn You Loose" I thought he was singing it to the tune of, "With a Little Help From My Friends."



My other favorite blue-eyed soul (as well as every other type of genre known to man) singer is Rich Restaino. He has been in the Austin scene a long time and happens to be my best friend. Him and his Obits have a new cd coming out and from what I have heard it's going to be amazing and hopefully will get them the recognition they deserve. Go check out their release party if you're in Austin and if not make sure to order one from the man himself- www.richrestaino.com. Go to his website to check out amother track from the upcoming disc called, "Suzie." Note- This is the only time in the history of this blog that I will talk about a cd... this one is just worth it and I am trying to convince him to press some vinyl.

I have here a www.talkinloud45.com exclusive sneak preview of a track from the forthcoming cd, not availible anywhere else. The song, though not yet pressed on vinyl is about vinyl and was written by a vinyl addict in Austin, TX and it is called, "(Save it for the) B-Side."