91-track box gathering hits and rarities from 1966: the year that soul music broke big.

Key artists include Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam And Dave, Carla Thomas, Ben E. King, Arthur Conley, Booker T. & The M.G.s, Darrell Banks, Solomon Burke, Esther Phillips, William Bell, Doris Troy and Mary Wells.

1966 has been heralded as a boom year for rock music, but it was also a peak for soul, the sounds coming out of Memphis, Detroit, New York, Chicago et al exploding into the US charts and influencing pop music in America and beyond. This box tells part of that story with tracks taken from legendary Memphis southern soul label Stax, New Yorks Atlantic Records, Warner Brothers imprint Loma that became a favourite of the UK northern soul scene and more.

Hits include Wilson Picketts Land Of 1,000 Dances (US R&B #1, US #6), Sam And Daves Hold On Im Comin (US R&B #1, US #21), Eddie Floyds Knock On Wood (US R&B #1, US #28), Carla Thomas B-A-B-Y (US R&B #3, US #14), Otis Reddings Try A Little Tenderness (R&B #4, US #25) and Darrell Banks Open The Door To Your Heart (US R&B #2, US #27).

Theres northern soul floorfillers such as Darrell Banks Our Love Is In The Pocket, The Marvellos Somethings Burnin, The Blossoms Thats When The Tears Start, Bobby Womacks Find Me Somebody, Mary Wells Keep Me In Suspense, Charles Thomas The Man With The Golden Touch, and Bobby McNutts Im Gettin Ready.

This isnt just about hits, theres B-sides, obscurities and a couple of Loma tracks that were unissued until the 21st century. The focus may be mainly on the dancefloor but theres also room for a few deep soul numbers such as Jeff Dales sublime A Suffering Pain.

Notes are by MOJO and Record Collector soul expert Lois Wilson.

Mastering is by Grammy nominated archivist/producer Alec Palao who discovered The Marvellos stomping I Need You (featured here) when he digitised the Loma tape archive.

Everything on Soul 66 is licensed from Warner Bros.

DISC ONE
1 Ben E. King I Cant Break The News To Myself
2 Esther Phillips Just Say Goodbye
3 The Apollas Just Cant Get Enough Of You
4 The Blossoms Thats When The Tears Start
5 Little Joe Cook Dont You Have Feelings
6 Ray Sharpe Help Me (Get The Feelin) Part 1
7 Arthur Conley Whos Fooling Who
8 Rufus And Carla Thomas Never Let You Go
9 Gate Wesley & Band (Vocal Billy Lamont) Do The Thing
10 Johnnie Taylor Changes
11 Dick Jenson & The Imports Back In Circulation
12 Charles Thomas The Man With The Golden Touch
13 Ruby Johnson Weak Spot
14 Sam & Dave Hold On Im Comin
15 The Coasters Saturday Night Fish Fry
16 Eddie Floyd Things Get Better (When Im With You)
17 Derek Martin Bumper To Bumper
18 Percy Sledge Love Me Like You Mean It
19 Ruby Johnson Ill Run Your Hurt Away
20 Jeff Dale A Suffering Pain
21 The Invincibles Cant Win
22 Paul Days Wake Me Up Baby
23 The Dolls The Reason Why
24 Vala Reegan And The Valarons Fireman
25 The Romeos Mon Petite Chow
26 Darrell Banks Open The Door To Your Heart
27 Bobby McNutt Im Gettin Ready
28 The Four Shells Hot Dog (My Babys Comin Home)
29 Otis Redding – Cigarettes and Coffee
30 The Mar-Keys Plantation Inn
31 Mable John Your Good Thing (Is About To End)

DISC TWO
1 Doris Troy Ill Do Anything
2 Darrell Banks Our Love (Is In The Pocket)
3 The Marvellos Somethings Burnin
4 The Four Shells Reputation
5 Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers Sock It To Em J.B. Part 1
6 Bonnie My Love Keeps Growin
7 Otis Redding Dont Mess With Cupid
8 Wilson Pickett Ninety-Nine And A Half (Wont Do)
9 William Bell Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need)
10 Larry Laster Help Yourself
11 Delilah Kennebruew Bright Lights
12 The Marvellos I Need You
13 Mary Wells Keep Me In Suspense
14 Mary Lee Whitney Dont Come A Knockin
15 Larry Laster Go For Yourself
16 Eddie Floyd Knock On Wood
17 Carla Thomas B-A-B-Y
18 The Soul Shakers Im Getting Weaker
19 Booker T. & The M.G.s My Sweet Potato
20 Solomon Burke Lawdy Miss Clawdy
21 Wilson Pickett Land Of 1,000 Dances
22 Sam & Dave Said I Wasnt Gonna Tell Nobody
23 Herbie Mann Philly Dog
24 The Capitols Zig Zagging
25 Brother Jack McDuff Gonna Hang Me Up A Sign
26 King Curtis Dancing In The Streets
27 Ted Taylor Help The Bear
28 Solomon Burke Keep Looking
29 The Invincibles Got A Thing Goin
30 Booker T. & The M.G.s Booker-Loo

DISC THREE
1 Arthur Conley I Cant Stop (No, No, No)
2 J. J. Jackson But Its Alright
3 William Bell Never Like This Before
4 The Mad Lads Patch My Heart
5 Darrell Banks Somebody (Somewhere) Needs You
6 The Marketts Stirrin Up Some Soul
7 Deon Jackson Thats What You Do To Me
8 Lorraine Ellison I Got My Baby Back
9 Rufus Thomas Sisters Got A Boyfriend
10 Cliff Nobles My Love Is Getting Stronger
11 Dee Dee Sharp Bye Bye Baby
12 Percy Sledge Heart Of A Child
13 Barbara Lewis I Remember The Feeling
14 The Capitols We Got A Thing Thats In The Groove
15 Tamiko Jones With Herbie Mann Sidewinder
16 King Curtis Pots And Pans Part 1
17 Sam & Dave You Got Me Hummin
18 The Drifters Baby What I Mean
19 Ben E. King What Is Soul?
20 Clarence Carter Tell Daddy
21 Johnnie Taylor Toe-Hold
22 Wilson Pickett Three Time Loser
23 Darlene Love Too Late To Say Youre Sorry
24 Otis Redding – Otis Redding Try A Little Tenderness
25 Carla Thomas Something Good (Is Going To Happen To You)
26 The Delacardos Shes The One I Love
27 The Teen Turbans We Need To Be Loved
28 Bobby Womack Find Me Somebody
29 Esther Phillips Fever
30 Patti Labelle & The Bluebelles Take Me For A Little While