Lou Pride

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Lou Pride
Birth nameGeorge Louis Pride
Born(1944-05-24)May 24, 1944
Chicago, Illinois, United States
DiedJune 5, 2012(2012-06-05) (aged 68)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
GenresBlues, soul[1]
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1960s–2012
LabelsVarious including Ichiban, Curtom and Severn
Websitewww.loupride.com

Lou Pride (May 24, 1944 – June 5, 2012)[2] was an American blues and soul singer and songwriter.[1] Some sources state his year of birth was 1950.[3] He is best known for his compositions "Long Arm of the Blues" and "Love From a Stone".[3] Pride had a cult following among British Northern soul aficionados.[4]

Before his death, Allmusic noted that Pride had a "smooth, uptown southern voice,"[5] and was "more known for performances in blues clubs and festivals than his artistry in the studio."[6]

Biography[edit]

He was born George Louis Pride,[3] in Chicago, Illinois, United States.[1] Pride grew up on Chicago's north side and attended the First Baptist Church, where the pastor was Nat King Cole's father.[1][2]

After conscription in the United States Army,[2] Pride met and married a female singer and they settled in El Paso, Texas.[1] They performed as a singing duo before, after seeing B.B. King perform live, Pride concentrated his singing future around the blues and soul music genres.[7] Pride recorded his first two singles in the early 1970s. These were "I'm Com'un Home In The Morn'un" (1972) and "Your Love Is Fading," both released by Suemi Records.[1][8] After relocating to New Mexico, he recorded sporadically while constantly performing in blues clubs and at festivals on the Chitlin' Circuit.[9] Other tracks of his that were released over this period included "Look Out on Love," "We're Only Fooling Ourselves," "You've Got to Work for Love," and "Been Such a Long Time."[1]

Pride's debut album was entitled, Very Special (1979), which was released by Black Gold Entertainment. Several singles were issued before Gone Bad for a Very Special Reason (1988) was released, which had an almost an identical playlist to his debut effort.[1]

After returning to Chicago, he became acquainted with Curtis Mayfield, which saw Gone Bad Again (1990) being issued.[2] However, Pride's recordings remained second place to performing live. The WMB Records release, Love at Last (1995), contained re-recordings of several of Pride's earlier cuts. His 1997 Ichiban release was Twisting the Knife, followed by I Won't Give Up (2000).[1] Pride signed a recording contract with Severn Records in 2002, which preceded his first release for them, Words of Caution.[9] His early 1970s recordings were collected on the compilation album, The Memphis/El Paso Sessions 1970–1973, which Severn issued in June 2003.[10] Allmusic noted that the collection "remains a treasure trove of previously obscure soul music that spotlights one of the many great singers almost lost to history."[11]

In 2004, Pride undertook a brief tour in the UK. Alongside Darrell Nulisch, Pride was also the headline act at the Severn Records Soul and Blues Revue, in Chicago, in 2006.[8] Snippets of his composition, "Bringin' Me Back Home," were used in the 2007 film, Feast of Love.[7] Pride's appearance at the Severn Soul Review in 2010 was a significant comeback. He had been booked to appear in 2004, but he had had a heart attack before he could perform.[12]

Following a period of ill health, Pride died in Chicago in June 2012 of natural causes. He was aged 68.[2][13]

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

Year Title Label
1979 Very Special Black Gold Entertainment
1988 Gone Bad for a Very Special Reason Black Gold Entertainment
1990 Gone Bad Again Curtom/Ichiban
1995 Love at Last WMB Records
1997 Twisting the Knife[5] Ichiban
2000 I Won't Give Up[6] Icehouse Records
2002 Words of Caution Severn
2003 The Memphis/El Paso Sessions 1970–1973[14] Severn
2005 Keep on Believing[15] Severn

[16]

Selected singles[edit]

Year Title Label
1970 "I'm Com'un Home In The Morn'un"[17] Suemi Records
1970 "It's A Man's World" Suemi Records
1970 "Lonely Room" (with Bobby Gamble & Oliver Lacy) Suemi Records
1975 "Phoney People" Gemco Records
1978 "If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Want To Be Right" Black Gold Records
1979 "Very Special" Black Gold
1984 "Been Such A Long Time" Onyx Records
1986 "Gone Bad" Black Gold
1988 "I Found A Love" Black Gold
1990 "I Didn't Take Your Woman Curtom Records

[18]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Lou Pride | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Lou Pride Obituary: View Lou Pride's Obituary by News Sun". Legacy.suburbanchicagonews.com. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  3. ^ a b c Doc Rock. "2012 January To June". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  4. ^ Wilson, Andrew (2007). Northern Soul (1st ed.). Cullompton, Devon, England: Willan Publishing. p. 37. ISBN 9781-84392-208-7.
  5. ^ a b Andrew Hamilton (1997-10-21). "Twisting the Knife – Lou Pride | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  6. ^ a b Andrew Hamilton (2000-06-27). "I Won't Give Up – Lou Pride | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  7. ^ a b "Chicago singer Lou Pride 'was naturally soul blues' – Chicago Sun-Times". Suntimes.com. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  8. ^ a b "Lou Pride Biography". OLDIES.com. 1950-05-24. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  9. ^ a b "Soul-Blues Singer Lou Pride, R.I.P". Blues.about.com. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  10. ^ "Lou Pride's Biography – Free listening, concerts, stats, & pictures at". Last.fm. 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  11. ^ Hal Horowitz (2003-06-24). "The Memphis/El Paso Sessions 1970–73 – Lou Pride | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  12. ^ "Lou Pride – All About the SOUL – Soul Source Rare and Northern Soul". Soul-source.co.uk. 16 November 2004. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  13. ^ "Chicago blues man Lou Pride dies at 68 | SoulTracks – Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews". SoulTracks. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  14. ^ "Lou Pride". Soulbluesmusic.com. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  15. ^ Hal Horowitz (2005-10-18). "Keep on Believing – Lou Pride | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  16. ^ "Lou Pride | Discography". AllMusic. 2012-06-05. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  17. ^ "I'm Com'un Home In The Morn'un/I'm Com'un Home In The Morn'un Inst – Lou Pride,Southwind Symohony | Releases". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  18. ^ "Lou Pride Discography at Discogs". Discogs.com. 1950-05-24. Retrieved 2013-08-08.

External links[edit]

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