The Story of Soul in 50 Songs
Hardcover
Blues & SoulGeneral MusicMusic Reference
Publisher Price: $49.99
ISBN13: 9780764372193
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
Published: Oct 28 2026
Pages: 208
Weight: 0.10
Language: English
The Story of Soul in 50 Songs is a richly illustrated, rhythmic journey through some of the most powerful and influential music of the twentieth century.
Spanning the period 1957 to 1974, it brings together pioneering, gospel-inspired early releases by Sam Cooke and Ray Charles with era-defining anthems by Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. It delves into the social consciousness of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Curtis Mayfield, while exploring a range of sounds that covers everything from Etta James's funky grit to the Spinners' smooth urban grooves.
Blending musical insight with social history, award-winning author Scott B. Bomar guides readers through a carefully curated selection of tracks that define the sound and the spirit--the passion, protest, heartbreak, and celebration--of soul, revealing how these songs transcended the charts to help shape the culture of the time, and why they still resonate so powerfully today.
Learn the stories behind such seminal, generational recordings as Dancing in the Street, A Change Is Gonna Come, In the Midnight Hour, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, and Respect Yourself.
Meet the artists, producers, songwriters, and musicians whose songs gave voice to joy and struggle, and whose records changed the landscape of popular music.
Explore the world of soul through more than 250 vivid images, including record label artwork, vintage concert posters, and archival photographs.
Also in
Blues & Soul
It's No Wonder: The Life and Times of Motown's Legendary Songwriter Sylvia Moy
Christian, Margena A.
Hardcover
One Step Away: My Story of the Andantes, Motown, and the Women Behind the Sound of Young America
Demps, Louvain
Milliken, Paul
Hardcover
The Music Lover's Guide to North America: Museums, Historical Sites, and Other Points of Interest
Jones, Craig
Matyas, Josephine
Paperback
R. Crumb's Heroes of Blues, Jazz & Country: Portraits of the Pioneers Who Shaped American Music [With CD Audio]
Crumb, R.
Hardcover
Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday
Davis, Angela Y.
Paperback
The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic
de Visé, Daniel
Paperback
Picturing Prince: An Intimate Portrait: A Intimate Portrait Featuring Unseen Photography
Parke, Steve
Hardcover
Dancing with Muddy: Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, and My Lucky Life in and Out of the Blues
Portnoy, Jerry
Paperback
101 Blues Riffs &Solos in Open D Guitar Tuning: Essential Lessons for Open D (DADF#AD) Guitar Tuning
Robitaille, Brent
Paperback
Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song, and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis
Lauterbach, Preston
Paperback
Do Not Sell at Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78 RPM Records
Petrusich, Amanda
Paperback
Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sound
Brooks, Daphne A.
Paperback
Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard on You?: A Memoir
Clinton, George
Paperback
Delta Blues: The Life and Times of the Mississippi Masters Who Revolutionized American Music
Gioia, Ted
Paperback
The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song from Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed
Serrano, Shea
Paperback
The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic
de Visé, Daniel
Hardcover
Make My Funk the P-Funk: Parliament-Funkadelic's Meteoric Rise in 1975 from Chocolate City to Mothership Connection
Bedrosian, Daniel
Hardcover
Inside the Moment: Iconic Blues, Soul, Jazz, Rock, and R&B Images and History
Rosen, Joseph A.
Hardcover
The Complete 4-String Cigar Box Guitar Chord Book: 4-String Cigar Box Guitar Chords in GDGB Tuning
Robitaille, Brent C.
Paperback
The Quiet Storm: A Historical and Cultural Analysis of the Power, Passion, and Pain of R&B Groups
Roberts, Amani
Hardcover
The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll: The Illustrated Story of Sun Records and the 70 Recordings That Changed the World
Guralnick, Peter
Escott, Colin
Hardcover
The Ballad of Blind Willie Johnson: Race, Redemption, and the Soul of an American Artist
Ford, Shane
Hardcover
Gary Moore's Guitar Style: The Authorised Guide to the Soloing Techniques of Guitar Legend Gary Moore
Daisley, Bob
Garland, Rob
Alexander, Joseph
Paperback
King of the Delta Blues: The Life and Music of Charlie Patton
Komara, Edward
Wardlow, Gayle Dean
Calt, Stephen
Paperback
Mississippi Juke Joint Confidential: House Parties, Hustlers & the Blues Life
Stolle, Roger
Paperback
But Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: An Oral History of the '60s Girl Groups
Flam, Laura
Liebowitz, Emily Sieu
Hardcover
Party Music: The Inside Story of the Black Panthers' Band and How Black Power Transformed Soul Music
Vincent, Rickey
Paperback
La guía completa para tocar guitarra de blues Libro 1: Guitarra rítmica
Alexander, Joseph
Paperback
A Little Bit of Bowie: An Unofficial Celebration of the Most Influential Musician of All Time
Summersdale Publishers
Hardcover
100 Funk Grooves for Electric Bass: Learn 100 Bass Guitar Riffs & Licks in the Style of the Funk Legends
Hawkins, Dan
Alexander, Joseph
Paperback
100 Slide Licks For Blues Guitar: Master 100 Slide Guitar Licks in the Style of the World's 20 Greatest Blues Players
Clay, Levi
Alexander, Joseph
Paperback
Advanced Blues Guitar Soloing: Move Beyond Pentatonics to Solo with Advanced Scales, Arpeggios & Substitutions
Baxter, Shaun
Alexander, Joseph
Paperback
The World Don't Owe Me Nothing: The Life and Times of Delta Bluesman Honeyboy Edwards
Edwards, David Honeyboy
Paperback
Clean Living Under Difficult Circumstances: A Life in Mod - From the Revival to Acid Jazz
Piller, Eddie
Paperback
101 Riffs and Solos for 4-String Cigar Box Guitar: Essential Lessons for 4-String Slide Cigar Box Guitar
Robitaille, Brent C.
Paperback
Songbook Chromatic Harmonica - traditional Blues Songs: + Sounds Online
Boegl, Reynhard
Schipp, Bettina
Paperback
Come and Get These Memories: The Genius of Holland-Dozier-Holland, Motown's Incomparable Songwriters
Holland, Eddie
Holland, Brian
Paperback
I'll Take You There: Mavis Staples, the Staple Singers, and the March Up Freedom's Highway
Kot, Greg
Paperback
The Quiet Storm: A Historical and Cultural Analysis of the Power, Passion, and Pain of R&B Groups
Roberts, Amani
Paperback
The Hippest Trip in America: Soul Train and the Evolution of Culture & Style
George, Nelson
Paperback
Behind The Curtains: with The VOLCANOS Storm Warning And The Grammy Award Winning TRAMMPS Disco Inferno
Kelly, Stephen C.
Paperback
Blues Tab Guitar: Guitar tab basic techniques, Blues Scales, Blues Exercices (Several levels)
Master, Bluemsc
Paperback
Blues For Dummies [With Contains Over an Hour of Blues Classics...]
Baker Brooks, Wayne
Koda, Cub
Brooks, Lonnie
Paperback
The Soul Rhythm Guitar Book: Discover Authentic Soul Guitar Chords, Rhythms, Licks and Fills
Ryan, Stuart
Alexander, Joseph
Paperback
100 Essential Funk Grooves for Guitar: Master the Styles of the Funk Guitar Legends - From Jimmy Nolen to Cory Wong
Alexander, Joseph
Allworth, Steve
Paperback
300 Blues, Rock and Jazz Licks for Guitar: Learn 300 Classic Guitar Licks In The Style Of The World's 60 Greatest Players
Alexander, Joseph
Paperback
Robben Ford: Blues Guitar Phrasing Masterclass: Create Expressive Blues Guitar Solos with Powerful Phrasing, Articulation & Dynamics
Alexander, Joseph
Ford, Robben
Pettingale, Tim
Paperback
Modern Blues Guitar Soloing: Master The Art of Modern Blues-Rock Guitar in 100 Killer Licks
Pettingale, Tim
Alexander, Joseph
Smith, Josh
Paperback
The Ultimate Book of Blues Guitar Legends: The Players and Guitars That Shaped the Music
Prown, Pete
Hardcover
From the Shadow of the Blues: My Story of Music, Addiction, and Redemption
Hooker, John Lee
Hooker, John Lee, Jr.
Hardcover
