Soul 1st Records: Press

Week Artist Title Label
1 1 Vick Allen Forbidden Love Affair Soul 1st
5 2 Willie Clayton Dance the Night Away C&C
6 3 Lenny Williams Cheatin’ on Cheatin’ LenTom
2 4 Ms. Jody Only a Fool Would Cheat… Ecko
3 5 Wilson Meadows I’m Missing You M&M/Brimstone
4 6 Lacee I Ran a Good Man Away Advantage
8 7 Omar Cunningham Right Woman Soul 1st
11 8 Theo Peoples You Fit the Bill RLT
13 9 J. Blackfoot Meow JEA
7 10 Zac Harmon Older Woman Northern Blues
12 11 Charles Wilson You Got the Sex Appeal CDS
14 12 Will Easley I Love You and Always Will CDS
10 13 Shirley Brown Upside Down Malaco
9 14 Luther Lackey I Don’t Care Who’s Getting It Ecko
15 15 Carl Sims If You Can’t Help Me Ecko
16 16 Chairmen of the Board That’s My Story Surfside
18 17 JOUS Band What You Gonna Do Tuskk
17 18 Mel Waiters Everything Going Up Waldoxy
19 19 Barbara Carr It’s Only You CDS
20 20 Ricky White & Betty Padgett Come Back Home Brimstone

BAMA R&B Winner signs with Soul1st Records

Birmingham, AL…Soul1st Records, LLC based in Birmingham, AL has signed local R&B singer, Mose Stovall, who recently won the Birmingham Area Music Award (BAMA) as Best R&B Artist to a record deal. The record company is set to release Mose Stovall’s first album this summer. Soul1st executive, Reg McDaniel, said that his company wanted to sign a local artist with the best potential to sell records worldwide. “In order to establish Soul1st Records as a true player in the music industry, we had to find someone with the voice and talent that is appealing to soul music lovers everywhere and Mose has the talent and voice.”

Mose Stovall, a native of Birmingham began his singing career in church at the age of 12. He has sung for the Birmingham Civic Opera, Birmingham All City Choir, and The State of Alabama Choral Ensemble. He has performed with soul acts such as Willie Clayton and Omar Cunningham. In 2005, Mose formed his current back-up band called “Pharcyde” and they quickly gained a solid reputation playing clubs in Birmingham and around the Southeast.

Mose said he first heard of Soul1st Records in 2005 when he heard their group, DayBreakk! on local radio stations. “I loved the “On & On” record by DayBreakk! and the direction and style of Southern Soul and R&B music the label was producing. I had my manager approach them about a deal and they liked my voice and we’ve been working since the first of this year on my upcoming album,” Stovall said.

Soul1st writer and producer, Winkie Hall, said the album will contain 11 tracks targeted at the Southern Soul/R&B market. The first single is “Groove U Baby”, a sure fire up-tempo track that is radio friendly to both Southern Soul and mainstream R&B stations, Hall said. The track “Blue” has the potential to go mainstream with the right promotion and exposure. Hall said the duo with R&B star, Omar Cunningham called “Party” will be a big hit. “It has all the right ingredients that will make fans dance and bop their heads for sure.” Hall said Cunningham provides background vocals on several tracks and is also featured on the tracks; “Been There Done That”, and “Don’t Stop the Music”.

Mose said this is an opportunity he has waited on a long time. “I’ve been close to deals and had broken promises in the past, but I feel like this is my year, with winning the BAMA and now with my first full-length record coming out. The fans, especially the ladies will love what they hear and I can’t wait to get out on the road to promote the album.”

The new record by Mose Stovall is entitled, “Groove U” after the first single. The record will be available for sale at local music stores, on line at cdbaby.com and Soul1st.com. For more information contact Soul1st Records at 205.222.8656 or on line at Soul1st.com.

5 Star Review!!! Omar Cunningham
***** He's done it again. Actually better than before. A perfect Southern Soul single with "My Life". Like "Check To Check" and "I'll Get By" Cunningham has painted another aural picture sympathetic of the Everyman's life. It's tough out here. At the same time it's sentimental in it's earnest ruminations about his dear late Grandmother who "was the truth" and a "little nappy-headed boy" who "made it" despite humble beginnings. That little boy was Omar. And what an emotive, Gospel-inflected vocal! This midtempo swayer is simply inspiring and all hooks. Brilliant! It will be hard to find a better song in 2008. "A lot of things I had to go without/I still find it hard to talk about". That line gives me chills every time.

Like his previous LP's "Served" straddles the line between mainstream R & B and "Party Blues". The don't-get-caught-cheating song "The Same Soap" would easily pass for an R. Kelly song. It's a lift-up-your cup rhythm slyly reminiscent of Kelly's smash "Ignition (remix)". It's also a highly specific cheating tale. TMI? He says he's gotta "smell the same when I get home" so he needs the "same soap" he showered with at the crib. In one sense he complains about how suspicious and investigative his woman is but looks like she's justified. Better is the faithful-minded "The Right Woman", a bumper featuring fellow Soul1st Records artists Daybreakk! who send the refrain through the stratosphere with their harmonies. The party dancers continue with "This Old Music", "Check To Check 2008" and the steppin' "That's My Jam", which could hit the mainstream charts if the "Blues" label doesn't hold Omar back.

On the slow tip Omar only has only a couple peers (Willie Clayton and Steve Perry) and this time he serves up the piano ballad "Could You Be", the autobiographical "Ain't Nothing Changed" and the clever "The Beauty Shop". Here he gets busted when his girl hears gossip about Omar when she's getting her hair done. She said "The beauty shop is putting our business in the street". Forget about the soap Omar you can't wash away the 411. Anyway the skinny on Omar and this album is you'd be a sho' nuff fool not to buy it!

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