UNSUNG HEROES OF SOUL

The Persuaders were a New York City group, best known for 1971’s “Thin Line Between Love and Hate.”

Esther Phillips was a four-time Grammy nominee whose drug habit frequently interrupted her career.

The Platters were the #1 vocal group of the 1950s, but you might not think of them as a soul act. However, the '60s were a time of change and the group kept up.

James & Bobby Purify are remembered as one-hit wonders despite going top forty with four different songs.

In the early 1960s, the Radiants made a series of recordings for Chess that helped expedite the transition from doo-wop to soul.

Despite an extensive catalog of high-quality soul, Jackie Ross never transcended "one-hit wonder" status.

Jimmy Ruffin was the older brother of David Ruffin and the singer of the 1966 smash, "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?"

Freddie Scott had a top ten pop hit in 1963 and a #1 Rhythm & Blues hit in 1967. As Bill Dahl wrote for the "The Best of Freddie Scott" CD, “[He was] blessed with sleek pipes that grew grittier as the [1960s] progressed.”

Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson cracked the pop top forty three times in 1968 and ‘69. Starting in 1996, the former (as Peggy Scott-Adams) enjoyed a highly successful solo career.

Walter "Bunny" Sigler was a performer, songwriter and producer who was instrumental in the creation of the "Philly Soul" sound of the 1970s.

The Soul Children were one of only a few successful vocal groups to record at the Stax Studios in Memphis.

The Soul Clan was a musical and business collaboration between five Atlantic artists, which lasted from 1966-69.