UNSUNG HEROES OF SOUL #Atlantic Records

A Mississippi native, Margie Joseph established a strong cult following among soul-music collectors despite a lack of commercial success and critical attention.

King Curtis was a legendary saxophonist who played on hit songs by Fats Domino, the Coasters, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway, the Rascals, and John Lennon (among many others).

Bettye LaVette wallowed in obscurity for forty years until her career finally took off in the 2000s.

Barbara Lewis is a purveyor of “smooth soul” who wrote several of her own hits.

Barbara Lynn is a songwriter and left-handed guitarist who often straddles the line between blues and Southern soul.

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

Led by Whitney Houston's mother Cissy, the Sweet Inspirations were an in-demand back-up group who appeared on acclaimed recordings by Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, Jimi Hendrix, and Van Morrison (among many others).