Feature Story April 2002

Solomon Burke

Phot0 © Tom Hunnewll 2001

by Rev. James Earlybird

4/11, 8pm, Oral History @ EMP's JBL Theatre; 4/12 @ EMP/Sky Church, Seattle, 8pm

Solomon Burke the former "Boy Wonder"preacher from Philadelphia has been recording for over 50 years, amassing a total of 17 million selling gold records. Spiritual leader of a national religious movement with a membership of over fifty-thousand souls. Burke is one of the few entertainers to be successful in both R&B soul and gospel, with approximately 30 gospel albums and 76 secular (R&B soul) LPs. This father of 21, that's right, 21 offspring, can also play a mean bluesy guitar, organ and harp. His hefty size has slowed him somewhat in movement but the pipes are as strong as ever. In addition to his musical enterprises, Burke owns & operates five funeral homes in California, along with five Western Union franchises, a patent medicine company, and record & publishing companies.

Solomon Burke's next CD "Don't Give Up On Me" will be released in July on Fat Possum Records. Burke is coming to Seattle's EMP for the Pop Music Studies Conference, 4/12-14. Don't miss this soul revue with the High Priest, the King of Rockin' Soul, the Rev. Dr. King Solomon Burke.

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© 2002