Ann Lee Peebles
b. April 27th, 1947 in Kinloch (Missouri)
THIS IS ANN PEEBLES
Hi
Solid
1969
Septième de onze enfants (elle a 4 frères et 6 soeurs), elle nait à Kinloch dans la banlieue de Saint Louis. Elle chante dans la chorale Gospel de l'église et dans la formation familiale The Peebles Choir. Influencée par Tina Turner, Millie Jackson et par son père, Ann intègre une revue dirigée par Oliver Sain au milieu des années 60. Remarquée par Gene "Bowlegs" Miller en 1968 à Memphis, elle signe un contrat d'enregistrement avec le label Hi de Willie Mitchell. Son premier simple "Walk away" est composé par Oliver Sain. Elle grave son premier album à 22 ans, sa voix claire et sensible fait merveille. Accompagnée de remarquables musiciens (une section rythmique solide notamment) et de la production experte de Gene "Bowlegs" Miller ou de Willie Mitchell, ce premier opus rassemble de belles réussites comme "Crazy about you baby", "Make me yours" mais surtout le superbe "It's your thing", un des meilleurs morceaux de la sélection.
Seventh of eleven children (she has four brothers and six sisters), she is born in Kinloch in the suburbs of Saint Louis. She sings in the church's Gospel choir and the Peebles Choir, a family formation. Influenced by Tina Turner, Millie Jackson and her father, Ann joined a revue directed by Oliver Sain in the mid-1960's. Spotted by Gene "Bowlegs" Miller in 1968 in Memphis, she signed a recording contract with the Willie Mitchell's Hi label. Her first single "Walk away" is composed by Oliver Sain. She cuts her first album at 22, her clear and sensitive voice makes wonder. Accompanied by remarkable musicians (a solid rhythm section in particular) and the expert production of Gene "Bowlegs" Miller or Willie Mitchell, this first opus brings together great achievements like "Crazy about you baby", "Make me yours" but especially the beautiful "It's your thing", one of the best tracks of the selection.
PART TIME LOVE
Hi
London
Fat Possum
1969
Sa version du "Part time love" de Little Johnny Taylor est excitante et remarquable, bien supportée un groupe très homogène. D'ailleurs, ce titre obtient un succès notable qui permet Ann d'attirer l'attention du public. Mais on trouve aussi ici d'autres pistes excellentes dans la tradition Southern Soul : "I'll get along", "I still love you", "Generation gap between us", "Solid foundation". Il faut aussi signaler qu'il y a plusieurs titres en commun avec le premier album.
Her version of Little Johnny Taylor's "Part time love" is exciting and remarkable, well supported by a very homogeneous backing band. Moreover, this title gets a notable success that allows Ann to attract the attention of the public. But there are also other excellent tracks in the Southern Soul tradition : "I'll get along", "I still love you", "Generation gap between us", "Solid foundation". It should also be noted that there are several tracks in common with the first album.
STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART
Hi
London
Fat Possum
1970 - 1972
Pour ce superbe album, Ann bénéficie toujours du remarquable support d'un groupe somptueux : Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, Leroy Hodges, Howard Grimes, Charles Hodges et les Memphis Horns. La production de Willie Mitchell confère une densité et un dynamisme fulgurants à la musique. Son chant passionné et terriblement expressif fait merveille ici. Sommet de la Southern Soul, ce disque regorge de perles comme "Slipped tripped and fell in love", "How strong is a woman", "Trouble heartaches and sadness", "99 pounds". Ses reprises de "Breaking up somebody's home" et "I pity the fool" méritent également l'écoute. Un seul regret : cet album est trop court (26 minutes seulement).
For this superb album, Ann still benefits from the remarkable support of a sumptuous backing band : Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, Leroy Hodges, Howard Grimes, Charles Hodges and the Memphis Horns. Willie Mitchell's production brings a dazzling density and dynamism to the music. Her passionate and terribly expressive singing is a marvel here. At the top of Southern Soul, this album is full of pearls like "Slipped tripped and fell in love", "How strong is a woman", "Trouble heartaches and sadness", "99 pounds". Her covers of "Breaking up somebody's home" and "I pity the fool" are also worth listening to. One regret : this album is too short (26 minutes only).
I CAN'T STAND THE RAIN
Hi
London
Motown
Fat Possum
1972 - 1974
Fidèle au label Hi, Ann entre une nouvelle fois aux Royal Studios de Memphis avec ses musiciens et producteurs habituels. Son fameux hit "I can't stand the rain" fréquemment repris est effectivement un titre magnifique. Composé par Ann avec Don Bryant et le D.J. Bernard Miller, il demeure aujourd'hui son morceau le plus célèbre. D'ailleurs, la plupart des titres sont composés par le trio Don Bryant (qu'elle épouse en 1974), Bernard Miller, Ann Peebles. On retient également la magnifique ballade "Until you came into my life" mais aussi "Run run run", "If we can't trust each other" (composé par Earl Randle), "You got to feed the fire".
Faithful to the Hi label, Ann once again enters the Memphis' Royal Studios with her usual musicians and producers. Her famous hit "I can't stand the rain" frequently covered is indeed a magnificent title. Composed by Ann with Don Bryant and D.J. Bernard Miller, he remains today her most famous track. By the way, most titles are composed by the trio Don Bryant (whom she marries in 1974), Bernard Miller, Ann Peebles. We also remember the beautiful ballad "Until you came into my life" but also "Run run run", "If we can't trust each other" (composed by Earl Randle), "You got to feed the fire".
TELLIN' IT
Hi
London
Fat Possum
1975
Ce disque est rempli de nombreuses belles compositions (souvent dues à Willie Mitchell, Earl Randle ou Ann elle-même) comme "Come to mama", "I don't lend my man", "I needed somebody", "You can't hold a man", "Beware", "Love played a game". Même son Southern Soul comme précédemment et voix superbe.
This album is filled with many beautiful compositions (often due to Willie Mitchell, Earl Randle or Ann herself) like "Come to mama", "I don't lend my man", "I needed somebody", "You can't hold a man", "Beware", "Love played a game". Same Southern Soul sound as before and superb voice.
IF THIS IS HEAVEN
Hi
Fat Possum
1977
Avec cet album inégal s'amorce le déclin de la carrière d'Ann Peebles. A cause de l'arrivée du Disco, la Southern Soul n'est plus du tout à la mode et l'album est un échec commercial. De plus, la production et les arrangements, en voulant sonner plus contemporain, perdent la force des premiers enregistrements. On remarque le puissant "A good day for lovin'", la belle ballade Soul "I'm so thankful" (racontant son expérience de mère), "Games".
With this uneven album begins the decline of Ann Peebles' career. Due to the arrival of Disco, Southern Soul is no longer fashionable and the album is a commercial failure. In addition, the production and the arrangements, wanting to sound more contemporary, lose the strength of the first recordings. We can point out the powerful "A good day for lovin'", the beautiful Soul ballad "I'm so thankful" (recounting her experience as a mother), "Games".
THE HANDWRITING IS ON THE WALL
Hi
Solid
Fat Possum
1978
Un peu dans la continuation de "If this is heaven", ce dernier album pour le label Hi mélange des influences Soul, Funk et Disco. Les arrangements de cordes et les choristes alourdissent un peu le son. En plus d'une jolie pochette, on trouve ici quelques titres accrocheurs : "Old man with young ideas", "Bip bam thank you mam", "I didn't take your man", "The handwriting is on the wall" mais le reste du programme s'avère beaucoup plus dispensable. Le label Hi est racheté par Cream Records en 1977 puis disparait progressivement, balayé par la fièvre Disco. Après deux autres simples en 1980 et 1981, Ann se retire alors du monde de la musique pour se consacrer à sa famille.
A bit in the continuation of "If this is heaven", this last album for the Hi label mixes Soul, Funk and Disco influences. The string arrangements and the choristers make the sound a bit dull. In addition to a nice art cover, we find here some catchy titles : "Old man with young ideas", "Bip bam thank you mam", "I didn't take your man", "The handwriting is on the wall" but the rest of the program is much more dispensable. The label Hi is bought by Cream Records in 1977 and then disappears gradually, swept by Disco fever. After two other singles in 1980 and 1981, Ann retired from the world of music to devote herself to her family.
CALL ME
Waylo
1989
Après dix ans d'absence, Ann retrouve son producteur fétiche Willie Mitchell sur son label Waylo. Mais les synthétiseurs et les batteries programmées ont remplacé la chaleur de la section cuivres. Au milieu de ses arrangements bruyants, la voix d'Ann a du mal à émerger ("Buckle up", "I like a man"). Plusieurs incursions Blues en demi-teinte : "Your well's gone dry", "One bad turn", "I found somebody new". Il s'agit probablement de son plus mauvais album.
After ten years of absence, Ann finds again her favorite producer Willie Mitchell on his Waylo label. But synthesizers and programmed drums have replaced the heat of the horn section. In the middle of this noisy arrangements, Ann's voice is struggling to emerge ("Buckle up", "I like a man"). Several half-hearted Blues incursions : "Your well's gone dry", "One bad turn", "I found somebody new". This is probably her worst album.
MEMPHIS SOUL NIGHT : LIVE IN EUROPE
Waylo
1989
FULL TIME LOVE
Bullseye
Zensor
1989
LIVE IN MEMPHIS
Memphis International Records
February 1992
Enregistré à l'occasion de "An evening of classic soul", cet album live n'est sorti qu'en 2022. Ann Peebles y est accompagné la fameuse Hi Rhythm Section. Dans l'ensemble, un concert correct mais qui manque un peu de flamme par moments. Ann chante parfaitement quelques uns de ses classiques comme "Part time love", "I feel like breaking up somebody's home", "Let your love light shine", "I can't stand the rain".
Recorded during "An evening of classic soul", this live album was only released in 2022. Ann Peebles is accompanied by the famous Hi Rhythm Section. All in all a decent concert but which lacks a bit of flame at times. Ann sings perfectly some of her classics like "Part time love", "I feel like breaking up somebody's home", "Let your love light shine", "I can't stand the rain".
FILL THIS WORLD WITH LOVE
Bullseye
1996
Second album pour Bullseye co-produit et composé par Ann Peebles, son mari Don Bryant et Paul Brown. Ann mélange sa musique avec des influences Rock et Funk et invite Mavis Staples sur deux titres. Un programme inégal avec de bons moments comme "I'm yours", la chanson-titre "Fill this world with love" ainsi qu'un intéressant medley d'une douzaine de minutes.
Second album for Bullseye co-produced and composed by Ann Peebles, her husband Don Bryant and Paul Brown. Ann mixes her music with Rock and Funk influences and invites Mavis Staples on two tracks. An uneven program with good moments like "I'm yours", the title track "Fill this world with love" as well as an interesting medley of about twelve minutes.
BLUES POWER : SONGS OF ERIC CLAPTON
House of Blues
1999
Ann délivre dans cet album hommage une sympathique version du célèbre "Tears in heaven".
Ann delivers in this tribute album a nice version of the famous "Tears in heaven".
BRAND NEW CLASSICS
Track
April - July 2005
Après dix ans d'absence discographique, revoici Ann Peebles avec un album dans lequel elle revisite ses grands classiques sur un mode acoustique. La voix profonde d'Ann est toujours magnifique et la production de Paul Brown met parfaitement en valeur cette musique délicate. De très belles relectures de "I'll get along", "I'm gonna tear your playhouse down", "Steal away / I still love you", "The handwriting is on the wall", "I'm so thankful", "I can't stand the rain" (en duo avec Deborah Bonham, la soeur de John "Bonzo" Bonham). La plupart des titres sont enregistrés aux studios de la radio WRBO devant un petit public. On note aussi que "Miss you" provient de l'album "Full time love" et que "Spread" est chanté par son mari Don Bryant.
After ten years of discographical absence, Ann Peebles is back with an album in which she revisits her great classics on an acoustic mode. Ann's deep voice is always beautiful and Paul Brown's production perfectly showcases this delicate music. Very nice rereadings of "I'll get along", "I'm gonna tear your playhouse down", "Steal away / I still love you", "The handwriting is on the wall", "I'm so thankful", "I can't stand the rain" (in duet with Deborah Bonham, the sister of John "Bonzo" Bonham). Most of the tracks are recorded at WRBO radio studios in front of a small audience. We also note that "Miss you" comes from the album "Full time love" and that "Spread" is sung by her husband Don Bryant.
I BELIEVE TO MY SOUL
Work Song
Rhino
June 2005