there’s a light
shirley ann lee
No idea how Numero Group continues to dig up this kind of gold on such a consistent basis, but the upcoming Downriver Revival comp -- the first installment in the label's new "Local Customs" series -- is one of their deepest and best hauls yet. The record features some of the sounds that were coming out of the basement of Ecorse, Michigan's Felton Williams between 1967 and 1981. Read about the history of Williams' various labels while you take a listen to one of four powerful Shirley Ann Lee joints from the record, the starkly soulful "There's a Light." From the comp's amazingly detailed and exhaustive liner notes:
"The strongest of Lee's three Revival singles finds her at a crossroad of genres. Co-written with her truck-driving husband James after a haul through southern Michigan at dawn, "There's a Light" straddles gospel and rockabilly..."
Downriver Revival is out March 3, and includes an incredible DVD with over 200 archival sound recordings. Read more/buy here. Also recommended: this short and sweet clip documents Shirley Ann Lee's first listen to her own recordings in nearly 40 years. Here's a home recording from Ms. Lee that doesn't appear on the comp, via the Numero Group blog:
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