Nothing's Impossible | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 6, 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2009 | |||
Studio | Willie Mitchell's Royal Studios, Memphis, Tennessee, US | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 49:39 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | E1 Music | |||
Producer | Willie Mitchell | |||
Solomon Burke chronology | ||||
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"I'll never get a chance to do this again... this opportunity that I had to work with the world's greatest producers, arrangers, writers and musicians."
Contents
—Burke on recording Nothing's Impossible with Willie Mitchell. [1]
Nothing's Impossible is a 2010 studio album by American soul musician Solomon Burke, his last recording of original material prior to his death. The recording received positive reviews from critics.
Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4 out of 5 stars, with critic Mark Deming writing that "it's all but impossible to make a bad record with Solomon Burke" and that "one listen to Nothing's Impossible confirms that [producer Willie] Mitchell's instincts were right on the money" to make "rich, strong, and gospel-influenced R&B that's sturdy enough to support Burke's earth-shaking vocals while giving the star of the show enough room to move comfortably" and that results in "R&B that's smart, passionate, and powerful, and proves the King of Rock and Soul still rules his kingdom with a sure hand". [2] Darryl Easlea of BBC Music summed up his review that "for his final work, Willie Mitchell found a perfect partner, and Nothing’s Impossible sees him depart on a high". [3] A piece in Billboard by Ilya Skripnikov characterized this release, "with themes of love, loneliness and longing, Burke’s raw emotional delivery and Mitchell’s rich arrangements ensure that the music penetrates to the heart and soul". [4] Steve Slagg of PopMatters rated Nothing's Impossible a 6 out of 10, stating that it is "powerful stuff" that is "a tribute to two great musical talents, still playing at the top of their game after so many years" but "it’s nowhere near as vital as either the early works it’s drawing on or the late-career exploration it’s following". [5] Rolling Stone 's Will Hermes rated this album 3 out of 5 stars, stating that Burke "has been on a revival roll since 2002's Don't Give Up On Me" and that "Mitchell's arrangements recall his best work with Al Green". [6] Writing for Slant Magazine , Johnathan Keefe rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, praising the musicianship but criticizing some tracks as weaker, stating that "it’s impressive, if not exactly surprising, that he elevates some middling songs through sheer conviction and the awesome power of his voice". [7]
Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke was an American singer who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s. He has been called "a key transitional figure bridging R&B and soul", and was known for his "prodigious output".
William Lawrence Mitchell was an American trumpeter, bandleader, soul, R&B, rock and roll, pop and funk record producer and arranger who ran Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. He was best known for his Hi Records label of the 1970s, which released albums by a large stable of popular Memphis soul artists, including Mitchell himself, Al Green, O. V. Wright, Syl Johnson, Ann Peebles and Quiet Elegance.
Let's Stay Together is the fourth studio album by soul singer Al Green. Released in 1972, as the follow-up to his moderate success, Al Green Gets Next to You, it was recorded at Royal Recording Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. A commercial success, it peaked at number eight on the pop albums chart and became the first of six consecutive Green albums to peak at number one on the soul album chart, where it held the position for ten straight weeks.
Bradley Glenn "Butch" Walker is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the glam metal band SouthGang from the late 1980s to early 1990s and the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.
More Hits by The Supremes is the sixth studio album by Motown singing group the Supremes, released in 1965. The album includes two number-one hits: "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Back in My Arms Again", as well as the Top 20 single "Nothing but Heartaches".
Old Ways is the 14th studio album by Canadian-American musician and singer-songwriter Neil Young, released on August 12, 1985, on Geffen Records.
Christopher Alan Young is an American country music singer, songwriter. In 2006, he rose to fame after winning season four of the reality singing competition program Nashville Star.
Leavin' Town is the second studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released in 1966 via RCA Victor. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard country albums chart.
The RZA Hits is a compilation produced by The RZA. It contains songs featured on the first Wu-Tang Clan album and its first round of solo albums. All songs, apart from "Brooklyn Zoo", are produced by RZA.
"Love and Happiness" is a song by Al Green from his album I'm Still in Love with You. Green co-wrote the song with Teenie Hodges. It was released as a single in the United Kingdom on London Records in 1973 and in the United States on Hi Records in 1977. It has been covered by Etta James, Al Jarreau, and many other performers.
"Cry to Me" is a song written by Bert Berns and first recorded by American soul singer Solomon Burke in 1961. Released in 1962, it was Burke's second single to appear in both Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides and Hot 100 singles charts. On March 20, 1962, Burke performed "Cry to Me" on American Bandstand.
Rock 'N Soul is a 1964 studio album by Grammy Award winning musician Solomon Burke. The album contained seven top 100 hits. Originally released on LP on Atlantic Records, #8096, in July 1964, it was subsequently reissued in March, 1997, on the Sequel Records imprint, #RSACD 861. The album was also reissued in 1998 on the Collectables Records label in conjunction with a June, 1963, Burke album as If You Need Me/Rock 'n' Soul.
Willie Nelson and Family is the twelfth studio album by American country music singer Willie Nelson, released in 1971.
That's What Friends Are For is an album by American singers Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams, released in July 1978 by Columbia Records. The project was a continuation of the pairing of the artists that began on his previous LP, You Light Up My Life, which included "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late", the duet that was on its way to number one on three different charts in Billboard magazine as the recording sessions for this album got underway.
I Can't Stop is the 27th studio album by American soul singer Al Green. It was released by Blue Note Records on November 17, 2003, in the United Kingdom and on November 18 in the United States. Produced by Willie Mitchell, the album was Green's first since 1995, his first for Blue Note, and his first collaboration with Mitchell since 1985's He Is the Light; it was also Green's first entirely secular recording since the 1970s.
Royal Studios is a recording studio located in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1956, it is one of the oldest continuously operated music recording studios in the world.
Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, audio engineer, and owner of Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. He is best known for his work with Al Green, Solomon Burke, Anthony Hamilton, Rod Stewart, John Mayer, 8 Ball, Lamont Dozier, William Bell and Cody Chesnutt.
"If You Need Me" is a 1963 song co-written and originally recorded by Wilson Pickett. It was made into a bigger hit by Solomon Burke, who sent the song to #2 on the R&B charts that year.
Tamiko Jones is an American singer. Her most successful record was "Touch Me Baby " in 1975.
"You Need Love" is a song with lyrics written by American blues musician Willie Dixon. The instrumentation was recorded first by slide guitarist Earl Hooker and backing musicians, then Chicago blues artist Muddy Waters overdubbed vocals, and Chess Records released it as a single in 1962.