"The Country Soul of Joe Stampley"
Out April 24th on Joe Stampley.com

NASHVILLE—Anyone glancing at the names of the 14 songs on the brand-new The Country Soul of Joe Stampley album would naturally figure that five or six different vocalists must have combined to make the record, because the songs are not only that difficult, but also that diverse. Yet Joe Stampley, the Louisiana-born soulful country star who charted over five dozen Billboard country singles, is probably the only singer in Nashville, and one of only a handful in the business, who could so convincingly deliver a set list that opens with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' 1972 R&B smash "If You Don't Know Me By Now," closes with the Righteous Brothers' impossibly rangy 1965 smash "Unchained Melody", and in the dozen tunes in between effortlessly wanders between soul, pop, country, R&B and rock.

There are well-known hits here, such as "Poor Side Of Town," the only Billboard No. 1 by another crossover master raised in Louisiana, Baton Rouge's Johnny Rivers. But Joe also discovers lesser-known gems, such as "Somewhere Under The Rainbow," and Stampley even gives us sparkling versions of some of his own hits, such as "Too Far Gone," "Dear Woman," and "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby."

Joe's amazing musical versatility was perhaps best recognized when his native state recently inducted him into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, into the Louisiana Songwriters Association Hall of Fame, and even inducted his 1960s rock band, The Uniques, into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Phew! Few musicians in the whole wide world could have made that triple play of honors, but Stampley fit all three bills perfectly. His wonderful The Country Soul of Joe Stampley at long last showcases his massive array of talents for all to see and hear. Enjoy!

—Phil Sweetland, Publisher and Editor, Country Insider; Music and Radio contributor for the New York Times.