Lowell Fulsom: Man of Motion (Jewel)

Most of you may know Lowell Fulsom from his 1967 hit "Tramp" (#5 R&B, #52 Pop), but his career actually spans several decades from the late 1940s to the time of his death in 1999. At one time, his band included such luminaries as Billy Brooks, Stanley Turrentine, and, most famously, Ray Charles. This particular record comes from 1971 and one of many he recorded for Jewel between 1969 and 1972. And while I can't say whether or not it's one of his very best (I've heard only a few of his records and he recorded a lot of them), I can tell you that this 45 has become one of my big faves in the past several months.

The song wastes no time getting started and floors it at full speed with a Bo Diddley-ish guitar and pounding drums. With tough vocals, Lowell tells us that he's a man of motion who takes his time before he moves. Everything he does he always does with a groove, you see. What makes the song special is the wild lead guitar soloing that punctuates the song throughout. I don't know who plays that guitar, but he sure be on fire! This 45 starts out rockin' and stays rockin' all the way up to the fade out, pausing only a couple of times for a quick breath before gettin' back to business. Did I say that this one was a winner? If I didn't, I'll say it now. This one's a winner. What else do you need to know?