I can be guilty of getting distracted by things that are shiny and new. As I mentioned yesterday, as part of choosing my 30 favourite tracks of 2012 I also reflected on the music I have posted recently. Just as I realised that I needed to post more World Music, I had also been neglecting my first musical love, Soul.

This has been somewhat addressed by posting James Brown, Fontella Bass and The Impressions over the past fortnight, but I can still never get too much Soul.

William Bell is a favourite who I was surprised that I hadn’t posted already. He is from Memphis, Tennessee and made his name on the hometown Stax label alongside such other great as Otis Redding and Issac Hayes. I first heard his music unwittingly, as he seems to be a favourite of hip hop producers who seem to sample him extensively.

A few years ago I had the thrill of fulfilling a dream and visited Memphis and Soulsville USA, the Stax rexording studio which is now a soul music museum.