Brown-eyed soul

For the Korean R&B band, see Brown Eyed Soul (band).

Brown-eyed soul, also referred to as Chicano soul, Hispanic soul, or Latino soul, is soul music & rhythm & blues (R&B) performed in the United States mainly by Hispanic Latinos and Chicanos in Southern California, East Los Angeles, and San Antonio (Texas) during the 1960s, continuing through to the early 1980s.[1] The trend of Latinos started with Latino rock and roll and rock musicians.[2][1] "Brown-eyed soul" contrasts with blue-eyed soul, soul music performed by non-Hispanic white artists.[3]

History

Critic Ruben Molina said roots of chicano soul music was from the 1950s jazz, blues, doo wop, jump blues, latin jazz, rock, ranchera, norteno, and conjunto music in the West Coast, Texas Latino communities.[4] Latino artists drew inspiration from African American R&B hits, and as a result, Latino soul came out of African American soul music; Latino soul and R & B was further influenced by Afro-Latin American music, including but not limited to Afro-Spanish-Caribbean origin. Early artists owed little to traditional Latino and rarely performed in Spanish.[5]

Hispanic rock singer Ritchie Valens, also became one of the first artists to bring traditional music and rock and roll. Valens recorded "Donna", " La Bamba", "Come On, Let's Go", and "Donna" reached #2 on Billboard pop chart in 1959.[6]

1960s and 1970s bands such as Cannibal & the Headhunters ("Land of a Thousand Dances") and Thee Midniters played R&B music with a rebellious rock and roll edge. Sunny and the Sunliners were popular in the 1960s.[7]

However, the large Latino population on the West Coast began gradually moving away from energetic R&B to romantic soul, and the results were "some of the sweetest soul music heard during the late '60s and '70s."[1] Latino groups on the West Coast and Texas also drew from the doo wop-influenced Philadelphia soul ("Philly" soul). The West Coast Latin rock scene continued to influence other Latino soul musicians as well. Tierra gained the top 40 hit "Together".[8]

Brown-eyed soul artists

• Cannibal & the Headhunters
• Frankie J
• Baby Bash
• Paula DeAnda
• Jennifer Lopez
• Malo
• Thee Midniters
• Miguel
• Leslie Grace
• Enrique Iglesias
• Christina Aguilera[9]
• The Premiers
• Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
• Sheila E
• Sunny & the Sunliners[10][11]
• Tierra
• War

See also

• Latin rock
• Tejano music
• Carlos Santana
• Chicano rock
• Chicano rap
• Lowrider
• Yacht soul

Notes

1. AllMusic: Brown-eyed Soul. All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2008-12-30.
2. Bennet, Bobby. The Ultimate Soul Music Trivia Book
3. Unterberger, R. (2000). Urban Spacemen and Wayfaring Strangers. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 196. ISBN 9781617744815. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
4. Chicano soul Texas T University Retrieved 19 March 2021
5. Gregory, Hugh. Soul Music A-Z
6. Rockin' Country Style Ritchie Valens Archived 2010-03-12 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 19 March 2021
7. Legacy of Sunny Archived 2021-07-27 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 19 March 2021
8. 94.7 The WAVE May 22, 2015 Tierra’s Rudy Salas Talks Music, Performing & More By Pat Prescott Archived 2015-11-27 at the Wayback Machine
9. Cristina Aguilera is blond and blue-eyed Hispanic
10. Sunny And The Sunliners' 'Mr. Brown Eyed Soul' Is For The Loved And Lovelorn : NPR
11. Sunny Ozuna: The Brown Eyed Soul Man|The Village Voice