That Driving Beat

This is an action packed episode of 1960s and 1970s soul! We've got well-known and more obscure tunes from the Northern scene, plus some 1970s crossover sounds, a run of R&B and popcorn steppers, and a cool-down with some midtempo grooves. We've got Nashville, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Philadelphia, and more represented!

-Originally broadcast December 14, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

The Valentines / Breakaway

The Apollas / Sorry Mama

The Vibrations / Love in Them There Hills

Harold Hopkins / Ooh Baby

Sam & Dave / You Don't Know Like I Know

Bobby McClure / Don't Get Your Signals Crossed

Mike Williams with the Tempest Band / Draw With Me

"Bouncing" Cornell Blakely / Tell Me More

The Metallics / Itchy Twitchy Too

Jo Ann Campbell / Sloppy Joe

The Endeavors / I Know You Don't Want Me

Joe Kennedy / Slick Trick

The Dynamics / The Love That I Need

Dolly Parton / Busy Signal

Jackie Moore / Both Ends Against the Middle

Dramatics / Your Love Was Strange

Dusty Springfield / Silly, Silly Fool

Dee Dee Warwick / Next Time (You Fall in Love)

Yolanda and the Charmanes / There Oughta Be A Law

Bob Wilson / Suzy's Serenade

The Cookies / Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)

Ovella and the Overtures / That's All You Gotta Do

The El Torros / Dance With Me

Nancy Adams / Lights Out

Billy Joe Royal / If It Wasn't For a Woman

Jane Morgan / Maybe

Jimmy James & The Vagabonds / No Good to Cry

Jimmy Richards / Don't Forget Those Who Knew You When

Dora Hall / 1-2-3

Jerry Butler / Just For You

McKinley Mitchell / Tell It, Like It Is

The Five Stairsteps / The Girl I Love

The Vontastics / Peace of Mind

Jackie Ross / Haste Makes Waste

The Orlons / Don't Throw Your Love Away

Clyde McPhatter / Deep In The Heart Of Harlem

Jimmy Gilford / Heartbreaker

Mary Wells / (Hey You) Set My Soul On Fire

Betty Lavette / I Feel Good (All Over)

Cliff Nobles & Co. / Switch It On

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We've got an R&B dancer with a Beetle/Beatle reference, an Esquerita recording that went unreleased for almost 50 years, an test pressing with no clues written on the label, a nice run of 1970s crossover soul, Louisville's own (Prince) Phillip Mitchell, plus a whole mess of soul and R&B dancers!

-Originally broadcast December 7, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

Booker T. Averhart & The Mustangs / Take Your Shoes Off (Part 1)

Clarence & Calvin / Rooster Knees & Rice

Larry & The Mighty Storms / Eldorado Suzie

Jackie Moore / Here I Am

Mitty Collier / Git Out

Eddie Floyd / On a Saturday Night

Bettye Swann / Lonely Love

The Upfronts / Do The Beetle

Hank Ballard and the Midnighters / The Hoochi Coochi Coo

Esquerita / Hittin' On Nothing

Dee Dee Warwick / Don't You Ever Give Up On Me

Chairmen of the Board / (You've Got Me) Dangling On a String

Chambers Brothers / Let's Do It (Do It Together)

Rayford Tucker / If You Need More Time (Time Will Tell)

Phillip Mitchell / Turning Over The Ground

Della Reese / If It Feels Good, Do It

The Honey Cone / One Monkey Don't Stop No Show - Part 1

Na Allen / Thanks for Nothing

The Marvelettes / A Breath Taking Guy

Holland-Dozier / Don’t Leave Me

The Creations / Plenty of Love

The Platters / Fear of Losing You

Barbara Lynn / You Left the Water Running

Janet & The Jays / Love What You're Doing to Me

The Casinos / Soul Serenade

The Esquires / You Say

Danny White / Natural Soul Brother

Johnny Jones And The King Casuals / Soul Poppin'

Little Johnny Taylor / What You Need is a Ball

Jim and Bob Harrison / Hand Clap Blues

Lee Diamond with the Challengers / Nothing But a Playboy

Tarheel Slim & Little Ann / Goodnight Irene

Du-Ettes / Please Forgive Me

The Lollipops / Love Is The Only Answer

Timothy Carr / A Stop Along The Way

The Fantasies / Mickey's Monkey

Lee Rogers / Love For a Love

Ike & Tina Turner / You Weren't Ready

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This week you'll find soul dancers, R&B shakers, and popcorn steppers in the That Driving Beat radio dance party. We've got a moonlighting Coaster, a UK-only B-side gem by an American pop megastar, some early 1960s R&B shakers brand new to the collection, and a Northern Soul classic that always brings a smile to your host's face.

-Originally broadcast November 30, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

The Short Kuts Featuring Eddie Harrison / Your Eyes May Shine

Cliff Nobles & Co. / Horse Fever

The Toys / I Got My Heart Set On You

Madeline Bell / Picture Me Gone

Erma Franklin / Gotta Find Me a Lover (24 Hours a Day)

The Poppies / He's Got Real Love

Billy Guy / Whip It On Me Baby

Rueben Williams / Piggy Wiggy

Ricky Allen & The Allen Dolls / Can I Come Back Home

Ricky Lyons / Shim Sham Shuffle

Curtis Knight / Ain't Gonna Be No Next Time

Dee Clark / Crossfire Time

The Marcels / Find Another Fool

Henry & His Kasuals / Workout

Fred Hughes / Baby Boy

Willie Mitchell / Wade In The Water

John Roberts / Pledging My Love

The Capitols / I Got to Handle It

The Tempests / Out Of My Life

Ann Sexton and the Soul Masters / You've Been Gone Too Long

Radiants / Hold On

J.B. Troy / Ain't It The Truth

P.J. Proby / You Can't Come Home Again (If You Leave Me Now)

Brenda and The Tabulations / Hey Boy

Gene Allison / Walkin' In The Park

Del Thompson / The Love Waiting For Me

Connie Francis / It's Gonna Take Me Some Time

The Executives / Happy Chatter

The Gum Drops / Natural Born Lover

Johnny Wells / Lonely Moon

Vigor Fisher / Think Of Happiness

Roosevelt Nettles / Drifting Heart

Bunny & Cindy / Sure Didn't Take Long

Bobby McClure / Peak of Love

The Mar-Keys / Philly Dog

Lou Courtney / Skate Now

McKinley Mitchell / No Love Like My Love

Z.Z. Hill / You Were Wrong

Ray Charles / You're Just About To Lose Your Clown

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James was feeling a little slow and mellow for this episode, so he picked some great 1960s soul, crossover, and R&B tunes that slow down the tempo and keep it gentle, while still giving you something to dance to. This is a whole show of midtempo soul, steppers, shuffles, and beat ballads on 45 rpm vinyl. You'll hear Kim Weston, Lee Rogers, Carla Thomas, Arthur Alexander, James Carr, Irma Thomas, and more!

-Originally broadcast November 23, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

Steve Alaimo and Betty Wright / I'm Thankful

The Ideals / You Lost and I Won

Kim Weston / It Should Have Been Me

Solomon Burke / Dance, Dance, Dance

Jimmy (Soul) Clark / If I Only Knew Then (What I Know Now)

The Manhattans / I Bet'cha (Couldn't Love Me)

Tony Middleton / Harlem Lady

Bobby Foster / Where Do You Go

Al Kent / You've Got to Pay the Price

Fantastic Four / I Love You Madly

Otis Williams and the Charms / Everybody's Got A Song But Me

Lee Rogers / Love Can Really Hurt You Deep

Don Wyatt / Do I Need You

Carla Thomas / The Masquerade Is Over

The Ikettes / I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)

Arthur Alexander / Anna (Go to Him)

King James & Mel / You Better Move On

The Drifters / Please Stay

Billy Stewart / Sitting in the Park

Billy Butler & The Chanters / I Can't Work No Longer

Ruby Andrews / Casonova (Your Playing Days Are Over)

James Carr / I Can't Make It

Irma Thomas / Girl Needs Boy

Jackie Ross / Selfish One

The Miracles / All That's Good

Baby Washington / It'll Never Be Over for Me

The Hollywood Flames / Drop Me a Line

The Exciters / A Little Bit of Soap

The Foundations / I Can Take or Leave Your Loving

The Shirelles / A Thing of the Past

Sharpees / Tired of Being Lonely

Bessie Banks / Go Now

Ketty Lester / River of Salt

Slim Harpo / Mohair Sam

Lew Courtney / The Man With The Cigar

Patti Drew / Workin' On a Groovy Thing

Barbara Mason / Keep Him

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Here's another 2 hours of 1960s dancers with That Driving Beat, including a Northern Soul classic he's been hoping to snag a copy of for years, more soul and R&B shakers, a nice run of popcorn steppers, and more!

-Originally broadcast November 16, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

Earl Grant / Hide Nor Hair

Lou Courtney / I've Got Just The Thing

Harold Burrage / More Power To You

Baby Ray / The House On Soul Hill

Moses & Joshua / Get Out Of My Heart

Glenn Watts / Money Gives Dignity

Jackie Ross / Dynamite Lovin'

The Contours / Don't Let Her Be Your Baby

Major Lance / Too Hot to Hold

Jay & The Techniques / Baby How Easy Your Heart Forgets Me

Charlie Rich / Hurry Up Freight Train

Freddie North / How to Cry

Bonnie Lou / Twenty Four Hours of Loneliness

Peewee King / Slow Poke

Chuck Jackson / Any Other Way

Lynn Westbrook / I'm In Love

The Dooley Sisters / Spider in the Web

Fay Simmons / Bells

Lenny Miles / In Between Tears

Tommy Raye / You Don't Love Me

Big Maybelle / 96 Tears

Jewel Akens / Little Bitty Pretty One

Jerry Williams / Sock It To Yourself

The Brothers Two / Boogaloo (Soul) Party

Melvin Davis / I Won't Come Crawling Back to You

Peaches and Herb / I Need Your Love So Desperately

J.J. Barnes / Say It

J.J. Jackson / Down But Not Out

Nina Simone / It Be's That Way Sometime

The Linneas / It's A Good Kind Of Hurt

Rudy West & The Five Keys / You're The One

Little Joe / Ev'ry Now And Then

Johnny Preston / All Around The World

Wardell & The Sultans / Dance Time

Amanda Ambrose / This Door Swings Both Ways

J.T. Sears and the Rowbux / Walking On New Grass

Bobby Bland / Getting Used To The Blues

Dora Hall / Hoochi - Koochi

Clarence Murray / Don't Talk Like That

Cliff Nobles & Co. / Gettin' Away

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Here's another 2 hours packed tight with Northern Soul, R&B, garage rock, and more: all on 45 rpm vinyl, and all with That Driving Beat!

-Originally broadcast November 9, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

The Dells / There Is

Otis Redding / (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher

Wilson Pickett / Baby Call on Me

Gail Anderson / I Can't Stop It

The Diplomats / I Can Give You Love

Pearlean Gray with the Passengers / Don't Rush Me Baby

Bobby Bland / Call On Me

The Wanderers / Run-Run Seniorita

Billy Storm / A Million Miles from Nowhere

The Climates / Breaking Up Again

Obrey Wilson / If You Were There

Bobby Hebb / Love, Love, Love

Bruce / L'amour, L'amour, L'amour

The Precisions / If This is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely)

Thelma Jones / Souvenirs of a Heartbreak

Baja Marimba Band / Along Comes Mary

Jackie Wilson And Count Basie / Uptight

Serenaders / If Your Heart Says Yes

The Shangri-Las / Wishing Well

Oscar Weathers / The Spoiler

The Revels with Sam Eddy / It's Party Time

The Trashmen / Keep Your Hands Off My Baby

The World Column / Midnight Thoughts

The Rationals / Out In The Streets

Sir Douglas / Quarter to Three

The Swingin' Medallions / Don't Cry No More

Fountain of Youth / Livin' Too Fast

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich / The Sun Goes Down

Everly Brothers / Somebody Help Me

Flanagan / Go My Way

The Muffets / Lost

Shadows of Knight / Light Bulb Blues

The Ovations / Qualifications

Mary Wells / The Doctor

Jan Bradley / I'm Over You

Larry Barnes / Rags is Rags

Deon Jackson / You Said You Loved Me

Willie Mitchell / 30-60-90

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James is in the 1960s That Driving Beat pocket this week, with Northern Soul floor fillers, R&B shakers, Mod rockers, and garage screamers. You'll hear upbeat dance tunes from Shirley Ellis, The Showmen, Mary Wells, Little Willie John, The O'Jays, The Broadways, Little Carl Carlton, two different classic Detroit movers named "Time", plus early Steve Marriott, a group from Birmingham, Alabama making great advances in psychedelic spelling, a 1967 punky cover of Simon and Garfunkel, and more!

-Originally broadcast November 2, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

Shirley Ellis / I See It, I Like It, I Want It

Jimmy Holiday & Clydie King / Ready, Willing And Able

Willie Hightower / Nobody But You

Charles Mann / Hey, Little Girl

The Fascinations / I'm So Lucky (He Loves Me)

The Toys / May My Heart Be Cast Into Stone

Paul Smith / Ain't That Something

The Showmen / Take It Baby

Barbara Lynn / Take Your Love and Run

The Parliaments / Time

Edwin Starr / Time

Janit and the Jays / Hurting Over You, Boy

Mary Wells / Use Your Head

And The Echoes / Million Dollar Bill

Otis Redding / Mr. Pitiful

The Pageants / She Is Your Girl

Little Willie John / Doll Face

Little Milton / Can't Hold Back The Tears

The Five Du-Tones / Shake a Tail Feather

Beau Dollar and the Coins / Soul Serenade

The Moments / Money, Money

The Mark V / Hey Conductor

Wild Vybrashons / One Track Mind

The Kinks / I'm Not Like Everybody Else

The U.S. Male / I Don't Want To Know

Lemon Pipers / Quiet Please

The Five Americans / Don't Blame Me

The Chicago Loop / Richard Corey

The Danleers / Baby You've Got It

The Jaynetts / Sally, Go 'Round the Roses

The O'Jays / Whip It On Me Baby

The Broadways / You Just Don't Know

Tenison Stephens / Where Would You Be

Sebastian Williams and his Soul Men / The One You Can't Have

Little Carl Carlton / Competition Ain't Nothin'

Irene and the Scotts / Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do

Detroit Emeralds / Shades Down

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James keeps it funky again in this episode, with funky numbers from the late 1960s and early 1970s from Clarence Reid, Johnny Thunder, Shirley Brown, Della Reese, Etta James, Andre Williams, Swamp Dogg, Candi Staton, and more, including one of the most sampled songs of all time, a funky interpretation of a Roger Miller country classic, a run of fine Memphis and Muscle Shoals productions, and more!

-Originally broadcast October 26, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

Fabulous Counts / Get Down People

The South Side Movement / Have a Little Mercy

Oscar Toney, Jr. / Person To Person

Joe Tex / You Better Believe It Baby

Shirley Brown / Yes Sir Brother

Bobby Bland / I'm So Tired

Johnny Thunder / Power To The People

The People's Choice / Cause That's the Way I Know

Johnny Griffith, Inc. / Grand Central Shuttle

Kris Peterson / Mama's Little Baby Is a Big Girl Now

Lily Fields / A Boy In A Man's World

Clarence Reid / Fools Are Not Born (They Are Made)

Jackie Lee / The Chicken

Barbara & The Browns / You Don’t Love Me

Chuck Brooks / Baa Baa Black Sheep

Sam Hutchins / Dang Me

Boogaloo Joe Jones / Inside Job

The Winstons / Amen, Brother

The Free Movement / I Can't Convince My Heart

Lloyd Price / Love Music

Loleatta Holloway / H.E.L.P. M.E. M.Y. L.O.R.D.

Della Reese / Compared to What

Johnnie Taylor / Take Care of Your Homework

The Turnarounds / Somewhere In This World (A Telephone Is Ringing)

Etta James / Tighten Up Your Own Thing

Andre Williams / The Stroke

Swamp Dogg / These Are Not My People

Vin Cardinal / There'll Be No City on the Hill

The Sister and Brothers / Yeah, You Right

Ultra High Frequency / We're On the Right Track

Spencer Wiggins / Love Machine

Candi Staton / Evidence

Gladys Knight & the Pips / If You Gonna Leave (Just Leave)

Marva Whitney / Things Got to Get Better

The South Street Soul Guitars / Poppin' Popcorn

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James shares some of the funky side of his collection of vintage 45 rpm records in the show today, with late 60s and early 70s Syl Johnson, Ann Peebles, James Brown, Candi Staton, The Meters, a few things with Swamp Dogg's involvement, a couple of interesting covers, and some numbers of Funky Corners in the stack today.

-Originally broadcast October 19, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

Lloyd Price / Bad Conditions

Ann Peebles / I Pity the Fool

Cleo Page / Goodie Train (Part 1)

Esther Phillips / Fever

Lyn Colins / Think (About It)

Bill Withers / Harlem

The Vanguards / The Thought of Losing Your Love

Robert, Ron & Eddie / Love Potion #9

Freddy-Henchi & The Soulsetters / Folsom Prison

The Honey Drippers / Impeach the President

Brother to Brother / In The Bottle

Tony Owens / Got'a Get My Baby Back Home

Rotary Connection / Love Me Now

Betty Lavette / Heart Of Gold

Candi Staton / Do It in the Name of Love

Betty Wright / If You Ain't Got It

Tommy Wills / (Funky) 4 Corners

Willie and the Mighty Magnificents / Funky (8) Corners Pt. 2

Swamp Dogg / Do You Believe

Little Charles and the Sidewinders / Shanty Town

Leon Thomas / L-O-V-E

Syl Johnson / Try Me

Sir Joe Quarterman & Free Soul / (I Got) So Much Trouble In My Mind Pt. 1

The Meters / Sophisticated Cissy

Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose / Treat Her Like a Lady

Millie Jackson / In The Wash

James Brown and the Famous Flames / Just Plain Funk

Lenny Williams / Feelin' Blue

Cold Blood / You Got Me Hummin’

John Edwards / Claim Jumpin'

The Best of Both Worlds / Moma Bakes Biscuits

Margie Alexander / Love Slave

Inez And Charlie Foxx And Their Mockin' Band / We Got A Chance To Be Free

The Emotions / Blind Alley

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James is back after a few weeks away, and his recent run of bad luck digging for vintage 45 rpm records with That Driving Beat is over! On the show today you'll hear a lot of great 1960s rhythm & blues shakers, northern soul floor fillers, some 1960s rockers, some more gentle popcorn sounds, and more!

-Originally broadcast October 12, 2025-

Willie Mitchell / That Driving Beat

Christine Kittrell / It's Nobody's Fault

Nat Kendrick And The Swans / (Do the) Mashed Potatoes (Part 1)

Felix Lark and the Jack Hart Trio / Little Tender Love

Jimmy Richards / Don't Forget Those Who Knew You When

Maurice & Mac / Why Don’t You Try Me

Howard Tate / Have You Ever Had the Blues

Ernie K-Doe / Come on Home

The Miracles / If Your Mother Only Knew

Ollie & The Nightingales / Girl, You Have My Heart Singing

James Rivers / Tighten Up

The Sham-Ettes / He'll Come Back

Bobby Bland / Poverty

Freddie Scott / Loving You is Killing Me

Freddy King / Hide Away

The Sapphires / I've Got Mine, You Better Get Yours

Mike and The Jokers / There's Got to Be a Girl

The Esquires / I Don't Know

Guitar Gable / Guitar Rhumbo

King Curtis & the Kingpins / Games People Play

Little Jr. Parker / I'm Gonna Stop

J.J. Barnes & the Dell Fi's / Won't You Let Me Know

The Marcels / Give Me Back Your Love

Bobby Bland / Dust Got In Daddy's Eyes

Nat Kendrick And The Swans / Dish Rag Part - 1

Tiger Boys / I'm a Tiger

The Fyrebirds / Can't Get No Ride

Johnny Green & The Green Men / Something You Got

Mickey and Sylvia / Love is Strange

Mighty Sam / Georgia Pines

Lesley Miller / Walk With Me

Roy Orbison / Workin' For The Man

McKinley Mitchell / Tell It, Like It Is

The Olympics / We Go Together (Pretty Baby)

Arthur Alexander / Love's Where Life Begins

Jimmy McGriff / All Day Long

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