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Aerosmith's Steven Tyler bows when he greets her. Aretha Franklin rarely sings without her. She has performed with the greatest artists of our age, from Sting to Luciano Pavarotti. "She" is VT, Vaneese Thomas, owner of one of the great voices of the western world and Soul Sister of the first rank. Part of a musical Royal Family that includes her father, the late, great R&B pioneer Rufus Thomas, and chart-topping older sister Carla Thomas (represented on this album by her 1966 hit, "Comfort Me"), Vaneese has brought her virtuoso vocal stylings to hundreds of recordings. Just as importantly, she is an authentic link to the days when the songs of the golden era of soul were the soundtrack for the civil rights movement of the 1960s. From her childhood growing up in the heart of Memphis to her leadership of the renowned gospel choir at Swarthmore College and through her extraordinary professional career, Miss Thomas has proudly embraced this link and kept the fire burning for the great songs and singers that paved the way for today's leading artists. Now, with this CD, Vaneese launches the first in an exciting series of tributes to some of the most irresistible - and irrepressible - music of the time. But if you're expecting a by-the-numbers walk through the obvious R&B "hits" of the '60s and '70s, be prepared for a bit of an education. Vaneese is a walking encyclopedia of soul and R&B, and while there are plenty of recognizable tunes here, she has purposely chosen to emphasize singers and songs that may have been forgotten by many casual listeners. Names like Mitty Collier ("I Had a Talk With My Man Last Night"), Barbara Acklin ("Love Makes A Woman") and Sugar Pie De Santo ("Soulful Dress") may not be as famous as Soul Sisters Tina Turner ("Nutbush City Limits"), Etta James ("Tell Mama") or Aretha Franklin ("Sweet Sweet Baby, Since You've Been Gone"), but they were integral to the development of '60s R&B and to the acceptance of women in a traditionally male-dominated business. The trail blazed by these ladies empowered many of the women who rose to prominence in their wake, as artists like Miss Franklin, Miss Turner and prolific belter Denise LaSalle ("Trapped By a Thing Called Love") began to assume greater control over their careers, even writing their own material and bringing bittersweet, personal themes to their grooves. Together, the tracks on this album represent a tour through a dozen years of seminal soul. Bookended by 1961's "Operator" -- first recorded by a teenaged Gladys Knight -- and Miss Turner's 1973 "Nutbush," the original recordings represent an astonishing variety of styles, lyrical content and production values. But what they share in common far outweighs what sets them apart, and this is brought out with startling immediacy by Miss Thomas. Listening to her vocal performances -- gritty and silky, earthy and soaring, pained and joyous -- one suddenly hears these songs as all coming from a distinct place, whether they were recorded for Stax, Atlantic, Hi, Chess or any of the other great regional studios. The flavor of struggle and celebration infuses each number; and few are as equipped to highlight these common denominators as VT. The music is well served by the supporting cast. Vaneese has assembled a lineup of top musicians whom she has known personally and professionally for years, as well as an award-winning producer whom she has known even longer (she should; he's her husband). Almost every member of the team resides at the top of the hyper-competitive NY music pyramid, and their love for this music is matched only by their admiration for Miss Thomas. The result is not only a string of organic, intimate ensemble performances, but the injection of a hip, modern sound into classic songs whose only incarnation till now has been on recordings which, delightful as they are, may sound dated to the ears of younger generations. But no longer. Reimagined and revitalized, these landmark songs are as fresh today as when they were originally cut. And with this release, the first in a series featuring Miss Thomas, these iconic Sisters of Soul get a fitting, familial tribute from one of their own. They must be laughing with pride at what they hear of their little sister...