from Stephanie Gadlin's article @chicagocrusader
"With a voice as smooth as honey mixed with hot buttered soul, Barbara Acklin became one of the most prolific singer/songwriters of the 20th Century. Regarded as the “First Lady of Brunswick,” or soul empress, Acklin sold millions of records, and is responsible for chart-topping hits such as “Have You Seen Her,” and “Stoned Out of My Mind,” by The Chi-Lites.
In recognition of Black History Month, Brunswick Records honored Acklin for her lifelong contributions to American music."
Brunswick Records' Chicago office was located at 1449 S. Michigan Ave, which also formerly housed the headquarters of Vee-Jay Records and is currently home to @overflowchicago. The coffee shop pays homage to its history with specialty espresso drinks like the Vee-Jay and Record Row, a wall of framed album covers produced by Vee-Jay Records, and a wall-sized photo mural of the original Vee-Jay executive team.
"In 1966 Barbara Acklin took a receptionist job at Brunswick ... where she went on to help craft the label’s signature sound, making it a music powerhouse for a decade. Brunswick was instrumental in developing a new genre of music, called “Chicago Soul,” a sound rich in full-bodied gospel, blues and jazz."
Acklin's daughter, Samotta, was interviewed at Overflow Coffee by both @wgntv and @nbcchicago, for a segment about Barbara to be aired during #womenshistorymonth.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Excerpts from Stephanie Gadlin's article @chicagocrusader