James Carr

**James Edward Carr** (June 13, 1942 – January 7, 2001) was an American R&B and soul singer, described as "one of the greatest pure vocalists that deep Southern soul ever produced."

Born to a Baptist preacher's family in Coahoma, Mississippi, he moved with his parents to Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of three. Carr began singing in church, and performed in gospel groups including the Harmony Echoes, at the same time as making tables on an assembly line in Memphis.

After being turned down by Stax, he made his first recordings for Goldwax Records, a small Memphis-based independent record label, in 1964. He released several singles for the label before achieving his first success in 1966, when "You've Got My Mind Messed Up" reached number 7 on the *Billboard* R&B chart and number 63 on the pop chart. He also released the successful and critically acclaimed album *You Got My Mind Messed Up*.

(read more on Wikipedia)

## Links to Kershaw

Kershaw mentioned James Carr as one of the greatest soul singers in the Guardian, published in 2001 and also described how he tried to interview the singer for The Old Grey Whistle Test:

> *"Forget Otis Redding, James Carr is the greatest soul singer that ever lived, I went to find him in 1987, after he'd been missing for years and years. He had last been seen in Memphis, so while I was over there, I called up all of the Carrs in the phone book. After a couple of dozen I got through to his sister, who said: 'Yes sir, I sure do know where James is - he's asleep on the sofa next door.' Next thing I knew I had James Carr on the phone. I asked if I could come and meet him. He said: 'You a white boy? I wouldn't come round here.' He was living in the projects. So I asked if he could come and meet me and he said he didn't have a car; I suggested he get a taxi and he said he didn't have any money; I told him that I'd pay for his taxi to my hotel and back. Next thing I knew, the world's greatest soul singer is getting out of a taxi at the Holiday Inn in Memphis, having not made a record in years and not performed since the early 70s. And he was clearly not very well."* [1]
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## Shows Played

1987
* 16 July 1987: That's The Way Life Turned Out For Me (LP - At The Dark End Of The Street) Upside
* 30 July 1987: Forgetting You (LP - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Goldwax
* 17 September 1987: Forgetting You
* 17 December 1987: You've Got My Messed Up

1990
* 02 December 1990: To Love Somebody

1991
* 24 February 1991: What Can I Call My Own
* 24 March 1991: She's Already Gone
* 21 April 1991: What's A Little Love Between Friends (LP - Take Me To The Limit) Ace
* 21 April 1991: Loveable Girl (7" - The Dark End Of The Street / Lovable Girl) Goldwax
* 13 October 1991: Forgetting You (CD - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Vivid Sound
* 13 October 1991: She's Better Than You (CD - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Vivid Sound
* 13 October 1991: You've Got My Mind Messed Up (CD - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Vivid Sound
* 17 November 1991: Sowed Love And Reaped A Heartache (album - A Man Needs A Woman) Vivid Sound

1992
* 11 April 1992: Life Turned Her That Way
* 12 September 1992: Love Attack (LP - At The Dark End Of The Street) Upside Down

1993
* 06 November 1993: Life Turned Her That Way (CD - At The Dark End Of The Street) Upside
* 13 November 1993: I'm Into Something (CD - Soul Survivor) Ace
* 18 December 1993: That's How Strong A Woman´s Love Is (CD - Soul Survivor) Ace

1994
* 24 September 1994: (At The) Dark End Of The Street (LP - At The Dark End Of The Street) Blue Side

1996
* 19 May 1996: Forgetting You (CD - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Vivid Sound
* 19 May 1996: That's The Way Love Turned Out For Me (CD - A Man Needs A Woman) Vivid Sound
* 01 September 1996: A Man Needs A Woman
* 22 September 1996: What Can I Call My Own

1998
* 02 February 1998: Forgetting You (CD - The Essential James Carr) Razor
* 12 November 1998: To Love Somebody (CD - The Essential James Carr) Razor & Tie

1999
* 01 July 1999: Dark End Of The Street (CD - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Vivid Music

2000
* 16 March 2000: I'll Put It To You (Compilation CD - Sanctified Soul) Kent Soul

2001
* 19 October 2001: The Dark End Of The Street (CD - The Complete Goldwax Singles) Kent Soul
* 19 October 2001: Forgetting You (CD - The Complete Goldwax Singles) Kent Soul
* 02 November 2001: That’s The Way Love Turned Out For Me (CD - The Complete Goldwax Singles) Kent Soul
* 09 November 2001: To Love Somebody (CD - The Complete Goldwax Singles) Kent Soul
* 16 November 2001: Life Turned Her That Way (CD - The Complete Goldwax Singles) Kent Soul
* 23 November 2001: You've Got My Mind Messed Up (CD - The Complete Goldwax Singles) Kent Soul

2002
* 30 August 2002: These Arms Of Mine (CD - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Kent Soul
* 06 September 2002: Search Your Heart (CD - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Kent Soul
* 18 October 2002: What Can I Call My Own (CD - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Kent Soul

2003
* 11 April 2003: You Hurt So Good (CD - A Man Needs A Woman) Kent Soul
* 18 April 2003: A Woman Is A Man's Best Friend (CD - A Man Needs A Woman) Kent Soul
* 02 May 2003: I Sowed Love And Reaped A Heartache (CD - A Man Needs A Woman) Kent Soul
* 07 December 2003: Let's Face Facts (v/a CD - A Soldier's Sad Story - Vietnam Through The Eyes Of Black America 1966-73) Kent Soul

2004
* 16 May 2004: Hold On (v/a CD - My Soul Is Satisfied - The Rest Of James Carr) Kent Soul
* 30 May 2004: Love Attack (Version 2) (CD - My Soul Is Satisfied - The Rest Of James Carr) Kent Soul
* 31 October 2004: Forgetting You

2005
* 03 April 2005: The Dark End Of The Street (CD - The Complete Goldwax Singles) Kent Soul
* 22 May 2005: 'The Dark End Of The Street (CD-The Complete Goldwax Singles)' (Kent Soul)

2007
* 12 March 2007: You've Got My Mind Messed Up (album - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Goldwax

2021
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 1: (At The) Dark End Of The Street (album - The Complete Goldwax Singles) Kent Soul

2023
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 22: The Dark End Of The Street (album - You Got My Mind Messed Up) Goldwax

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs