Dr. Feelgood Potts
Dr. Feelgood Potts
                        
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Dr. Feelgood" Potts 
Robert Potts was born into a large family in Greenwood, MS. In 1967, he moved to Memphis to start his career in music. His first stop was an audition at Stax Recording and Hi Records. . In, 1970 he penned and recorded his first 45 single entitled, "Funky Postman" and "Under Your Spell." These releases lead to him appearing on local television, The Talent Party and Swing Shift. In the 1980's he landed a recording contract with 8th Street Records. Several singles were released including "Lost In The County Jail", "Seven Years Blues", and several cover tunes. The recordings were jukebox favorites. He also is a successful songwriter penning the tune "Don't Make Me Late," by Johnnie Taylor, which he co-wrote with George Jackson. In 1995 Dr. "Feelgood" started his own Record label, RLP Records. He released a single in 1996 and a full length CD in 1997. The CD, entitled "Love Starved," consisted of ten songs, {a combination of blues, soul, and a harmonica instrumental.} In January of 2000,he released a second RLP CD entitled "Blues Me 4 U LOSE ME." But his real break came when he signed with Ecko Records where he has released two discs. His biggest hit so far has been "Make It Talk". Potts is the father of singer Sheba Potts-Wright. In 2007 he dropped his first, bona fide blues album "Going Back To Memphis". Album Discography
1. Love Starved ** Debut, self-released disc is on a demo-quality budget that shows off Potts' thick vocals (reminiscent of Lee "Shot" Williams) and a little of his harmonica playing. This is basic soul blues with a sense of humor. Standout tracks include "Hotter Than A Firecracker", "Heyday Loving You" & the title cut. "Home-Town Boogie" features Potts' harp skills.
1) Blues Me 4 U Lose Me
1. Here's Your Drawers ***1/2 Consistent party soul record from the Ecko team finally gives Potts the sound he needs to get his songs over. The hilarious "Here's Your Drawers" starts things off with Potts going to a woman's place of work to return her, um, "drawers". He says he knows they're hers because she's the only girl he's got "that wears a size 52"! His first hit comes via "I Love The Way You Slow Roll That Thing On Me"- a Potts original. Potts wrote 7 of the 11 tracks here but John Ward & Raymond Moore contribute to funky dancers "Too Much Teasin'" & "Let's Get A Quickie"). Potts can sing 'em slow too as shown on "One Way Street" & "Awesome". This is prime keyboard-programmed Southern Soul.
1. Make It Talk *** After last year's promising "Dr Feelgood Potts" cd I was very excited about this new Ecko Records release called "Make It Talk" and for the most part I'm pleased. First the good news- the first 6 cuts are very very good- the dance-inducing "Mixed Up In Your Love", "Hard Working Lady" & "All Blues Saturday". You also get a solid retro-soul slow tune "Just What The Doctor Ordered". The first single is "Make It Talk", which is a radio-friendly rip of Theodis Ealey's superior "Stand Up In It" but still good on it's own merits. It answers Clarence Carter, Bobby Rush and Theodis about "what women really want in the bedroom". The slightly disappointing news is that the rest of this 10-track CD is padded with two (good) songs from his first self-titled cd ("Awesome" & "I Love The Way You Slow Roll...") and two instrumental numbers (The driving harmonica showcase "Red Onions" being the best). I hope Ecko isn't getting lazy with their releases. So there's really only 8 songs here. One instrumental is cool but two? If you don't have enough new songs for a disc why not throw in a few covers? Nevertheless, this is essential retro-soul blues for fans of the genre (especially Lee Shot Williams fans).
1. Going Down to
Memphis **** Those only familiar with Potts' two enjoyable "Southern Soul/Blues" discs for Ecko Records may be stunned by this sizzling set of harmonica blues recorded in the heart of Memphis. Potts had a sizable chitlin' circuit hit or two, most notably his cheeky answer song to Theodis Ealey called "Make It Talk" but "Going Back To Memphis" should catapult the Dr to another plateau. Word on the grapevine was that Potts, who's the father of Ecko recording artist Sheba Potts-Wright, ended his tenure with the label because he wanted to cut "real Blues". He did show off his mouthharp chops on a couple of instrumentals from his last LP (also called "Make It Talk") but that skill is front and center here. 10 originals tunes were completed at Sam Phillips' (of Sun Records fame) Recording Studio with a small unit of session musicians, including bassists James Coleman & Chiemi "the Ice Lady" Fujio, guitarists Coleman & Harrell Otis, drummers James McMullen & Calvin King and piano by "Professor" Ross Fowler. The LP's template is definitely Willie Dixon. Vintage 12-bar Chicago-styled shuffles like "My In-Laws" & "A Dab Of Your Love", slow from-the-bottom blues like "Greenwood Mississippi Town" & "Ramblin' Mind Blues"; plus erstwhile pounders like "I Love You Baby" & "Pistol Packing Mama" that could've fit on a Howlin' Wolf record. This kind of blues isn't offering anything original so the key's how well you sing, play and produce it. All three are superb on this record. Potts sounds like he's found his true voice on the mic, easing up on the breathless vibrato he uses to end his phrases and resorting to good ol' blues shoutin'. The title track, which has the promise of many a cover, says it all. "I'm going down to Memphis where they're really plain' the Blues... People come from all over the world to hear the blues on Beale Street". Of course they also come to hear Southern Soul/Blues as well and now Potts has conquered both.
1. Memphis Blues
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"Love Starved"
(RLP 1998)
"Dr. Feelgood
Potts" (Ecko 2003)
"Make It Talk"
(Ecko 2004)
"Memphis Blues International" (Pottstown 2010)