Foreword. "America's prodigal son" / by Denise LaSalle -- Introduction. "It's a Southern soul party" -- Deep blues, deep soul, and beyond : the roots and development of Southern soul-blues -- "Party like back in the day" : soul survivors. Latimore : "I capture the feeling" ; Denise LaSalle : still the queen ; J. Blackfoot : "Don't give up, tighten up!" ; Bobby Rush : behind the trickster's mask -- "Now playing love games" : voices from the new generation. Willie Clayton : last man standing ; Sweet Angel : lessons in life ; Sir Charles Jones : "Is there anybody lonely?" ; Ms. Jody : "Just a little bit won't get it" ; Postscript. The "raunch" debate : hoochification or sexual healing? -- The crossroad and further on : where do we go from here? Introduction. Too late to stop now ; Blues with a feeling : writing songs for the market and the heart ; Music and the marketplace : getting heard, getting known, and staying on top of the game ; Evolution : a look toward the future -- Soul stew revisited. Leading lights ; Soul serenade.