Atlantic Records

Charlottesville, Virginia

April 17, 2021

When I was in college, I asked my grandmother Fox where she had gotten the name "Lucian" as my father's name. (My father was named Lucian Walter Fox, Walter being my grandfather's name.). At this point in her life, my grandmother was suffering from dementia, although that was not a word I had ever heard -- it was "old age." She told me this very lucid story of how during her pregnancy with my father (he was her first child) a "little back boy" would ride his horse over and visit with her. (My sisters can confirm this -- she lived out in the sticks of western Albemarle County). He asked her if she would name her baby after him. His name was ... Lucian.

Since that time, I have thought that story partially explains my intense love of soul music. I say "intense" because I really feel that music vibrate within my body. I just heard Wilson Pickett's "i'm In Love" and I felt a chill down my spine, goosebumps all over my body.

You can't pin point when and where soul music started but if you say "Atlantic Records" you would be, in my opinion, identifying the company that brought soul music to the masses. The following hour-long podcast plays some of the early songs to come out of Atlantic Records and has interviews with some of the people behind the music. Be careful -- you might be transported to another place as you listen to the podcast.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/387889/7302223-spotlight-on-atlantic-records

Another thing I love about this podcast -- it was released on my birthday. A coincidence? I think not! 🤪