The title is a nod to his hometown, but in listening to Brian Owens sing his heart out on “Soul of Ferguson,” it is clear that he’s also paying homage to the early days of Motown. Owens has a knack for reinventing the frame within the legendary label just as they were crossing over into pop culture – right before the sound got funky.
With a sound that still manages to be uniquely his own, Owens and his Deacons of Soul backing band pay tribute to the music with catchy choruses and beats made famous by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Temptations and pre-“What’s Going On” Marvin Gaye – and that’s a good thing.
“I wanted this album to feel like a live show, like you’re experiencing it with us right there in the moment,” Owens said.
His record that drops on Friday (Feb. 24) does not disappoint – especially for connoisseurs of classic R&B and soul. The album is a joint effort between his own indie label, Ada Cole Records and The Purpose Music Group. It will be distributed worldwide at all digital music outlets including iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, Google Play and Rhapsody.
“This album kind of led me into what it was. It ended up coming together like an old-school LP, with a Side A and a Side B,” Owens said. “Side A represents love songs, whether it be for God and humanity, in ‘For You,’ or for my wife, in ‘Pretty Fine Thing,’ and ‘She’s Mine.’ Side B is what I call life songs, about how love is translated into other areas of life. That’s where we get to ‘Beautiful Day,’ which has my kids on it, ‘When a Grown Man Cries,’ and ‘Prayer for My Children.’”
Through the ‘Soul of Ferguson’ Owens expresses love and hope – and how he was able to find inspiration in one of the region’s darkest hours.
“I wrote ‘Prayer’ after that tragic moment that happened in my hometown in 2014,” Owens said.
He was referring to the unrest sparked by the death of Michael Brown Jr. on August 9, 2014.
“I was thinking about how I’m raising my kids at a time when things like this are happening,” Owens said. “If anything happens to me, I want them to know exactly how I feel about God and exactly how I feel about their mother. That song is very specific about these things: Color and country don’t define who you are.
God’s love is the only thing that sets each one of us apart, but binds us together. The last track, ‘Benediction,’ is not so much a conclusion as a new beginning.”
Owens was fortunate enough to snag a feature with a fellow Ferguson native, Grammy Award-winner Michael McDonald.
They belt out their unique brand of soul on the track “For You.”
The upbeat ode to love, written by Owens is a perfect for the pair to join forces.
“I find great inspiration in getting to collaborate with amazing young talent,” McDonald said in a statement announcing the single’s release. “This young man is from my hometown of Ferguson. Obviously, I’m not the only one who thinks he’s world-class. His collaborations are becoming many – and it’s just the beginning.”
“The Soul of Ferguson” by Brian Owens and The Deacons of Soul will be available for download on Friday, Feb. 24. For more information on Brian Owens, visit www.brianowenssoul.com.
