Best Records of 2005: #6 'I Believe To My Soul'

Joe Henry strikes again, this time with a project that is very much his own making (he conceived the project, recruited the players and produced the album). Not content to revive the careers of Solomon Burke and Bettye Lavette, Henry lined up some of the best (but least appreciated) of the the late 60’s/early 70’s soul scene, inlcuding Mavis Staples, Ann Peebles, Billy Preston, Irma Thomas and Allen Toussaint. The timing of the release provided a nice excuse to market it as a Hurricane Katrina benefit album, and Joe Henry has proven yet again why he is one of the music industry’s greatest treasures.