Otis Clay - Ill Treat You Right (1992)

Otis Clay is a true soul survivor, a master of the hard-edged, gospel-tinged "deep" sound that can still be heard on any given evening in clubs throughout the South. His '60s and '70s sides on Hi, Dakar, and One-derful are classics; the recent Soul Man: Live in Japan revealed he can still wreck the house with the best of 'em. I'll Treat You Right is his first studio effort in a while, and every note rings with passion and intensity. One can't help but be moved when listening to his tortured reading of Little Milton's "Leave Me and My Woman Alone" or the wistful, longingly-rendered "Hope You Love Me like You Say You Do." Fans of Robert Cray will note similarities -- Cray is a longtime disciple. Since, if anything, Clay's chops have improved over time, this release should gain him many more ardent followers. It's proof that great soul music, like those hot roadhouse nights in Tennessee, will endure.