With its distinctive combination of black gospel and white country elements, William Bell's 1961 hit "You Don't Miss Your Water" signaled the stylistic direction that Stax Records, in particular, and Southern soul music, in general, would take for the remainder of the decade. The soul crooner scored one more hit, 1962's "Any Other Way," before the Army took him off the scene for two years. He returned to recording in strong form following his discharge and continued charting, with "Never Like This Before" and "Everybody Loves a Winner," both included on this, his first album. Because "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "Any Other Way" had been recorded in mono, Bell decided to cut new stereo versions while working on this 1967 set.
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