Discography; Ralph McKnight
"Soul Singer" should be the title of Bettye LaVette's biography. She has been dedicated to the idiom since she was 16 years old, adopting the blues as her own and having been an unsung pioneer in the field of rhythm and blues. The audiences in smoke-filled nightclubs, theatres, concert halls and blues festivals have shouted at the stage telling Bettye to "sing the song, honey!" since "My Man" was a hit.
Those appearances wetted the appetites for loyal soul fans who eagerly await Miss LaVette's latest record releases. Even though Bettye has been dissatisfied with many of her recordings, she has some gems among the many records she has made and news of a new release by her is welcomed news to her legions of fans worldwide.
Here is her discography, thus far:
CDs and LPs
Tell Me a Lie
Motown, 1982 (LP only)
Not Gonna Happen Twice
Motor City, 1990 (Import CD)
Nearer to You: The SSS Recordings
Charly, 1990 (Import CD)
The Very Best of the Motor City Recordings
Motor City, 1996 (CD)
Bluesoul Belles The Complete Calla Recordings
West Side, 1999 (Import CD)
EMI INT'L, 2005 (Import CD)
Souvenirs
(Original previously unreleased Atco LP from 1973)
Art & Soul, 2000 (Import CD)
Bettye LaVette: Let Me Down Easy In Concert
Munich, 2000 (Import CD)
A Woman Like Me
Blues Express, 2003 (CD)
I've Got My Own Hell to Raise
Anti-, 2005 (CD)
Dbk Works (LP)
Vanthology - A Tribute To Van Morrison (Various Artists)
Track; Real Real Gone
Evidence, 2003 (CD)
Get In The Groove - Live (Various Artists)
Tracks: Night Time is the Right Time, Tailfeather Finale
Norton, 2005 (CD)
Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart
The Classic Late '60s Memphis Recordings with The Dixie Flyers
Varese Sarabande, 2006 (CD)
Child Of The Seventies
The Complete Atlantic/Atco Recordings
Rhino Handmade, 2006 (CD)
Do Your Duty
The Complete Silver Fox/SSS Recordings
Sundazed, 2006 (LP)
What's Going On - The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Track: What's Happening Brother
Shoutfactory, 2006 (CD)
Song Of America - Various Artists
Track: Streets Of Philadelphia
Thirty Tigers, 2007 (CD)
The Scene of the Crime
Anti- 2007 (CD)
Anti- 2007 (LP)
Bettye LaVette - by Ralph McKnight
SINGLES
My Man - He's a Lovin' Man/Shut Your Mouth
Atlantic 2160, 1962 (No 7 R&B)
You'll Never Change/Here I Am
Atlantic 2198, 1963
Witchcraft in the Air/You Killed the Love
LuPine 123, 1963
(Happiness Will Cost You) One Thin Dime
Scepter, 1964 (unreleased)
Let Me Down Easy/What I Don't Know (Won't Hurt Me)
Calla 102, 1965 (No 20 R&B)
I Feel Good All Over/Only Your Love Can Save Me
Calla 104, 1965
Cry Me a River
Calla, 1965 (unreleased)
She Don't Love You Like I Love You
Calla, 1965 (unreleased)
I'm Just a Fool For You/Stand Up Like a Man
Calla 106, 1966
I'm Holding On/Tears in Vain
Big Wheel 1969, 1966
Almost/Love Makes The World Go Round
Karen 1540, 1968
Get Away/What Condition My Condition Is In
Karen 1544, 1968
A Little Help From My Friends/Hey Love
Karen 1545, 1969
Let Me Down Easy/Ticket to the Moon
Karen 1548, 1969
He Made a Woman Out of Me/Nearer to You
Silver Fox 17, 1969 (No 25 R&B)
Do Your Duty/Love's Made a Fool Out of Me
Silver Fox 21, 1970 (No 38 R&B)
Games People Play/My Train's Comin' In
Silver Fox 24, 1970
Piece of My Heart/At the Mercy of a Man
SSS International 839, 1970
He Made A Woman Out Of Me / My Train's Coming In
SSS Int'l 933, 1970
Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go (w/ Hank Ballard)
SSS International 946, c. 1970
Hello, Sunshine (with Hank Ballard)
SSS International, c. 1970 (unreleased)
I'm In Love
Silver Fox, 1970 (unreleased)
We Got To Slip Around
SSS International, c. 1970 (unreleased)
Easier To Say (Than Do)
SSS International, c. 1970 (unreleased)
Never My Love/Stormy
TCA 001, 1971
Heart of Gold/You'll Wake Up Wiser
Atco 6891, 1972
Your Turn to Cry/Soul Tambourine
Atco 6913, 1973
Thank You For Loving Me/You Made a Believer Out of Me
Epic 50143, 1975 (No 94 R&B)
Behind Closed Doors/ You're a Man of Words, I'm a Woman of
Action
Epic 50177, 1975
Feelings
1978 (unreleased)
Shoestring
1978 (unreleased)
Doin' the Best I Can Pt.1 /Doin' the Best I Can Pt. 2
West End 1213, 1978
Right in the Middle (of Falling in Love) / You've Seen One
You've Seen 'em All
Motown 1532, 1982 (No 35 R&B)
I Can't Stop/Either Way We Lose
Motown 1614, 1982
Trance Dance Pt.1/ Trance Dance Pt. 2
Street King, 1984
Not Gonna Happen Twice
Motor City, 1990 (UK only)
Damn Your Eyes/Out Cold
Bar None, 1997 (Cassette only)