Everybody Needs Somebody

Description

The definitive fully authorised Solomon Burke story.

Fifty years after his first record "Christmas Presents from Heaven", a song dedicated to his grandmother, sold a million copies, Solomon Burke's life story reads like the roller coaster ride she predicted for him before she died.

Paul Spencer's film, screened recently on BBC Television, follows his journey from a humble Philadelphia neighbourhood known as "the Bottom" to New York, Hollywood, and the music industry's highest accolades. We trace his music back to its gospel roots and learn how faith in God sustains him, his 21 children, 79 grandchildren and 17 great grand children, the family he thought he would never have.

Bill Wyman tells us how the Rolling Stones in their formative years, covered three of his songs, Tom Jones admits that for him, Solomon left all the other soul singers in the shade, and Jools Holland explains how his powerful voice and magisterial presence guaranteed him appearances on "Later" as well as Jools' latest record.

Producer and musician Joe Henry describes how, with the help of writers like Van Morrison, Tom Waits, Brian Wilson and Elvis Costello, he produced the record that won Solomon his first Grammy.