Album of the Day

Wilson Pickett's much-covered soul classic "In The Midnight Hour" debuted on the charts today in 1965; it became the title track of the singer's first album for Atlantic Records. The bulk of that collection was drawn from singles by the performer going back to 1962, and are among the grittiest and most passionate Pickett ever recorded - such as “I Found A Love,” a Top Ten R&B hit from his tenure with The Falcons. A gifted writer as well as a powerhouse vocalist, The Wicked One wrote or co-wrote most of these dozen songs, including several (“Don't Fight It,” “I'm Not Tired”) with guitarist Steve Cropper, whose Booker T. & The M.G.'s bandmates Donald “Duck” Dunn and Al Jackson Jr. can also be heard here on bass and drums. IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR was prime time for '60s soul, and the incendiary set served notice that both Pickett and Memphis' Stax studios were forces to be reckoned with.