Oscar Toney, Jr.

Oscar Toney, Jr., didn't score many hits during his career as a journeyman R&B singer, but his heart-rendering cover of Jerry Butler & the Impressions' "For Your Precious Love" is an inarguably classic moment in Southern soul, and Papa Don Schroeder, the producer who helped Toney cut his most memorable sides, gave his recordings a rich, full-bodied sound with touch of uptown sophistication that complimented Toney's full-bodied delivery. "For Your Precious Love" was recorded during Toney's tenure with Bell Records, and For Your Precious Love was the only album he would cut during his time with the label. While the lion's share of the songs on the album were already familiar to soul fans from their recordings by other artists, Toney's superb voice -- which suggests the Dixie-fried passion of Otis Redding tempered by a broken-hearted wistfulness -- brings a freshness to his covers of "Dark End of the Street," "Do Right Woman -- Do Right Man," and "Any Day Now," and the one number on the LP written by Toney, "Ain't That True Love," suggests Schroeder should have made more of Toney's gifts as a songwriter. And while there's a bit more polish here than on the average Stax or Goldwax side of the period, Toney's manic version of "Turn on Your Love Light" confirms all parties concerned could still get the party started. Recorded at Chips Moman's American Studio in Memphis with Bobby Emmons, Tommy Cogbill, Reggie Young, and Gene Grisman anchoring the studio band, For Your Precious Love is a marvelous example of Southern soul at its best, and Rev-Ola's reissue fills out the package with an additional seven cuts that cover the rest of Toney's output for Bell; fan of vintage R&B will certainly want to have this music in their collection. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide