Album of the Day

On this day in 1966, Percy Sledge scored a No.1 hit with “When A Man Loves A Woman,” the Alabama-born singer's debut single. After achieving musical immortality with his first release, the rest of Sledge's career is sometimes treated as a footnote, but one listen to the 16 tracks on THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION confirms the consistent high quality of his work. On covers of “Love Me Tender” and “The Dark End Of The Street,” Percy sings Elvis Presley and James Carr to a draw, and Top 40 songs “Take Time To Know Her,” “Warm And Tender Love” and “It Tears Me Up” show his country-tinged deep soul crossed musical boundaries effortlessly. The world lost a towering voice with the death last month of Percy Sledge, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's legacy is well served by THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION (and even better represented by Rhino Handmade's 4-CD ATLANTIC RECORDINGS boxed set).