If you didn't know already, one of my favorite musical genres is old-skool soul and R&B; so when I hear an excellent rendition of an R&B/soul song, it puts a smile on face, such as hearing Everyday People being being covered by a bevy of talented artists on Stephen Colbert's first day on the Late Show!
Here's the original by Sly & The Family Stone:
Amongst the artists that performed that cover, was Paul Janeway of St. Paul & The Broken Bones; I love this band a lot, so much so, that my wife and I saw them twice in February! Their James Brown/Al Green/neo-soul sound is just too good to pass up!
Brittany Howard is another superb artist who also partook in that cover; her band, Alabama Shakes, is just as superb as she is! Their mixture of southern rock/garage/soul is also too good to pass up! I prefer their first album to their most recent one (it's a bit more experimental), so here it is for your listening pleasure!
I was a big fan of NBC's Parenthood when it was on air, and the series finale was a real tear-jerker! In that finale, a cover of Bob Dylan's Forever Young (which happens to be the show's theme song) was used to cap off the episode. Sam Beam (of Iron & Wine fame) and Rhiannon Giddens do a superb rendition that is fitting for a series finale about a tight-knit family that dwelled in the great city of Berkley!
And finally, if you're in the mood for that indie/folksy/mellow sound give Bahamas a try! This gentleman was a session musician but decided to break out on his own! A stripped-down, melodic vibe is what it's going to sound like, if that's what you need!
Happy listening and cheers y'all!
