Lost New Orleans soul - Tony Owens

The Ponderosa Stomp regularly uncovers obscure artists who have been all but forgotten. This year one such act was Tony Owens, a New Orleans native new to me who recorded a number of soul singles in the 60s and 70s, beginning with I got soul on the Soul Sound label in 1966. He had a couple of further 45s on Soulin' in the late 60s - Wishing waiting hoping and Confessin' a feeling (the latter was successful enough to be picked up by Cotillion) - and later recorded for Sansu. Tony's This heart can't take no more was included on Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures Vol 4. An imposing man with a big soulful voice, he was apparently driving a horse drawn tourist carriage around New Orleans until recently. Hopefully the Stomp can give a boost to his comeback, and maybe we will get to hear more from him in the future. The photo shows Tony with Wardell Querzerque.