Carla Benson - You Should Be Here (2014)

Camden, New Jersey native soul singer Carla Benson formed a vocal trio with her cousin Barbara Ingram and childhood friend Evette Benton in the early 1970s and went on to become a much in demand session vocalist on numerous Philadelphia-based recordings during the 1970s and early 1980s. Affectionately dubbed “"The Sweethearts of Sigma," after the legendary Sigma Sound studios where they were actively employed as in-house background vocalists for Philadelphia International Records for a period of over 10 years. Of the three vocalists, Carla’s voice is most prominent and is the top note you hear on numerous hit records including those of Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls, The O'Jays and others. Carla features prominently on Billy Paul’s “Me and Mrs. Jones”, McFadden and Whitehead’s “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now”, Evelyn "Champagne” King's "Shame", Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude” and many other iconic hits. Carla justly appears in the 2002 Grammy Award winning documentary “Standing in the Shadows of Motown,” where she is featured as one of the largely unheralded studio musicians who recorded and performed on countless chart-topping hits, most notably the legendary rhythm section known as The Funk Brothers, around whom the film is based. Carla was enlisted by the Funk Brothers and toured the world with them for about three years. After all this time Carla is still very much in demand. At the behest of legendary Philly Soul producer Butch Ingram, Carla has stepped out of the shadows to unveil the eagerly anticipated “You Should Be Here,“ the solo album she has been working on for the past two years. Backed by the first family of Philly Soul, The Ingram Brothers, along with a top notch cast of guest players including keyboardist Ben Pressley, saxophonist Don “Juan” Ward and Carla’s best friend and singing partner Evette Benton; “You Should Be Here” presents Carla Benson front and center. The long overdue new album effectively presents Benson’s musical scope, with material ranging from Johnny Mercer’s classic jazz ballad “Autumn Leaves” to the Isley Brothers “For The Love Of You,” and even includes two original compositions penned by Carla herself: the vocal tour de force “Outstanding,” and the introspective “God’s House.”