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The Artist: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
A reason to love her: Amy Winehouse used the Dap-Kings as her backup band on her breakout album. But Jones is no one’s media spectacle. She’s the real deal. At 51, she can still rip it up. Before she found fame—at least among soul nerds—she worked as a guard at Rikers Island and—perhaps just as grueling—sung at weddings. You can read a recent New York Times piece on Jones here. She’s so real, you’d think she recorded her albums in Muscle Shoals back in the day.
The news: Jones has a new album out now. It’s called 100 Days, 100 Nights. Buy it. Or at least go here. We recommend “Let Them Knock.” It’s tight, yes?