Producer Dave Bartholomew has declared that "Chuck Carbo had the best voice to come out of New Orleans in the last 30 years." High praise indeed coming from a man who has produced hundreds of sessions and worked with scores of vocalists.

Hayward "Chuck" Carbo began singing spirituals with his brother Leonard "Chick" Carbo in the Delta Southernaires in the 1940s. In 1954, Cosimo Matassa convinced the brothers to try rhythm and blues. The group changed their name to the Spiders and were sign...