Soul is included here, because it lies close to many of the music styles you can hear at Tønder Festival. Soul music became a popular kind of music in Afro American communities in USA in the 1950s and 1960s. Soul music's parents are gospel and blues, especially the rhythm and blues that had won huge popularity via black radio stations. With James Brown and Ray Charles as godfathers, soul music was the sound of those decades, growing and mixing with many other styles as it went.
Today, R&B is one of the genres that derive from the original soul music. Gospel music in its pure form still makes its presence felt at Tønder Festival, as does soul music, its essential, rhythmic, driving soul funk often heard mixing it with roots rock. Two examples are American Anderson East and British Yola Carter.
