Eddy Giles

Elbert Giles (March 17, 1938 – February 5, 2019), Despite never achieving a mainstream success, he was a significant contributor to Southern soul, the genre made famous by artists such as Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, O. V. Wright, Otis Redding, and Sir Charles Jones.

Giles was born in Frierson, Louisiana, In a 2015 interview with The Shreveport Times, he said his music influences were Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. was issued as a single in 1966, with "I Got The Blues" on the B-side. The single, released on the Shreveport-based Murco Records, did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 27 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart the following year. The single did not make it into the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. Despite its poor chart performance, it sold 2,000 units in Shreveport, 10,000 in Dallas, and 70,000 in Chicago. toured the country extensively, performed with Ike and Tina Turner. In Chicago, their concerts were opened by young Jimi Hendrix.

Giles kept on writing songs and releasing new singles. His next singles, "While I'm Away" b/w "Eddy's Go-Go Train", "Happy Man" b/w "Music", "Soul Feeling Part 1" b/w "Soul Feeling Part 2", and "Love With A Feeling" b/w "Baby, Be Mine", all written by Giles and released through Murco label, did not chart.

After his career in music, he graduated from the United Theological Seminary and Bible College in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1996. In 2002, he was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree from Inter-Baptist Theological Seminary. He became a deacon, and then was a pastor at Salem Missionary Baptist Church for over 25 years.

For 40 years, he was a DJ at a Shreveport radio station KOKA. He was a gospel announcer, program director and music director at the station.

Giles died on February 5, 2019, at the age of 80.

Selected discography

Albums

Southern Soul Brother (2014)

Singles

"Losin' Boy" / "I Got The Blues" (1966) "While I'm Away" / "Eddy's Go-Go Train" (1967) (credited to Eddy "G" Giles* and The Jive 5) "Happy Man" / "Music" (1967) (credited to Eddy "G" Giles) "Soul Feeling Part 1" / "Soul Feeling Part 2" (1969) (credited to Eddy "G" Giles) "Love With A Feeling' / Baby, Be Mine" (1969) (credited to Eddy "G" Giles) "Losing Boy" / "It Takes Me All Night" (1971) (credited to Eddie Giles)