Review Score:

B

May 17 / 2024 –

Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose were a short lived little soul group who struck “certified gold” with their 1971 hit “Treat Her Like a Lady”. The group formed in 1970 and truly never achieved higher success than they did on this particular record – which is a collection of sweet, soulful songs that feel absolutely timeless.

Almost more interesting than the music itself is the story of the band. “Sister Rose” refers to Rose Cornelius. In 1967, she appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. She would later tour with a gospel group, which travelled across the globe to moderate success. But later, per her mother’s request, she would return to her hometown in Florida to share some of that success with her family. When the group’s single “Treat Her Like a Lady” reached the top 10 in the Billboard charts, the group began to build on that momentum. Their following single would be their most successful: the soul staple “Too Late to Turn Back Now”. It’s no wonder why it was popular. It’s a phenomenal, catchy ballad. The strings and horns are beautifully layered and mixed, just as they are across the rest of the album.

In 1976, Carter Cornelius split from the group to join a Black Hebrew sect in Miami, Florida. He changed his name to Prince Gideon Israel. Eddie Cornelius also went down a religious path. He became a born-again Christian. In 2020, he wrote a memoir – It’s Not Too Late To Turn Back Now (Back To The Open Arms Of God).

The Cornelius family didn’t break new ground for the soul genre. They are an often forgotten group that just doesn’t have the same catalogue as a group like The Spinners, for example. But for a few short years, they were consistently contributing the kind of lovely music that comes to mind when people think of soul. This album is a great listen for those rainy, cloudy days.

Review Score:

B

Gubb wrote this review. You can’t get mad at Gubb.