People...Hold On  by Eddie Kendricks

The album People... Hold On by Eddie Kendricks, released in May 1972 by Tamla Records, marks a turning point for soul music. After leaving the Temptations, Kendricks abandoned the classic Motown pop sound for a "grittier" and socially conscious style, which was characterized as "the sound of the streets".

The recording of the album took place in January 1972 at the legendary Hitsville U.S.A. studio in Detroit, being one of the last major projects before Motown moved to Los Angeles. The production was signed by Frank Wilson, Leonard Caston Jr., and Bobby Miller, while the participation of the band The Young Senators added a hard, Afrocentric funk rhythm.

Musically, People... Hold On is an explosive composition of spiritual ballads and groundbreaking dance tracks. The iconic single Girl You Need A Change Of Mind is considered the archetype of disco, with its structure foreshadowing the explosion of the genre in New York clubs. Other hits like Eddie's Love and If You Let Me established Kendricks as a solo artist, reaching No.13 on the R&B charts. With his unique falsetto and the Afro-funk rhythms of the titular track, People... Hold On remains a timeless masterpiece of soul music.