For being blessed with one of the most powerful voices in soul, Darrell Banks is often at best considered a side-note in the very congested history of soul music (for “Open The Door To Your Heart”). A belter worthy of Wilson Pickett and J.J. Jackson, his career was tragically cut down when he was shot by an off-duty police officer in the midst of a heated exchange. “Forgive Me” comes off of his 1969 release for Stax Records subsidiary Volt, Here To Stay. With a string arrangement evocative of Impressions records of the period, it’s Banks pleading emotional croon that makes this song so powerful.
RIYL: Wilson Pickett, The Impressions, J.J. Jackson, Stax Records
The Art of the Mixtape 