Final Note: Fontella Bass, singer of "Rescue Me," dies at 72

By Richard K. Barry
Ms. Fontella died in December 26, 2012 in St. Louis of complications from a recent heart attack.

About the 1965 song "Rescue Me," the New York Times writes this:

A major crossover hit, the song reached No. 4 on Billboard’s pop chart and has remained a staple on oldies radio, movie soundtracks and television commercials; Aretha Franklin sang a version of it for a Pizza Hut ad in the early ’90s (as “Deliver Me”).

As they add, Fontella Bass's "Rescue Me" was an "indelible example of the decade's finest pop and soul."

Yes it was, and the horn section in this clip is pretty cool too, not to mention the dance steps of all involved. It is so hard to get rhythm and horn players to dance these days.


(Cross-posted at Hogtown Hipster.)