You know that feeling when a song starts and you immediately want to walk a little taller? That’s the magic of "Soulful Strut." It’s a track that basically defined the "cool" side of 1968. If you’ve seen The Parent Trap or any movie trying to capture a breezy, sophisticated 60s vibe, you’ve heard those bright horns and that rolling piano.
But here’s the kicker. The guys on the record cover? They aren't the ones playing those instruments.
It’s one of the weirdest "gotcha" moments in music history. Young-Holt Unlimited got the gold record, the fame, and the legacy for Young Holt Soulful Strut, yet the actual members—bassist Eldee Young and drummer Isaac "Red" Holt—weren't even in the building when the tape was rolling.
The Mystery of the Missing Musicians
Honestly, the story sounds like a movie plot. Young and Holt were legit jazz royalty. They’d spent years as the rhythm section for the Ramsey Lewis Trio, helping craft hits like "The 'In' Crowd." When they went solo, they signed with Brunswick Records.
At the same time, producer Carl Davis was working with a singer named Barbara Acklin. She had recorded a vocal track called "Am I the Same Girl." Davis liked the music, but for some reason, he wasn't feeling the vocals for a single release. He decided to scrub her voice entirely.
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He called in session pianist Floyd Morris to lay down a melody over the existing instrumental track. Morris allegedly thought the song was "bubblegum" and didn't even want his name on it.
Who actually played on the track?
Since the "Unlimited" guys weren't there, the heavy lifting fell to the Brunswick Studio Band. We're talking about:
- Floyd Morris on piano (the real star of the show).
- Bernard Reed on bass.
- Quinton Joseph on drums.
When the track was finished, it was a masterpiece of "Chicago Soul." It had this mid-tempo, atmospheric swing that was just irresistible. Davis needed a name to put on the label to sell it, so he approached Young and Holt.
They weren't fans at first. They actually turned it down. It was only after Red Holt played the song for his son—who absolutely loved it—that they agreed to let Brunswick release it under their name.
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Why Young Holt Soulful Strut Still Slaps
It hit #3 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B charts. That’s huge for an instrumental. In 1969, it went gold.
The song works because it's deceptively simple. It’s built on a "strutting" rhythm that makes you feel like you’re owning the sidewalk. The horns aren't aggressive; they’re celebratory. It’s the kind of music that fits a cocktail party just as well as a backyard BBQ.
The "Am I the Same Girl" Connection
Funny enough, Barbara Acklin’s original version was eventually released a few months later. It’s a great song. It really is. But because "Soulful Strut" had already dominated the airwaves, her vocal version felt like a cover of an instrumental, even though it was recorded first.
Dusty Springfield covered it. Swing Out Sister had a massive hit with it in the 90s. But for most people, the wordless, piano-driven version remains the definitive one.
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The Legacy of a Ghost Track
Is it "fake"? Not really. It’s just how the industry worked back then. Young and Holt were the "face" of the brand, and they spent the rest of their career performing the song live to perfection. They earned their keep, even if the studio credits belong to a group of unsung session players.
The song has been sampled by everyone from the Beastie Boys to Joss Stone. It’s been in more commercials than you can count.
What you should do next
If you want to really appreciate the layers of this story, do a side-by-side listen.
- Play "Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited first. Focus on the piano melody.
- Immediately switch to "Am I the Same Girl" by Barbara Acklin.
- Listen to how the horns interact with her voice.
It’s a masterclass in how production can completely change the "soul" of a song without changing a single note of the backing track. Once you hear the connection, you’ll never hear the "strut" the same way again.
Check out the 2005 compilation The Definitive Young-Holt Unlimited if you want to hear what the duo actually sounded like when they were behind the kits—it’s gritty, technical, and way more "jazz" than the pop hit they’re famous for.