Soulville, winner of the NAPPA Gold Award in 2009, is a soul music primer featuring a book and cd with a groovy array of hits originally recorded by the genre’s giants, including Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me,” Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is (to be Loved by You).” Featured current R&B artists RedRay Frazier, Tabitha Fair and Chocolate Genius perform new arrangements backed up by a kids’ chorus, making this one of the most sing-along friendly recordings in a long time. The colorful board book provides an introduction to soul music, with notes about the songs and original recording artists, plus fun poems that point to the importance of this genre in American history. According to producer Kevin Salem, “We hope the book and the music will spark discussion between parents and children about the broader social issues that soul music encompasses. It’s really meant as a tribute to all of the greats in this genre, made kid-friendly.”