Going through 1960s music journals at worldradiohistory.com, I came across this review by Penny Valentine, published in Disc & Music Echo (January 28, 1967).
I've had the 45 for quite a few years, and still play it every now and then:
Mattie Moultrie: That's How Strong My Love Is (1966)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aKUx8w-7Ng
One of the very first recordings done for Richard Gottehrer's and Seymour Stein's Sire Productions, this impressive version of a soul classic was issued on the Columbia label, but didn't sell too many copies at the time.
While I do disagree with Valentine's judgement on the quality of Otis Redding's recorded output, I'm still partial to O.V.Wright's original version, which was his first secular recording (on Goldwax), and made it to #109 on Billboard's Bubbling Under chart in the fall of 1964.
Other memorable female versions were later recorded by Candi Staton and Laura Lee - both are excellent. But Mattie Moultrie's over-the-top reading is still something special.
#music #soulmusic #mattiemoultrie #pennyvalentine #otisredding #ovwright #candistaton #lauralee #deepsoul #richardgottehrer #seymourstein