Mack Turnley was a Detroit soul singer whose career burned brightly and all too briefly at the end of the 1960s.
A commanding vocalist with a warm, expressive voice, Mack brought together deep soul, gospel roots and the emerging sophistication of late-sixties Detroit. His music was intimate, restrained and emotionally direct.
Working with producer and arranger Rufus Tarrant at Power-fi Records, Mack developed a richer, more cinematic sound built around strong melodies, carefully crafted arrangements and his distinctive voice.
In 1969, he recorded what was intended to become his breakthrough album, Soul Lives Here. Before it could be released, Mack was killed in a car accident in 1970 and the recordings were shelved.
For more than five decades, the master tapes remained unheard.
Rediscovered in 2026, those recordings finally bring Mack Turnley’s voice back into the light, allowing a lost chapter of Detroit soul to be heard for the first time.
Some records are made for their moment.
Others have to wait for theirs.