What a Man

Linda Lyndell cut the song in 1968 at Stax in Memphis with producer Dave Crawford and the label’s studio musicians. The recording was built in the studio in a loose, improvised session. Released on Volt in 1968, the single became Lyndell’s signature record and reached No. 50 on Billboard’s R&B chart. It stood out as a Stax blue-eyed soul release and quickly drew attention beyond Memphis. The track later became the basis for Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue’s 1993 hit “Whatta Man,” which brought Lyndell’s recording back into wide circulation. It remains her best-known song and one of the enduring entries in the Stax/Volt catalog.