Soul band for hire: 70s soul and Motown bands for hire, staged as a full revue

The short answer

A professional soul band for hire in the US costs $3,000 to $15,000 in 2026 and should include lead and backing vocals, a rhythm section, horns at the mid tier and up, and its own PA and lighting. The Velvelettes are that band staged as a show: three voices in matched vintage dress, a live horn section, choreography and an MC, playing the Motown, Stax and 70s soul songbook, from $3,400 with a contract, insurance and a backup-performer guarantee.

This page covers what a real soul band includes, what separates soul, Motown and funk on a stage, what the formats cost, and how to vet one. We play about 60 weddings and corporate dates a year out of Detroit, across all 48 contiguous states. Last updated July 2026.

★ 200+ shows · Insured & contracted · Horns on every mid-tier date

Formats and prices

Soul band lineups, 2026

4 to 5 piece, one voice	$3,000 to $5,000
7-piece with horns	$6,000 to $13,000
9 to 10 piece staged revue	$12,000+
Our Club Set (trio + rhythm)	from $3,400
Our Revue (voices + horns)	from $6,900
Our Grand Revue	from $12,500

Market ranges reflect published 2026 US band pricing; our package figures are exact and public. Every package includes PA, lighting, an engineer and an MC.

See the full package pricing

Two minutes, your setlist

Build the soul set your room would hear

Pick from the songbook we actually perform, Motown through 70s soul, and see how a night with this band runs. Then check your date.

The program desk

Build your show program

1 · The occasion

2 · The mix

Motown '64 Northern Soul Soul, but 2026

Tonight leans .

3 · Show length

4 · Your first dance

Chosen: , arranged for your night.

The anatomy

What separates a soul band from a cover band playing soul songs

Anyone can put "My Girl" on a setlist. The songbook only works when the parts that made it famous are on stage. Check quotes against this table.

The part	Why the songbook needs it	What to ask a band
Three-part vocal harmony	The Supremes, Temptations and Four Tops were vocal groups first. One singer with tracks cannot answer themselves.	How many singers are live, and are the backing vocals sung or played back?
A live horn section	The stabs in "Sir Duke" and "September" are the hook. Synth horns read as karaoke within one song.	Which package tiers include horns, and how many players?
A rhythm section that swings	Motown ran on James Jamerson's bass lines. The floor follows the pocket, not the melody.	Ask for one continuous live video and listen to the bass and drums, not the singer.
Choreography and dress	The spins and step-touches are half the spectacle. This is what guests film.	Is it a staged show with moves and matched dress, or musicians in black shirts?
An MC inside the band	Soul revues were hosted. Someone has to run entrances, toasts and the last song without handing off to a stranger.	Who makes announcements, and is that included or an add-on?

Motown, Stax and the 70s

One songbook, three eras, every generation

Motown is the polished Detroit end of soul: the Supremes, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder. Stax and Muscle Shoals are the grittier southern end: Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett. The 70s stretched both into funk and disco-adjacent territory: Aretha at her peak, Al Green, Earth, Wind and Fire. A working soul band moves across all three in one night, because a dance floor does not care about label history.

People searching for 70s soul bands and Motown bands for hire are usually asking the same practical question: will my parents' generation and my friends both dance? This songbook is the strongest yes available. It is the rare catalog where the 28-year-olds know the words from samples and film soundtracks and the 78-year-olds know them from the radio.

The full list we perform, grouped by what each song does to a room, is on the songbook page, and our ranking of the essentials is in the 25 best Motown songs.

How a night moves through the eras

A working set arc

Moment	What plays
Dinner	Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, the ballad end of the catalog at conversation volume
Floor opener	"Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Dancing in the Street": songs every table stands up for
Peak set	The 70s block: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered", "Respect", "September"
Finale	A showstopper with full harmony and horns, the moment that gets filmed

Featured songs, first dances and walk-up music are arranged for our lineup in your key, with 4 to 6 weeks notice.

Where the band works

Soul bands for hire: weddings, corporate events, festivals

Weddings

The mixed-generation guest list is the strongest case for soul. Ceremony vocals as an add-on, dinner sets, first dance in your key, then three dance sets with horns. How the full day runs is on the live wedding band page.

Corporate events

Galas, award nights and holiday parties, with the paperwork procurement expects: COI, W-9, Net-30 invoicing and a signed contract. Formats and budgets are on corporate event entertainment.

Cities we play

Based in Detroit, playing all 48 contiguous states. Drive cities like Chicago carry no travel day; fly dates like New York are advanced the week the contract signs. All 14 city guides are on the cities hub.

Soul band questions, answered

What is a soul band?

A soul band performs the American soul songbook: Motown, Stax, Atlantic and the 70s soul and funk that followed, built on lead vocals, tight backing harmonies, a rhythm section and usually a horn section. The best ones treat it as a staged show with choreography and an MC, not a covers set.

How much does it cost to hire a soul band?

In 2026 a professional US soul band costs about $3,000 to $15,000 depending on headcount. A vocal trio with rhythm section starts near $3,400, a 7-piece with horns runs $6,000 to $13,000, and a 9-piece staged production starts around $12,500. Travel beyond roughly 150 miles adds a quoted line.

What is the difference between soul and Motown?

Motown is one label's version of soul: the Detroit sound of the Supremes, Temptations and Four Tops, polished, orchestrated and built for the charts. Soul is the wider genre that also includes the grittier Stax and Muscle Shoals sound and the 70s work of Aretha Franklin, Al Green and Stevie Wonder. A good soul band plays all of it.

How many people are in a soul band?

Anywhere from 4 to 10. The classic working formats are a 4 or 5 piece with one voice, a 7-piece adding horns, and a 9 or 10 piece revue with three voices, full horn section and rhythm section. Horns and backing vocals are what separate a soul band from a rock band playing soul songs.

Do soul bands work for mixed-age crowds?

Better than almost any other songbook. Motown and 70s soul sit in the rare zone where a 28-year-old and a 78-year-old both know the words. That is why soul bands dominate weddings and corporate galas: nobody has to be taught the material before they can dance to it.

Can a soul band play our first dance or company walk-up music?

Yes, any professional soul band arranges featured songs for its own lineup, in your key. Give the band 4 to 6 weeks for a custom arrangement. If the exact studio recording matters more than a live version, have the band play it through their PA instead and spend the arrangement fee elsewhere.

Choosing between formats? The three we tour are compared on the shows page, and the band-or-DJ question has its own honest page.

Keep planning

Put a soul revue on your stage

Tell us your date, city and occasion. Our booking office replies within one business day with availability and an exact quote.