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Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have come a long way since their humble beginnings nearly a decade ago. Steeped within the gilded and gritty sounds of gospel, soul and funk, this nine-piece Brooklyn collective has continued to electrify fans, disc jockeys, critics, record collectors, and bloggers the world-over with their authentic, heart-felt sound.  Their albums recall an analog era led by iconic studios like those at Motown and Stax Records, and have thrust Jones and crew into the multimedia limelight.  As distinguished as their recordings may be, however, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have truly become renowned thanks to their incredible live show, not to mention their relentless touring. And though it’s certainly no easy task to keep such a vast ensemble on the road, the band continues to pack hundreds of clubs worldwide, from legendary venues like New York’s Apollo Theater, Beacon Theater and Central Park’s SummerStage to their show-stopping sets at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Roskilde, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits and WOMAD. On April 6th, 2010, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings released their fourth album I Learned the Hard Way. Recorded in its entirety on an old Ampex eight-track tape machine by Gabriel Roth in Daptone Records’ House of Soul studios, the record drips with a warmth and spontaneity rarely found since the golden days of Muscle Shoals and Stax Records. This is the “Daptone Sound” at its finest. But most of all, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ I Learned the Hard Way is a celebration of, and a testament to, the soulful and beautiful possibilities of music.