B.B. King - The Vintage Years

My heart groans, the sky is crying -- another icon of my age has passed. The King is dead--Long Live The King ...NY Times obit

King was born in a small cabin on a cotton plantation outside of Berclair, Mississippi, to Albert King and Nora Ella Farr on September 16, 1925.

In 1930, when King was four years old, his father abandoned the family, and his mother married another man. Because Nora Ella was too poor to raise her son, King was raised by his maternal grandmother Elnora Farr in Kilmichael, Mississippi. Over the years, King has developed one of the world's most identifiable guitar styles. He borrowed from Blind Lemon Jefferson, T-Bone Walker and others, integrating his precise and complex vocal-like string bends and his left hand vibrato, both of which have become indispensable components of rock guitarist's vocabulary. His economy and phrasing has been a model for thousands of players, from Eric Clapton and George Harrison to Jeff Beck. King has mixed traditional blues, jazz, swing, mainstream pop, and jump into a unique sound. In King's words, "When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille." King grew up singing in the gospel choir at Elkhorn Baptist Church in Kilmichael. At the age of 12, he purchased his first guitar for $15.00 although another reference indicates he was given his first guitar by his cousin, Bukka White. In 1943, King left Kilmichael to work as a tractor driver and play guitar with the Famous St. John's Quartet of Inverness, Mississippi, performing at area churches and on WGRM in Greenwood, Mississippi.

In 1946, King followed his cousin Bukka White to Memphis, Tennessee. White took him in for the next ten months. However, King shortly returned to Mississippi, where he decided to prepare himself better for the next visit, and returned to West Memphis, Arkansas, two years later in 1948. He performed on Sonny Boy Williamson's radio program on KWEM in West Memphis, where he began to develop a local audience for his sound. King's appearances led to steady engagements at the Sixteenth Avenue Grill in West Memphis and later to a ten-minute spot on the legendary Memphis radio station WDIA. King's Spot became so popular, it was expanded and became the Sepia Swing Club.

Initially he worked at WDIA as a singer and disc jockey, gaining the nickname Beale Street Blues Boy, which was later shortened to Blues Boy and finally to B.B. It was there that he first met T-Bone Walker. "Once I'd heard him for the first time, I knew I'd have to have [an electric guitar] myself. 'Had' to have one, short of stealing!", he said.

In 1949, King began recording songs under contract with Los Angeles-based RPM Records. Many of King's early recordings were produced by Sam Phillips, who later founded Sun Records. Before his RPM contract, King had debuted on Bullet Records by issuing the single "Miss Martha King" (1949), which did not chart well. "My very first recordings [in 1949] were for a company out of Nashville called Bullet, the Bullet Record Transcription company," King recalls. "I had horns that very first session. I had Phineas Newborn on piano; his father played drums, and his brother, Calvin, played guitar with me. I had Tuff Green on bass, Ben Branch on tenor sax, his brother, Thomas Branch, on trumpet, and a lady trombone player. The Newborn family were the house band at the famous Plantation Inn in West Memphis."

Performing with his famous guitar, Lucille King assembled his own band; the B.B. King Review, under the leadership of Millard Lee. The band initially consisted of Calvin Owens and Kenneth Sands (trumpet), Lawrence Burdin (alto saxophone), George Coleman (tenor saxophone), Floyd Newman (baritone saxophone), Millard Lee (piano), George Joyner (bass) and Earl Forest and Ted Curry (drums). Onzie Horne was a trained musician elicited as an arranger to assist King with his compositions. By his own admission, he cannot play chords well and always relies on improvisation. This was followed by tours across the USA with performances in major theaters in cities such as Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit and St. Louis, as well as numerous gigs in small clubs and juke joints of the southern US states.

In the winter of 1949, King played at a dance hall in Twist, Arkansas. In order to heat the hall, a barrel half-filled with kerosene was lit, a fairly common practice at the time. During a performance, two men began to fight, knocking over the burning barrel and sending burning fuel across the floor. The hall burst into flames, which triggered an evacuation. Once outside, King realized that he had left his guitar inside the burning building. He entered the blaze to retrieve his beloved guitar, a Gibson hollow electric. Two people died in the fire. The next day, King learned that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as every one he owned since that near-fatal experience, as a reminder never again to do something as stupid as run into a burning building or fight over women.

King meanwhile toured the entire "Chitlin' circuit" and 1956 became a record-breaking year, with 342 concerts booked. The same year he founded his own record label, Blues Boys Kingdom, with headquarters at Beale Street in Memphis. There, among other projects, he produced artists such as Millard Lee and Levi Seabury.

In the 1950s, B.B. King became one of the most important names in R&B music, amassing an impressive list of hits including "3 O'Clock Blues", "You Know I Love You," "Woke Up This Morning," "Please Love Me," "When My Heart Beats like a Hammer," "Whole Lotta Love," "You Upset Me Baby," "Every Day I Have the Blues", "Sneakin' Around," "Ten Long Years," "Bad Luck," "Sweet Little Angel", "On My Word of Honor," and "Please Accept My Love." In 1962, King signed to ABC-Paramount Records, which was later absorbed into MCA Records, and this hence into his current label, Geffen Records. In November 1964, King recorded the Live at the Regal album at the Regal Theater in Chicago, Illinois.

Hard To Handle - Black America Sings Otis Redding

 Now THIS is a pretty fine compilation!

"Otis Redding was simply one of the finest and most powerful soul singers of all time, and his death in 1967 at the age of 27 not only silenced a gifted artist, it halted a career that seemed poised to break through to major mainstream success after Redding had dominated the R&B charts for several years. However, Redding's considerable gifts as a vocalist and live performer have tended to overshadow his legacy as a songwriter -- he wrote nearly all his best-known tunes, and the earthy but heartfelt emotional immediacy of his songs made them powerful material in his hands, as well as those of other artists. Ace Records have made a compelling case for Otis Redding the songwriter on the compilation Hard to Handle: Black America Sings Otis Redding, which features 24 covers of Redding's compositions from 23 artists (Redding's protégé Arthur Conley gets two numbers), as well as a rare performance by Redding himself. While Aretha Franklin's recording of "Respect" is here (one of the few examples of a singer beating Otis on one of his own tunes), most of the other selections are relatively obscure, but there's plenty of top-shelf talent on deck, including Irma Thomas ("Security"), Percy Sledge ("I've Got Dreams to Remember"), Lou Rawls ("Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa [Sad Song]"), Etta James ("I Got the Will"), and the Staple Singers ("Sitting On the Dock of the Bay"). What's surprising with many of these recordings is how strongly Redding's original performances defined the songs, and how the vocalists and arrangers tend to defer to the originals, even in the case of artists who had strong styles of their own; while most of these singers find something of their own in Redding's songs, his melodic style was so distinct it's hard for anyone to sing something like "These Arms of Mine" or "Hard to Handle" without a bit of Redding showing through (though Judy Clay's transformation of "Mister Pitiful" into "Sister Pitiful" shows admirable spirit). Hard to Handle is a fine testament to the lasting importance of Otis Redding as an artist and a composer, as well as a top-notch collection of deep soul from the '60s into the '80s, indicating how powerful his legacy has been." AMG

Freddy King - Blues Guitar Hero Vol 2

This is my second post of the Federal/King recordings of the "Texas Cannonball" Freddy King, compiled on the quality Ace (UK) label. Here we have more of his best vocal and instrumental recordings and some rare alternate takes from the period 1961 to 1966.
Originally from Texas, Freddy moved to Chicago in 1950 and proceeded to hone his craft in the local club scene. As a young buck he became associated with the Chicago West Side school of blues guitarists along with Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Luther Allison, Eddy Clearwater and others.  At this time, during the late 1950's and early 1960's these artists were seen as the 'new thing' .
He was not signed by the famous Chess Records group as they believed his style was too close to the master B B King. Hence his signing to Federal/King where he would travel to Cincinnatti to make recordings under the supervision of pianist/producer Sonny Thompson,
So here are 24 recordings from that period and the sub-title 'Influential' is no empty claim. Freddie became a Blues hero around the world. Unfortunately Freddy was to have a short life and was dead at age 42 due to acute pancreatitis.
'Freddy' changed the spelling of his first name to 'Freddie' for his next recordings on the Cotillion/Atlantic label and I shall post these in the near future. Meanwhile enjoy the great guitar and wailing vocals of a Blues Master !!!

Freddy King - Blues Guitar Hero : The Influential Early Sessions

Freddie King (September 3, 1934, Gilmer, Texas – December 28, 1976, Dallas. Texas ), thought to have been born as Frederick Christian, originally recording as Freddy King, and nicknamed "The Texas Cannonball", was an influential American blues guitarist and singer. He is often mentioned as one of "the Three Kings" of electric blues guitar, along with Albert King and B.B. King, as well as being the youngest of the three.
Freddie King based his guitar style on Texas and Chicago influences and was one of the first bluesmen to have a multi-racial backing band onstage with him at live performances. He is best known for singles such as "Have You Ever Loved A Woman" (1960) and his Top 40 hit "Hide Away" (1961). He is also known for albums such as the early, instrumental-packed 'Let's 'Hide Away and Dance Away with Freddy King (1961)' and the later album 'Burglar' (1974), which displayed King's mature versatility as both player and singer in a range of blues and funk styles.
King had a twenty-year recording career and became established as an influential guitarist with hits for Federal Records, in the early 1960s. He inspired American musicians such as Jerry Garcia, Stevie Ray Vaughan and his brother Jimmie Vaughan and others. His influence was also felt in UK, through recordings by blues revivalists such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green,and Chicken Shack. 
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. (Wikipedia) 

'Freddy' became 'Freddie' King after his recording spell at Federal/King Records between  1960 -66. Originally from Texas, he moved to Chicago at age 16 where he began his Blues apprenticeship in the local bars and clubs.  Chess Records turned down the opportunity to record him as they thought him too similar to B B King. He was eventually signed to the Federal/King label where he made his most well-known recordings, many having a huge influence on the British Blues boom of the 1960's.
Here is an excellent compilation of these early singles and album cuts (as 'Freddy') from the Ace (UK) label, well known for it's high quality reissues. If this proves popular I will post Vol 2 from Ace and then all his subsequent recordings in chronological order - 2 albums on Atlantic/Cotillion, 3 for Shelter and 2 for RSO Records. Unfortunately, his career ended prematurely, after the RSO releases. On 28 December 1976, the Texas Cannonball passed away, aged 42, due to stomach ulcers which led to acute pancreatitis . 
If you like : let me know in the comments. Enjoy.  

The Traveling Record Man; Historic Down South Recording Trips

A RERUN REQUEST FOR POPPACUBBY!

A taste of the material gathered during these legendary road trips thru the South that lead to the discovery of many artists and the preservation of many others who would be otherwise lost. There are actually 5 volumes which follow this one if there appears to be any interest.

"The bulky title of this disc was sparked by its documentation of recordings assembled by Joe Bihari of Modern Records on scouting trips through the South for talent between 1948 and 1953. (Starting in 1952, the young Ike Turner also worked for Modern in this capacity.) Just two of the names on this 24-track anthology are famous: Howlin' Wolf, represented by an audition acetate of "Riding in the Moonlight" (first issued in 1991), and Elmore James, whose two cuts appeared on an Ace box set in 1993. Some other names -- like Smokey Hogg, Lil' Son Jackson, and Joe Hill Louis -- will catch the eyes of in-the-know blues experts, but for the most part even those with extensive blues collections will be mostly or totally unfamiliar with most of the artists. This is raw, Southern, just-post-World War II blues, caught in its transition from its rural roots to something more electric and citified. Certainly it's rawer than much commercially released blues of the time, and in fact about half of it was either previously unissued, or not first issued until many years later on other specialist collections. It's not that unhoned, though, and there's decent variety within the genre, from rollicking piano blues and juke-joint harmonica-driven numbers to mournful slow tunes that sound barely off the farm. Actually Arkansas Johnny Todd's "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You" sounds like it's still on the farm. But at the other extreme, Sunny Blair's "Please Send My Baby Back Home" (aka "Step Back Baby") is as well-produced and full-sounding as many a 1953 full-band electric Chicago blues single. This is not for everyone, certainly, but as a reflection of the sounds being unearthed as labels brought musicians from out-of-the-way Southern locales into the commercial world, it has considerable value. And the music is solid, if not as gripping as the best records in these styles. The fidelity is imperfect, as many of the tracks were taken from acetates or 78s, but has been cleaned up considerably by modern technology." AMG

Johnny Guitar Watson - Hot Just Like TNT

And yet more JGW on a July Request Rerun:

More evidence of the genius of Johnny Guitar Watson. Did I mention before that he was a quadruple threat artist? Not just a fine singer and a killer guitar player, but a wailing saxophonist and a boogie woogie style piano player too. Chances are he had even more tricks in his bag but these are the ones I know about. There is very little overlap here, but I notice now that the Keen tracks are also included here.

"...28 track comp includes all of his original singlecuts for RPM/ Modern from the '50s plus six previously unreleased bonus tracks, 'Hot Little Mama', 'Dee's Boogie', 'MyBaby And Me', 'You've Been Gone Too Long' and two versionsof 'Come On Baby' (guitar version & sax version). Other 22:'Hot Little Mama', 'I Love To Love You', 'Don't Touch Me','Too Tired', 'Lonely Girl', 'Ain't Gonna Hush', 'Those Lone-ly, Lonely Nights', 'Oh Baby', 'Someone Cares For Me', 'GiveA Little', 'Ruben' (piano version & guitar version), 'LoveMe Baby', 'She Moves Me', 'Three Hours Past Midnight' + 7..."

Ike Turner Studio Productions: New Orleans And Los Angeles 1963 - 1965

Although this CD is credited to Ike Turner, it might be more appropriately classified as a various-artists compilation, since Turner is the credited artist on just one of the 27 tracks. As the title indicates, it's devoted to recordings he produced between 1963 and 1965, an era in which his industriousness was something to behold given he was also recording many discs with his then-wife Tina, as well as extensively touring. Tina herself is the singer on a couple of these tracks, and the Ikettes are heard as a backup band on a few others. But for the most part, this material is performed by artists who never made a name for themselves, like Jimmy Thomas, Stacy Johnson, Bobby John, and Vernon Guy, though ex-R&B star Jackie Brenston (of "Rocket 88" fame) does a couple numbers. Only five of the cuts were released at the time, some others only showing up on archival compilations decades later, and over half the stuff making its first appearance ever on this disc. Though Ike Turner was undoubtedly a major figure in rock and soul music, this is ephemera when stacked against his primary accomplishments, and of most interest to rabid Ike collectors/enthusiasts. The sound is consistently gutsy and sometimes rawer than almost anything else in the bluesy R&B/rock groove at the time, and the singers usually perform with the kind of passion heard in artists hungry for a break. True to the location of some of the recordings, some of the selections have a more pronounced New Orleans feel than others. But the songs are for the most part just OK, and sometimes not too worked out, as you might expect from takes that often didn't even make it into the marketplace. There's some good playing from the Kings of Rhythm, but unless this is one of your favorite all-time kinds of music, the songs do start to roll by without making much in the way of separate impact. And the two Tina Turner tracks might have been throwaway outtakes, but she sings everyone else under the table on covers of Maxine Brown's hit "All in My Mind" and Eddie Boyd's blues classic "Five Long Years." It's more a listenable document to fill in the some of the background of Turner's resumé than a testament to his finer achievements, with some of the moodier Turner compositions that came out on 1963 singles (Vernon Guy's "You've Got Me [Just Where You Want Me]" and Stacy Johnson's "Remove My Doubts") also standing out in this crowd. - Richie Unterberger / AMG

1 Jimmy Thomas – The Darkest Hour 2:29
2 Stacy Johnson – Remove My Doubts 2:15
3 Vernon Guy With Jessie Smith – They Ain't Lovin' Ya 1:46
4 Bobby John – Too Late 2:29
5 Bobby John & Ikettes, The – Like I Do 2:37
6 Jackie Brenston & Ikettes, The – In Love 2:32
7 Jackie Brenston – I'm Tore Up 2:31
8 Venetta Fields – Through With You 3:18
9 Vernon Guy – That's All Right 1:53
10 Vernon Guy – You're So Fine 2:25
11 Jimmy Thomas – I Smell Trouble 3:40
12 Jimmy Thomas – Feel So Good 2:21
13 Tina Turner – All In My Mind 3:13
14 Ernest Lane & Ikettes, The With Tina Turner – What Kind Of Love 2:18
15 Bobby John With Jimmy Thomas, Stacy Johnson & Vernon Guy – I'm Comin' Home 2:29
16 Bobby John – Dust My Broom 2:33
17 Vernon Guy & Ikettes, The – For Your Precious Love 2:18
18 Vernon Guy – Just To Hold My Hand 2:16
19 Jimmy Thomas – Tin Pan Alley 2:51
20 Jimmy Thomas – Mother-In-Law Blues 2:09
21 Ike Turner & Ikettes, The – Walking Down The Aisle 2:13
22 Bobby John & Ikettes, The – Think 2:12
23 Tina Turner – Five Long Years 2:07
24 Stacy Johnson – Consider Yourself 3:44
25 Stacy Johnson – Don't Believe Him 2:04
26 Vernon Guy With Ike* & Dee Dee* – You Can't Have Your Cake And Eat It Too 2:23
27 Vernon Guy – You've Got Me (Just Where You Want Me) 2:36

Little Willie John - Heaven Can Wait and 1966

A REPOST BY REQUEST

It was my initial intention to continue to spread the Little Willie John posts out a little bit but 2 things happened: 1-the first two posts seemed to be well received and 2-more importantly in listening to the material prior to writing I had something of a epiphany. I ended up listening to all four discs in a row and something became clear; starting from track 9 of disc two (The King Sessions) you have the material from 1959 thru 1960, what should be the 'sweet spot'. Consider that by the end of 1958 LWJ is one of the hottest singers around, but at the height of his popularity someone  (the biography does not discuss this), gets very conservative and one dimensional in the choice of material and arrangements and turns him into a one-trick pony at the very moment when a large number of new singers are coming of age. In these 2 years of poor decisions they manage to completely lose the Public Ear. It is clear from the start of this disc that someone has realized the error and made an attempt at giving him varied vehicles and is laying off the vocal gymnastics. The material is far more interesting and his voice continues to mature. This is really good stuff. Sadly, once lost, the Public Ear is difficult to recapture and meanwhile John's demons get the upper hand until he is jailed and convicted of murder in Washington (state) in 1964.

In most situations that would be the end of this story, but there is one last semi-triumphant chapter. During his time in prison awaiting Appeal, John had struck up a correspondence with producer David Axelrod. In February of 1966 Willie was released pending his Appeal trial and went straight into the studio with Axelrod for 3 sessions with the cream of L.A. studio players that combine to make his final album. John loses the Appeal, is sent back to prison and dies 2 years later under mysterious circumstances at 30 years old. The small miracle here is that Axelrod puts him into updated songs and arrangements and he responds magnificently. No doubt that under different circumstances he could have revived his career and been a major star again with proper handling. The sessions, however, are tied into silly legal disputes for 30 years before they are finally released.

So it seems to me that to illustrate my point I need to go ahead and offer the rest of LWJ now so YOU can decide if I may have gleaned something from careful listening or if you think I'm just full of crap.

There are 2 links in this post.

The Modern Downhome Blues Sessions, Vol. 1; Arkansas & Mississippi

 You got your first taste of these sessions with Traveling Record Man but that was just the tip of the iceberg, there are 5 subsequent volumes! Many of these artists are only known through these field recordings made by Joe Bihari and Ike Turner as they drove through the deep South scouting for talent. Not every guy is some unknown genius or anything like that, but in most cases you can certainly hear why they recorded them.

" The Modern Downhome Blues Sessions Vol.1: Arkansas and Mississippi 1951-1952 features recordings that Joe Bihari and his young talent scout Ike Turner made between November 1951 and January 1952 in North Little Rock, Arkansas and in Greenville and Canton, Mississippi. The featured artists include Elmore James, Boyd Gilmore, Drifting Slim, Junior Brooks, Sunny Blair, Houston Boines, Charley Booker and Ernest Lane."

Arthur Alexander - The Greatest and You Better Move On

Arthur Alexander is a bit of a sad story. He was a huge man with a soft and lovely voice and a talent for songwriting but he was ill suited to fame and performing for the public because he was a shy and somewhat timid man. More than once his shows were cancelled or severely abbreviated due to his anxieties and despite the success of "You Better Move On" his career never gains much traction and today he is largely forgotten.

  "Arthur Alexander (May 10, 1940 – June 9, 1993) Alexander was born in Sheffield, Alabama. Working with Spar Music in Florence, Alabama, Alexander recorded his first single, "Sally Sue Brown", under the name of June Alexander (short for Junior), which was released in 1960 on Jud Phillips' Judd Records. (Phillips is the brother of music pioneer Sam Phillips).

A year later, Alexander cut "You Better Move On" at a former tobacco warehouse-turned-recording studio in Muscle Shoals. Released on Nashville's Dot Records, the song became a soul/R&B chart hit, and laid the foundation for the modern recording studio FAME. "You Better Move On" is perhaps Alexander's best-known song, covered by the Rolling Stones, the Hollies, George Jones & Johnny Paycheck and Mink DeVille. "Anna (Go to Him)", a U.S. R&B Top Ten Hit, was covered by the Beatles and Humble Pie. The Beatles also did live recordings of "Soldier of Love", which was also performed by Marshall Crenshaw and Pearl Jam, "A Shot of Rhythm and Blues", and "Where Have You Been" recorded live at the Star-Club, in Hamburg, 1962. "Set Me Free" (covered by Esther Phillips and Joe Tex) were also major hits and established Alexander as a pioneering arranger of others' tunes, as well as an established songwriter in his own right.

In the mid-1960s, Alexander switched to another label, Sound Stage 7, but failed to find commercial success. Although a 1972 album for Warner Brothers was promising, the singer's potential seemed to wither. He secured a pop hit with "Every Day I have to Cry Some" on Buddah Records in 1975, but the success remained short-lived. The song was also covered by Ike and Tina Turner (produced by Phil Spector), The McCoys, Dusty Springfield, Joe Stampley, C.J. Chenier and others. The follow-up single "Sharing The Night Together" (written by Muscle Shoals songwriters Ava Aldridge and Eddie Struzick) reached No. 92 on the R&B charts, but earned Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show a Top 10 hit in 1978; the Dr. Hook version would be used in the 2012 Family Guy episode Mr. and Mrs. Stewie.

For many years, Alexander was out of the music business; he was a bus driver for much of this time. In 1990, he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. He began to perform again in 1993 as renewed interest was shown in his small catalogue. His last album Lonely Just Like Me was his first in 21 years. He signed a new recording/publishing contract in May 1993 but suffered a fatal heart attack the following month, three days after performing in Nashville with his new band.

Alexander is the only songwriter whose songs have been covered by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan (who recorded "Sally Sue Brown" on his 1988 LP Down in the Groove). "Go Home Girl" was also recorded by Ry Cooder on his 1979 album, Bop Till You Drop."

The Best Of King Gospel

Some of these artists we haven't heard from yet, and for those we have - it's a great mix of songs.  Enjoy!!

The expert Opal Louis Nations has selected four tracks each by the leading King gospel groups: the Spirit Of Memphis Quartet, Swan's Silvertone Singers (later the Swan Silvertones), the Nightingales (later the Sensational Nightingales), the Trumpeteers, the Four Internes, and the Cumberland River Singers. These quartet recordings were cut in Gospel's Golden Age, between 1949 and 1953.

In his notes, Nations describes how King boss Syd Nathan dipped his toes gingerly into the spiritual waters after spotting the vast potential for race and hillbilly records from his Cincinnati, Ohio outpost. As the 1940s advanced, Nathan must have been impressed by the success of his fellow independent record men with gospel music, but in the early 50s the market became so competitive that he took a backward step.

While Nathan was involved seriously in gospel, he accepted only the best. Take the quality lead singing of Claude Jeter with the Swans' and Jet Bledsoe with the Spirit Of Memphis. In particular, Bledsoe tears up the house on the 1952 live recording of Lord Jesus. A real highlight is the Cumberland River Singers' heartfelt rendition of I Wonder Who Cares, an anguished plea to congregations to fill empty church pews in the troubled era of the Korean War. The Atomic Telephone is another period gem.

The harmonies of all the groups will delight gospel and, yes, doowop fans everywhere. The sound, from the original masters, is superb.

Opal Louis Nations ends his notes with a personal sermon, which speaks for itself: 'Let us hope, with your help, that this long awaited collection sells well enough to warrant further explorations into the treasures of the mighty King gospel catalogue.'

Roy Hawkins - Bad Luck And Forgotten Thrills

 "If ever an artist had a right to claim the blues, it was Roy Hawkins. Born in Texas, he migrated to California in the late '30s, and by the mid-'40s the piano playing Hawkins was a fixture on the West Coast jazz and R&B scene. A car accident left him with a paralyzed arm, however, ending his piano career, but he was a subtle songwriter and singer, and his autobiographical "Why Do Everything Happen to Me" was a high-charting R&B hit in 1950.

The following year another Hawkins original, "The Thrill Is Gone," attracted some attention, but not as much as B.B. King's cover version would get some 20 years later in 1970. Even then Hawkins continued to be snake bit, since royalties from King's hit version of "The Thrill Is Gone" were mistakenly assigned to a pair of writers who had written a completely different song with the same title.

By the mid-'50s, Hawkins was essentially a forgotten man as far as the music business was concerned, and although he recorded sporadically through 1961, he never managed anything beyond regional success. Even the year of his death is up for debate, but is believed to have been in 1973.

His complete obscurity is baffling, really, since his recorded work was always consistent, even compelling and poetic. Bad Luck Is Falling: The Modern, RPM and Kent Recordings, Vol. 2 follows Ace Records' first volume of Hawkins' collected work, 2000s The Thrill Is Gone, and collects what's left of his tracks for the various Bihari Brothers imprints (Modern, RPM and Kent) between 1949 and 1961, as well as four tracks from his 1948 session for Down Town Records, the masters of which were in turn leased to Modern. An alternate take of "The Thrill Is Gone" from 1951 is here (the released single version is on The Thrill Is Gone), and Hawkins gives the song a much more ominous and less-resigned feel than King's big-band version.

 Other highlights include a fine cover of Percy Mayfield's "What a Fool I Was," a lovely version of Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson's "September Song," a rendition of Richard M. Jones' oft-covered "Trouble in Mind," and a pair of solid originals, the ragged, New Orleans-styled "Welcome Home" and the eerie, creeping urban blues sound of Hawkins' 1948 version of "Strange Land" (a 1961 remake of the song is also included here). All good stuff, although listeners may want to check out the first volume, The Thrill Is Gone, first.

That Hawkins continues to be so little-known is inexcusable, and that there is only one known photograph of him seems impossible to believe. He is well due for rediscovery, but if Hawkins' personal history is any guide, something is bound to go wrong, so pick up these two volumes from Ace before they inexplicably go up in smoke.

The Music City Story 1950 - 75

This is another great look at a short lived, but interesting label.  Many of the artists had been resting in obscurity, so while not being essential, are incredibly fun to discover.

The variety of styles is what will keep your interest through all 3 discs.  Even the weaker material is quirky enough to deserve a listen.

ACE really are peerless when it comes to this type of release... enjoy!!!

Ray Dobard’s Music City Records of Berkeley, California, across the Bay from San Francisco, is a catalogue of mythic proportions that has been cherished for decades by a small hardcore of R&B, vocal group and, latterly, soul fanatics. Based on the available evidence – 50-odd 45 and 78rpm releases – and a lot of hearsay and rumour, many have spent hours fantasising about the purported riches in the possession of its famously protective, zealous owner.

Ace Records is thus proud to unlock the Music City vault for the edification and entertainment of the world at large with the 3CD set “The Music City Story”, an unprecedented survey of the label’s 25-year operation, and an excellent primer for Ace’s forthcoming genre- and artist-based compilations of Music City material, telling the story with many rare gems from the catalogue and a surfeit of previously unissued goodies.

Although Ray Dobard experimented with recording a variety of genres, the legend of Music City is predicated on its role as a premier exponent of black rhythm and blues styles, with a strong regional flavour. Most significantly, the sound of Music City was street. Much of what appeared on the label and lies in its voluminous cache of unreleased recordings can be said to reflect the evolution of black popular music between the early 50s and the mid-1970s. It reflects reality: this is what was heard in clubs and juke joints, at high school auditoria and rec centres, rent parties or literally out on the sidewalk, with all the dissonance and unoriginality that might imply, but matched equally by huge, invigorating dollops of innocence and exuberance, and a surprising amount of inspiration.

Amongst the set’s 78 tracks are names familiar to doo wop and blues collectors – the Crescendos, Gaylarks, Rovers, 5 Lyrics, Alvin Smith etc – while behind several others lurk famous names (James Brown, Lou Rawls) or others soon to be famous (Sugar Pie DeSanto, members of Sly & the Family Stone). From the raucous jump blues of Del Graham’s ‘Your Money Ain’t Long Enough’ to the hip street soul of Darondo, the breadth of genres represented is extensive, but the overall emphasis in “The Music City Story” is upon the black vocal group, be it 50s, 60s or 70s vintage. It is the rich seam of Bay Area groups mined by Music City that collectors most closely associate with the label. Dobard had only a couple of minor hits – the 4 Deuces’ popular ‘W-P-L-J’, Johnny Heartsman’s raucous ‘Johnny’s House Party’ – but kept the tape machine running pretty much constantly for much of his quarter-century in the business.

It has been many years since as significant a stash as Music City’s has come to light, and accompanying the tantalising musical treats is an extensive, heavily-illustrated sleeve note detailing the label’s history. Given that the late Dobard was notorious evasive, an air of mystery has always surrounded his activities in music, but this is the first time a recounting of the Music City saga has been based upon hard data, rather than supposition. Documents, letters, tape box annotations, discographical notes, session chatter, even recorded phone conversations form a considerable body of evidence, that helps bring into focus what this fiercely independent and pioneering black entrepreneur achieved. Ray was no Dootsie Williams or Jake Porter, but nevertheless, a picture emerges of a fascinatingly complex figure, whose role in the black music scene in the mid-20th century cannot be discounted. As venerable East Bay bandleader Johnny Talbot puts it, “to me, Ray Dobard was the foundation of Bay Area music. There was hardly anyone who did anything later who didn’t bump into Ray, so he had to be a foundation.”

By Alec Palao

Little Willie John - The King Years

 Believe it or not by this time LWJ is so big that James Brown is his opening act! That also tells you JB hasn't gotten huge yet either.

Anyway by most measuring sticks this is the 'Sweet Spot'. I'm listening while writing and there is no question you are hearing a more mature artist. Willie is such an expressive singer I'm betting he was a blast to see live.

One thing I'm noticing here is that is seemingly a little more 'designed' to show off John's stunning vocal capabilities. An understandable move for the producers but I'm not sure I don't find the earlier disc a tad more exciting because it is less produced.

That all expressed it does not at all mean this isn't incredible stuff, I'm sure many a LWJ fan would say I was crazy and that THIS is the SHIT. At the end of the day I would say that ANY Little Willie John is better than 90% of what else is out there.

A word to all you fellahs: if you can't figure out a Little Willie John play list to make the girls weak in the knees then you just ain't trying Buddy, because Willie is dealin' and that girl should be in your arms dancin' in the living room! (you are welcome Lady G!)

So here ya go, Volume 2 (of 4) of one of the greatest soul singers ever. Sam Cooke seems to get all the credit these days and no doubt much of it is deserved but as you can see over and over again with so many guys, the story is WAY deeper than that.

Little Willie John - The Early King Sessions

Before there was a Howard Tate or a Little Johnny Taylor, hell even before James Brown hits it big, there is the amazing Little Willie John. He was a soul singer before the term was coined and his talent was as gigantic as his stature was small. He was a tragically flawed man, however, with an evil streak when drinking that belied his baby face.

William Edward John (November 15, 1937 - May 26, 1968), better known by his stage name Little Willie John, was an American R&B singer who performed in the 1950s and early 1960s. Many sources erroneously give his middle name as Edgar. He is best known for his popular music chart successes with songs such as, "All Around the World" (1955), "Need Your Love So Bad" (1956) and "Fever" the same year, the latter covered in 1958 by Peggy Lee.

He was born in Cullendale, Arkansas, one of ten children, his family moving to Detroit, Michigan when he was four so that his father could pursue factory work. In the late 1940s, the eldest children, including Willie, formed a gospel singing group, and Willie also performed in talent shows, which brought him to the notice of Johnny Otis and, later, musician and producer Henry Glover. After seeing him sing with the Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams orchestra, Glover signed him to a recording contract with King Records in 1955. He was nicknamed "Little Willie" John for his short stature.

His first recording, a version of Titus Turner's "All Around the World", was a hit, reaching # 5 on the Billboard R&B chart. He followed up with a string of R&B hits, including the original version of "Need Your Love So Bad", written by his elder brother Mertis John Jr. One of his biggest hits, "Fever" (1956) (Pop #24), was more famously covered by Peggy Lee in 1958. However, John's version alone sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Another song, "Talk to Me, Talk to Me" recorded in 1958, reached #5 in the R&B chart and #20 in the Pop chart, and also sold over one million. A few years later it was a hit once again by Sunny & the Sunglows. He also recorded "I'm Shakin'" by Rudy Toombs, "Suffering With The Blues", and "Sleep" (1960) (Pop #13). In all, John made the Billboard Hot 100 a total of fourteen times. A cover version of "Need Your Love So Bad" by Fleetwood Mac was also a hit in Europe. Another of his songs to be covered was "Leave My Kitten Alone", (1959). The Beatles recorded a version in 1964, intended for their Beatles for Sale album, but it went unreleased until 1995.

Willie John was known for his short temper and propensity to abuse alcohol, and was dropped by his record company in 1963. In 1966, he was convicted of manslaughter and sent to Washington State Penitentiary for a fatal knifing incident following a show in Seattle. He appealed against his conviction and was released while the case was reconsidered, during which time he recorded what was intended to be his comeback album, but owing to contractual wrangling and the decline of his appeal, it was not released until 2008 (as Nineteen Sixty Six). Little Willie John died in 1968 at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington. Despite counter claims, the official cause of death was listed in his death certificate as a heart attack.

His interment was in Warren, Michigan's Detroit Memorial Park East.

Little Willie John was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

He was the brother of singer Mable John, who recorded for Motown and Stax, and the father of Keith John, a long time backing vocalist for Stevie Wonder.

James Brown, who early in his career had opened shows for John, recorded a tribute album, Thinking about Little Willie John... and a Few Nice Things.

Robbie Robertson, former lead guitarist for The Band, referenced John in a song on his 1987 self-titled album titled "Somewhere Down the Crazy River." He was also referenced in Tom Russell's "Blue Wing."

A biography, Fever: Little Willie John; A Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul, written by Susan Whitall with Kevin John (another son of Little Willie John) was released in 2011 by Titan Books.

I've got all the King material and the comeback album from 1966 so we will see a few more posts of LWJ.

Diggin' Gold - A Galaxy of West Coast Blues

 In the early to mid-'60s, the Galaxy label was probably best known for issuing Little Johnny Taylor's big 1963 hit "Part Time Love." It also cut a lot of other sides (usually in Los Angeles) at the time that satisfyingly blended R&B, blues, and soul, often with urbane brassy arrangements. Diggin' Gold: A Galaxy of West Coast Blues collects 25 such productions from 1962-1965, some of them previously unreleased. For many soul collectors, the most eye-catching items will be the eight tracks by Little Johnny Taylor: "Part Time Love" isn't among them, but they do include three previously unreleased recordings, while the other five are LP and single cuts that hadn't previously appeared on CD. But the whole disc is solid -- surprisingly so, given how often many single-label rarity anthologies offer more archival value than entertainment. Much of the material will recall Ray Charles as the most frequent reference point in its blues-R&B-jazz mix (and, much less strongly, Bobby "Blue" Bland and B.B. King), and while Los Angeles R&B had been doing that since the late '40s and early '50s, these well-produced sides have a more modern feel that makes them more akin to bluesy soul than early R&B. While the Taylor collectibles on this disc are decent (and he's the only really familiar name in the artist roster), they aren't necessarily the standouts. Bill McAfee's "I Don't Know Why" is one of the most dead-on emulations of early-'60s Ray Charles you'll hear, and Joe Johnson's "Rattlesnake, Baby, Rattlesnake" and "Gold Digging Man" push the CD closest to '60s dance soul. The interface between blues and soul is too often overlooked by both historians and collectors, and this is a recommended release for those who enjoy the hybrid and want to hear quality efforts in that tributary that they probably haven't been able to previously experience. ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi

Certainly the Little Johnny Taylor stuff is exciting but check out Rob Robinson (whoever the hell HE was), the guy is dynamite.

The Greatest Johnny Otis Show

Okay, let me say first off that I am not impressed by the response from the 30 of you who have downloaded nearly every post here...you have had time to listen so speak up or the door can be locked at any time!

1. Shake It Lucy Baby - Johnny Otis
2. Ma (He's Making Eyes At Me) - Marie Adams   The Three Tons Of Joy
3. (Romance) In The Dark - Marie Adams   The Three Tons Of Joy
4. Willie And The Hand Jive - Johnny Otis
5. Bye Bye Baby - Marie Adams   Johnny Otis
6. Loop De Loop - Marie Adams
7. Can't You Hear Me Callin' - Johnny Otis
8. The Light Still Shines In My Window - Marie Adams
9. Hum Ding A Ling - Johnny Otis
10. Well Well Well - Mel Williams
11. Story Untold - Jeannie Sterling   The Moonbeams
12. All I Want Is Your Love - Marie Adams
13. Good Golly - Johnny Otis
14. You Just Kissed Me Goodbye - Mel Williams
15. Ring-A-Ling - Johnny Otis
16. Three Girls Named Molly, Doin' The Hully Gully - Johnny Otis
17. A Fool In Love - Marie Adams
18. Crazy Country Hop - Johnny Otis
19. Hey Baby, Don't You Know - Johnny Otis
20. I'll Do The Same Thing For You - Marci Lee   Johnny Otis
21. What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For? - Marie Adams
22. Willie Did The Cha Cha - Johnny Otis
23. Mumblin' Mosie - Johnny Otis
24. Let The Sun Shine In My Life - Johnny Otis
25. Castin' My Spell - Marci Lee   Johnny Otis
26. Telephone Baby - Marci Lee   Johnny Otis

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
by Stuart Colman

In the two short years that The Johnny Otis Show recorded for Capitol, they managed time and again to come up with some of the most eternal sides in rock'n'roll. The legendary Mr Otis adopted the role of ringmaster, whilst the members of his revue took turns to show off their many talents. Marie Adams, the Three Tons of Joy, Mel Williams, Jeannie Sterling and Jackie Kelso all featured on the recordings, backed up by some of the very finest musicians Johnny could assemble.



Their debut Capitol single Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me truly caught the imagination of the British public and went right to the top of the charts in November, 1957.

Back home, the much loved Willie and the Hand Jive hit the US Top Ten the following summer and the whole shooting match went on to spread the word in films and TV. Future gems like Castin' My Spell, Crazy Country Hop and Mumblin' Mosie all helped to sow the seeds for the forthcoming R&B revolution in the UK with many homegrown acts from Cliff Richard to the Animals turning to the Johnny Otis repertoire for a source of material. After the disappointment of previous compilations, from other companies Ace Records have finally restored the balance by bringing together the cream of the Otis crop, including wonderful rock'n'roll tracks such as Bye Bye Baby, All I Want Is Your Love and Shake It Lucy Baby that have not appeared on CD before. This landmark release sets the facts straight on paper too, as the complexities surrounding Johnny's arrival at Capitol have never been fully documented until now. The Greatest Johnny Otis Show is no idle boast, because the team succeeded in capturing such a joyous mood, the excitement still delivers maximum entertainment value. Mr. Otis has nothing to regret.   

Personnel: Johnny Otis (vocals, drums); Marie Adams & The Three Tons of Joy, Marci Lee, Mel Williams (vocals); Jimmy Nolen (guitar); Fred Harmon, Jackie Kelso (saxophone); George Washington , Art Matthews (trombone); Curtis Counce (double bass); Leard Bell (drums).