Post War Blues, Soul & Rock. 1945 - 1975

[HoosierDaddy]

[video=youtube;hjYWQ3FZYd4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjYWQ3FZYd4[/video]

 

[Peacoat]

On the other thread I posted some information about Billy Butler, Clifford Soloman and their parts in the Bill Doggett hit, Honky Tonk. The song was almost 6 minutes long, so it wasn't appropriate for commercial radio. It was cut into two parts, part I and part II. At the time I couldn't find Part One, which featured Billy Butler. I have now found both parts. As usual things are not as I remember them. I remembered Part I being strictly guitar, and Part II being strictly sax. Well reality is a bit different from memory. The sax is featured prominently on both parts, but almost exclusively on Part II.

In part II Clifford starts clean on the turnaround, instead of the one chord, which is confusing as I thought the whole thing was recorded live at one playing. Part II sounds as if it was recorded by itself and was intentionally begun on the turnaround, as some songs are. Maybe someone out there knows what the mechanics were at the time. Could be that they were put on two different sides of the 45 record as there wasn't enough room for the whole song on one side? Or they were split up for commercial reasons--keep the songs below three minutes.

Billy's solo was the talk of the musicians and the music writers of the day. One of the writers asked him how he came up with that solo. In his usual self deprecating manner, Billy said, "Well, after the intro, I just started off playing the notes of You Don't Have To Go to get kinda warmed up, and then took it from there." [Quoted material may not be word for word as it has been many many years since I heard/read this.]

As good as Billy's solo was, I think Clifford has him beat. And Part II was the hit. This is (allegedly) played on a 1954 Seeburg jukebox, so wait for the machine to cycle the record into part II.

Honky Tonk, Parts I and II:


[video=youtube;ndLZa37iBAw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndLZa37iBAw[/video]

 

[majormajor]

The old Frankie Ford number, "Sea Cruise", from 1959, is a classic.

It was, however, originally recorded by Huey "Piano" Smith, the guy who wrote it.

Unfortunately, the record company didn't think much of the vocal, so they erased it, and put Mr Ford onto Huey's backing track.

As they say, that's showbiz..

Here's the original by Huey, before he got erased......

[video=youtube;HUcEdLUgZUw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUcEdLUgZUw[/video]

 

[dhermann1]

Otis Redding was fabulous. Great. Wonderful. Terrific. Doesn't really belong on this forum. But he was great.

 

[majormajor]

Otis Redding was fabulous. Great. Wonderful. Terrific. Doesn't really belong on this forum. But he was great.

Here, my friend, just for you, is a Fedora from 1965, the year Otis came to fame.

Here's another act that were riding high in 1965.

Most folks know about the Temptations two lead vocalists, David Ruffin & Eddie Kendricks.

But most ignore the third one, Paul Williams. Here he is on lead in 1965.

[video=youtube;tVi0A_E9MyQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVi0A_E9MyQ[/video]

BTW, I do have pics of them wearing Fedoras

 

[majormajor]

We mentioned Ahmet Ertegun a few posts back.

Here's an example of the stuff that would not have been made without Ahmet's influence....

In some territories this was an A-side. In some, a B-side........

[video=youtube;Rf3B5bp59ZQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf3B5bp59ZQ[/video]

 

[HoosierDaddy]

[video=youtube;U1BgfQMXaNs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1BgfQMXaNs[/video]

 

[Peacoat]

Ah yes, Sonny Boy Williamson II, born Aleck Rice Miller in Mississippi, he started using the name of Sonny Boy which he misappropriated from the original Sonny Boy--John Lee Williamson from Tennessee. The original Sonny Boy wasn't too happy about someone else trading on his fame, but never took legal action, as far as I have been able to find. Maybe because Sonny Boy II, at that time, had no records out, and John Lee from Tennessee was an established artist on the Blue Bird label. Who knows--both of them are dead. John Lee, Sonny Boy I, was killed in a robbery just a block or so from his apartment on the South Side of Chicago. He had just finished a gig and was walking home. This was in 1948. And Rice Miller, Sonny Boy II, died in his sleep from an apparent heart attack in Helena, Arkansas, I believe.

John Lee, Sonny Boy I, is buried in West Tennessee, somewhere near Jackson, TN. And Rice Miller is buried in Mississippi, I believe in or near Tutweiler.

And the piano player on that song is Otis Spann, the smoothest of all of the 50s and 60s piano players. He played in Muddy Water's band and recorded with Muddy for a number of years--from the early 50s through about 1968. Although Muddy never told me this, I know Otis Spann was Muddy's favorite piano player of all time. No way there could have been anyone else to fill those shoes. Otis died in Chicago in 1970 of liver cancer.

MajorMajor: Although I like Huey Piano Smith's music, I think Frankie Ford's version is by far the better of the two.

 

[majormajor]

Ah
MajorMajor: Although I like Huey Piano Smith's music, I think Frankie Ford's version is by far the better of the two.

You are right, PC, but as with clothes, I guess I'm always a fan of the originals

Here's the original of a tune that everyone associates with the 60's "British Invasion", when in fact, Manfred Mann were simply bringing a US tune back to the US.

The Manfreds did this one in 1964. Here's the Exciters from a year earlier....

[video=youtube;FcVLIa0XGt4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcVLIa0XGt4[/video]

 

[Peacoat]

Here's the original of a tune that everyone associates with the 60's "British Invasion", when in fact, Manfred Mann were simply bringing a US tune back to the US.

The Manfreds did this one in 1964. Here's the Exciters from a year earlier....

Thanks for the original. Didn't know that. In comparing the two (Manfred Mann's version is only in my head), it sounds as though Manfred Mann changed the key and slowed it down just a bit. Gave the song a whole different flavor.

 

[majormajor]

A bit more Aleck Rice Miller. The man recorded this in 1957, at the age of 60......

[video=youtube;KP668KiaY7E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP668KiaY7E[/video]

 

[majormajor]

On September 28th 1963, the club that went on to be THE premier RnB/Soul club in the UK, The Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester, opened for the very first all-night session.

The DJ, Roger Eagle, needed a record to kick off that first session.

This is the one he chose.....

[video=youtube;VgCpw--3Lyc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgCpw--3Lyc[/video]

 

[majormajor]

The Very first Motown record.

Many folks will tell you that it was "Money" by Barrett Strong. Well that was the first hit, but not the first record.

It was this one, on the first of the Motown labels, Tamla.

Berry was originally gonna call his company "Tammy Records" - after a hit song of the time - but that name was copyrighted, so he chose "Tamla" instead. Seems an odd word to me - but they must have liked it - Smokey Robinson called one of his kids "Tamla"!

Anyway, here's Marv Johnson from 1959...

[video=youtube;YNzSWqhKc1M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNzSWqhKc1M[/video]

 

[cookie]

Otis Redding was fabulous. Great. Wonderful. Terrific. Doesn't really belong on this forum. But he was great.

Why do you say that? I have all the Stax/Volt tour stuff from early 1968 that was released a few years ago.

 

[Rudie]

T-Bone Walker

[video=youtube;inmTluCG-wM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inmTluCG-wM[/video]

Pee Wee Crayton

[video=youtube;K81zJEk7Q4Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K81zJEk7Q4Q[/video]

Barbara Lynn

[video=youtube;XXH_jh6PXkE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXH_jh6PXkE[/video]

Magic Sam

[video=youtube;7S5DGqCfk8o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S5DGqCfk8o&list=PLC4526BAAC0510561&index=121[/video]

 

[Dickie Teenie]

Nice stamper play.....

[video=youtube;CTJa4pbA9lk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CTJa4pbA9lk[/video]

 

[majormajor]

From 1963, Mr Howling Wolf...

[video=youtube;SHFXxl1biX0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHFXxl1biX0[/video]

 

[Peacoat]

Major, you and Rudie certainly know your Blues and R&B.

Here is Little Walter doing Chickenshack. Unfortunately, the song is over produced. Walter has a hard time getting over and around the horns. I had never heard this version before. After listening to it, I realized why. Walter works best (as do all of the blues artists) with a four or five piece group to highlight the elelegant simplicity of the music.

Muddy Waters appropriated this song as Mudcat. He also used it as his intro in his live shows. I will never forget the first time I saw The Muddy Waters Blues Band live. We were in awe--the real Chicago blues had come to town. The band warmed up the audience with a few tunes, then George "Mojo" Buford* stepped to the microphone and said something like this: Ladies and Gentleman, it is time for the blues. We are honored tonight to have the King of the Blues, Mr. Muddy Waters." Then the band launched into Mudcat. Toward the end of the song, Muddy came out, and the audience was jumpin'.

There is a good later day version of Muddy's band doing Mudcat/Chickenshack on Live At Mr. Kelly's (1971). I believe Paul Oscher is the harp player on that tune.



[video=youtube;eGfNC5-_x0M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGfNC5-_x0M&NR=1[/video]

________
*Mojo was the harp player on the UTube video of Muddy and his band with the Rolling Stones at Buddy Guy's Club in Chicago (1982?)--earlier posted on the old thread in the Outerwear section, I believe. Mojo is the one with the harp bandolier around his neck and shoulder. He has been keeping his harps in it since the first time I saw him play. I actually have worn that bandolier way back in the past--what an honor that was.

 

[majormajor]

Something smooth today. A 1965 outing from the king of smooth, Mr Ben E King...

[video=youtube;kXn_LznM1uI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXn_LznM1uI[/video]

 

[Rudie]

Big Joe Turner 1946 with Albert Ammons on the keys

[video=youtube;3aAXaXM0tgI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aAXaXM0tgI[/video]