Forgotten Classics of Arkansas Rockabilly

As a result of some research on Arkansas rockabilly, a few months back I posted on some of the better known Arkansas rockabilly recording artists, a few of whom are have become veritable legends. Arkansas rockers Sleepy La Beef, Sonny Burgess, Ronnie Hawkins, Larry Donn and Pat Cupp are still with us and active and recently we lost the legendary Billy Lee Reilly. Yet some of the lesser known rockers from Arkansas who also made significant contributions to rockabilly have seen their work has fall into relative obscurity for any number of reasons.

What I have come to discover in my research on Arkansas rockabilly is that the state produced more than its share of of recording artists, well over fifty according to my research. Due to its geographical location and demographics, Arkansas was perfectly situated to produce to hybrid fusion of black rhythm and blues and country "honky tonk" sounds. Most of the musicians listed here are from the eastern, Delta region of the state, where the proximity to Memphis and the exposure the African American music, either through radio or direct contact would have been highest. Many would also have been influenced by Joe Manuel's Saturday Night Jamboree in Memphis, The Louisiana Hayride and Porter Wagner's Ozarks Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri. One interesting feature of Arkansas rockabilly seems to be the use of the piano, which is featured on the majority of the selections offered here. While many of these tracks have appeared in reissued rockabilly anthologies, no attempt to recognize their cohesion from a regional perspective has been offered.


1) Skeets McDonald was born in Greenway, Arkansas and was a prototypical rockabilly figure. Most of his work is rooted in "honky tonk," yet his sound anticipates the Bakersfield sound and has a distinct rockabilly feel. Check out "Fort Worth Jail" from 1958. Outstanding cut with fantastic piano solo.

2) Doug Poindexter: From Vandale, Arkansas is an important precursor to rockabilly and one of the earliest white Sun recording artists whose association with Scotty Moore, Bill Black and the Starlight Wranglers and Elvis has been documented. "My Kind of Carrying On," a historical Sun recording from from 1954, predates the rockabilly wave and shows Hank Williams influence.


3) Mack Self from West Helena is now a living rockabilly legend. Mack also recorded for Sun, his "Easy to Love" and Vibrate have become classics in the genre. Self still lives in West Helena.


4) Jimmy Lee Fautheree, from Smackover, Arkansas, home of Sleepy Labeef. Jimmy is best known for his work with Johnny Mathis, with whom he performed on the Louisiana Hayride and made several early recordings that were to foreshadow the rockabilly sound. Here he teams up with Mathis to perform the classic "Sweet Love on my Mind" later recorded by Johnny Burnette. Nice guitar work here by Jimmy.


5) Jimmy Evans from Mariana in eastern Arkansas is known for his association with Conway Twitty, Billy Lee Reilly and Mack Self during their Sun years. Jimmy's classic, "The Joints Really Jumpin" is a great example of late rockabilly from 1962. Jerry Lee Lewis influence is obvious. Also check out "What am I Gonna Do?" from the same period. Very nice cut.


6) Glen Garrison from Searcy, Arkansas recorded "Lovin Lorene" in 1958 and, according to Rockabillyville, a very reliable source, is now considered a rockabilly classic. Not much is known about Glen, who died at age thirty.


7) Bill Carter from Eagleton, Arkansas. Not much known about Carter but he did move in and out of country and rockabilly throughout the late 1950's. What we do have is outstanding. Carters remarkable "Cool Tom Cat" from 1960 on the small Ozark label must be hard to come by these days. Nice guitar solo and vocals. Also check out his wonderfully conceived "I Wanna Feel Good" from 1957, great guitar.


8) Al Coker from Conway is a unique figure; he is the father of recording female recording artist Alvadean Coker . Al recorded a few classic rockabilly numbers for Decca in the late 1950's. "Don't Go Baby" is his best known recording. Very nice electric guitar lead.


9) Roy Moss, from Plainview, Arkansas, got a spot on the Louisiana Hayride with help from Elvis. He then joined the rockabilly rave, making several recordings in the late 1950's, beginning with "You Don't Know My Mind" and "Your My Big Baby" from 1956 and then the well produced "Wiggle Walkin Baby" from 1958. Great cut.


10) Sonny Deckelman, from Harrisburg, Arkansas made several rockabilly recordings during the the late 50's and early 1960's. Sonny's "I've Got Love" is from 1959 and contains a classic rockabilly guitar solo.

News on Two American Legends: James P. Johnson and Thelonious Monk

The history of American Jazz piano begins in the late nineteenth century with the advent of ragtime pianists, whose initial recordings in the 1920's helped to define the style that would merge with others to eventually crystallize into the definitive jazz sound. One of the transitional figures who advanced the linkage between the ragtime and the emerging jazz sound is stride piano legend James P. Johnson. In remembrance of his artistry, a small group of contemporary jazz musicians and enthusiasts gathered at the small West Village New York club Smalls to raise funds to purchase a headstone for Johnson's grave. Wonderful gesture by musicians and jazz fans alike.

Johnson's talents were multifaceted: composer of short pieces as well orchestral arrangements, technical wizard who integrates classical music into his hybrid style and innovator of the "stride style" that laid the groundwork for jazzier improvisations and whose influence on jazz legends like Duke Ellington should not be understated. Johnson's famous composition "The Charleston" helped define the decade of the Roaring Twenties in American Roots music. His well known "Carolina Shout" showcases his prodigious technical mastery in the stride piano style. Johnson's influence is simply fundamental to the development of American piano, his imprint on later greats like Eubie Blake, Art Tatum, Erroll Garner and Oscar Peterson is unmistakable. Johnson's influence on other disciples was even more direct. The stride pianists such as Fats Waller, the incredible Missouri born Ralph Sutton and also his contemporary Jelly Roll Morton and the "professor school" of New Orleans boogie woogie rooted piano are all deeply indebted to Johnson's innovations. Johnson was a prototypical artist whose pioneering piano conmpositions help to define American Roots music.

Another hugely influential force in American Jazz is Thelonious Monk, an enigmatic figure who shunned the limelight and retreated into seclusion to produce some of the most strikingly innovative compositions of American post war jazz. The complexities of the artist and the "aura of cryptic genius" that have surrounded Monk and made him almost as inaccessible as the peculiar harmonic language he created on piano, transforming him into an almost mythical figure in American Jazz are all explored extensively in a new biography by Robin D.G. Kelley entitled "Thelonios Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original." This biography has just been released and promises to be a fascinating read for fans of Monk and of American Jazz in general. Based on extensive interviews with surviving members of Monk's family, including his wife Nellie Monk, this biography promises to lift the shroud of mystery that has surrounded Monk since his explosion onto the jazz scene in the early days of Bebop. Drawing on diverse sources such as Monk's own LP collection, access to the writings of Monk's producer Teo Macero, manuscripts from his British patron, lover and longtime associate Baroness Panonica known as "Nica," and extensive interviews with those close to Monk make this long awaited contribution to jazz scholarship a must read for jazz enthusiasts. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Hillbilly Boogie and Western Swing - A Few Classics

One of the more interesting strains of American Roots Music that advances the genesis of rockabilly is "Hillbilly Boogie." Related in many ways to Western Swing, this style's origin is rooted in boogie - woogie piano styles that take us back to Meade Lux Lewis in the 1920's and the broader popularity in the 1930's, spearheaded by Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons. By the 1940's, the Delmore Brothers had begun to embrace the boogie woogie style and helped launch its popularity among musicians recording in the country western music scene. At the same time, Western Swing was evolving along similar lines in Texas in Louisiana, and polka and some jazz based rhythms to the style. Both Hillbilly Boogie and Western Swing were essentially dance music genres whose popularity coincided wit the rise of honky tonk dance clubs in the south and western states. Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma and it's association with Bob Wills is a legendary venue from the late 1930's, as are the famous California Western Swing Ballrooms: Venice Pier Ballroom of Spade Cooley fame, the Riverside Rancho and the Santa Monica Ballroom, all very popular in the late thirties up to through the end of the WW II.

Hillbilly Boogie is characterized by and upbeat tempo, steel guitar, traditional and electric guitar and, as in jazz, an allotted lead space for featured instruments. Many of the electric guitar solos here are outstanding examples of the convergence of jazz and country sounds. In contrast to later rockabilly, percussion is not present, heavy bass lines are. Collectors on youtube have been putting up a quite a bit of this fascinating style that predominated country music during the war years before the unique amalgamations of the 1950's emerged.

1) Tex Williams: A little humor and advice in Tex's style and the band is tight and top notch with a jazz based sound. Check out "Never Trust A Woman" from 1947. Great western swing guitar lead.

2) Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West: The famous duo is caught live here on a boogie number here. Jimmy has a searing guitar solo and Speedy follows suit. Nice piano too. Superb.

3) Johnny Lee Wills: Coyote Blues is a quintessential boogie woogie number by another of Bob's bothers.

4) Zeb Turner: No More Nothing is from the early 1950's and is a fantastic example of the hillbilly boogie sound featuring piano, steel guitar and electric guitar. Outstanding work here by one of the most important forerunners to rockabilly.

5) Moon Mullican: Cush Cush Ky Yay is a classic cajunesque boogie by the pianist Mullican, one of the kings of the genre who helped build the bridge to rockabilly and rock n' roll.

6) Red Smith/Luke McDaniel/Jeff Daniels: Whoa Boy is listed as a rockabilly number on youtube but I would classify it in the hillbilly boogie genre. Nonetheless, an outstanding number by Red, aka Luke McDaniel. Some very nice guitar work and vocals.

7) Eddie Hill: The Hot Guitar is an absolute gem of the genre with some outstanding guitar work in classic medley style imitation of some of the other greats in jazz and country. "Smilin Eddie" was a deejay who worked to advance the popularity of the style. Could be Hank Garland of guitar.

8) Luke Wills: Take Me Back live here with brother Bob.

9) Casey Simmons: Jukebox Boogie is an obscure cut in the genre with some great piano work.

10) Spade Cooley: Steel Guitar Rag is a classic instrumental by Spade, one of the founding fathers of Western Swing. Wonderful guitar break.

11) George Stogner: Hard Top Race, from the mid 1950's, is situated within the enormous "auto race" genre which is boogie with a real rockabilly feel. Very nice guitar and piano leads from this largely forgotten musician.

Top R&B Tenor Kings from the 1950's

The origins of the predominance of the guitar as the featured instrument in much of contemporary music is rooted in the birth of rock n' roll in the fifties, as rockabilly merged with R&B. As combos became smaller, the prevalence of wind instruments began to fade. Interestingly, before the emergence of the electric guitar in the combo setting, the saxophone was the considered the ax, and the original "cutting sessions" were actual bouts between both jazz and R&B tenor and alto players.
By the late 1940's, a fascinating diversification was taking place in African American music that coincided with the onset of be bop and hard bop in jazz circles. Two different tracks began to bifurcate: be bop or hard bop, which was seen as the experimental track was shadowed by the increasing popularization of R&B based groups also rooted in jazz, many of which formed the instrumental backing of the Jump Blues phenomenon discussed in a previous post. What is particularly interesting is that some musicians, and many very talented saxophone players, moved in and out of both R&B and Bop oriented combos with facility. Some of the great players of the late 1940's and early 1950's such as Johnny Griffin, Arnett Cobb, Illinois Jacquet, Gene Ammons, Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Jack Mcvea, Jimmy Forrest, Benny Golson, Earl Bostic, Hank Mobley , Clifford Jordan and Pervis Hensen could all move in and out of bop and R&B formats with equal fluency, and could also work with equal ease on ballads. In a sense, these players were drawing from the blues/ballad tradition established by Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster and extending themselves into bop material that Charlie Parker and Dexter Gordon were popularizing in the late 1940s. Most of the aforementioned players moved into more bop related material as the fifties progressed, yet most still laid down some wonderful R&B arrangements on occasion.

In this post I would like to foreground some of the fantastic sax players who worked primarily in R&B during the same period. On some of these recordings one can hear some of the raunchiest, most raucous sax solos in the history of R&B from the heyday of the great R&B bands. Also, it could be said that these players lay the groundwork for the later work of King Curtis, Junior Walker and Eddie Harris. I do think this is a somewhat incomplete offering however, some of the best work from Sil Austin and Big Jay McNeely from this period are simply not available. That said, many thanks to the collectors on youtube.

1) Buddy Johnson with Pervis Henson on saxophone. This great tune, Down Yonder from 1949, in a big band setting, has an authentic R&B flavor with a great sax solo by Henson.

2) Joe Houston and his Orchestra: Houston recorded with greats Big Joe Turner and Amos Milburn. His Sand Storm from 1951 is another absolutely fabulous R&B based number with Houston laying down some unbelievable smooth and raucous blowing. A true gem of the genre that goes a little outside. Also, check ot Joe's All Night Long from 1955. Outstanding.

3) Red Prysock: Jump Red Jump is a classic from 1954 and really showcases Prysock's extraordinary talent in the R&B genre. A true headcutter, Prysock's playing is legendary.

4) Marvin Phillips: Mamo Mamo from 1955 is a unique tune that combines a Jump Blues feel with jive like vocals. Great tenor solo here by West Coast R&B legend Maxwell Davis.

5) Jimmy Forrest: Jimmy is best known for his 1952 hit Night Train. Here, on Blue Groove Jimmy lays down a slow R&B masterpiece. Unbelievably tight riffing and tone, sets up the King Curtis sound to come later. Absolutely top notch recording with only 68 views on youtube.

6) T. J. Fowler: Back Bite from 1951 is a very obscure recording but a real gem of the genre, great playing here in a more classic blues format.

7) Bill Doggett: Rum Bunk Shush is from a few years later, probably 1956 or 1957. Doggett is best known for his classic crossover hit Honky Tonk but here sax ace Percy France really tears loose and lays down some wonderfully tight R&B sax.

8) Willis "Gator"Jackson: Later Gator is a wonderfully tough 1957 R&B instrumental. Incredible playing here. Shuckin is later, from the early 1960's off the Prestige LP "Really Groovin." This is a jazzier arrangement with the great Tommy Flanagan on piano and the unbelievable Kenny Burrell on guitar. Jackson shows his mastery of the genre on the extended lead time.

9) Big Jay McNeely Jay made some premium recording for Savoy and King back in the late 1950's and this cut"Ice Water" probably comes from that period. Career spans over fifty years. Very nice sound, McNeely has made a comeback since the 1980s and is still playing today.

10) Jimmy Liggins: Cadillac Boogie from 1954. This is really more of a Jump Blues tune but the incredible Harold Land takes this R&B sound outside a little as he shows his versatility.

American Roots Music in Europe: A Surprise Finding

Most jazz fans are well aware of the expatriation factor, the movement of American jazz musicians from the United States to Europe during the 1950's and 60's. Following the lead of the Lost Generation whose obligatory jaunts to Paris have fueled many a Ph.D dissertation, jazz musicians also found life in Europe more accommodating and a public considerably more appreciative of their talents. Literally dozens: Kenny Drew, Dexter Gordon, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter just to name a few of the greats, made the move locales such as Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm, and never regretted it. The many sociological factors that motivated this movement are amply documented in Bill Moody's well researched study; "The Jazz Exiles: American Musicians Abroad," reviewed here.

Europe's fascination with American Roots Music runs deep and as I mentioned in a previous post, Spain has most recently become smitten with rockabilly. I recently discovered a function on youtube that confirmed some of what I had always heard anecdotally about the love for rockabilly musicians in Europe. The youtube fuction is "statistics and data" which appears above the listeners comments. A simple click on this function provides a most illuminating map, indicating in which particular countries the recording is most often accessed and listened to. Upon discovery of this fascinating function I immediately proceeded to check some rockabilly musicians from the 1950's whose music has essentially been lost in obscurity here in the United States. What I was able to glean without too much difficulty is a rather astonishing fact: Sweden is probably the world's most fanatical rockabilly nation. For example, and there are many more to corroborate this observation, the case of Carl Mann, a Sun and Jaxon recording artist who enjoyed a fairly strong following in his heyday here in the states back in the 1950's. Check out Carl's "Pretend" recorded for Sun in the fifties and check out the map. Do the same for his "Gonna Rock and Roll" Just to confirm this is not an isolated case, take a look at a more canonical artist like Carl Perkins and his well known "Matchbox." More interest in the U.S yes, probably as much related to the Beatles cover of the song than Carl's talent - yet the interest in Scandinavia, particularly Sweden is exceptionally strong. Also look at Ronnie Self, largely forgotten in the U.S. Ronnie's great tune "Flame of Love" is another example of the same interest in Sweden. Joe Clay, Gene Summers, Billy Lee Riley and Ronnie Dawson provide more evidence, and there is much more.

While researching the small, unknown and long since defunct Vaden label from Trumann, Arkansas I ran across this fascinating article that also speaks to Sweden's love affair with American rockabilly from the 1950's. Perhaps the question that remains is: why Sweden?
While I don't have a definitive answer, I do believe it is related to Sweden's use of its national budget to support the arts and radio programs tha feature American Roots Music and the Swede's tradition of embracing American Jazz musicians that dates to the 1950's.

Rockabilly Guitar Solo Gems: The 1950's

The unique sound forged by rockabilly musicians became so contagious by 1957 that most country and western musicians were drawn at least temporarily into the rave that had become nothing short of a full blown cultural phenomenon. Country swing musician who had already dabbled in jazzier boogie woogie rhythms were also drawn into the vortex, and their jazz influenced guitar work left a distinctive imprint of several rockabilly recordings. In fact, the electric guitar solo itself, usually spaced after the second vocal verse, becomes a distinctive feature of rockabilly's two to three minute bursts of R&B inspired energy. Aside from the select few rockabilly guitarists whose fame is already assured: Cliff Gallup, Grady Martin, Scotty Moore, James Burton, Al Casey, Ralph Roe, Hank Garland and Larry Adair, many of the guitarists that are showcased on the recordings here are unknown and have remained in total obscurity today. Whenever possible, I have included the featured guitarists, but in several cases information about particular musicians is simply unavailable. I assembled this collection of classic rockabilly guitar solos after spending considerable time listening to solos attentively for sound quality, fluidity, and overall fit or contribution to the song's integrity. Enjoy these gems of 50's rockabilly, They constitute a truly unique and pivotal slice in the evolution of the electric guitar. Once again, many thanks again to the collectors on youtube who make this possible.

1) Harvey Hurt: "Big Dog Little Dog," is a completely obscure gem by Harvey who was probably from northern Kentucky or southern Ohio. The sound seems to indicate late rockabilly, probably 1960 or 61. The guitar work is simply extraordinary, the jazz influenced playing is obvious. Unknown player.

2) Sammy Masters: "Whop T Bop" from 1956. Sammy was from guitar rich Oklahoma and true to the region he conflated jazz with his own unique brand of rockabilly. His guitar player, Ralph Roe, is absolutely on fire on this gem, jazz and be bob like Charlie Christian runs are heard throughout.

3) Coldy Coldiron: "Rockin Spot" from 1956. This is a sizzling rock n' roll based number with a red hot guitar solo, but also listen to the guitar comping throughout. Exceptional. Totally obscure.

4) Wes Holly: This gem, "Shufflin Shoes," is a great example of the confluence of country swing and rockabilly that was in full swing by the mid 1950's. From Iowa, Wes was a successful country swing musician drawn to rockabilly's irresistible rhythms.

5) Gene Vincent: "Who Slapped John?" Gene gives Cliff Gallop plenty of space on this one, a two part lead in fact. Remarkable phrasing and tone by Cliff, one of the true greats of the decade.

6) Del Reeves: "My Baby Loves to Rock" is a classic, echo laden rockabilly cut with a horn section. The short guitar solo is classic in tone and economy. Very nice cut by Del, primarily known for success in country music.

7) Bash Hofner: "Rockin and a Bopin" has a unique chord structure for rockabilly and the guitar solo is in two parts and extended. Very fluid, jazz like playing here on this gem of Texas rockabilly. Altogether, a fascinating cut. Unknown guitar work.

8) Wolf Opper: "Stompin to the Beat." Another unique arrangement with a very sweet guitar solo by a totally obscure deejay. Unknown session guitarist.

9) Bob Temple: "Vim Vam Vamoose" is another peculiar rockabilly recording that incorporates elements of the jazz jive sound with a short but searing guitar solo with great tone. Not much known about Temple, unknown guitarist.

10) Jack Lewis and the Americans: "Tood A Lou " is another classic crazed and frenetic rockabilly cut with the echo turned up full throttle. Also a classic because of the guitar solo by legend Eddie Cochran is excellent in tone and style. Not much known about Lewis, other than his work with Cochran.

11) Don "Red" Roberts: "Only One. " Absolutely classic rockabilly from 1957 with a wonderfully conceived guitar break. Great energy on this obscure recording, unknown guiatrist.

12) Gene Maltais: Gene's first recording"Crazy Baby" for the famous Decca label is raw unbridled rockabilly energy at its best. Guitar solo by legendary Hank Garland is superb, it has has typical phrasing and fine tone and fits the feel of the song perfectly.

A Few More Roots Favorites

This time of the month this feature appears on the blog and allows me a bit more latitude to include artists from different genres I am in the process of researching to be included in future posts. I also try to include material that has not been featured in previous posts but that probably will show up at some point in the future as part of a more focused post. Also, I wanted to thank the new folowers to the blog, I appreciate your following and it serves as an inspriration to continue to post material that is usually not found in other similar music blogs.


Jazz: Hard not to be a fan of the "Jug," Gene Ammons. Gene really did have one of the smoothest and blusiest tenor sounds among jazz tenor players in the 1950's and 60's. Here he showcases his skills on the popular ballad "It Might as Well be Spring" accompanied by John Coltrane on alto and Mal Waldron on piano, probably from the early 1960's. Another old favorite is the octave king of jazz guitar, Wes Montgomery, playing "Jingles" here in a trio setting. Very smooth.

R&B: The 1950's produced so much quality R&B that there is an almost endless supply of quality material to choose from. Chuck Willis, primarily known for penning his famous C. C. Rider, is superb in his "I Rule My House," delivered in a jump blues format from 1956. I'ts also hard to keep Hank Ballard's 1956 classic "Look at Little Sister" out of this mix, a marvelous number with an astonishingly crisp guitar break, popularized by Stevie Ray Vaughn's cover in the 1980s.

Rockabilly: Also a wealth of material to choose from and more emerging all the time. Ersel Hickey cut some very strong material in the mid to late 1950's, as evidenced here by his "Going Down that Road" from 1958. Also, Red Sovine, principally renowned for his success in country music, lays down some tough rockabilly here on "Juke Joint Johnny" on the Decca label from 1956. Wonderful guitar. Also, listen to the incredible Billy Barrix on "Cool Off Baby" from 1957 and think again about all those rockin' cats who Alvin Lee was paying homage to in his searing Woodstock piece "I'm Going Home" with Ten Years After.

Country Blues: It doesn't get much better than live video of the almost legendary Big Bill Broonzy, doing an amazing version of "Hey Hey," probably from the early 1960's. What a right thumb! Also live is Texas National Steel guitar king the Black Ace, here.

Black Rockabilly?

In several previous post last spring considerable attention was given to the forays rockabilly musicians made into the the world of black R&B musicians, borrowing both musical techniques and extensively covering R&B material as they went about forging the rockabilly sound. One outgrowth of the surge in popularity of rockabilly recordings after 1955 that has not been received attention is how black R&B musicians responded to the ascendant popularity of rockabilly. With the exception of the Chuck Berry, whose material draws from country and R&B traditions and exemplifies the hybridness that was to become "rock 'n roll, not much at all has been written about black musicians in the 1950's who dabbled in rockabillysque recordings. Perhaps the best example of this is Berry's iconic 1955 hot rod hit Maybelline , which seems to be derivative of the of fiddler Russ Fratto's "Ida Red," popularized by Bob Wills in 1938. While not exactly rockabilly in a pure sense, Chuck seems to be nodding to that dimension of American Roots music in this classic hit.


While the term "black rockabilly" may seem oxymoronic on the surface, there are some great examples of 1950's recordings that demonstrate a conscious attempt to at least incorporate certain elements of the essence of the rockabilly style. And although it might be said that these recordings are not typical nor pure rockabilly, and that they are really more akin to R&B material, a close listening will reveal that they do possess some fascinating features, some of which are very close to rockabilly. Whether these musicians were motivated by the potential for success in the style or by the style itself remains unknown. Some of the recordings, like Roy Brown's "Hip Shakin Baby" have become collectors items owing to their uniqueness, and the sheer scarcity of black musicians who recorded in the rockabilly style. This list is probably not complete, and the unavailability of G. L. Crockett's "Look Out Mabel" and Roscoe Gordon's "Sally Jo" on youtube leaves a somewhat incomplete picture. That said, enjoy these unique recordings I have been to locate and comment on.

Roy Brown: Brown is best known for his R&B and Jump Blues recordings but his Imperial recording of "Hip Shakin Baby" from 1956 is included in rockabilly anthologies and really does exude the style in the echo vocals and piercing guitar. Excellent.

Ray Sharpe: Roy's incredible recordings from the late 1950's are influenced by country music and have the feel of rockabilly and are brilliantly conceived. Check out his incredible "Linda Lu" from 1959. Very nice guitar work. Also check out his "Monkey's Uncle." Superb.

The Cues: Generally classified as a pure R&B group,this forgotten group from the 1950's recorded some great R&B, some of which has the feel of rockabilly. The echo like sound and twangy guitar lend to this feel on "Killer Diller" and "Cracker Jack." Very nice sound.

Young Jessie: Generally classified as rock n' roll, Jessie recorded some Doo Wop material as well as a few songs that have the feel of rockabilly. Check out "Hit Git n Split" from 1956 and the incredible "I Smell a Rat." Guitar has a distinctly rockabilly feel.

Mickey and Sylvia: This fascinating R&B duo is generally not associated with anything close to rockabilly. That said, their recording "No Good Lover" has the energy and style of many of the rockabilly recordings from the same period. Great guitar solo.

Junior Parker: Love My Baby is a R&B Sun recording from 1953 that I had to include because it was so influential on subsequent rockabilly recordings. Also, the guitar, in sound and style, sets up the rockabilly style to follow.

Big Al Downing: Big Al is typically known as a black musicians who was successful in the country idiom during the 1960s. Al's 1958 recording "Down on the Farm" combines the raucous style of rock n' roll in a rockabilly format. Excellent recording. Some of Al's later recordings are pure rockabilly.

Jazz Piano Aces from the 1950's

The decade of the 1950's saw profound changes in the forms of American roots music that have been discussed here. Jazz was no exception. By 1950, as Bebop began to take hold and become more mainstream, there was a decisive shift away from the big band format. In its place emerged smaller combos, quartets and above all, the trio. Most smaller jazz combos retained the piano as an anchor, and in most trios it was always present. This greater emphasis on on piano gave rise to some magnificent players during the decade, some of whom became leading innovators in the contemporary jazz scene. Stylistically, these players possessed fluency in all the primary modes of expression in fifties jazz: bebop, hard bop, ballads, pop arrangements as well as R&B based material. Most of the players highlighted here went recorded extensively in the 1950's on the 33 rpm disc, on labels like Verve, Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside and Savoy, and a lot of these recording are pure treasures of American small combo jazz. Also, most all of these players went on to enjoy continued success, and a couple are still performing live today. Since the 1950's are featured in this post, I have attempted to include recordings from the period, there are a few exceptions, McCoy Tyner for one. The order of the pianists included here is in no way hierarchical, it's random. Finally, many thanks again to all the collectors at youtube who have made these recordings accessible to all of us.


1) Hampton Hawes: Hawes is rooted in bop but is very comfortable in all the idioms of the period. Check out "Walkin," recorded with his trio in 1955. Excellent.

2) Bill Evans: 1950's association with Miles Davis and Charles Mingus earn Evans a highly respected position in this group. Check out this 1950's composition of the classic ballad "My Foolish Heart" for a dose of Bill's measured, ethereal style.

3) Thelonious Monk: Monk is a veritable jazz icon and Bebop pioneer who was a tenacious innovator in style throughout the decade. Check out his trio doing "Blue Monk" from 1958.

4) Hank Jones: Hank is one of the true patriarchs, having studied with the legendary Art Tatum and played with virtually everyone, including Coleman Hawkins, Billy Eckstine and Charles Mingus. Hank is over 90 years old and still performing today. Check out this live trio recording with Buddy Rich and Ray Brown from the 1950 entitled "Ad Lib." Hank really shows his stuff here.

5) Tommy Flanagan: Another of the living patriarchs, Tommy is best known for his work on two historically monumental saxophone albums of the 1950's: John Coltrane's Giant Steps and Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Check out Tommy in a trio setting here with Elvin Jones on drums and Wilbur Little on bass from 1957 doing "Eclypso." Outstanding.

6) Red Garland: Garland performed with the giants of the 1940's: Lester Young, Charlie Parker and Roy Eldridge, and this experience served him well as he emerges as a top post bop performer in the 1950's, recording solo for Prestige and also extensively with Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Jimmy Forrest. Check out "Billy Boy" by Red and his trio from 1958. Very smooth.

7) Oscar Peterson: One of the all time greats, the Canadien Peterson was just getting started in the 1950's as he forged his longstanding relation with bass legend Ray Brown. This fascinating recording from the late 1950's is entitled "Cubano Chant," and demonstrates the influence of Cuban rhythms in this trio setting, with Brown and Ed Thigpen. Incredible playing.

8) Horace Silver: A prolific composer, Silver was a mainstay with the Blue Note label throughout the fifties, recording primarily hard bop, R& B flavored material and some ballads. Check out this Latin influenced composition; "Senor Blues" from 1959.

9) Milt Buckner: Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Milt was also an organ player, and is primarily known for his "block chord" innovations on piano. Check out this organ/piano arrangement of "The Beast," from the 1960's, a composition chosen by Angelo Badalamenti to be used in David Lynch's neo-noir film Mulholland Drive.

10) McCoy Tyner: Having seen Tyner perform with his own ensemble in 1973, I will always be a huge fan of this incredibly talented player. This early example of Tyner's prowess, recorded with John Coltrane from 1959, is entitled "One in Four" and is astonishingly good, listen for Tyner's solo at 4:30. McCoy is still going strong today, and has just released a new album.

11) Ahmad Jamal: Another exquisite player who emerges in the 1950's, Jamal flourished in the all popular trio setting of the decade. Give a listen to this live performance of "Darn That Dream" from 1959. Sublime.

12) Randy Weston: Born in New York and of Jamaican origin, Weston recorded extensively in the 1950's for Riverside. Randy enjoyed association with jump blues, jazz and R&B musicians alike. In the 1960's he recorded with many of the avant garde greats. This fascinating tune, "Little Niles" from his 1956 Riverside LP "With These Hands," is extraordinary and seems to anticipate the more experimental sounds to follow in the 1960's.

Jump Blues Kings

The rise in popularity of "Jump Blues" after World War II is related as much to societal changes as to those that took place in the music industry itself. The role that record companies, radio stations and the proliferation of smaller clubs all favored the splintering of the traditional instrumental big bands as musical tastes in African American urban communities began to favor urban blues delivered with electric instruments. Another offshoot of these trends was the Jump Blues, whose smaller combos combined elements of jazz instrumentation, ( and many fine jazz musicians) and boogie woogie based rhythms with fascinating lyrics to provide an upbeat style whose purpose was to promote club dancing. Almost all Jump Blues recordings are characterized by a wild saxophone solos after the second verse. Jump Blues lyrics, which exalt alcohol consumption, conviviality and erotic pleasure more explicitly than those of white musicians at the time, contribute to the festive, raucous atmosphere the music creates.

Another important fact about Jump blues is that the style really is the crucial transition not only to rock n' roll but also to rockabilly. Both are greatly indebted to the new ground Jump Blues prepared, and draw from songs and stylistics of Jump Blues. And while most would not agree with hugely influential Jump Blues bandleader Louis Jordan's claim that rock n' roll was nothing more than white musicians playing rhythm and blues, it is really undeniable that both rockabilly and rock n' roll would not have developed in the same way without the groundwork established by Jump Blues in the 1940's. While the list of Jump Blues artists listed below is by no means exhaustive, it does provide a pretty representative sampling of most of the major artists. Thanks again to the generous collectors on youtube who have been gracious enough to share these treasures of American Roots Music with us.

Louis Jordan: Louis, from Brinkley, Arkansas, provides both the vocals and the sax solo on "Let the Good Times Roll," a song he performs live with his Tympany Five. This one is a prototype of jump blues from the mid to late 1940's that demonstrates the jazz influence on the genre.


Calvin Boze: Calvin's highly influential "Safronia B" is often cited as a bridge piece that anticipates the advent of rock n' roll. That said, it is classic jump blues with a nice sax and trumpet solo by Calvin himself. Great dance tune.


Wynonie Harris: Perhaps more than others here, the very talented and prolific Harris embodies the spirit of Jump Blues. Check out his fabulous vocals on "Loving Machine." Simply fantastic music with a great band behind him.


Lucky Millinder: Lucky had one of the best Jump Blues bands from the early 1940's on. Check out his wonderful "Chew Tobacco Rag." Great sax solo on this classic dance number.


Tiny Bradshaw: Hugely influential, Tiny also sported one of the finest bands on the Jump Blues touring circuit. Best known for penning the famous "The Train Kept a Rollin," check out the quality of Tiny's band on "The Bradsahw Boogie." Superb.


Jimmy Liggins: Jimmy also had an outstanding smaller combo and an outstanding rhythm and blues voice. Check out his wonderful "I Ain't Drunk" from 1950.


Bull Moose Jackson: Jackson is best known for his frothy double entendre songs in a great Jump Blues format. Best known is the famous "Big Ten Inch" but his "Nosey Joe" from 1949 is also superb. Great band and vocals, and sax solo.


Floyd Dixon: Texas born, Floyd is not as well known as some of the others on the list here, but he was a superb pianist and had a very tight west coast band that could really lay it down. Check out his "Roll Baby Roll."


Roy Brown: One of the most prolific and intriguing musicians of the 1950's, Brown worked in several genres and is known for his voice and versatility. His "Good Rockin Tonight" which so many have covered is performed with a band in a jump blues format. Wonderful sax break.


Jackie Brenston: It would be difficult to leave out Jackie's classic 1951 recording "Rocket 88" which Sam Phillips claimed to be the first rock n' roll song ever recorded. In any event it's a true jump blues classic, recorded with Ike Turner's band. Vocals and sax by Jackie.


Big Joe Turner: This classic blues shouter recorded some wonderful jump blues material in the forties and fifties. Check out this this live performance of "If You Remember" at the Apollo Theater in New York from 1955. Outstanding.


Rudy Green: Rudy is not well known and there is scarce bio information available, but his "It's You I Love" is a fantastic jump blues number with excellent guitar and sax solos.

Rest in Peace Mike Seeger

I realize that this comes about a week late, yet I firmly believe Mike's contributions to American roots music are more than worthy of mention here. Mike Seeger was the half brother of the legendary Pete Seeger and emerged as a player in the folk music revival scene that developed in the late 1950's. Instead of following a "Bluegrass" path, Mike became devoted to "old time" southern music, whose traditions stretch back to the early nineteenth century. In 1958 he formed The New Lost City Ramblers, a string group which not only explored traditional southern music as they heard it played on recordings from the 1920's and 30's but also the origins and development of banjo and guitar picking techniques in the "old timey" style. Mike's legacy is far reaching, in many ways the explosion of interest in Bluegrass and old-timey music which accelerated in the 1960's and 70's can be related to Mike work with The New Lost City Ramblers, heard here. Rest in peace Mike Seeger, and thanks for all the great music you left us.

Latin Rhythms in American Rockabilly?

While reading an essay by Paul Clifford recently on the birth of rockabilly, I was struck by an assertion I had never considered. Rockabilly musicians of the 1950's, while searching for "exotic beats and rhythms" to integrate into the fresh style, willingly infused some of their material with Latin based rhythms without realizing their origins. Since syncopated percussion in rockabilly constitutes a major shift from the "drumless" country music groups of the 1940's and 50's, these rhythms are often heard in drum acompaniments. Also, Clifford notes that rockabilly musicians used "hybrid guitar lines" that accentuated certain notes of a boogie- woogie line, creating the unique feature of rockabilly rhythms. Clifford also offers interesting examples of this same phenomenon in the left hand piano work on Fat's Domino's "Blue Monday" and the saxophone sections of Little Richard's 1956 recording "Slippin and a Slidin."

Musicologist Roy Brewer's concise definition of American rockabilly; "the hybrid of blues and country that became rock& roll," does seem to capture the essence of this unique 1950's music style. Interestingly, Brewer goes a step further to assert that rockabilly musicians, much like most all African American music forms, incorporate the "habanera rhythm" into their music while remaining unaware that it is of Afro Cuban origin and comes into American rhythm and blues through jump blues and New Orleans style dance bands. Brewer goes on to offer fascinating examples of the "habanera rhythm" in American rockabilly such as the famous and very controversial Elvis performance of "Hound Dog" on the Milton Berle show from June of 1956. The famous Elvis gyrations scandalized many, and Scotty Moore and D.J Fontana do actually slow the cadence of the song to allow Elvis more wiggle room. Due to the controversial nature of this television performance, Brewer also notes that "Presley's producers did not exploit the habanera pattern with his subsequent releases regardless of the overwhelming success of "Houndog." According to Brewer another good example of the habanera rhythm can be heard on Scotty Moore's guitar introduction to "Don't be Cruel, " and on "I'm Left, Your Right, She's Gone." A close examination of the many lesser known rockabilly recordings from the period would undoubtedly reveal that this is not an isolated tendency. With the demise of rockabilly by around 1961, habanera rhythms disappear from the scene.

Clifford cites a few other interesting examples of the obvious use of the habanera rhythm technique in music of the period. Some of the most interesting are Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock," and "Teenage Partner" by Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps, which demonstrate hybrid guitar lines with unique accentuation of notes. On the Cochran classic the "habanera rhythm" is used on by the guitar and bass during the verses, imbuing the song with it's unique feeling, a feeling that is one of the central differentiating features between rockabilly and country music. Unfortunately, as Brewer points out, this original and distinguishing trait of 1950's rockabilly was lost to the revivalists who helped resurrect the music in the 1980's.

One of the Kings is Gone: Rest in Peace Les Paul

In spite of the fact that his enthronement in the pantheon of great American musicians was secured decades ago, he continued to play, to do that which he loved most of all. Monday nights at the at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York belonged to Les and he continued to play all the way up to late this spring, astonishing those who came to see the legend and his assortment of jazz, pop and guitar wizardry that he pioneered himself back in the 1930's, listening to Eddie Lang and Django Reinehardt. Les Paul was the indisputable patriarch not only of jazz guitar, but also of the electric guitar in general, and Les and George Barnes are generally credited as being the pioneers of electric jazz guitar. His influence is recognized by all electric guitar players. Although more press and attention has been given to the rock musicians like Jeff Beck, Steve Miller and Jimmy Page who cite his imprint and signature guitar, I believe there were other guitarists who absorbed some of his vaunted techniques and built them into their own style. Among these I would mention Phil Baugh, Jimmy Bryant, Danny Gatton, Tommy Emanuel, Bucky Barret and John Jorgenson. Give a listen to one of Paul's early recordings, "Lover," featuring multi-tracking, one of his technical innovations. Also, "How High the Moon" with Mary Ford is a must. Rest in peace Les, you will be sorely missed but your legacy will continue to grow with time.

A Few More Roots Favorites

As a monthly interlude between more focused posts I have been including "Roots Favorites" as a way to post and briefly discuss a few great roots tunes that to date have not fallen neatly into other posts. I generally choose two or three representative songs from the different genres and briefly comment on them. I spent a good deal of time pouring over youtube looking for cuts I consider to be of high quality and believe me, I listen to a whole lot of material that is quite good but the ones I include here are some of the finest I have heard. It's remarkable how much new material is being put up on a daily basis on youtube, but there continue to be gaps. While there is a noticeable scarcity of urban blues records (78's and 45's) from the fifties, rockabilly, early rock n' roll and country swing material seems to grow daily. There probably is a good reason for this. Quite a few of the selctions here are from artists I have yet to mention on this blog, others are more familiar names.


Country Blues: I have been a fan of Piedmont Blues guitarist Blind Boy Fuller for years, and his classic "Step it up and Go" from 1940 is a tune often covered by country musicians such as Big Jeff, here. Also, Elizabeth Cotton and her unique left-handed approach are a genuine national treasure. Her "Wilson Rag" is preceded by an interview with Pete Seeger.

Urban Blues: Magic Sam's well known "21 Days in Jail" on the Cobra label from 1958 is indicative of the new trends in Chicago blues during the late 1950's. Outstanding vocals and guitar. Texas born, Pee Wee Crayton makes a name for himself in California in the 1940's and 50's, following the lead of T- Bone Walker. This recording "Do Unto Others" from 1954 on Imperial is outstanding and showcases his talent as a guitarist and vocalist. Great backup band.

Rhythm And Blues: Junior Parker's recording with Sun date to the earliest years of Sam's empire. This 1957 Sun recording, "Next Time You See Me" is a fantastically conceived R&B tune with an outstanding supporting cast. Memphis Slim's "Got To Find My Baby " is a blues number with an R&B feel, outstanding vocals and sax solo. Finally, a jump blues classic by Jimmy Liggins and his band from 1954: "Boogie Woogie King." Superb.

Rockabilly: After listening to many hundreds of rockabilly recordings over the years this one just sticks in my mind as one of the very, very finest. Sid King's 1956 recording "Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight" is early rockabilly before the echo craze but man this one has a natural backbeat that won't quit and Sid's voice is unmatched. Another favorite is Bill Mack's 1956 "Cat Just Got in Town," which is full of the attitude, symbols and language so representative of a rockabilly musician in 1956. Finally this incredible cut by Louisiana cat Tommy Blake: "All Night Long" from 1958. This one has a distinctly Louisiana feel and some wonderful guitar work.

Western Swing: Some would classify these cuts as rockabilly but for me they are really more akin to Country Swing. "Whoa Boy" was recorded by Luke McDaniel before he signed on with Sun to record some great rockabilly. Red Smith does a very nice cover of the same song here. Also check out the incredible "Country Cattin" by Jimmy Swan. Finally, in a bit more of a boogie vein is Tommy Sosebee's "All Nite Boogie." Very nice guitar and pedal steel work here.

Jazz: Tenor sax ace Don Byas is one of those players who lived through the transition from swing to Bebop and on into modern jazz. It's often forgotten just how many great jazz musicians came out of Oklahoma. Don's "One O'clock Jump" from the late 1940's is classic bop and Erroll Garner's piano work is sublime, as is Byas. Superb. Also very impressive is Ahmad Jamal's ethereal rendition of "Darn Tha Dream" from 1959. Extra cool and smooth.

Red Hot Missouri Rockabilly: The 1950's

In previous posts I have discussed the regional nature of the rockabilly phenomenon at the state level, specifically Texas and Arkansas. While Missouri usually doesn't come to mind when one thinks of 1950's rockabilly, the state did produce more than its share of top flight rockabilly recordings during the decade of the fifties. In many ways this is not at all surprising. Red Foley's hugely popular television program Ozark Jubilee and Porter Wagoner's Ozark Jamboree, both originating out of Springfield, helped promote both country and rockabilly musicians during the decade, and probably have quite a bit to do with the the commercial success of Branson today. At the time the Jubilee was rivaled only by the Louisiana Hayride and and Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, and an appearance on these shows could literally launch a successful career, as evidenced by some of the cases outlined below.

Due to its proximity to Memphis and eastern Arkansas, most Missouri rockabilly musicians hailed from the southern half of the state. Also significant are Elvis Presley's initial visits to the state, both to the Sikeston and Popular Bluff in the Missouri Bootheel. In 1956, Elvis also performs live at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield, consolidating his musical influence on the southern section of the state. In a general sense, Springfield becomes the epicenter of rockabilly in Missouri, continuing the groundwork which had been established by the Jubilee.

The transitional rockabilly related recordings to emerge from Missouri are those of Chandos Mcrill and Lee Finn. These recording are demonstrative of the transition from"hillbilly boogie" or traditional country to rockabilly, and lack the style and technique of other recordings from the later 1950's. Check out Mcrill's Poor Me from 1959 for a taste of this style. Finn, from Kansas City, also works in the transitional format with the "High Class Feeling" whose message of class awareness is a recurring one in rockabilly recordings. Lee Ebert's "Let's Jive It" on the Rocket label from 1958 is another good example of transitional rockabilly.

Just as rockabilly had a hierarchy of musicians based on popularity on a national level, Missouri's recording artists can also be categorized in a similar way. The indisputable king of Missouri rockabilly was Ronnie Self from Tin Town, who worked out of Springfield. In my opinion, Ronnie was a remarkable talent comparable to greats like Carl Perkins and Gene Vincent. He wrote some incredible songs, including Brenda Lee's huge hit "I'm Sorry" as well as her more rockabillyesque "Sweet Nothing's" . Just for a taste of what Ronnie could do, I include his classic "Big Town" and the fascinating "Ain't I a Dog" which enjoyed regional popularity in the south. We also have "Flame of Love," and "Big Fool," both great tunes Ronnie recorded for the Columbia label in 1957 with an all star band backing him, Grady Martin and Hank Garland on guitar. Simply outstanding. Great vocals on both and Martin's guitar lead and comping are magical. While Ronnie is largely forgotten to most here in the states, his stature in Europe continues to grow where he is a veritable legend.

Close behind Ronnie are Glen Glenn from Joplin and Don Woody from Tuscumbia in central Missouri. After working with Porter Wagoner Glenn gets swept into the Elvis vortex and becomes a "cat," moving to California. Glenn's "Blue Jeans and a Boy's Shirt" from 1958 showcase his lilting vocal style and has become an iconic rockabilly tune. Also check out "I'm Glad My Baby's Gone Away" and "Everybody's Movin," both are quintessential rockabilly, simply timeless. Don Woody is another fascinating story. He got off the ground by associating with the Ozarks Jubilee and writes a song for Brenda Lee which he eventually parlays into a record deal with Decca and a recording session in Nashville with the premiere rockabilly guitarist of the time, Grady Martin. Don's "Bird Dog" and "Barking Up the Wrong Tree" from 1958 are brilliantly conceived and Martin is in top form on guitar. Fantastic stuff.

I have compiled a rather long list of additional Missouri rockabilly/rock n' roll recordings with commentary on each. Most of these musicians enjoyed limited success in their time and have since fallen into almost complete obscurity. Nonetheless, many of these recording are excellent, and thanks to the collectors on youtube, we have access to them.

Jim Lowe: Also from Springfield, his song "The Green Door" became a huge hit in 1956. For me, his "The Crossing" is a fascinating rockabilly recording from 1958 in the tradition of Ramblin' Jimmy Dolan's and Arkie Shibley's Hot Rod Race. Great guitar solo on "The Crossing."

Bill Duniven: Bill is from Steele in southeastern Missouri. "Knockin on the Back Side of Your Heart" is more akin to rock n' roll piano based composition on the Vaden label out of Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Bo Davis: From Advance, Missouri, "Let's Coast Awhile" is another auto tune that features Eddie Cochran on guitar. Very nice recording from 1956.

Rusty Draper: Draper is from Kirksville also has early association with the Ozark Jubilee. Rusty is generally associated with more pop related material. Nonetheless, his 1956 cover of the Sammy Masters classic "Pink Cadillac" is pure rockabilly, and well done.

Jimmy Edwards: From the small town of Senath in the Bootheel, Jimmy's Love Bug Crawl is a nice recording from 1957. Classic rockabilly sound.

Herbie Duncan: I'm pretty sure Herbie is from St. Louis, where he recorded "Hot Lips Baby" for the MarVel Label in 1958.

Maynard Horlick: Also from St. Louis, and totally obscure. "Love and Lost" is from 1958 on the ST. Louis VIR label.

Gene Mckown: From Kansas City, Gene's "Rockabilly Rhythm" from 1958 is an excellent anthem that exalts the origins, novelty and power of the genre. Very nice guitar.

Lee Dresser and the Krazy Cats: Lee's combo hails from Moberly in northern Missouri and is stylistically closer to rock ' roll but also has distinct rockabilly elements. "Wiggly Little Mama" from 1959 is a perfect example. Very nice.

Covering a Classic: Harlem Nocturne

It seems improbable: Earl Hagen, whose productivity gravitated to film scores and theme songs for television programs like the Andy Griffith Show, pens a piece in 1939 to honor Duke Ellington and his silky smooth alto sax player Johnny Hodges that ends up becoming almost a standard of the 1950's to be covered by R&B and jazz musicians alike. Hagen's piece "Harlem Nocturne" emerges out of his association with the English bandleader Ray Noble Orchestra of the 1930' and seems to nod, if not in title alone, to the predominance of African American musicians involved in the jazz scene of the period. Favored by saxophonists, Harlem Nocturne is a composition whose popularity almost seems to transcend time and space. Its association with pulp fiction and film noir based scores is later affirmed by its adoption as the theme song for Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer film which was released in 1984.

Unfortunately, not all the renditions of Harlem Nocturne are available on youtube to examine in this post. What is very interesting is the way each musician's approach to the song differs. I have tried to arrange the covers in chronological order so as to highlight the differences in arrangement and approach can be appreciated.


Stan Kenton: Kenton's marvelously arranged interpretation here probably dates to the late 1940's, wonderful use of dynamics in a big band setting.

Les Brown: This sounds like a fifties or early sixties arrangement to me even though the claim is that it dates to the 1940's. Very nice alto solo.

Johnny Otis: Although recorded with Johnny's Big Band, this version moves to a more R&B based feeling and format. Predictably, alto sax is featured, nicely done.

Sam the Man Taylor: Sam's haunting version here really captures the R&B essence of the song. Superb phrasing by the player who helped shape jump blues and later rock n' roll sax during the 1950's.

Earl Bostic: Earl was a genuine horn Einstein and his breadth and fluency really show here up on a piece like Harlem Nocturne. Superb playing.

Les and Larry Elgart: This is a very smooth and tight arrangement by the brothers known for their ecclectic range of material related to pop and jazz. Probably from the 1960's

King Curtis: The King injects a bit of soulish groovin into this unique and quite polished arrangement from the early 1960's. Wonderful tone and phrasing by the King in this unfortunately truncated version.

The Viscounts: This excellent version charted for this combo in 1959 and then again in 1966.

Danny Gatton: Guitar virtuoso Gatton had a penchant for elaborate arrangements of well known standards that captured the feel of a period; his covers of Santo and Johnny's "Sleepwalk" and "Tragedy" by Thomas Wayne are good examples. This version of Harlem Nocturne, although not his best, is one of his signature pieces. It is unique in that he adapts an arrangement set for big band saxophone to the guitar. Mid 1980's. Fascinating.

Billy Lee Riley: Rest in Peace

One of the founding fathers of American rockabilly and legendary Sun recording artist Billy Lee Riley passed away last night in his home state of Arkansas. Billy was loved by fans and musicians alike and did so much to promote the music that he created and that has become legendary all over the world. With his death, the almost mythical sounds that emanated from the road-houses along Highway 67 in northern Arkansas back in the 1950's take on a ghostly resonance, for one of their primary creators has passed on. Rest in peace Billy Lee Riley.

A Few Contemporary Guitar Wizards

Most that read this blog by now realize I enjoy roots guitarists and the multiple genres they work in. Although most of my interest focuses on players who are no longer with us, I can't help but take notice of some of the incredibly gifted guitarists who seem to consistently stretch the boundaries of possibility on this incredible instrument. Since any choices I include here will reflect either my own bias or ignorance of more gifted players, please don't take offense if one of your favorites has been excluded. Rather, take the opportunity to comment and share your knowledge or perspective with all the readers. Also note that my choice of categories is also somewhat arbitrary, but they do conform to the parameters of "roots music" in a broad sense. I have also included "country" as a category in part because there are some gifted and fascinating players.


Jazz: There are a few patriarchs still alive today: the legendary Les Paul who still plays at the Iridium every other week or so, Joe Pass, also a consummate player, and a score of up and coming younger players like James Muller, the incredible Mimi Fox, and the sublime work of John Stowell. For my money, there is nobody playing today that has anything on Scotty Anderson, a fierce talent who combines elements of western swing and jazz with a vicious right hand and five fingered right hand approach. Scotty is simply an unbelievable player. Check out his chops on "It Don't Mean a Thing" in tandem with Bob Saxton. In a more traditional jazz setting, listen to Scotty on "Taking the A Train." Superb.



Electric Blues: There are really a lot of excellent players in this genre, including the patriarchs Buddy Guy and Johnny Winter. Some of the "younger players" are veritable forces in their own right, including Junior Watson, Ronnie Baker Brooks , Jimmy Thackery and Duke Robillard. The youngest is Danny Gatton disciple Joe Bonamassa, a tenacious and upcoming talent. Incredible player.


Acoustic Blues: This one is difficult and my bias is bound to show. I do think John Miller's knowledge and execution of the diversity in country blues is unmatched. Listen to John teach Bo Carter's "My Babe" here. That said, I think Kelly Joe Phelps plays flawlessly with a hell of a lot of soul. Check out his "Window Grin."

Acoustic: Tommy Emanuel doing "Guitar Boogie." What more can I say about this?

Country: Some of the very finest country guitar is being played today as players are drawing from jazz and country swing to expand the boundaries of the genre. The patriarch here might be Albert Lee, followed by Redd Volkaert, known for his association with Merle Haggard. Of the younger players, Johnny Hiland is outstanding as is the popular Brad Paisley, featured here with a constellation of country players on "Cluster Pluck." I do think that consummate Nashville player today is Brent Mason; those inclined to disagree please to comment. An up and coming force in Nashville is the multi-talented Guthrie Trapp, heard here on electric lead. Amazing chops.



Rockabilly:Undoubtedly, primarily for being one of the founders of the genre, James Burton is the patriarch here. Among the younger players, the talented Brian Setzer has received the most notoriety, but Jinx Jones - here, and Pete Gorilla heard here are genuine talents, as is the incredible Cousin Harley performing live here doing an amazing cover of Western Swing legend Billy Jack Wills' "Feelin Bad."

Low Down R&B Instrumentals

The big bands that fronted Jump Blues artists like Lucky Millinder, Louis Jordan and Wynonie Harris set the table for the later emergence of rock n' roll combos, jazz as a genre also laid the groundwork for the R&B instrumental that became quite popular in the 1950's. Some of instrumentals that peppered the R&B charts throughout the decade featured some excellent musicians, some of whom worked as session players for other groups. The convergence of genres and attempts at "crossing over" coupled with the fact many players were able to move with fluidity between jazz, blues, R&B and pop related material made for a fascinating mix.

Here I have compiled a few of my favorite instrumentals from the decade that represent the rather broad range of styles that were charting in R&B. The "low down" funkiness of some of these recordings speaks to the hybridity of musical exchanges at the time. Enjoy, and thanks again to all the collectors on youtube.

Tiny Bradshaw: "Soft" is a 1953 classic by the master Bradshaw, a big band arrangement that opens the way for the smaller combo R&B preferences that followed. Charted on R&B.


Sonny Thompson: "Mellow Blues" from 1951 is a deliberate arrangement that features some outstanding R&B sax work from Eddie Chamblee. Sonny's small combo is the prototype for the R&B groups that followed.


Lloyd Glenn: West Coast blues piano ace Glenn showcases his talent on the early 1950's recording "Southbound Special." Lloyd was an "instrumental" player in the Los Angeles blues scene, teaming up with west coast guitar greats T Bone Walker and Lowell Fulson on different recordings.


Lee Allen: "Walking with Mister Lee" from 1958 is a genuine rocker with great sax work by Lee whose career was resurrected during the second wave of rockabilly in the early 1980's, principally by Dave Alvin.


Hank Marr: "Tonk Game" on King Records is from 1961 and is one of my real favorites. Hank's organ skills never got the ink that Jimmy Smith's did but this song is about as dirty as R&B gets. Superb.


Jimmy Forrest: "Night Train" from 1951 charted high on the R&B lists even though Jimmy is really rooted in jazz. Very nice example of jazz merging with R&B in the early 1950s.


Ernie Freeman: Ernie's cover of this Bill Justis tune "Raunchy" was a commercial success that crossed over into the Billboard top ten about the time Bill Dogget's "Honky Tonk" did. Nice sound, nice guitar work, the sax is under-miked it would seem.


Bill Doggett: "Hold It" is classic R&B with great musicians, I assume it's the same aggregation that played on his 1956 crossover hit "Honky Tonk," a tune that was discussed in one of the early posts on this blog. "Hold It" is a tune many musicians might have used before the break of a set. At any rate, it's some pretty nasty R&B.


Wild Jimmy Spruill: "Kansas City March" by consummate session guitarist Spruill is top notch guitar based R&B. Spruill played with a host of talented players, including The Shirelles, King Curtis and with Bobby Lewis on the 1961 hit "Tossin and Turnin."


Tab Smith: "Mr Gee" is a jazzier rendition of a straight blues that features Tab's velvety smooth alto playing. Exceptionally tight arrangement.

Benefit Concert for Billy Lee Riley

Arkansas rockabilly legend and Sun recording star Billy Lee Riley is currently receiving treatment for cancer and is not in good shape. Several of Billy Lee's friends from Arkansas and beyond are organizing a benefit concert to raise money for him. This concert is scheduled to take place in Newport, Arkansas at the historic Silver Moon dance hall and will commence at 1:00 p.m. The final list of musicians scheduled to perform has not been set, but sources have informed me that Sonny Burgess and the Pacers will headline. Other musicians who plan to participate are Arkansas' own Larry Donn, saxophone legend Ace Cannon and W. S. Holland of Johnny Cash's band. I will be providing more information on the lineup when I receive it.

Texas Rockabilly II: Fifteen Forgotten Classics

A few months back when I posted on the evolution of Texas rockabilly, I realized the post would only scratch the surface of the Lone Star state' s recordings during the 1950's. Texas, along with Tennessee and Arkansas are the states where rockabilly flourished and virtually eclipsed country music for several years as the preferred style. In my previous Texas rockabilly post I touched on some of the more canonical artists from Texas: Ronnie Dawson, Johnny Carroll, Bob Luman, Lew Williams, Sonny Fisher and Sid King. This post will serve to extend on the previous one, some of the musicians are fairly well known and others obscure to say the least. A couple things strike me about these recordings: most are of very high quality and also demonstrate in some instance a distinctive Texas flavor, which may reflect a tension created by the regional pull of Texas swing (Spade Cooly, Hank Williams and Bob Wills) and the popularity of Buddy Holly - in contention with the surging popularity of the Sun sound, spearheaded by Elvis, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. There is a scarcity of information available for some of these musicians but fortunately youtube allows us all to appreciate these unique, historical recordings from the 1950's . Enjoy them, some are true gems.


Mac Curtis: Mac's 1956 recording "That Ain't Nothing but Right" is incredibly pure rockabilly. Excellent guitar and piano solos. Superb.


Gene Summers: Gene never had a national hit but was quite popular in the Dallas - Fort Worth area. "Nervous" is a unique in its pacing with superb vocals and guitar. Robert Gordon covered it some twenty years after its initial release.


Wally Deane: "Cool Cool Daddy" is another superb arrangement by Texas born Deane. Great piano solo here.


Buddy Knox: "Party Doll" was a huge hit for Buddy in 1956. . "My Baby's Gone" is the flip side and is also excellent.


Jimmy Dee: "Henrietta" has more of a Rock n' Roll feel to it but still can be classified as rockabilly. Very tight arrangement.


Link Davis: The incredible Link "Big Mamou" Davis of "Don't Bigshot Me" fame performs his wonderfully conceived "Sixteen Chicks," a tune later covered by Joe Clay.


Scotty Mckay: "Evening Time" is another classic tune which showcases the mix of emerging rock n' roll and rockabilly. Scotty later went on to play with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps.


Cecil Moore: A little more Bakersfield sound in this fabulous recording. Cecil is an absolutely master guitar player in this tune "Walking Fever." Unbelievably good.


Jerry Irby: "49 Women" is classic rockabilly with pedal steel, nifty guitar work and that Texas edge. Outstanding cut from Jerry, a New Braunfels native.


Billy Eldridge: I remember this one from the Imperial Rockabilly reissue from 1978. "Let's Go Baby" is echoed and has that classic 1958 sound. Nifty guitar work.


Ray Doggett: "Go Go Heart" from 1956 has very unique vocal arrangements and nice guitar work.


Dean Beard: Dean is one of the few Texans that recorded on Sun. "Rock Around the Town" has that Sun sound. Superb.


Milton Allen: "Don't Bug Me Baby" from 1957 is just pure, unadulterated, energetic rockabilly. Tremendous sound, nice guitar.


Sonny West: "Rock Ola Ruby" from 1956 embodies the "essence" of west Texas rockabilly.


Al Urban: "Won't Tell Your Name" from 1958 is another uniquely Texas arrangement with killer guitar and piano. Al just released a new album this year.

Soul Power: A Gem From Zaire 1974

While the 1970's bring back unsettling memories of dictatorship and conflict rooted in latent colonialism, the decade also produced remarkable films and some memorable concerts. Jeffrey Levi-Hinte's new documentary "Soul Power" offers a fascinating window into Afro American and Caribbean music as it was performed live in concert in Kinshasa, Zaire in 1974. Originally planned to coincide with the "Rumble in the Jungle," i.e. the world heavyweight fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman,- captured majestically in Leon Gast's remarkable 1996 documentary "When We Were Kings"- the concert actually preceded the title bout by several weeks due to Foreman's eye injury. The entire event now seems wholly improbable. Conceived and financed by Liberian seed money and staged with the authorization of the Zairean tyrant Mobutu Sese Seko, the concert featured top U.S. soul acts like James Brown, Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers, the legendary Cuban salsa queen Celia Cruz, the incredible salsa aggregation The Fania All Stars with Cruz and Hector Lavoe, and American blues guitar king B.B. King. This unique and powerful documentary opened last week on the coasts. Unfortunately, I'll be waiting for it to come out on DVD.

The Reverend's Disciples

Being a blind African American in the Jim Crow south must have intensified the challenges to survive with any measure of dignity. Interestingly, this very affliction, coupled with the historical moment, conjoined to give the country some of the most remarkable country blues recordings of the century. Even the most precursory list of blind blues musicians sounds like a a legendary roll call of American blues: Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller and South Carolina's own Reverend Gary Davis.


Of all the great Piedmont blues artists, none had as profound and direct an influence on the evolution of folk guitar as Reverend Gary Davis. After the rural blues recording industry began to decline and give way to R&B and urban blues ensembles after WW II, Davis moved to New York city. There he languished in obscurity until the American Folk music revival, spearheaded in large part by Pete Seeger, began to take notice of his endless repertoire of unique finger-picked arrangements, which ranged from ragtime and traditional country blues to ditties and military marches. Assisted by an appearance at the first Newport Folk Festival in 1959, the Reverend's presence in New York began to work to his advantage as Greenwich Village became one of the primary focal points for the folk music revival on the East Coast. While in the Village, Davis came into contact with numerous aspiring folk musicians, providing inspiration, lessons and guidance to a virtual generation of influential players. His influence was incredibly far reaching, inspiring musicians as diverse as Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary and the Grateful Dead.

The Reverend: "Make Believe Stunt" showcases the Reverend's fluent ragtime style. A great example of the Reverend's religious work can be heard on "I Saw the Light," and "I am the Light," recorded in the 1930's. Incredible guitar work here. Also, check out this unique arrangement of the traditional song "Candyman." Below is a partial list of the many "disciples" of the Reverend, all of whom are still alive with the exception of Dave Van Ronk.


Woody Mann: In my estimation, the master pupil of the Reverend. Mann can play it all with incredible fluidity. His multiple skills are on full display on "Top Hat." Whether it's playing a Blind Blake or Davis rag or covering Bo Carter, Woody is an outstanding player all the way round. Also, check out the stylistics on "Lennie's Lament."

Stefan Grossman: Another disciple who has proven himself an outstanding player in country blues, ragtime and related genres. Co founded the roots music label Kicking Mule. Check out his approach on "Bermuda Triangle Exit."

Roy Bookbinder: Roy enjoys the comical side of playing but he was also one of the Reverend's star pupils, having been connected to him by Dave Van Ronk in the Village back in the early 1960's. Listen to Roy talk about his teacher and display his talent here.

Ry Cooder: Roots and World Music guru Cooder was directly influenced by the Reverend and took lessons from him at an early age. Since then, Ry has been a leader in championing the cause of roots music all over the globe. This is early Cooder when he was doing traditional blues.

Taj Mahal: New York born, Taj and Ry Cooder must have seen the Reverend many times in the folk clubs of the Village in the early 1960's. Taj moves in and out of country and urban blues styles and has dabbled in World Music as well. This rendition of "Fishin Blues" nods to the influence of the Reverend.

Dave Vann Ronk: One of the leading figures of the Greenwich Village folk scene, the late Van Ronk was a political activist and was directly influenced and took lessons from the Reverend. His work is textured by jazz and blues traditions. Dave talks about the Greenwich scene and his experiences and then performs "Down South Blues. "

Dave Bromberg: Dave is a truly gifted musician with an eclectic approach. He studied directly with the Reverend in the early 1960's and later branched out into diverse forms of roots music. Listen to him talk about the Village, the Reverend and then perform "Maple Leaf Rag." An absolutely fascinating video.

Jorma Kaukonen: Best known for being a founding member of the Jefferson Airplane, Jorma was a huge Reverend Gary Davis fan back in the sixties and stills honors his influence with covers. Here Jorma performs the Davis religious tune "I Am the Light of this World," one of my all time favorites.

A Few Roots Favorites

Every month I post "A Few Roots Favorites" as a bit of a respite from the research and time involved in doing a more in depth post. It also allows me to talk a bit about musicians I really love who haven't found their way into a more extended post. I will also be thinking of ways to integrate those who appear here into future posts in which their music can be placed in historical context. Once, again, many thanks to the generous vinyl collectors at youtube whose contributions help to make this blog possible.


Jump Blues: Bandleader and Composer Tiny Bradshaw is an often forgotten giant from the jump blues period. Straddling Jazz Big Bands and Rhythm and Blues in the 1930s and 40's, Bradshaw is also a key link to the development of Rock n' Roll. His 1951 Jump Blues piece "The Train Kept a Rollin" was originally covered by the Johhny Burnette Trio in 1956 as rockabilly, then later by the Yardbirds, and more recently by Aerosmith.


Rhythm and Blues: New Orleans' own Larry Williams was revered by many British Invasion groups, his songs were covered by The Beatles, The Stones and The Animals. His 1959 recording "She Said Yeah" is brilliantly conceived, fusing pure Nola R&B with hints of the sounds of soul that were to mature a few years later. Covered later by the Animals and the Stones.


Jazz: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis has been one of my favorites since I heard him do "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" back in the early 1970s. Marvelous tone and dynamics. Listen to Eddie's chops here as he solos for Count Basie on "Whirly Bird."


Vocalist: I have always been a huge fan of Dinah Washington, considering her vocals on par with Ella Fitzgerald. Listen to her skills on this laid back, loungy tune "Drinking Again." Absolutely anesthatizingly smooth and relaxing.


Rockabilly: Jerry Reed is best known for his unique "country" songs that charted back in the 1970s. While his sound from that period was interesting, his early rockabilly numbers on the Capitol label in the mid 1950's are unbelievably good. Jerry's vocals are unmistakable. Listen to "When I Found You" and "I've Had Enough," both from 1956.


Country Blues: Barbecue Bob, a huge influence on the great Buddy Moss and many other country blues and Piedmont Blues players form the 1930's. Listen to this unnamed blues, perhaps a prototypical version of "Big Dog." Very good recording quality for 1929.

New Orleans R&B Kings

Among the numerous musically rich cities in the U. S. - Memphis, Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, Los Angeles,- New Orleans, for a number of reasons, occupies a particularly special niche. Often referred to as the birthplace of Jazz, the unique demographic history of the city with immigration from Arcadia as well as the Spanish and French speaking Caribbean endow it with a melange of cultural traditions that have spawned rich and complex musical mosaic. From its Jazz and Dixieland traditions rooted in icons like Sidney Bechet and Louis Armstrong, the music associated with its famous Mardi Gras Crew music to more contemporary R&B and funk stars like the Meters and the Neville Brothers, New Orleans has consistently produced topflight musicians whose techniques speak to a particular style associated with the city.

During the post war period, New Orleans witnessed the rise of a flourishing R&B scene rooted in the city's traditions which extend back to the early eclectic piano style of Tuts Washington and the blusier approach of Champion Jack Dupree. Washington's influence was instrumental in the evolution of the distinct piano style associated with New Orleans, popularized to mainstream audiences by the 1955 crossover hit Ain't That a Shame by the city's own Fats Domino. By the 1950's New Orleans musicians were competing with Memphis and Chicago's best for R&B chart space as its rhythm and blues recording circuit expanded on small record labels like Ace, Specialty and Imperial. Since the quantity of N.O. musicians who charted songs during the period is substantial, here is a list of some of the superb N.O. R&B artists and their tops hits, some of which are true classics which have been covered by scores of musicians.

Smiley Lewis: Smiley's classic Imperial recording of "I Hear You Knockin" charted in 1955 with Huey "Piano" Smith on keyboards, yet subsequent covers of this song by Gale Storm and later by Dave Edmunds are better known.

Earl King: King's signature piece, "Come On" is a genuine R&B guitar classic which was later covered by Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Huey "Piano" Smith Smith is known for association with Smiley Lewis, Little Richard and Earl King, and for being the composer of "Sea Cruise," made popular by Frankie Ford. Check out his classic Nola styled "Don't You Just Know It." Huey's classic is the well known and oft covered "Rockin Pneumonia."

Eddie Bo: Eddie is but another of the many piano aces from New Orleans. Check out his 1961 soulish classic "I'm Wise" . Superb.

Lloyd Price: Price had one of the very first successful crossover recordings in his 1952 smash hit Lawdy Miss Clawdy on Specialty records. It has been covered by scores of artists. Also, his 1958 Stagger Lee charted and also crossed over.

Johnny Adams: Adams comes out of a more gospel oriented tradition yet had success on the R&B charts in the late fifties with songs like "I Won't Cry," which show Doo Wop influence.

Professor Longhair: The Professor's piano style had a huge impact on Fats Domino, Huey Smith, Alan Toussaint and Dr. John. Charted with the pure Nola style hits "Tipitina" and "Big Chief" in the 1950's. Check out his unique playing here on "Big Chief" from 1963.

Dr. John: His style is rooted in the New Orleans piano of Professor Longhair and charted a hit in 1959, "Storm Warning." The Doctor helped to popularize the Nola style by combining it with rock music in the sixties. Listen to the Doctor deal on the traditional Nola song "Iko Iko."

James Booker: A veritable wizard of New Orleans piano. An early organ R&B hit was "Gonzo" from 1960. Check out Booker on this fantastic recording from Montreaux in 1978.

Remembering Lowell George - 4.13.1945 - 6.29.79 "Two degrees in bebop, a PhD in swing..."

"He was born under a bad sign, the Hollywood sign," said his old friend and songwriting partner, Martin Kibbee in the liner notes to the posthumous tribute CD, "Rock and Roll Doctor: A tribute to Lowell George." Growing up in movie society (next door to Errol Flynn & a stone's throw from Grauman's Chinese Theatre) during Hollywood's glamor era, this son of a Beverly Hills furrier synthesized an incomparable mix of R&B, blues, country and funk into perhaps the most eclectic and technically proficient American rock sound ever as the founder, frontman and guiding visionary of Little Feat. From an early age, Lowell displayed a wide range of philosophical and musical interests. In between blasting around the Hollywood Hills in a battered Morgan sports car, he earned a black belt in traditional Okinawan karate, mastered the saxophone, harmonica, slide guitar, shakuhachi, (traditional Japanese instrument) and his virtuosity on classical flute can be studied at leisure on "Juliette" from Little Feat's 1973 album "Dixie Chicken". Following the obligatory apprenticeship with various L.A. garage bands, he formed The Factory, making a few demos produced by Frank Zappa, then had a brief alliance with proto punk band The Standells. He caught the eye of Frank Zappa again who enlisted him to play guitar and sing with The Mothers of Invention where he appears on "Weasels Ripped My Flesh". His predilection for dabbling with controlled substances didn't sit well with the notoriously straight-laced Zappa however, who fired him in 1969 and told him to start his own band. Little Feat was the result of that, and the recordings they made from 1970 to 1979 showcase an improbable combination of surreal lyrics, garage band blast, funkified New Orleans second-line rhythms and grooves of earth-moving proportions. Beginning with their second album, "Sailin Shoes" avant-garde artist Neon Park's delightful & disturbing album cover art completed the package. 1975's release, "The Last Record Album" however, seemed to portend George's gradual waning of his authority within Little Feat, as well as a reduction in his songwriting, as his contribution to that effort resulted in only three songs. "Time Loves A Hero", released in 1976, further evidenced his decline and the growing internal rift & artistic differences between keyboardist Billy Payne, guitarist Paul Barrere and George. His sole songwriting credit on that consisted of "Rocket In My Pocket". Despite George's health problems stemming from substance abuse, hepatitis & motorcycle crashes, Feat managed to release in 1978 their crowning achievement, (commercially, at least) "Waiting For Columbus" a magnificent live album with material taken from performances at London's Rainbow Theatre and Lisner Auditorium in Washington D.C. In the summer of 1979 George embarked on a tour to promote his solo album "Thanks, I'll Eat It Here" and following a gig at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium was found dead in his motel room in suburban D.C. The Rock & Roll Doctor was dead at 34. Years of substance abuse, chain-smoking, obesity and just generally his hard-driving rock & roll lifestyle had taken their toll. He was cremated and his ashes scattered from the stern of his sailboat into the Pacific Ocean.

"The best singer, songwriter and guitar player I've ever heard, hands down"......Bonnie Raitt

A Tribute
Lowell's approach to slide guitar

Guitar Player Magazine Interview

Willin

Rockabilly Queens: My Top Ten

While the vast majority of rockabilly recordings reflected a music industry still overwhelmingly dominated by men, there were some very exceptional exceptions, to be sure. Since rockabilly itself was widely perceived to be immoral in the conservative fifties, women singing it added another layer of transgression. Most of the female rockabilly artists that achieved national recognition - Wanda Jackson, Barbara Pittman and Rose Maddox- seemed to be more closely aligned to the country and western traditions that seamlessly reabsorbed them once the rockabilly craze ended. Most followed the lead of Patsy Cline and toned their acts down, as in the case of Brenda Lee and her more syrupy 1960 smash hit "I'm Sorry," which effectively pointed all in a different direction. Nevertheless, recordings from the 1950's reveal that these queen-rockers could deal with the best of them, often equaling there male counterparts in energy and intensity. Here is my personal top ten song list from the fifties, and here the number one song is my favorite.

1) Janis Martin: "Let's Elope Baby" from 1956. Wonderful vocals and very tight arrangement. Guitar and piano are sweet.


2) Jean Chapel "Don't Let Go" from 1959 or 1960. This is Jean really tearing loose with an excellent backup band.


3) Joyce Green "Black Cadillac" from 1959 on the small Vaden label from her home state Arkansas. This was Joyce's big hit and it's a classic.


4) Sparkle Moore "Rock a Bop" great vocals by Sparkle on this authentic rockabilly number.


5) Brenda Lee - Not sure of the name of this one but it is pure, raw rockabilly with an edge and exceptional solos. She must have been fourteen or so when this was recorded. My how Brenda changed with time.


6) Barbara Pittman "Sentimental Fool" from 1956 on Sun. Very nice arrangement with a tight ensemble. Great sax solo.


7) Wanda Jackson's "Tongue Tied" is a classic from the "Rockabilly Queen" probably from 1957. Wonderful guitar work.


8) Rose Maddox: "My Little Baby" from the mid fifties. Rose didn't cut too many rockabilly records. This one has a country western feel with a pure rockabilly guitar solo.


9) Elaine Gay's "Rock Love" is simply a classic with sweet vocal arrangement and Texas swing guitar by this totally obscure rocker. Mid fifties.


10) Barbara Tennant's "Rock Baby" is forgotten rockabilly from around 1960. Barbara offers her critique on the stars of the 1950's. Nice sax solo.

Today some very talented artists are carrying on this tradition in a huge way. My favorites are Kim Lenz, Marti Brom, Ruby Ann, Nicotyna from Mexico City and and the eclectic Sue Moreno, who does everything from rockabilly to Les Paul/Mary Ford covers. All are exceptional talents.

Forgotten Giants: Rudy Toombs and Amos Milburn

The creativity of rhythm and blues tunesmith Rudy Toombs during the decade of the fifties is far reaching. Toombs effectively launched Ruth Brown's career by penning her upbeat number one hit "Teardrops from my Eyes" in 1950 and a year later her 1951 smash "5-10-15 Hours, " performed live here in 1983. Toombs also had a significant influence on the career of the rhythm and blues group The Clovers, writing their number one hit from 1951 "One Mint Julip." In fact, Toombs composed several "drinking songs," a theme which reflected the widespread popularity of consuming hard liquor during the post war period that continued throughout the fifties.

Houston born Amos Milburn also cashed in on the prolific song writing skills that Toombs shared with so many. By 1946 Milburn was establishing himself as a solid boogie woogie pianist in Houston and had already assembled a big band in the mold of Wynonie Harris and Louis Jordan when he was invited to Los Angeles by the Jump Blues label Aladdin to record. In Los Angeles Amos quickly melds into the rich Central Avenue Blues and Jazz scene, associating with other great R&B artists like Johnny Otis, Big Jay McNeely, good friend Charles Brown and Shifty Henry, many of whom also recorded for Aladdin. From the late 1940s up through the mid fifties Milburn charts consistently on Billboard and has several number one hits. His first success is a cover of the boogie woogie composition by Don Raye, the multi covered classic "Down the Road a Piece," in which he showcase his considerable skills on piano.

Unlike so many musicians of the period, Milburn apparently did not have an alcohol problem. Nonetheless, many of his best known singles foreground the drinking theme. Perhaps his most recognizable of these is his cover of the Toombs classic "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer," recorded with his small ensemble the Aladdin Chickenshckers . Great sound. In the same vein is Milburn's big band arrangement of another Toombs classic "Thinking and Drinking." Very nice piano solo here by Amos. Milburn's warning about the dangers of excess are heard in "Bad Whiskey," which charted in 1952. In full band Jump Blues mode, Milburn's classic "Chicken Shack Boogie," from 1949 allows his Chickenshackers to really cut loose.

Milburn's success is significant in that in many ways his work represents the transition from Jump Blues big band arrangements to a trend toward smaller piano centered combos. His influence on Fats Domino and Ray Charles is well documented and his upbeat, boogie sound constitute a crucial link in the transitional process that culminates in the "rock n roll" sound that had matured by the mid fifties. Twenty years later, Danny Gatton and his Fat Boys commemorate the impact of Milburn's legacy on Gatton's first album from 1975, entitled "American Music." Interestingly, Aladdin Records was revived for this recording which includes the song "Tribute to Amos Milburn."

The Fascinating Legacy of Robert Wilkins

The aesthetic debt that so many rock musicians carry as a result of their appropriation of traditional roots material, be it country or urban blues, rockabilly or soul music, is nothing short of astonishing. This trend was most pronounced in the 1960's, when solid musical reputations were being forged in part with help from much earlier recordings like Blind Willie' McTell's "Statesboro Blues," covered by the Allman Brothers, Robert Johnson's "Crossroads," and Skip James' "I'm So Glad" by Cream, Memphis Minnie's "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zepellin, and, the most interesting case of Robert Wilkins' "That's No Way to Get Along" covered and even renamed "Prodigal Son" by the Rolling Stones on their Beggar's Banquet album. Interestingly, Jagger and Richards did not credit their cover to Wilkins until legal action was threatened. It must have been an oversight by producer Jimmy Miller.

The recording career of blues legend Robert Wilkins is strikingly familiar: born in Hernando, Mississippi, early exposure to Delta blues of Charlie Patton and later the minstrel and jug band traditions of Memphis, initial recordings in the late 1920's for the race record label Vocalion, additional recordings in 1935, religious conversion and finally, thirty years of complete obscurity living in Memphis. During this period, Wilkins alters the tenor of the lyrics to his songs for religious purposes, yet his remarkably gifted guitar picking style remains intact. As was the case with many "rediscovered" blues legends like Furry Lewis, Sleepy John Estes, Skip James and Fred Mcdowell, Wilkins' career is resurrected with the country and folk blues renaissance in the early 1960's. Wilkins is invited and performs at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival the same year Mississippi John Hurt appears.

A fine example of the Wilkins technique can be heard in his number "I Do Blues" , listen to the fine alternating thumb work and fascinating vocal style. The more upbeat "Alabama Blues" displays Wilkins' familiarity with the minstrel based traditions which he worked in with equal facility. Check out "Get Away Blues" to hear another technique altogether, unique phrasing and train imitation is remarkable. Finally, the Stones' debt to Wilkins doesn't end with their "Prodigal Son" appropriation, for Wilkins was also the first to record the song entitled "Rolling Stone," which undoubtedly served as the basis for the later Muddy Waters version here. The Water's version is generally credited as being the inspiration for the name "Rolling Stones" of the famous rock band.

Appreciation for Robert Wilkins has continued in recent years. Country blues guitar magician John Miller has put together an instructional on the guitar style of Wilkins which is a testament to Robert's unique guitar technique. Watch Miller perform and explain Wilkins' "Police Sargent Blues" here. Simply outstanding work by Miller who captures Robert Wilkins' style better than anyone I have heard to date.

Arkansas Rockabilly: Twelve Classics from the 1950s

I stated some time ago that I have been researching Arkansas rockabilly musicians with the intention of posting. As I got deeper into researching this, I soon realized the sheer breadth of the project would require far more space than a normal post would. For that reason, instead of posting about the origins and historical evolution of the more than forty rockabilly musicians from the state, I offer 12 classic recordings from the 1950's by some musicians well known and others more obscure. Their numerical ranking is in no way a reflection of my favorites. Andy Starr was not included here due to his appearance in a recent post. Enjoy these classic gems, and many thanks to those collectors on youtube who help make this possible.

1) Larry Donn from Bono. Larry's classic 1959 Vaden recording "Honeybun" is the real thing, and the original 45 is a collectors item among European rockabilly fanatics. Larry is still active today and has recently cut a new album.

2) Billy Lee Riley from Pocahontus. Billy's 1957 Sun recording "Searchin" is my favorite by him, the vocals are outstanding. Riley is still active today.

3) Johnny Cash was born in Kingsland but raised in the small Delta town of Dyess. Johnny's early Sun recording of Big River helped launch the career of a legend.

4) Sleepy LaBeef from Smackover. Sleepy has become a veritable legend in his own time. "Little Bit More" from from 1958 is an absolute gem, never get tired of Sleepy's guitar work. He is still active today. He just released a new album appropriately named "Roots."

5) Ronnie Hawkins from Huntsville. Ronnie's 1959 cover of the Billy the Kid Emerson classic "Red Hot" is a bit different than the Billy Lee Riley cover. I like this one a lot. Hawkins is still active.

6) I realize Dale Hawkins was born in Louisiana, but he spent much of his life in Arkansas, and on this cover of the classic Little Walter tune "My Babe," he is backed by Arkansas born guitar legend Roy Buchanon, who was born in Ozark, Arkansas. A true gem from 1957. Dale is still kicking.

7) Pat Cupp from Nashville, Arkansas, but grew up in Texarkana. Pat's "Do Me No Wrong" is classic rockabilly from 1957 with great vocals and guitar work. Pat still lives in Arkansas.

8) Bobby Lee Trammell from Jonesboro. Controversial, wild and into politics in later life, Trammell's "Hi Yo Silver" is pure 1957. Great opening and full band accompaniment with great sax work.

9) Sonny Burgess from Newport. Sonny's "Red Headed Mama" with his group The Pacers for Sun is one of the finest rockabilly cuts from the period. Great piano and trumpet work. Sonny tours Europe frequently.

10) Edwin Bruce from Keiser. Although Bruce has since moved to pure country music, "Doll Baby" recorded for Sun in 1958 is pure, authentic 50's rockabilly.

11) Tillman Franks from Stamps. Due to association with country music, almost forgotten is the fact Franks teamed up with Johnny Horton to write and record the classic "Honky Tonk Man" from 1956. Later covered and popularized by Dwight Yoakam in 1987.

12) Narvel Felts from Keiser. Narvel's early career in the 1950's was pure rockabilly. Check out "Foolish Thoughts of You," from 1957. Great guitar and overall sound.

Missouri Jazz Legends

The central importance of Kansas City in the development of American Jazz is widely recognized and has been documented in excellent fashion in the exhaustive study "Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop, A History," (2006) by Frank Diggs and Charles Haddix. Also, Kansas City native Robert Altman's classic gangster film "Kansas City" successfully captures the pulse of the city in the thirties and forties by focusing on the intersection of race, music and politics during the Pendergast era, a period that coincided with the apex of the city's unique jazz scene. Ken Burn's has also contributed by examining the city's central role as a musical forging ground in his larger documentary devoted to American Jazz. Known as the hub city for the traveling "Territory Bands" from Texas and Oklahoma, Kansas City was the center of U.S. jazz scene up until the second world war. What has been lost to many is the number of local musicians who participated in the development of the "Kansas City Sound" that became the springboard for the development of Bop Jazz that emerged after the war in the late 1940's.

While the list of local Missouri musicians who participated directly in the Kansas City Jazz scene is too long to analyze, a few of the more notable and also somewhat forgotten musicians deserves mention here. Without the efforts of Kansas City's own pianist Bennie Moten and his Kansas City Orchestra and later, with his Blue Devils it is difficult to envision the movement unfolding as it did. Jimmy Rushing, Hot Lips Page and Ben Webster all played with Bennie at various stages. Listen to Bennie with the Orchestra here with Count Basie from 1929, a tune that retains echoes of New Orleans Jazz yet also demonstrates the emerging blusier Kansas City style. Jones Law Blues is another fine example of the same dynamic. Bassist Walter Page, from the small town of Gallatin in northern Missouri, played for Moten until joining Count Basie in a series of bands. Page is instrumental in the development of Kansas City swing as a bassist during the 1930's. Listen to this extraordinary recording from 1940 of Page with Basie, Lester Young and the legendary Charlie Christian on guitar. The trend here is to smaller combos with "riffing" improvisational solos for each musician.

Another fascinating Missouri figure from the 1940's is the blues and proto R&B singer Julia Lee from Fulton, Missouri. One of her classic "double entendre" hits was King Size Papa, recorded with session musicians Jay McShann on piano and Benny Carter on alto. Julia's recordings are unique in that they combine elements of the Kansas City sound, the jump blues of the forties and anticipate early rock n roll. Check out her Julia's Blues, with the same great supporting cast.

Often overlooked is the fact that perhaps the two most important pioneers of modern jazz saxophone hail from Missouri as well. Coleman Hawkins, from Saint Joseph and Ben Webster of Kansas City are widely regarded as the grandfathers of jazz sax. The "Hawk's" huge influence on almost all subsequent tenor players cannot be overestimated. Check out the majestically smooth ballad "Angel Face" for a step back into noir film from the 1940's. Webster is never far behind the Hawk, give a listen to to the range and blusier feel in Poutin from the early sixties.

Other Missouri jazz pioneers include Wild Bill Davis and Jimmy Lunceford. Davis, from the small town of Glasgow on the Missouri River, is generally credited with being one of the first to incorporate the organ as a jazz instrument, establishing a tradition that was perpetuated by master Jimmy Smith and today by the unrivaled king of jazz organ, Joey DeFrancesco. Listen to Davis' smooth touch on April in Paris after a special introduction by Duke Ellington. Lunceford, from Fulton, was a contemporary of the Kansas City Jazz scene yet chose to work elsewhere, primarily the East Coast. Jimmy's Swing band Orchestra rivaled those of Duke Ellington, Earl Hines and Count Basie and was noted for extravagant live performances and exceedingly tight arrangements. Listen to Jimmy's Orchestra perform the incredible Jazznocracy from 1934. Very nice work by tenor player Joe Thomas.

Finally, any mention of Missouri jazz stars would have to include Charlie,"Bird" Parker," born in 1920 in Kansas City. After work with Kansas City's own Jay McShann's Territory Band, he moved to New York to work with master pianist Art Tatum and later with Earl Hines. Parker's is now a story of legend and here I will only say that together with Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie, Parker has to be considered a founding father of Be Bop jazz. Listen to "Bird" and fellow Missourian "Hawk" (Coleman Hawkins) soar together here on Ballade.

Rest in Peace Koko

I found out two days ago that Koko Taylor, "Queen of the Blues," passed away on June 3rd. I was lucky enough to see Koko perform live back in the 1980's and there is no doubt she was a top notch performer, in the tradition of Big Mama Thorton and Big MayBelle. Koko performed her signature piece "Wang Dang Doodle" live as recently as a month ago. In this classic version of the song from 1967 she is accompanied by the legendary Little Walter on harmonica.

Hybrid Roots: TexMex Kings Take Different Paths

In several recent posts I have emphasized a movement toward cultural integration of musical styles between black and white recording artists of the 1950's. While this trend is deserving of further analysis, there is another lesser known phenomena that occurs at the same time: the unique Hispanic musical expression that is a another variant of the cultural amalgamation between blacks and whites. While the fusion of jazz and latino musical styles such as the Cuban jazz of Mario Bauza and the Pachuco swing of Lalo Guerrero extends back to the 1930's, in this post I will discuss the sound that came evolved in Tex-Mex and conjunto music during the 1950's and 1960s.

The panoply of musical styles percolating in Texas in the post war period make the state a fascinating region for ethno-musicologists. The admixture of urban and country blues, Texas swing, country western, Mexican norteno, polka music, Tex Mex conjunto and jazz open the door to the unique sounds of Texas musical recordings in the early 1950's. TexMex conjunto music emerges in this cultural framework. It is a uniquely hybrid form of American roots music in that it is essentially derivative of the Mexican norteno style while at the same time receptive to appropriating American R&B and Country Western influences. Linguistic code switching between Spanish and English in song lyrics provide an additional layer of cultural texture to the genre. A much more thorough analysis of this unique genre and its use of the accordion can be found here.

While the roots of TexMex accordion music stretch back to the late nineteenth century, two living Texas legends who are emblematic of TexMex conjunto music are the contemporaries Esteban "El Parche" Jordan and Flaco Jimenez. Born the same year in Texas, these two master accordion players embody the spirit and evolution of Tex Mex: always willing to appropriate without straying from the roots of the style. Jordan is a transcendent musician in that he has taken the accordion to uncharted territory, stretching the traditional boundaries. In many ways, Jordan accomplishes on the accordion what Coltrane, Hendrix, Gatton and Thelonious Monk do for their respective instruments. Early association as a guitarist for Cuban Jazz innovator Willie Bobo in the early 1960's was a formative experience. Since then, through technical experimentation and unparalleled prowess, Jordan has become a true roots legend of his time among TexMex conjunto aficionados. Listen to Esteban smoke on the Hohner product here.

Grammy award winning legend Flaco Jimenez grew up playing for migrant workers in Texas and has gradually gained acclaim from all that have heard him play. Appreciated on both sides of the border, Jimenez career was boosted by early association with Tex Mex R&B rocker Doug Sahm in the early 1960's. He later joined Sahm and Freddy Fender as part of the legendary conjunto The Texas Tornados. Check out Jimenez and Fender ripping it up here on the famous "Hey Baby Que Paso" in a bit of a tribute to Doug Sahm, whose death in 1999 marked the end of the original Texas Tornadoes. Flaco remains very active today in a band with Texas vocalist Nunie Rubio.

The advent of rockabilly and rock n' roll is felt all over the U.S. by 1955 and influences Texas Chicano musicians who are eager to record and leave their own imprint on the novel musical fusions being heard. While California born Ritchie Valens is the most well known example, Texas is not immune to the new trends. Born near San Antonio, Texas, Rudy Grayzell was swept up by the sound and landed a contract with Capitol Records that gave us the classics "Ducktail" and "Let's Get Wild" . Rudy's popularity waned as the tamer styles of the sixties took over and ended up playing lounges in Las Vegas until the second rockabilly revival of the 1980's. In 1998, Rudy returns to the studio, cutting an outstanding record in the studio of Lou Whitney of the Morells in Springfield, Missouri with D. Clinton Thompson (guitar) and Lou backing him up. Very highly recommended.

Baldemar Huerta was a contemporary from southern Texas. Seeking exposure among anglo audiences and looking to extend his popularity beyond Texas, Baldemar changes his name to Freddy Fender. A great example of Fender's fifties style can be heard in "I'm Gonna Leave"
and "Crazy Baby." Eventually, Freddy breaks through with his hit single 1960 "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" . His new-found fame leads him to association with Augie Meyers and Doug Sahm whom he had known since the late fifties. After achieving fame and charting several number one pop hits in the 1970's, Fender returns to his roots by collaborating with Doug Sahm as a member of The Texas Tornadoes. In a sense, Fender's joining the Texas Tornadoes in 1990 with Flaco Jimenez represents the culmination of the modern TexMex sound.

A sound much more akin to Doo Wop and soul can be found in the 1950's recordings of the eclectic Sonny Ozuna and his SunLiners. "Out of Sight Out of Mind" and the 60's recording "Smile Now Cry Later" capture the sentimentality of the period. Recording in both Spanish and English, Ozuna melds the popular 1950's Latin bolero style with elements of Doo Wop and American Soul music to forge a unique sound that garnered some national attention. Sonny, like Flaco and Rudy, remains active as a musician.

Finally, continuation of the traditions forged in Texas in the fifties and sixties remain alive among contemporary Latin musicians here in the U.S. Perhaps the best example from Texas is the group Los Lonely Boys, an authentic Texican phenom band, and the L.A. based group Los Lobos is internationally renowned. There are also some very strong roots oriented Latino groups in California. A couple of my favorites are Big Sandy and his Fly- Rite Boys for versatility and the retro chicano sound of Pepe Torres.

A Few Roots Favorites

Since it's impossible to post on everything I would like to, the first week of every month I will post a few roots favorites in the different genres. Some very nice things are happening over at youtube, and without it much of what I do here would be without sound. I have some interesting ideas for upcoming posts, but for now let's just enjoy some top roots sounds. I will be posting again on Friday.


JAZZ

1) Wardell Gray: Gray never got the press that Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon and Lester Young did, but he is a first rate tenor player. Check out his "One for Prez," an early bop experiment.

2) I left Irving Ashby off my top guitarists of the fifties, and he could very well have been there due to his versatility in so many styles. . This recording of "Route 66" with Nat King Cole is after Ashby replaces Oscar Moore. Fine arrangement and nice solo by Ashby.


BLUES

1) He may not have been Blind Blake, but Buddy Moss came about as close as anyone. Buddy could lay down some wicked ragtime/blues guitar. "Tricks Ain't Walkin' no More" was recorded in the late twenties.

2) Blind Blake is one of my favorites and now that everything has been remastered and put up on youtube, check out one of his finest songs of all: "Sweet Jivin Mama." Never get tired of this one. Covers fall far short.


2) Frank Frost , from the musically rich Delta around Helena, Arkansas, is a one man show. Coming out of the Sonny Boy Williamson tradition, this recording of "Back Scratcher" is probably from the early 1960's. A really nice sound.


ROCKABILLY

1) From Sunset, Texas comes sax player and vocalist Link Davis whose musical career stretches back to the 1930's. He cut some classic early rockabilly as well as R&B. Check out this classic, "Don't Big Shot Me." Incredible sound from 1956, really nice.

2) Rudi Grayzell the TexMex rockabilly ace from San Antonio, Texas. Rudi is an energetic vocalist with a great band, as his 1957 rendition of "You're Gone." demonstrates. Very nice vocals and guitar.

Remembering Two Who Got Away: Joe Clay and Andy Starr

In the mid to late 1950's, fame and recognition on a national scale for aspiring rockabilly musicians seemed to be within reach. However, in the vast majority of cases, the breakthrough record or performance remained elusive. Obviously, there was an upper echelon of recording artist who were garnering most of the exposure: Elvis, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. Unfortunately, there were some very talented musicians who recorded some of the finest rockabilly of all and who also seemed to be on the cusp of something much larger until mitigating factors relegated them to almost complete obscurity for several decades. This post will deal with two such rockabilly musicians: Joe Clay and Andy Starr. In each case, careers in rockabilly that started out auspiciously never transcended their regional following and were eventually consigned to obscurity until interest in Great Britain helped to resurrect their careers.

Joe Clay was born Joe Cheramie in Harvey, Louisiana and was a musician since the age of 12. He appeared poised to breakthrough when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan show in 1956, ready to rip it up with his scorching cover of the Rudy Grayzell tune "Duck Tail," only to have Sullivan reign him in and require him to perform the much more serene cover of The Platters' "Only You." Missing his breakthrough moment, Joe began to slide into obscurity in spite of his excellent RCA recordings. Like so many rockabilly musicians, recognition was confined to regional interest.

Joe's RCA recordings from 1956 to 1958 are simply extraordinary. His "Sixteen Chicks" has to rate as one of the purest, uninhibited, quintessential rockabilly songs from the 1950's. I would say the same about the incredible recording "Goodbye, Goodbye". Both are well produced and highlight Joe's vocals and the very hot lead by the legendary rockabilly guitarist Hal Harris. Both of these are the real thing and have to rate as some of the finest rockabilly ever recorded. Clay's catchy vocals and spontaneous, boppin' style with a hard edge have led to claims that he is the principal forerunner to psychobilly and even punk rock. His 1956 recording of "Get on the Right Track," recorded in New York with a black session band is often cited owning to its wild and frenetic energy. After failing to generate national following and being constrained by a manager who wanted to keep him in New Orleans, Joe keeps his music interests alive but ends up earning a living driving a school-bus until he is resurrected in the mid 1980's by Willie Jeffries, a London businessman. Tours to a more appreciative Europe followed.

Andy Starr was born in the rockabilly rich state of Arkansas in the small town of Combs in the Boston Mountains. While serving in Korea, Andy put together a combo he named The Arkansas Plowboys and kept the group together upon his return. He eventually moved to Texas and and began to absorb the new "Cat Music" beginning to take shape in early 1955. Finally, Andy was afforded an opportunity to appear with Elvis in Gainesville, Texas at an open air concert that went well enough for Andy that he parlayed it into a record deal with MGM. Over the course of the next year,(1956) Starr produced eight very high quality rockabilly cuts that showcase his songwriting talent and vocals, which were often compared to Elvis. While "Round and Round" is a rocker whose laments the allure of the casino while "She's a Jesse" addresses the recurring "perfectly compatible female" theme so often heard in rockabilly. Andy's signature piece, "Rockin Rollin Stone" is pure rockabilly that works on the common blues metaphor to address wanderlust, with fine guitar work provided by Larry Adair. Andy's later recording from the early 1960's, "Evil Eye", is well arranged in an R&B format with a brass section. All in all all are top notch rockabilly that never acquired the national following that MGM had hoped for, leading to Andy's slide into musical obscurity. He remained active in music, recording his last record in Nashville in 2002, one year prior to his death.

Both Andy Starr and Joe Clay have been inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Majestic King: The Short Career of King Curtis

King Curtis, aka Curtis Ousley, whose career was cut short by tragedy, possessed a remarkable fluency in all the styles he worked in. Whether it was straight ahead jazz, R&B, blues, rock n' roll or soul, the King always delivered with a huge tone and some of the dirtiest, low down tenor and alto blowing ever recorded. Deeply rooted in jazz and the R&b style of the 1950's, the King took his lessons seriously as he studied masters like Arnette Cobb, Illinois Jacquet, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Earl Bostic. His career begins with his association with Lionel Hampton and ends tragically as a major recording artist with his "Kingpins" for Atlantic Records in 1971 at the age of 37. Curtis was a victim of random violence, stabbed to death by a drug addict.

For my tastes, the King's finest work is found in his early R&B recordings from the 1950's. An excellent example of the tough sound of the King can be heard on the bluesy 1959 recording "Just Smoochin". In a pure R&B framework is the classic, "Castle Rock" from the same time period, which showcase the King's versatility. The last minute is classic King Curtis. The early 1960's recording "Sister Sadie" is a perfect example of the King's fluency in a shuffle based structure. From the same sessions, "Night Train", played on the alto, is also pure, straight-ahead R&B with some fantastic playing while the King's cover of the classic "Harlem Nocturne" demonstrates his proficiency in handling jazzier ballads.

Curtis moved along with the shifting musical currents of the 1960's, recording soul based records, heard in his accompaniment to The Shirelles 1962 recording "Ooh Poo Pah Doo." Throughout the 1960's Curtis went on to record and perform in accordance with the move toward soul yet his style never abandoned its deep roots in 1950's R&B. In 1965, Curtis worked briefly with Jimi Hendrix and the Isley Brothers, and several years later invited Eric Clapton to sit in on his 1970 LP "Teasin."

Contemporary Roots Music: Some Favorites

Since "American Roots Music" got up and running several months ago the focus has been primarily about the history of roots music prior to 1960. So much so that some may have wondered if I ever devote any time to contemporary musicians whose styles are derivative of original roots music. In fact I do spend time trying to keep up with the explosion of popularity roots music has experienced in the last fifteen years. And from what I can see, musical groups that deal in the music we appreciate continue to proliferate: western swing groups are coming on very strong, surf groups are hot, rockabilly's "third wave" has literally exploded on an international scale, blues and R&B groups continue to flourish as do jazz ensembles. Below I will outline just a few of my favorites in the different genres, but I also applaud all the dedicated musicians who continue to keep the traditions alive and well.

Western Swing: Initially, back in the early 1970's groups like Commander Cody and Asleep at the Wheel revived the music of Bob Wills, Hank Williams and many others. Today, the success of Wayne Hancock in the genre seems to have encouraged other groups to follow suit, particularly in western Australia, where allegiance to the genre runs very strong. Perth seems to be the center of activity, check out the swing of High Rollin' Rhythm Kings, whose style nods everyone from Hank Williams to Sid King and Lew Williams. Another Perth group, The Tornado Alleycats also pay tribute to Texas music traditions of the 1940's and 50's by merging western swing and rockabilly.

Rhythm and Blues: Drawing on the powerful vocal blues of Ann Cole, Big Maybelle and Ruth Brown, Little Rachel and her R&B out of Kansas City, Missouri offer tight and high charged arrangements of R&B material. "Bull Ridin Mama" is particularly good. Also, give a listen to Johnny Carlevale's jump blues ensemble, whose interesting mix of 1940's and 50's R&B rocks.

Rockabilly: The sheer number of groups from more than 20 countries makes it difficult to choose my favorites. I do think The Mezcal Brothers from Lincoln, Nebraska have a very tight sound that stays quite true to the 1950's. Gerardo Meza is an outstanding vocalist in the rockabilly style and the guitar is right there. Also, I really enjoy a group from Ontario, The Royal Crowns , their overall sound and captivating lyrics. Miss Lauren Marie from Austin Texas nods to a variety of roots material and is a great vocalist. Love her cover of "Three Little Words." From Sonoma county in California comes 1/4 Mile Combo, a R&B -rockabilly group I would love to see live. One last favorite: Crazy Joe and his Mad River Outlaws. Just love their retro sound.

Guitar Players: Duke Levine is an extraordinary player who moves around fluently in all the roots styles, from elaborate country arrangements to jazzy shuffles. His interpretation of Caravan on myspace is unbelievable. Also check Duke out live here on one called "Mansquito." Another consummate roots guitarist anchored in R&B, shuffles and blues is Duke Robillard, check him out here. Really nice playing. In a country blues vein, the sublime, haunting guitar work of Kelly Jo Phelps is moving. Check him out live here. Also check out the incredible Gareth Pearson's melange of root based compositions, or see this young whiz from Wales perform live here. Incredible young player. From the old Country Cooking days, Russ Barenberg is still alive and doing very well.

Jazz: Two jazz guitarists I really enjoy: the eclectic style of Bob Patterson and Adam Smale from Michigan. Finally, in my opinion, the most talented jazz/country guitarist alive today: the incredible Scotty Anderson. Listen to him here.

Roots and the Radio: Dewey Phillips in Memphis

About three weeks ago I posted on the move toward integration of black and white performers in the field of music during the 1950's. One facet of this convergence that wasn't discussed was the role of radio in creating the growing audiences who were listening and learning to appreciate the creative efforts of R&B and country musicians alike. Integration of radio formats was catching on in the rapidly changing cultural landscape of the post war U.S., and it was in the South that this movement was most pronounced.

As mentioned previously, Sam Phillips worked as a disc jockey in Muscle Shoals before moving to Memphis. By 1950, Memphis had it's own DJ named Dewey Phillips who was actively integrating the airways on his nightly on his show "Red Hot and Blue" on WHBQ a.m. radio. Phillips is primarily known for playing "That's All Right Mama" and for the subsequent interview of Elvis in 1954 that divulged his "white identity." Yet his role as a DJ who showcased musicians black and white was instrumental in integrating musical tastes and promoting wider acceptance of black musicians, allowing in turn rockabilly and rock n' roll to emerge as national trends. By 1954, Dewey's shows were hugely popular throughout the mid South among white and black audiences alike.

On any given night in 1952, a Dewey Phillips play-list may have looked something like this:

Louis Jordan: "Blue Light Boogie" or "Let the Good Times Roll"

Muddy Waters: "Rollin Stone"

Hank Williams: "Hey Good Lookin"

Hank Snow: "I'm Movin' On

Wynonie Harris "Good Rockin Tonight"

Elmore James: "Dust My Broom"

The Soul Stirrers "Jesus Gave Me Water" - with Sam Cooke

Larry Darnell: "What More Do You Want"

Hank Thompson: "The Wild Side of Life"

Jackie Brenston "Rocket 88"

Although the eclectic range of material here is but a guess as to the formatting choices made by Phillips, from what I have read it is a pretty accurate reflection of what he was up to. What is fascinating is that playing songs like this back to back seemed to broaden the musical tastes and affinities of all listeners as well as stimulate the incorporation of different styles within song, a fundamental part of early rock n' roll and rockabilly. In many ways, Dewey Phillips being fired by WHBQ in 1958 for refusing to go along with the station's new "top 40" format is indicative of the move toward a more standardized, corporate control of popular music which is largely complete by the the end of the decade.

Top Guitarists of the 1950's: Five Categories

By the early 1950's as smaller combos became more popular the guitar had assumed prominence as the lead instrument of choice among rockabilly and rock n' roll groups. With the advent of amplification that became widespread in the 1940's, the guitar also assumed a featured roll in blues and country combos, and an increase in the number of jazz guitarists was also seen. In this post I will list my top choices for guitarists in five distinct categories: jazz, blues, country, rockabilly and the emerging new genre, "rock and roll." Obviously, since these selections are subjective they are open to discussion and criticism. That said, many would be hard to argue with.

JAZZ: I didn't include two incredible players, Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell because much of their work appears after 1960. Also, George Barnes would have been in the running if he had not assumed a more pop direction in the 1950's.

Les Paul: Even though Les had moved into more pop oriented material by the 1950's with Mary Ford, he can still lay down some viscious chops , seen here on "How High the Moon" from 1953.

Tiny Grimes: Grimes could swing with the best of them. Check out his nifty solo on "One is Never to Old to Swing" from 1945. Also, reputedly he soloed on "Gee," (1953) by the rock pioneers The Crows, a song considered to be one of the first rock n' roll recordings, heard here.

Oscar Moore: Playing for Nat King Cole must have been a supreme privilege. Listen to Oscar smoke here on "Little Girl."

Charlie Byrd: Byrd's incursions into Samba and Flamenco make him a distinct voice among jazz guitarists from the 1950's. Check out his "At Seventeen," probably recorded in the early 1960's.

Herb Ellis: Any player chosen by Oscar Peterson to be his guitarist in the 1950's deserves consideration. Listen to Herb showcase his talent here on "A Gal in Gallico" from 1958.


BLUES: Would have loved to include Eddie Jones aka "Guitar Slim" here, but no recordings available. Also I excluded B.B. and Albert King since much of their work comes out in the 1960's. Also, my apologies to Lowell Fulson, Pee Wee Crayton and Magic Sam.

T-Bone Walker: T-Bone was probably the leading forerunner to electric blues guitar in the 1940's. Listen to how out in front he was in 1942 with "I Got a Break Baby." Chuck Berry listened very closely.

Johnny Guitar Watson: Any player who influenced Jimi Hendrix and inspired Frank Zappa to take up the guitar deserves to be looked at. Watson was already a prodigious talent in the mid- 1950's. Check out his remarkable "Three Hours Past Midnight" from 1956.

Otis Rush: This live recording of "I Can't Quir You Baby" from the early 1960's demonstrates just why Rush is in this group.

Hubert Sumlin: It's really hard to keep Hubert off this list due his incredible influence on later players and his contemporaries. Check out his work with Howlin' Wolf on Smokestack Lightning, originally recorded in the 1950's.

Freddie King: Hugely influential, his 1961 hit Hideaway becomes a blues standard that everyone covers.


COUNTRY: Roy Nichols not included due the fact his best work with Merle Haggard comes during the 1960s. The rest, well, listen for yourself.

Chet Atkins: Virtually redefined the parameters of the guitar. Check out these versions of "Villa" and "Say Si Si" from 1958.

Jimmy Bryant: Jimmy could have also been included among the jazz guitarists, his style is really jazzy country swing. Listen to Jimmy smoke here with Speedy West.

Phil Baugh: A consummate session player, Baugh could play virtually anything, as evidenced here on this nifty medley of styles.

Joe Maphis: Maphis played several instruments, but his guitar work was exceptional, as heard on "Town Hall Boogie."

Hank Garland: A legend among country guitarists primarily due to the success of "Sugarfoot Rag," heard here. Just incredible playing.


ROCKABILLY: Carl Perkins could have easily been included.

Scotty Moore: I chose Scotty instead of Carl because his early work with Elvis really helps to crystallize the rockabilly guitar style. Uses a finger-picking approach on the solo, common in rockabilly guitar. Mystery Train is a prime example.

James Burton: A genuine 1950's legend who played with Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Bob Luman and Billy Lee Riley as a teenager. Listen to James showcase his skills on this later video. Very tasty playing.

Cliff Gallup: Truly one of the hottest rockabilly players who starred as Gene Vincent's guitar ace with The Blue Caps. Check out Cliff here on "Race With the Devil."

Grady Martin: I really don't want to weigh in on the controversy concerning the Johnny Burnette recordings and Paul Burlison, discussed here. Martin was a super session player who according to many played on a good deal of the Johnny Burnette Trio recordings. If this is so, he belongs here. Check out "All By Myself". Whether it's Grady or Paul, it's incredible playing.

Al Casey: Another great session player who is best known for his work with Sanford Clark. Listen to Al's great work here on "If I told You Baby" from 1956.


ROCK N' ROLL: Like Rockabilly, this is a category that emerged in the 1950's. Here is a short list of the top players.

Link Wray: Wray revolutionized 1950's guitar and sets up the huge changes to come in the 1960s. Check out "Run Boy Run. "

Dan Cedrone: Will always be remembered for his innovative solo on "Rock Around the Clock" with Bill Haley and the Comets. An entirely new sound for 1956.

Chuck Berry: Chuck's guitar style derives from R&B Blues and Rockabilly. Also a truly hybrid sound. Listen to his chording and leads on the original 1956 version, unbelievable.

Duane Eddy: Not as flashy as the others on the list, but had a remarkably clean tone and phrasing. Check out his signature piece "Rebel Rouser" from the late 1950's.

Bo Diddley: When Bo passed away last year, the list of covers and "loans" from his songs and style was astonishing. Listen to his unique style live from 1960 on the classic "Roadrunner."

Lonnie Johnson: An American Treasure

It would be difficult to overestimate the impact of blues guitarist Lonnie Johnson’s creativity on American music. Johnson is a transcendent figure from the inception of the recording industry whose proficiency in jazz and blues idioms and unique guitar style make him a transitional bridge artist between rural traditions and urban recordings. Johnson’s early recording association with legendary jazz figures such as Duke Ellington, Eddie Lang and Louis Armstrong along with his activity in the 1920’s St. Louis blues scene alongside Roosevelt Sykes, Henry Townsend and Walter Davis established his early reputation that seems to grow in stature with time. Together with his contemporaries Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red, Johnson embodies the epitome of blues guiatar before the onset of the post- war amplified sound. His prolific recording career with Bluebird and Okeh records in the 1920's and 1930's are a priceless component of American roots music history.

Johnson earliest recordings demonstrate his preference for duets with piano players. His Blackbird Blues from the mid 1920's popularizes the duet format later heard in the recordings of Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell. Johnson's 1930 recording of "Long Black Train" foregrounds his prowess as a soloist, his execution is flawless, combining traditional blues phrasing with jazz like chords in between. The improved sound quality of his later recording "The Loveless Blues" allows fuller appreciation of his guitar prowess and vocals that were popular among white and black audiences alike as the popularity of radio programs increased through the 1930's and 40's. Johnson's remarkable rendition of "Tomorrow Night" assumes a ballad like quality which undoubtedly had crossover appeal. Elvis was deeply moved by Johnson's "Tomorrow Night" and sang it long before his rise to fame according to Peter Guralnick in his magnificent biography of Presley "Last Train to Memphis."

The eclecticism of Johnson’s guitar style is evident in the way he incorporates wonderfully clean jazz based single note runs into a blues composition. "Another Night to Cry" is a perfect example of this precise fluidity which was to influence later guitarists like T- Bone Walker, Magic Sam and Otis Rush.

Like many of the innovative blues players, Lonnie Johnson's legacy still resonates today in the contemporary guitarists who tribute his unique techniques. Roots guitar ace Stefan Grossman offers an excellent tribute to Johnson here. Another excellent contemporary tribute to Lonnie's style by "Daddystovepipe" can be heard here. Both players really capture the dynamics of Johnson's style in remarkable fashion.

Sun Gems: Some R&B Recordings

The more I read about Sam Phillips the clearer it becomes just how out front he was in capturing for posterity some of the most relevant and exceptionally good American roots music from the 1950's. Influenced in part by his work as a disc jockey for WLAY (AM) radio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Sam became receptive to the concept of "open and balanced play lists" and more importantly, to the idea of the integration of the society through music. Sam's progressive attitude on this front essentially opened the door to the advent of rock n' roll. Although Phillips is best known for recording the canonical figures of rockabilly, the Sun vaults are also full of gems by black R&B and blues musicians who were recorded under the auspices of Phillips while he was owner of Sun Records. This video of Sam and Sun Records is a must see. A highly recommended box set of many of these recordings can be obtained here.

Sun Records got its start recording blues musicians from the Memphis and surrounding Delta region. One of the earliest to record for the company was the one man act Joe Hill Louis, whose recording of Hydromatic Woman showcases what a one man band can do. Also, on Tiger Man with barrelhouse ace Mose Vinson on piano, Louis provides the vocals while Big Walter Horton flies on this early recording on amplified harmonica. Check out this later cover of Tiger Man/ Mystery Train by Elvis.

It is fascinating to reveal how much of the R&B Sun material ends up being covered by later Sun rockabilly artists. Rufus Thomas began his lengthy recording career with his own 1953 version of "Tiger Man" for Sun. His earlier recording of "Bear Cat" with Sun from the same year precipitated a lawsuit with Don Robey of Duke Records for alleged plagiarism of Big Mama Thorton's 1952 recording of "Hound Dog," covered by Elvis a few years later. Junior Parker's early work for Sun is also frequently covered, such as his recording of "Love My Baby"
and his brilliant 1953 proto boogie rocker "Feelin so Good. " Parker is best know for the first known recording of the "Mystery Train", also recorded for Sun in 1953 and subsequently covered by many.

Another very nifty early Sun R&B classic is the fascinating instrumental "Hucklebuck" by guitarist Earl Hooker, known for his association with Ike Turner and Sonny Boy Williamson in the early 1950's. This 1955 recording is a dance shuffle and showcases some excellent hybrid guitar work that seems to draw from blues, jazz and country traditions. Finally, Billy "The Kid" Emerson recorded this incredible 1955 version of Red Hot for Sun which was later turned into the rockabilly smash by Billy Lee Riley for Sun (here) some two years later. Just about every group in rockabilly's second wave covered the Billy Lee Riley version. Emerson's original "When it Rains it Really Pours" is also very strong and leaves no doubt as to why Elvis decided to cover for Sun later the same year here and on an alternate take here, also for Sun in 1957.



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The Rockabilly Roadhouse Route: Highway 67 in Arkansas

Running north from Newport, Arkansas toward the Missouri border, a little known stretch of U.S. Highway 67 runs through the small towns of Swifton, Walnut Ridge and up to Pocahontas. Seemingly insignificant, this 60 mile stretch of road is on the verge of being recognized by the Arkansas State Legislature as a historically significant route to be named "Rock "N" Roll Highway 67," whose importance can be compared to the legendary Highway 61 in Mississippi. During the mid to late 1950's the small towns along the highway became the touring core of the "rockabilly roadhouse circuit" that many of the genre's most storied players traversed numerous times. If the Sun Studios in Memphis recorded the music for posterity, the venues along the highway; The Silver Moon Club in Newport, Bob Kings B&I club in Swifton and several other long since destroyed roadhouses constituted the live staging ground for the new and energetic sounds of live rockabilly that Elvis, Roy Orbison, Warren Smith, Johnny Cash, Scotty Moore, Billy Lee Riley, Bobby Lee Trammell, Carl Perkins, Harold Jenkins (Conway Twitty) Jerry Lee Lewis, Sonny Burgess and many other lesser known players cranked out on many a Saturday night. The Arkansas State Legislature's proclamation is a cultural heritage move designed to promote and encourage tourism to the region, and rockabilly festivals are also planned. Still rockin after fifty years. Posts on Arkansas, "the cradle of rockabilly" are forthcoming this month.

Reflecting on My Roots: Mingus in 1975

Exploring the seemingly infinite variations of American roots music can lead to self reflection about early involvement and exposure to our musical traditions. Some of my most vivid memories are of my university years when some friends and I secured control of the University of Missouri's Blues, Jazz and Folk Committee in 1974. We had been researching roots music assiduously by doing radio shows at KOPN in Columbia, which at the time was (and still is) an incredibly progressive community station with an amazing record collection with almost unlimited roots material to explore. When we assumed leadership of the committee we had very distinct ideas about the kind of jazz we wanted to bring to the university, and we were not inclined to be swayed by the fusion jazz rave sweeping the U.S. at the time. Our interests ran toward bop jazz and post bop players, some of whom were still touring the college circuits in 1974. Miraculously, one of the committee members locked in the Charles Mingus Quartet for a ridiculously low price, and the legendary bass player would appear at Jesse Auditorium in early 1975. So while the campus was beginning to groove to Disco, we awaited a veritable jazz legend whose roots stretched back to early association with Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton.

Being in charge of the committee had its advantages; we were able to dine and converse with the musicians before the show. Meeting Dannie Richmond, Don Pullen and George Adams and buying Mingus his pre-concert ice cream are priceless memories. But the show itself was beyond belief; I don't think the University of Missouri had ever seen this kind of jazz performed on its premises before this. A very good representation of what we saw that night is this performance in Montreal in 1975 by essentially the same group. (add Gerry Mulligan on baritone) Also, a performance at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Todi, Italy here (add Hamiet Bluiett on Baritone) in 1974 captures the same feel, where tenor master Adams is out front early and is searing in his solo. Both Don Pullen and George Adams passed away way too soon, in their early fifties. But both were just unbelievable players and continued playing together after Mingus passed away in 1979. A great example is this live video of Pullen and Adams together in a quartet in 1979, featuring Adam's great R&B vocals and his unique blues based outside style on tenor, which blew us out of Jesse Auditorium in 1975. If anyone remembers attending the show in Missouri in 1975, please weigh in with your memories.

The Two Other Tragedies: Johnny Ace and Eddie Cochran

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the tragic accident that took from all of us three top musicians who were on top of their game and popularity. The plane crash that occurred on February 3rd 1959, interrupting the Winter Dance Party tour has come to be known for variety of reasons as "the day the music died." This explanation is related in large measure to the somewhat cryptic lyrics of the Dan Mclean's song American Pie , whose meaning is convincingly interpreted here. While losing Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper and Buddy Holly on the same day was certainly a blow to the popular music field, there are other explanations for the shifting grounds of rock and roll styles, including two other accidental deaths that in their own ways had nearly as much impact as the Clear Lake Iowa tragedy.

The truncated career of Johnny Ace began in rhythm and blues and jump blues in the 1940's and extended in full swing until his tragic and untimely death in 1954. Being from Memphis, Johnny Alexander's first association is with by the Beale Streeters and B.B. King on the now legendary WDIA radio shows coming out of Memphis in 1951. Johnny's first recordings reflect his adherence to the R&B jump blues rave of the time, as heard here in "No Money". But Johnny's true legacy was forged in his love ballads, songs which, along with doo wop interpretations, form the counterpoint of the wilder R&B and rockabilly sounds emerging at the same time. Johnny's calssic ballads are "Saving My Love for You", "Anymore" and the classic "Pledging my Love." Johnny's ballads were taking off in popularity by 1954 and his heartfelt style and velvety smooth vocals promised huge national crossover potential at a time when it was becoming possible for a black musician to work into the larger popular music market. His accidental death by self- inflicted gunshot in 1954 deprived all of us of one of pop music's up and coming stars on the cusp of something much bigger. His work has been covered by countless musicians and memorialized here by by Paul Simon.

The quality of music produced during Eddie Cochran's short and prolific recording career qualify him a well deserved place in the rock and roll/rockabilly pantheon, along with Carl Perkins, Elvis, Chuck Berry and Gene Vincent. His creativity, energy, remarkable voice and rebellious edge make Eddie a unique 1950's talent and later, a posthumous icon of the period. Whether it was delivering alluringly catchy rockabilly with songs like "C'mon Everybody" and the lesser known "Stockings and Shoes" , or showing his rebellious side with Nervous Breakdown and "Summertime Blues," Cochran work defines the direction of popular music in the 1950's. His last hit, "Three Steps to Heaven" which charted in 1960, demonstrates the move to a tamer style and thematic that was emerging by the time Eddie's embarked on his ill fated tour to England in the same year. The taxi accident in which Eddie perished before his 22nd birthday also injured Gene Vincent, ultimately shortening his music career.

The accidental deaths of Johnny Ace and Eddie Cochran, while not receiving the attention the Clear Lake Iowa tragedy did, deprive the period of two of its greatest performers and songwriters whose careers were just beginning. Occurring at both ends of the rock and roll era, Johny Ace and Eddie Cochran, each in his own way, are emblematic of trends that shaped the decade and set up the music to emerge in the coming decade.

A Few Roots Favorites

First of all I would like to thank everyone who has stopped by the blog-site to check out what I have been looking into and writing about. The blog is really an outgrowth of my interest in roots music that extends back to my college days in the early 1970's. With the wonders of the internet, gone are the days of poring over dusty old back issues of Downbeat in libraries. Things are so much easier now. Since the field of roots music is so vast, it always seems as though the new ideas far outnumber the number of hours required to fully research and develop them. Most of you have probably noticed that the focus of the blog has been historical; trying to situate musicians or styles in their corresponding periods and make some valid comparisons with preceding or different styles. I've been concentrating on the 1950's but will shift the focus depending on the post. Also, please feel free to comment on anything in the posts, I'm sure I can learn from things readers point out. Here is a list of just a few of the cuts that have recently impacted me and that will probably lead to some future posts.

JAZZ: I have always loved alto players and Tab Smith has always been a favorite, even his more commercially oriented stuff. "Rock City" is a wonderfully crafted arrangement, ultra smooth with a bluesy edge.


R&B: Absolutely love this version of "Got my Mojo Working" by Ann Cole. Very tight 1957 sound. Also, Roy Brown's "Queen of Diamonds" is another R&B gem with great sax work from the same year. What a year it was.

BLUES: I was blown away by the arrangement of T Bone Walker's 1945 "She is Going to Ruin Me." Sounds like Chuck Berry listened to T Bone very attentively. I have always admired Tampa Red and "It Hurts me Too" reminds me why.

COUNTRY: Webb Pierce's classic honky-tonk anthem "There Stands the Glass" is very nice, better than the Gordon cover.

ROCKABILLY: I was recently blown away by Harvey Hurt's "Big Dog Little Dog," if anyone knows who plays guitar on this song or more about Hurt please let me know. Also, early Eddie Cochran as Cochran Brothers "Tired and Sleepy" is an absolute gem.

Roots Music, Race and the Fifties: Some Observations

Any attempt to analyze the complexity of popular music in the 1950's invariably comes face to face with the issue of race in American society. In many ways, the explosion of "popular music," propelled by the spread of radio, new teenage audiences and the proliferation of record companies, becomes another important medium in which cultural miscegenation was advancing rapidly. Building on the gains made among black and white jazz musicians, professional athletes (Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby and Boxing) and the integration of the armed forces, the fifties witness an increasing acceptance of African American music at many levels and in all regions of the country. And the Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Topeka, while not achieving integration, sets a tone and helps to create conditions more favorable to cultural integration at popular levels of expression, particularly American popular music.

Popular awareness and widespread acceptance of jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole and their association with white jazz musicians make possible the changes that begin in the late 1940's and continue throughout the 1950's. Some early signs of change can be seen in the incorporation of the boogie-woogie style among country music musicians, evidenced by the many Delmore Brother's tunes in the style, such as Panamerican Boogie . Coverage of blues classics also became commonplace, check out the Delmore Brother's Careless Love, originally recorded by Bessie Smith in 1925. Boogie Woogie was also being popularized by other leading white musicians. from Tommy Dorsey in jazz to the popular songs of the Andrews Sisters.

By the late 1940's Jump Blues was having a huge impact and was gaining wider popular acceptance, in spite of resistance at different levels. For example, the term "rockin," popularized initially by Wynonie Harris' 1948 Jump Blues classic "Good Rockin Tonight" , was shunned by many for the sexual connotation of "rockin." Harris did record double entendre songs like "Keep on Churnin" that kept stereotypes alive and resistance as well. Nonetheless, Louis Jordan's more refined brand of jump blues began to crossover into popular white music circles, and appearances with luminaries such as Bing Crosby helped to legitimize him among white audiences. White rock n'roll pioneer Jimmy Cavallo's huge success in the late forties as a dance band on the beaches of North Carolina owed much to Jordan's style, and Jordan would continue to influence musical production in most genres throughout the 1950's. Yet not all Jump Blues crossed over. Much of the material that the almost forgotten jump blues artists Jimmy Liggins and Bull Moose Jackson recorded was just too rough or explicit for popular acceptance at the time, Liggins here and Jackson here and here state their own cases to the conservative climate of the 1950's. Liggins and Jackson were really only carrying on the double entendre tradition that had been alive and well at the inception of the blues recording era, stretching back to the 1920's.

The pioneering work of Sam Phillips cannot be underestimated in this story. Recording black musicians for his young Sun label in Memphis was a labor of love and was complicated by racist attitudes of the period. His adoption of white rockers and virtual integration of the Sun studios in Memphis is remarkable and accelerates the process. Several white musicians who recorded for Sun and who covered black R&B artists speaks to this trend: Hayden Thompson's nifty cover of Junior Parker's "Love my Baby" Elvis covers Parker's Mystery Train and Arthur Crudup's "That's all Right Mama." By the time Elvis covered the Roy Brown version of "Good Rockin Tonight" for Sun in 1954, country musicians were already appropriating the language of blues and jazz musicians, and terms like "rock," "rockin daddy," "cat", "cattin", "hepcat", "jive", and "bop" all reflect a process of cultural amalgamation affecting musicians in the south who began to embrace rockabilly as the cutting edge medium. Charlie Adams' "Cattin Around", Carl Perkins' incredible numbers "Put Your Cat Clothes on" and "Boppin the Blues" , Jack Earls' "Let's Bop" and Lew Williams' "Cat Talk" are good examples that confirm the trend, there are hundreds more.

Although the short lived rockabilly craze (1954-1960) among white musicians can be explained in large measure as commercially driven, I also interpret the movement as symptomatic of the more over arching move toward integration, with music being the means of expression. What I am suggesting is that rockabilly was not merely a fad driven by the dream of ascending to Elvishood. A possible exception would be the Warren Smith classic rags to riches rockabilly dream "Uranium Rock." This gradual move toward cultural integration is evident in the themes found in rockabilly's lyrics, as a discernible move toward themes long present in blues and R&B becomes obvious as thousands of obscure rockabilly records are recorded by small record labels throughout the south and mid-west. Song after rockabilly song attest to this trend in the use of language and lyrical content. Some common recurring themes in rockabilly of the period are sexual prowess, heard in the Elvis' cover "Good Rockin Tonight" and Billy Lee Riley's "Rock With Me Baby" , the related theme of dancing ability, heard in the Johnny Burnette Trio's classics "Rockabilly Boogie" and "Tear it Up" and the transcendent power of the music itself, highlighted in Ronnie Dawson's "Rockin Bones" and Warren Smith's "Ubangi Stomp" . While Dawson's faith in "the sound" almost equates to religious fervor, Smith's voyage to Africa in Ubangi Stomp can be read as metaphor for incursions into black R&B sounds. One thing is for sure, these cats did find rhythm's promised land, and it wasn't just a fad, as Smith makes clear in the finale: "I'm going Ubangi Stomp till I roll over dead."

During the heyday of rockabilly, adoption of African American language, dress and musical expression all coincide for a short time, and it's not coincidental this happened during the country's first move toward integration. Interestingly, rockabilly suddenly declines, or in the case of Ricky Nelson and Johnny Burnette is tamed, and by 1960 is quickly replaced by the more syrupy and schmaltzier sounds of the Paul Anka, Frankie Avalon and former rockabilly queen Brenda Lee. I will attempt to situate rockabilly's sudden demise in a future post.

Extended Roots: The Intriguing Career of Rosco Gordon

Few if any musicians who were active during the 1950's possessed the versatility of pianist/songwriter Rosco Gordon. Gordon recorded in or was influenced by virtually all the popular idioms of the decade, and produced original, high quality recordings in several. Growing up in Memphis in the 1940's, Gordon first absorbed the Memphis Blues sound from the Beale Streeters, associating musically with Bobby Blue Bland, Johnny Ace and Earl Forest at a young age. By 1951 he had a number 1 R&B hit with Chess records entitled "Booted." After additional recordings with Chess, Gordon scores with another scorching R&B classic "No More Doggin" which highlights his unique piano style and two absolutely devastating sax solos, the second of which may be by Leo Parker, baritone legend. Rosco's piano style, known as "Rosco's Rhythm" became popular among immigrants from the West Indies in the mid 50's, (Jamaica and Trinidad) and is often cited as a primary component of the Ska style which emerged just a few years later in Jamaica.

In 1955, at the inception of the rockabilly craze, Gordon begins his association with Sam Phillips and Sun records in Memphis. Interestingly, Gordon's Sun recordings, while rooted in R&B, also show the influence of country and rockabilly, and Gordon himself recognized the imprint of country music on his work. One of his Sun/Flip cuts from this period, "Love for You Baby" is a fascinatingly hybrid composition which exhibits elements of blues, rockabilly and rock n' roll. Gordon's 1957 Sun recording of "Sally Jo" is also remarkable in that it is one of the very few examples of a black musician working within the rockabilly genre, as is G.L Crockett's incredible "Look Out Mabel" from 1957 and Roy Brown's 1958 Imperial recording "Hip Shakin Baby." Gordon's appearance with Johnny Carroll in the 1957 Rock n' Roll movie "Rock Baby Rock It" is also noteworthy for historical reasons. In the film Gordon and his ensemble perform the Jump Blues number "Bopit" in a crossover setting, as the white audience is seen fully engaged in the rhythm and beat of the tune.

After recording for Sun, Gordon's creative impulse takes another turn. In stride with the shifting stylistics of the late 1950's and early 60's, Gordon records "Let em Try" , a song that combines a Doo Wop framework with elements of early Soul, which can also be heard on his Surely I Love You" from 1960. His final recordings, while moving closer to 60's Soul, continue in a similarly eclectic mode, exemplified by "Sit Right Here." Finally, Rosco's 1958 R&B composition, "Just a Little Bit" resurfaces with the British Invasion group The Undertakers, who cover it here in 1964. Predictably, their version is no match for Rosco's original.

Pete Seeger Turns 90

It's hard to believe but Pete Seeger has a birthday coming up, and it's a big one: he will be 90 years old this Sunday, May 3rd. Looking back over Pete's long career, it's difficult to know how to begin talking about the enormous contributions he has made in so many facets of American life. From his unyielding commitment to progressive causes on such a wide range of issues, from race relations, U. S. military interventions abroad, environmentalism and the labor movement, Pete has been out front and on the right side of history. His very early appreciation of what constitutes the essence of American roots music has made Pete a founding father of the movement who knew how to value and help preserve our musical history and traditions that were giving way to the impulses of modernity. Whether it was helping the now legendary musicologist Alan Lomax scour the rural south in search of overlooked blues musicians and folksingers or helping to heighten public awareness of national treasures such as Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Pete's contributions have been invaluable. Since so much information abounds about all Pete's accomplishment, that's all I really have to say, except for this: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND THANK YOU PETE SEEGER!

Blues with Real Feeling: The Incredible Big Maybelle Smith

An appearance with Jimmy Witherspoon in Detroit at the Flame Show Bar in 1952 helped to launch Big Maybelle's prolific career as a rhythm and blues singer. While never achieving the recognition of her contemporaries Ruth Brown, Little Esther and Big Mama Thorton who worked in the same style, Big Maybelle (Mabel Smith) was a formidable live performer who cut some exceptional records in the 1950's and continued to work in the soul and rhythm and blues vein throughout the 1960's until her death in 1972. She also performed with some of the top jazz and R&B musicians of her time, including legendary trumpet man Hot Lips Page, pianists Erroll Garner and Willie Mabon, and tenor sax ace Gene Ammons. She also hit the hottest R&B venues of the day: The Apollo Theater in New York, The Earle Theater in Philadelphia, Chicago's Crown Propeller Lounge and Kansas City's famous Orchid Room. Interestingly, her popularity coincides with the crossover trend, and there is evidence that her 1950's recordings had some impact of young white rock and rollers of the decade.

Big Maybelle's first recordings appear on the Okeh label, then a subsidiary of Columbia records. Maybelle's first Okeh recording, "Gabbin Blues," (1952) which includes running dialogue, climbed quickly on the R&B charts enjoying urban popularity in mid-west cities. Big Maybelle continued to tour extensively in order to promote her recordings and hook up with legendary performers. Her 1954 hit "I'm Getting Along Alright" demonstrates a more polished sound with a superb R&B backing, as does her incredible take on getting jilted, "One Monkey Don't Stop the Show," which features super tight R&B backup and sweet guitar work. Maybelle's version of this tune seems to be the forerunner to the more famous song recorded by sixties soul artist Joe Tex, which in turn was covered by the Animals in 1965. Also of great interest is Maybelle's 1955 rendition of "Whole Lotta Shakin," produced for her by the young Quincy Jones. Maybelle's version is the second recording of this song, and appears two years prior to Jerry Lee Lewis' earth-shaker in 1957. Rockabilly Sun recording legend Warren Smith also covers "Tell me Who," a song Maybelle recorded at an earlier date with more of a straight early rock and roll sound.

Big Maybelle continued to record into the sixties and her style, dictated by the success of the Motown sound, takes a decided turn toward soul and songs with broader appeal, such as a cover of the Beatles's "Eleanor Rigby" and another of Question Mark and the Mysterian's 96 Tears. It's entirely understandable why Big Maybelle pivots in this direction, but for me, nothing compares with her classic 1950's recordings.

A Wave of Resurgence: The Surf Sound

One of the more interesting early offshoots of fifties rock and roll is "surf guitar" or the "surf sound" that emerged from Southern California between 1958 and 1962. More recently, propelled in part by Quentin Tarantino's decision to foreground the surf sound as the backdrop to his 1994 film Pulp Fiction and Dick Dale's steadfast dedication to the style he forged, this musical style has taken off in the last decade as dozens of surf ensembles are now performing and recording all over the United States and Europe.

Surf music was born at the intersection of time and space in Los Angeles where a veritable melange of musical styles and influences coalesced to create the surf sound, whose primary instrument was the electric guitar. Flamenco and Mexican guitar techniques, the Bakersfield sound from country, T Bone Walker from blues and Les Paul from jazz all contribute to in their own way to surf music, as do new innovations in amplification and the types of guitars used to produce the sound. The new surf sound proved to be a most interesting, albeit short lived interlude between the decline of rockabilly and the British Invasion. With no pretense of offering a complete picture of the surf sound, I offer a brief outline of the development of this fascinating and unique style.

Rock and roll and rockabilly styles also nourished the surf sound, and the heavy, twangy intonations of Link Wray and Duane Eddy in the mid to late fifties were the obvious forerunners to surf style guitar. Wray's heavy staccato guitar work on Mr Guitar and Run Boy Run are classic instrumental antecedents to to the surf sound, and his classic Apache captures the essence of the style. Duane Eddy also anticipates the oncoming wave in terms of guitar tone with his 1958 hit Rebel Rouser.

The definable surf sound took off from 1960 with the Northern Lights recording "Typhoid." The most popular of all surf based groups came together at the same time when the very talented guitarist Nokie Edwards, who was working with country star Buck Owens at the time, joined Bob Bogle to form The Ventures. Recognizable hits like Walk Don't Run, Apache and Pipeline followed in 1960, making the Ventures the most commercially successful surf band of the period. The Belairs, another very early surf band, contributed as well with their 1961 instrumental classic Mr. Moto, a tune containing the Mexican influence in the surf style. Finally, the Southern California aggregate The Tornados also made a splash with their 1962 hit "Bustin Surfboards," also included on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. By 1962 the surf style had crystallized and its songs were doing quite well on the charts.

The undisputed king of the surf guitar style is Dick Dale, and his most famous work Miserlou stands as a virtual anthem to surf music. Misirlou is originally a Greek song, and Dale's arrangement of it stands as an icon to the surf sound and the era. Miserlou is resurrected in Pulp Fiction as the title song to the movie's soundtrack. Using a specially built Stratocaster with very heavy gauge strings and innovative pick-ups, Dale achieved a unique sound that transformed the approach to the guitar during subsequent years. Dale was initially influenced by country music until he formed Dick Dale and the Del -Tones in 1960. Dale and his group made a name for themselves starting in 1961 playing at the Rendevous Ballroom in Bilbao, California primarily for young people engaged in the surfing sub-culture. Dale's success in 1961 and innovative surf style resurrected the Rendevous Ballroom that remains today as a legendary and historic venue for this unique brand of American Roots Music. Dale's famous surf instrumental "Lets go Trippin", recorded in 1961, is his first surf instrumental, and is followed by the less famous and more rockabillyesque "Shake and Stomp." Dale is still active and touring, and has not deviated from the sound that he made famous, as more recent live performance demonstrates.

Finally, the contemporary surf music revival has spawned a virtual proliferation of groups originating from all corners of the globe. Some precursory searching on myspace reveals that this unique American genre, along with rockabilly and blues, is alive and thriving. There are many groups, but some of my favorites are the British group Surfquake, the Italian ensemble The Wavers , the Iowa group The Del Stars and the U.S. surf noir group The Vanduras,whose playful sound ranges from traditional surf to almost parodical interpretations of the Ennio Morricone sound.