Sunday 29 June 2014

STAR BLUES on 29th June 2014 at 22:00

5th July 1954 proved to be a significant point in music in the last century and beyond, at 706 Union Ave. Memphis Bill Black Scotty Moore and Elvis Presley recorded a handful of songs that yielded his first commercial single. In the intervening years, myths and legends have clouded the details of how the songs were chosen and the story is that the three men were just goofin' around and Sam Phillips had a light bulb moment to commit their foolishness to tape, with a cover of blues artist Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's composition "That's All Right (Mama)". I actually believe the session may have transpired somewhat differently:

Sam was a canny operator and he'd have been unlikely to leave things to chance; I think Marion Keister heard something in the two earlier goes Elvis had done in the twelve months previous. They however didn't agree on a style of music with the best fit (Elvis always wanted to be a ballad singer). So he put the boy in the studio with a couple of seasoned players with instructions to do country, r&b and ballad songs. Sorry if my alternative story line is less romantic but just a theory.

We put the song in that reading into our STAR BLUES playlist with the best part if two hours worth of context as singles Elvis could have heard that year. A year that had (exactly to the day) Joe Turner with "Shake Rattle and Roll" at number 1. Our line-up included the bigger better known names of the time like B.B. King, Muddy Waters  and Howlin' Wolf as well as Tommy Ridgely, Willie Egans and Lula Reed.

For only the second time in the history of the show, i left the white tee-shirt at home - I wore black instead to mark the death on Friday of Bobby Womack. For many it was the end of that generation of true soul singers. Just a year ago, Bobby Bland died but Bobby Womack was on the bill at the Glastonbury festival. Dozens of obituaries and tributes tried to justify the attention he was getting by mentioning his association with dozens of rock names quite frankly not fit to tie his shoelaces. Robert Dwayne Womack (b. 4 March 1944) was a massive talent. Full stop. Awesome voice rooted in gospel from a whisper to a scream. Gifted song writer and distinctive guitarist. His earliest gospel sides for Sam Cooke's SAR label fit our programme and with a heavy heart we marked his death at the age of 70.

Just in was the latest dip into the seemingly endless treasure trove of Mark Lamarr's record collection. The splendid folks at Vee-Tone have it in the shelves on vinyl long player - it'll be ready for your listening delight next Sunday right here on Britain's Other Blues Show, STAR BLUES at 10pm Sunday. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

track.title track.artistsort index album.title album.artistsort label
I'm Ready Muddy Waters 20 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
Shake Rattle and Roll Joe Turner 15 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Hoy Hoy Little Johnnie Jones 17 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
The Things That I Used to Do Guitar Slim 9 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
It Should’ve Been Me Ray Charles 22 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Last Night Little Walter (Aka Marion Walter Jacobs) 19 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
Eisenhower Blues J. B. Lenoir 14 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Bottle it Up and Go Big John Greer 12 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Jam Up Tommy Ridgley 7 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Cotton Crop Blues James Cotton 12 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
thats alright mama elvis presley 3 king of rock'n'roll - 50s masters elvis presley rca
i smell a rat big mama thornton 23 r & b years:1954 various artists boulevard vintage
Yield Not to Temptation Womack Brothers 28 Sar Records Story 1959-1965 Various Artists ABKCO
Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray Womack Brothers 29 Sar Records Story 1959-1965 Various Artists ABKCO
Somewhere There's a God Womack Brothers 30 Sar Records Story 1959-1965 Various Artists ABKCO
Space Guitar Young John Watson 29 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
You Upset Me Baby B. B. King 12 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
One Monkey Don't Stop No Show Big Maybelle 9 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
I’m Just Your Fool Buddy Johnson 5 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Kissing in the Dark Memphis Minnie 13 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
Watch Dog Lula Reed 15 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
East of the Sun Jerry McCain 26 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
It’s a Shame Willie Egans 25 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Rockin' Daddy Howlin' Wolf 28 The R'n'b Hits Of 1954 Various Artists INDIGO
Make My Dreams Come True Elmore James 5 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Blue Monday Smiley Lewis 4 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Good,good,whiskey Amos Milburn 14 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Work With Me Annie Royals, The 3 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Annie Had a Baby Midnighters, The 21 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
I Feel So Bad Chuck Willis 1 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Beggin’ My Baby Little Milton 13 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Midnight Hour Clarence “gatemouth” Brown 22 The R'n'b Years 1954: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1954 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Created: 29/06/2014 23:37:37

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