STAR BLUES on 28th September 2014 at 22:00 with 2 full hours of music by Blues Women

It's fair to say the earliest blues stars were female and it's been like that ever since. We had as many as we could from Bessie Smith to Missy Andersen in a show with songs from the 1920's onwards. Missy's project is characterized by confident hard edged vocal and neat guitar backup; Bessie was more obviously from a era not long out of vaudeville, her big voice and stage presence barely needed amplification to fill out the sound. Not much is known about Lottie Kinbrough, she created just five years output, latterly on Gennet from whence came the iconic "Rolling Log". My background research said even her only photograph was that of her more photogenic sister. Lottie was one of the first players of substance to accompany themselves. Memphis Minnie took matters to an even higher level.

From the jazz side of the fence, Mildred Bailey had a plaintive edge and a record collection which inspired Bing Crosby. Dinah Washington came along slightly later on but could do some tough blues as we found out last night. Lesser known names like Trixie Smith and Effie Smith, got an outing too.

The inspiration for the show was largely down to Lady Blue who shares me passion for the classic elegance of strapless silk cocktail dresses and long elbow length gloves. just look at those pictures of Hadda Brooks, Ruth Brown, and Laven Baker. Glamour never goes out of style. The young Etta James did rock'n'roll right , we used a rare take of a single out on Modern; a few years later Koko Taylor forced Buddy Guy and Walter Horton to bring their A-game despite being junior in years with seasoned session men.

With two Sisters on the roll-call, it wasn't hard to pick our gospel offerings Hadda Brooks and Ella Mae Morse did piano duties, the former came during the first year of the Bihari's Modern imprint. Aretha was already a big star when her 1970 album "Spririt in the dark" hit the shelves (complete with re-interpretation of a BB King piece). Big Maybelle was another easily recognizable talent - the booklet credits the song to "Williams", My own imperfect recollection has the song put down to Roy Hall but it says Williams here.

Neither Jessie Mare Hemphill nor Beverly Guitar Watkins get their due so we weren't about to miss a chance to show then off - even though we set a new record count we know we barely got started for blues women on our radar. Next Sunday we are off tho the West Coast, having been to Chicago, New Orleans and Texas during  the past few months, we look forward to being with you round your place. 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
Rent Party	Missy Andersen	1	In The Moment	Missy Andersen	MAIN Squeeze
i love a lover like you	Koko Taylor	2	koko taylor	koko taylor	CHESS
Confessin' The Blues	Karen Carrol	3	Wild About That Thing - Ladies Sing The Blues	Various Artists	DELMARK
why i sing the blues	aretha franklin	12	spirit in the dark	aretha franklin	atlantic
Rock And Roll Blues	Linda Hopkins	22	Voodoo Voodoo: Feisty Fifties Females	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On	Big Maybelle	1-3	I Put A Spell On You: The Okeh Story	Various Artists	One Day Music
You Make Me Feel So Good	Beverly 'Guitar' Watkins	8	Back In Business	Beverly 'Guitar' Watkins	MUSIC MAKER
House Of Blue Lights	Ella Mae Morse	24	I'm A Bad Bad Girl	Various Artists	INDIGO
Bluesen The Boogie	Hadda Brooks	2	Modern Music: 1945	Various Artists	ACE
Talk To Me, Talk To Me	Jean DuShon	27	Right Now: Atlantic Club Soul And Deep Cuts	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Shake It, Baby	Jessie Mae Hemphill	8	Shake it Baby	Jessie Mae Hemphill
Rolling Log Blues	Lottie Kimbrough	10	The Great Women Blues Singers	Various Artists	RETRO
Me And My Chaauffeur	Memphis Minnie	2	The Sound Of The City - Memphis	Various Artists	Emi Records Ltd
Swing Low, Chariot	Sister O. M.Terrell	18	The Slide Guitar:Bottles,Knives & Steel	Various Artists	Blue Label / SPV
I Saw The Light	Sister Rosetta Tharpe	12	Screamin' Gospel Holy Rollers Vol. 2	Various Artists	Vee-Tone Records
Souled Out	JJ Thames	1	Tell You What I Know	Jj Thames	CDBaby
T'aint Whatcha Say, It's Whatcha Do	Little Esther	8	Voodoo Voodoo: Feisty Fifties Females	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Bam-A-Lam	Mickey Champion	26	Voodoo Voodoo: Feisty Fifties Females	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
King Size Papa	Julia Lee	6	I'm A Bad Bad Girl	Various Artists	INDIGO
Be Bop Boogie	Effie Smith	6	Blues Belles With Attitude	Various Artists	ACE
Hey, Hey, Baby	Helen Humes	7	Blues Belles With Attitude	Various Artists	ACE
Love Me Right (Atlantic 1150)	Lavern Baker	19	R&b Humdingers Volume 11	Various Artists	Vee-Tone Records
Tough Lover	Etta James	4	Holy Mackerel! Pretenders To Little Richard's Throne	Various Artists	ACE
Daddy Daddy	Ruth Brown	13	Right Now: Atlantic Club Soul And Deep Cuts	Various Artists	Fantastic Voyage
Squeeze Me	Mildred Bailey	4	Ladies Sing The Blues	Various Artists	HALLMARK
Empty Bed Blues	Bessie Smith	19	Blues Queen. The Definitive Collection	Bessie Smith	Phoenix Records
Freight Train Blues	Trixie Smith	20	The Great Women Blues Singers	Various Artists	RETRO
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)	Ivie Anderson	16	Ladies Sing The Blues	Various Artists	HALLMARK
blues oh blues	ma rainey	3	The Great Women Blues Singers	Various Artists	RETRO
Evil Gal Blues	Dinah Washington	3	The History Of Rhythm And Blues Volume Two 1942-1952	Various Artists	Rhythm and Blues Records
Why Don't You Do Right?	Lil Green	9	Why Don't You Do Right	Lil Green	BLUES COLLECTION
They Call Me Big Mama	Big Mama Thornton	4	Jiving Jamboree	Various Artists	ACE

Created: 28/09/2014 23:36:16