Spread The Good Word !

Ok folks, this one is dedicated to Mr Barf , who stopped blogging yesterday. (come back soon mate!) Should auld acquaintance be forgooooooooot, etc… This is one of my fav track of all time, Snacky Poo ! You’ve heard ’Bertha Lou’ a few months ago by Johnny Faire, the same song was recorded by Dorsey Burnette (with the same band track), and now you can hear the insanely energetic Snacky Poo (with the same band track too !!!). And the legend says that Johnny Burnette is playing geetar on the track. How cool is that ? Oh by the way, I might be off for the rest of the week – I hope not anyway (ok you got me, hospital that is) So until next post, rock on. The Ring A Dings - Snacky Poo

Ruth Brown is best remembered as a recording star in the mid-'50s, at a time when she was sharing the "Atlantic Records" spotlight with such luminaries as Joe Turner, Clyde McPhatter, LaVern Baker, and the Clovers. Ruth Brown's regal hitmaking reign from 1949 to the close of the '50s helped tremendously to establish the New York label's predominance in the R&B field. Later, the business all but forgot her -- she was forced to toil as domestic help for a time -- but she returned to the top, her status as a postwar R&B pioneer (and tireless advocate for the rights and royalties of her peers) recognized worldwide. The magnitude of her success is evidenced by membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Beyond that, she is a noted supper-club performer and has starred on Broadway, most recently in "Black and Blue," for which she won a Tony award. In recent years, Ruth Brown has been known as the hostess of "Blues Stage" on National P

Working as a bricklayer, Vern Pullens could only record at weekends with the result that on 27th September 1956, 'Bop Crazy Baby' was laid down at the KTRH studio in Houston. Today, this is justifiably regarded as one of the all time great rockabilly recordings ! Ain’t you glad to know that ? Are you, are you ? Vern Pullens - Bop Crazy Baby Vern Pullens - It's My Life Vern Pullens - Mama Don't Allow No Boppin' FRIDAY BONUS !!! Ralph Marterie - Shish-Kebab Thanks Michael ! weekend good you have, monday see you. Me french, no hablo english.

A quick post today...A reader (hi Jeanie) asked me if I could post the killer track (by William Penn released on Hush Records) which was in the legendary new years eve party mix… There you go, enjoy ! William Penn And The Quakers - Believe Me William Penn And The Quakers - Hey Hey Hey Hey Funny uh

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome back. In 1957, members of the Lamplighters from Delano, CA, joined up with members of a rival act, the Rhythm Aces, from nearby Tulare (both cities are just north of Bakersfield, yes I’ve checked a map – HELLO DARRELL !). They formed a new pachuco surf-and-soul combo called Al Garcia and the Rhythm Kings: multi-instrumentalist Al Garcia, guitarist Art Rodriguez, bassist Freddie Mendoza, drummer Manuel Garcia (Al's brother), and saxophonists Larry Silva and Vincent Bumatay. Like many of the acts on the Del-Fi roster - the Sentinals, the Centurions - the Rhythm Kings combined Latin rock rhythms, mariachi-style horns, and surf guitar instros ! Anda ! Al Garcia And The Rhythm Kings - Exotic Al Garcia And The Rhythm Kings - Don't Sweat The Small Stuff Al Garcia And The Rhythm Kings - Blue Soul

Vocalist and bassist, born in Gurdon, Arkansas in 1923, Jimmy Witherspoon sang in church from the time he was five. In 1944 he joined the Jay McShann Band for four years, and then on his own he unleashed "Ain't Nobody's Business," acknowledged to be a classic performance. One of the great blues singers of the post-World War II period, he was also versatile enough to fit comfortably into the jazz world. Witherspoon passed away on September 18, 1997, at the age of 74. Jimmy Witherspoon - Corn Whiskey Jimmy Witherspoon - Two Little Girls Jimmy Witherspoon - Ain't Nobody's Business (Part 1 And 2) And RIP Mr Wilson Pickett (Now I’m just waiting for my soul brothers to post The REAL tribute post). Wilson Pickett - Stagger Lee See you next week.

While most surf groups were based in California, the genre was not strictly isolated to this region. The Astronauts (from Colorado) and the infamous Trashmen (from Minneapolis) were the most successful of the not inconsiderable number of landlocked bands who played surf music, or at least made a few stabs at it. The Astronauts began life as the Stormtroopers in Boulder, Colorado in 1959 and became the Astronauts in '62. In April 1963, they went into RCA Hollywood where many famous folks had cut hit sides. They recorded their first album, Surfin' With The Astronauts. The whole thing took 9 hours, spread over three days. The Astronauts - The Hearse The Astronauts - Movin' The Astronauts - Baja And big rockin' thanks to all the people who came to the show last night !

The Belfast Gypsies were a Them spin off band and Van Morrison's influence is very prominent throughout this enjoyable album. It's a pretty even album when speaking in terms of quality. The Gypsies' sound is very similar to Them, having the same fopur-piece format. Jackie McAuley is on keyboards, harmonica and vocals; Ken McLeod on guitar; Mike Scott on bass, and Pat McAuley on drums and percussion. The album was produced by Kim Fowley, and the recording quality is amazingly sharp and clear; much more well-produced than some of Them's recordings. (don’t argue, I've just said ‘some’) ! Sláinte ! The Belfast Gypsies - People Let's Freak Out The Belfast Gypsies - Secret Police The Belfast Gypsies - Gloria's Dream

The artist, songwriter and producer known as William Bell was born William Yarbrough in Memphis, Tennessee, on July 16, 1939. He developed his songwriting career at the legendary Stax label, and would be a guiding force in the evolution of the Stax sound. In 1961 had released his first solo effort, You Don't Miss Your Water (Til the Well Runs Dry), which would be one of the early hits for the label. In 1967 he released his first solo album, The Soul of a Bell. Albert King had a hit with Bell’s song Born Under a Bad Sign, and Bell released two more albums for Stax, Relating" and Bound To Happen." In 1969 Bell moved to Atlanta and started his own label, Peachtree. William Bell - You Don't Miss Your Water William Bell - Just As I Thought William Bell - Any Other Way

The Clover's origins, like those of so many R&B vocal outfits, goes back to the members' middle teenage years. Tenor/baritone Harold "Hal" Lucas, tenor Billy Shelton, and bass Robert Woods were students at Armstrong High School in Washington, D.C., during the mid-'40s when they formed a trio led by Lucas, who also came up with the name the Clovers. A fourth member, John "Buddy" Bailey, another tenor, joined up and eventually became their lead singer, while Lucas started singing baritone. Their early sound was influenced by the likes of such professional outfits of the era as the Orioles and the Ravens. They occupy an exalted place in the history of R&B, if not in the minds of many listeners, other than hard-core devotees of the music's history -- the Drifters tend to eclipse them, by virtue of their longer history and the string of hits that the later incarnation of that group had during the 1960s. The truth is that the Clovers not only start

Wayne P.Walker is one of country music's more obscure figures. Better known as a songwriter than an entertainer, Walker has penned songs performed by a countless number of major acts including Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran and Patsy Cline. He had his first big hit as a songwriter with 'I've Got A New Heartache' performed by Ray Price and ten years later won the Billboard Song Of The Year award with 'All The Time'. All I Can Do Is Cry is one of the few tunes both written and performed by him. Wayne Walker - All I Can Do Is Cry + Jimmy Lee And Wayne Walker - Love Me Yup, the same Jimmy Lee of Jimmy & Johnny

Well,actually, I feel so cool. Wow. Thanks to Rev Dan, I’m cooler than I thought ! Ok let’s start this week with 'I Feel so Blue' by Tony Knight & The Livewires. 1964. Decca label. Rare. Gotta love this track ! 'I haven't had a wink of sleep, since you said goodbye, I've never loved another girl the same, Don't blame me if I can't be true to you, I'll tell you why, My mind's in darkness and my heart still feels the pain, I feel so blue...' Is it the first goth song or what? Tony Knight And The Live Wires - I Feel So Blue I feel so bluuuuuuuuue

From the brief description of John Adam "Sleepy John" Estes 's style above you might think that it is too depressing to listen to his music - to the contrary he wrote wonderful blues. Not all his experiences were as traumatic as these, he certainly knew about liquor and women and was happy to sing about the good as well as the bad. Despite the fact that he worked to mixed Black and White audiences in string band, jug band, or medicine show format, his music retains a distinct ethnicity and has a particularly plaintive sound. Astonishingly, he recorded during six decades for Victor, Decca, Bluebird, Ora Nelle, Sun, Delmark, and others. Enjoy, and see you next week ! Sleepy John Estes - God Can Use Me Sleepy John Estes - 38 Pistol Friday Bonus ! Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Two Little Fishes And Fives Loaves of Bread

Uh Oh...others instrumental killers from 1961 ! The Imps - Uh Oh The Imps - That'll Get It Oh by the way, if you missed the wild wild wild instrumental party posted last year (I mean, two weeks ago), here’s your rapidshare link. Wild Instrumental Party !

Larry Donn Gillihan was born and raised in Bono, Arkansas in 1941. He decided it was time he got in on the act and so he formed his first band in 1957 at the ripe old age of 16. In 1959 he recorded "Honey Bun" on the Vaden label. "Honey Bun" and the flip side "That's What I Call a Ball" have since become Rockabilly standards performed by musicians all over the world. You can read more here Larry Donn - That's What I Call A Ball Larry Donn - Girl Next Door Larry Donn - Honey-Bun

Hey Hey Hey !Welcome Back y’all ! One more time all together : ‘happy new year, best wishes, etc…..’ (thanks a bunch for your emails by the way) Ok let’s start 2006 on the good foot shall we? Esther Phillips (or Little Esther as she was known as then) recorded her first work with Johnny Otis in 1949 at the grand age of 13 years old (she was already part of his band), then in 1950 became the youngest R&B singer to have a #1 US R&B hit ("Double Crossing Blues"). The following year yielded six more Top Ten R&B hits, although from 1952 success dried up with Phillips then moving on from Johnny Otis and Savoy to new label Lenox. Taking the name Esther Phillips in 1962 (scoring her first hit in ten years with "Release Me"), she had a brief comeback with a few recordings and appearances here and there, but that’s another story folks ! Little Esther - I'm a Bad, Bad Girl Little Esther - Looking For a Man Little Esther - The Deacon Moves On