10 more obscurities chosen at random from my favorites lists
Today......from 1958
JERRY BYRNE -LIGHTS OUT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOW8lFaBK4U
Before New Orleans white youngster Frankie Ford made some classic rock
'n roll with the aid of the great band of Huey "Piano" Smith & The Clowns,another New Orleans youngster got there first.....as local
white High School student Jerry Byrne---one week after his 17th birthday recorded the classic Mac Rebbenack penned pounder "Lights Out" at
Cosimo's Studio,New Orleans.
The backing personnel here are a group of New Orleans' finest comprising
Edgar Blanchard (guitar) Justin Adams (guitar),Frank Fields
(bass),Charles "Hungry" Williams (drums).and Art Neville (piano) with
Harold Battiste (sax) who also produced the session for Specialty.
Coupled with "Honey Baby", it is on Specialty 635 in June 1958
“Lights Out” has always seemed more popular with rock ‘n’ roll fans over
here in Europe than those back in Jerry’s homeland.So very popular that Specialty reissued the single in the 70’s with the European market very
much in mind cos they got so many orders for the single from here
(including a fair share from our own oldies record store here in London
of course)
CHOKER CAMPBELL - WALKING ON MY THIN SOLE SHOES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugNOY1RoEYY
Here’s one I remember including in one of the old “New This Week” posts back in 2016. IIRC it was new to me then but I’ve had a great liking for
it ever since then
Hailing from Shelby Mississippi Campbell relocated to Saginaw Michigan
at an early age.Proficient on the saxophone Choker formed a band and
with Harold Young handling vocals cut the Amos Milburn-like “Last Call
For Whiskey” on Atlantic which was his debut in 1953.
“Walking On My Thin Sole Shoes” came in 1958 for Danny Robinson’s Everlast label (getting enough attention to warrant ABC-Paramount
picking up the recording for national distribution via its Apt label subsidiary)
Then in the early 60’s when Motown beckoned Campbell and his band took
up residence with the company-not only recording for them but also
playing behind some of the stars of the company and also going on tour
and backing some of them on live appearances.
THE COLLEGIANS - ZOOM,ZOOM,ZOOM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT0y_OCkAk0
All time great sounding vocal group classic by New York City’s The
Collegians (Roger Hayes,Harlan Jackson Vernon Riley,Henry Brown and
William Tankenton) who cut the ultra-catchy “Zoom,Zoom,Zoom” in 1958 for Paul Winley’s self titled Winley label
Winley records itself---in its original incarnation---was in operation
from 1956 to 1962 and in that relatively short time produced some forty
odd singles---including some of the very finest New York City vocal
group records ever made--including unforgettable gems from the likes of
great vocal groups like The Paragons and The Jesters
G. “DAVY" CROCKETT - LOOK OUT MABLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLANLiEppA8
One of my all time favorites that originally appeared in 1958 on the
Chief label.
The number is generally better known in the Checker label issue from
1965 (a slightly different take
--and a slightly different label spelling both in Crockett’s name and
also “Mable’s”) that was released
to cash in on the then-current popularity of Crockett with his Jimmy
Reed styled “It’s A Man Down There” hit on 4 Brothers label.
The Checker reissue was also instrumental in getting our London oldies
store off the ground (our first
hunting expedition to the USA resulted in hundreds of copies of this—on Checker---from the legendary
“Chess mountain”---that we shipped back to London and instantly that
became our #1 best selling single)
Here’s how “Billboard” saw it in June 1958
G.(DAVY) CROCKETT Look Out Mable - CHIEF 7010 -- Crockett packs a
rocking wallop on this driving blues side. Brought sound and good
reading by the cat give this a chance. Interesting wax (Velva BMI)
THE DU MAURIERS - ALL NIGHT LONG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI9-_1v9Y5M
One of the best ever “New York City sound” r&b vocal group records
arrived in 1958 via Bobby Robinson’s Fury label that had started up in
the city the previous year.
Here’s what the “Cash Box” reviewer had to say :-
DU MAURIERS (Fury 1011) "ALL NIGHT LONG” (2:43) D+ [Fire BMI—Anderson, >>> Robinson]
The Du Mauriers turn in a good performance of an exciting quick beat
jumper. Good gimmicks make it a >>> prospect for extensive sales. Keep a >>> close eye on it.
Amazing that such a very good record didn’t seem to spawn any kind of follow-ups---leastways
I know of nothing else by these particular Brooklyn’s own-did they
change their name or something?
Perhaps someone else here knows more?
JOHNNY FULLER - HAUNTED HOUSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM10AKk9YH8
The original (and easily best) version of one of the very best Halloween
(or indeed any other time in the year) songs written and produced by the
famous West Coast music master Bob Geddins and released by Specialty in
1958
Here’s how I rate the versions I’m familiar with :-
Johnny Fuller (Specialty) (1958) - 9
Jumpin’ Gene Simmons (1964) – 6
Jerry Lee Lewis (1973) – 6
Sam The Sham (1964) – 6
Several other “Haunted House” performances are different songs (example
: the nice later Jackie Wilson number)
EDDIE GAINES & THE ROCKIN' FIVE - BE-BOP BATTLIN' BALL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip5oV_0V_yg
Has to be up there with some of the best ever records that were
originally “B” sides (check the label on the YT clip). The “A” side is a
quite ordinary slow country weeper.
The rockabilly styled “Be-Bop Battlin’ Ball” was the debut record of native Kentuckian Eddie Gaines who was also the first signing to Bobby Anderson’s new Summit record company in 1958. Summit was also a Kentucky
born label located in Central City in that fair State
HUEY & JERRY - LITTLE CHICKIE WAH WAH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp1OvPD_ctc
Huey (Smith) & Jerry (Gerri Hall of The Clowns) both natives of New
Orleans combine on a great slice
of the memorable kind of r&b the Crescent City was famous for and that
I’ve always been in love with
Under contract to Johnny Vincent’s Ace label in Jackson,Mississippi this classic r&b duet was chosen to
usher in Vincent’s brand new “Vin” label subsidiary and was the first issue on the new label in 1958
JESSE JAMES - RED HOT ROCKIN' BLUES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbkIPLKmn44
Nee Lee Denson this West Coast guy had been round the block a few times before-- notably on RCA’s subsid Vik label where his “New Shoes” in late 1956---credited under his real name----was one of his better earlier
efforts and the one by him (under that name) that sold best for our
store.
By 1958 he’d already had one record out on the Modern subsidiary label
Kent (again as Lee Denson) before seeing out the year with the one under discussion here—definitely IMO his best---now renamed as “Jesse James” (tho the name change was just a “one off”----he was Lee Denson on all
his subsequent releases)-all on various labels even including as late as
1974 rubbing shoulders with the likes of Isaac Hayes on Enterprise!
The fact that the Kent flipside here---"South’s Gonna Rise Again” is a notable rocker too---does it
absolutely no harm whatever either
The record was reissued on a special pressing (same coupling) later in
the 70’s (80’s?) especially for “The Hollywood Rock ‘N Roll Fan Club”
IKE TURNER,CARLSON OLIVER & LITTLE ANN - BOXTOP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YN1AB5snUQ
Not to be confused with Ike’s later (1959) version of this title on
Cobra, this Tune Town label original
version is notable as the first appearance on wax of one “Little Ann”
alias Annie Mae Bullock fresh from Nutbush,Tennessee
And who would soon be given one more alias---that of “Tina Turner” (Ike apparently had the name trade marked so he could use another singer
utilizing the same name if the real Tina ever left the band).
Now I wonder what possible reason could a nice kind sweet gentle soul
like Ike give Tina to make her want to leave his band?
The mind boggles!
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