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Like a lot of you, I’m always looking for inspiration and part of that is finding the “perfect song” (of course it’s a moving target that changes all the time, just looking for the perfect song for right now). Here are a couple I thought were perfect enough, and I’ve gotten plenty of inspiration from them. Recorded in 1957 in Mississippi, it features Lightnin’ Hopkins’ cousin Frankie Lee Sims on guitar. Going to finish up today’s Blues Roots with a few by Frankie Lee Sims. Mercy Baby is Julius “Jimmy” Mullins, who sings and drums.
The flip.
Maybe this one is even better?
Here’s another one from someone else. Houston Boines (vocal) with Lawrence Taylor (alto), C.W. Tate (tenor), Ike Turner (piano), Little Milton (guitar), Jesse Knight Jr. (bass), Lonnie Haynes (drums); Memphis, December 23, 1953.
Thanks for checking this out. The next Blues Roots will appear on Thursday, October 25.
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To everyone I told I was going to feature B.B. King this week, I’m sorry, it was more than I could get together this time. This is just a repost of the playlist of his music for anyone who hasn’t seen it.
Here’s a YouTube-generated list of some of his early songs.
The first four songs he recorded are on that playlist (not in order, although the first one is the first one); they were recorded in Memphis in June 1949, by B.B. King (vocals, guitar) with Ben Branch (tenor), Thomas Branch (trumpet), Sammie Jett (trombone), Phineas Newborn, Jr. (piano), Richard “Tuff” Green (bass) Phineas Newborn Sr. (drums). Two generations of Newborns on this date; Calvin Newborn is a virtuoso guitarist, still living and playing at 85, who was 17 when played on B.B. King’s second studio date (see notes below).
The first 78 from the June 1949 session was “Miss Martha King” backed with “When Your Baby Packs Up and Goes.” The second one was “Got the Blues” backed with “Take a Swing with Me.”
B.B. King sang but didn’t play on the next session in Memphis in July 1950, with Calvin Newborn (guitar), Phineas Newborn, Jr. (piano), Tuff Green (bass), Earl Forest (drums).
The songs were “Mistreated Woman,” “B.B. Boogie,” three takes of “The Other Night Blues,” three takes of “Walkin’ and Cryin’” and “B.B.’s Boogie” (which isn’t on playlist).
The rest of the songs on the playlist came from 4 different 1951 sessions in Memphis with B.B. King (vocals, guitar) and His Orchestra (including Ike Turner on piano on “That Ain’t the Way to Do It”). This is from the same September 1951 session as “That Ain’t the Way to Do It.”
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Lowell Fulson’s early music, right on through the Chess period, has been a huge inspiration and influence. Listening to him, I get the juice that feeds my playing. If you’re only going to listen to one thing, listen to these.
He gets to rocking here!
I’ve got about two dozen of these on a double-LP set. That number seems about right, there are a few too many here.
Here’s a playlist I put together, starting with his too-few filmed and videotaped performances.
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This 5-part series is a slice of Chicago in the 1990s, featuring Hubert Sumlin, Junior Wells, Magic Slim & The Teardrops, Fenton Robinson, Robert Ward, Earl King, Clarence Hollimon, Lonnie Brooks, Keb’ Mo’, and that’s just the first three. Beyond that, I don’t know, I hope to be watching them with you, and I know they will be good.Chicago Blues, Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5
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Johnny Temple was a helluva songwriter, singer and guitarist.1935, one of the first shuffles
1936, with a song Howlin’ Wolf made a great record of
1947
1947
1947
March 1950
1950
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You know this tune?
You want to party and have a real good time, bark like a dog and forget what you’re doing? Instructions contained here. You know if you shouldn’t be listening to this—if you shouldn’t, please don’t.
They’re all on here.
“…I had to call you on the phone,” song of songs, speaking of inspiration, “…always on my mind.”
Rosco Gordon was Memphis.
Here’s a playlist of Memphis music I put together, with a focus on electric blues and R&B, but there are also, for example, some songs by Frank Stokes and Memphis Jug Band songs from the late 1920s. There are over 50 songs by Rosco Gordon on here, a lot are right near the beginning. Ike Turner was at times a prominent Memphian, as was Little Milton, who kicks off the playlist in a clip from The Beat!, a Nashville-based TV show that was filmed in Dallas because they had a color studio. There’s very little of Sun’s rockabilly, but there is some.
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This isn’t the first time Frankie Lee Sims has been featured here, and it won’t be the last.First recording he appeared on, 1947
This is side B of the first record under his own name, 1948
Playing with his cousin, 1949
A masterpiece, Dallas, 1953
1954
Another Lucy Mae song, 1957
Another masterpiece, coming back around, Mercy Baby plays drums, Jackson, Mississippi, 1957
Don D.
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