1938 Dave Alexander*
1950 David Maxwell*
1950 Edward 'Ted' McKenna
1953 Ronnie Earl*
1964 Gerd Gorke*
1976 John Nemeth*
1993 Camille Howard+
1997 LaVern Baker+
2005 Jackie Neal+
1950 David Maxwell*
1950 Edward 'Ted' McKenna
1953 Ronnie Earl*
1964 Gerd Gorke*
1976 John Nemeth*
1993 Camille Howard+
1997 LaVern Baker+
2005 Jackie Neal+
Happy Birthday
Ronnie Earl *10.03.1953
Ronnie Earl (* 10. März 1953 in New York City; eigentlich Ronald Horvath) ist ein US-amerikanischer Blues-Gitarrist.
Earl studierte an der Boston University, wo er sich für die lokale Blues-Szene begeisterte. Er wurde Mitglied einer Band in Cambridge, Massachusetts, und nahm den Künstlernamen Earl an, zu Ehren seines Vorbilds Earl Hooker.
1977 machte er erste Aufnahmen, zunächst mit Guitar Johnny & the Rhythm Rockers, dann als Gründungsmitglied von Sugar Ray & the Bluetones mit Sugar Ray Norcia. 1979 kam er zur Band Roomful of Blues, bei denen er acht Jahre lang blieb.
Daneben gründete Earl in den frühen 1980ern seine eigene Band The Broadcasters. 1983 brachte er sein erstes Soloalbum Smokin' heraus, dem 1984 They Call Me Mr. Earl folgte. 1987 verließ er Roomful of Blues und widmete sich seiner Solokarriere, bevor er im Jahr darauf die Broadcasters wieder belebte, mit Darrell Nulisch (Gesang), Jerry Portnoy (Mundharmonika), Steve Gomes (Bass) und Per Hanson (Schlagzeug). 1988 erschien das Album Soul Searchin, 1990 Peace of Mind und I Like It When It Rains (live), 1991 Surrounded by Love (mit Sugar Ray Norcia).
Anfang der 1990er überwand Earl seine Drogen- und Alkoholprobleme und formierte die Broadcasters neu: mit dem Organisten Bruce Katz, dem Bassisten Rod Carey und am Schlagzeug wie bisher Per Hanson. Der Stil wurde Jazz-lastiger. Es entstanden die Alben Still River (1993), Language of the Soul (1994), Blues Guitar Virtuoso Live in Europe (1995), Grateful Heart: Blues and Ballads (1996) und The Colour of Love (1997). 1997 gewann Earl einen Handy Award als bester Blues-Instrumentalist.
In dieser Zeit litt Earl an manischer Depression. Er löste die Band auf und machte eine Pause. 2000 nahm er mit dem Organisten Jimmy McGriff das Album Healing Time auf. 2001 folgte Ronnie Earl and Friends, 2003 I Feel Like Goin' On, 2004 Now My Soul und 2005 The Duke Meets the Earl mit dem Blues-Gitarristen Duke Robillard.
Ronnie Earl (born Ronald Horvath, March 10, 1953, Queens, New York, United States)[1] is an American blues guitarist and music instructor.
Career
Earl collected blues, jazz, rock and soul records while growing up. He studied American History at C.W. Post College on Long Island for a year and a half, then moved to Boston to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Special Education and Education at Boston University where he would graduate in 1975.[2] He spent a short time teaching handicapped children. It was during his college years that he attended a Muddy Waters concert at the Jazz Workshop in Boston. After seeing Waters perform, Earl took a serious interest in the guitar, which he had first picked up in 1973. His first job was as a rhythm guitarist at The Speakeasy,[3] a blues club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition to playing in the Boston blues scene, Earl traveled twice by Greyhound Bus to Chicago, where he was introduced to the Chicago blues scene by Koko Taylor.
Later he traveled to New Orleans and Austin, Texas, where he spent time with Kim Wilson, Jimmie Vaughan and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. In 1979 he joined Roomful of Blues as lead guitarist for the band.
He began performing solo in 1986, in addition to playing with Roomful of Blues, and he released his first solo album on the Black Top Records label with a quartet that focused on blues instrumentals. After leaving Roomful of Blues, he began collaborations with contemporaries Ron Levy and Jerry Portnoy, Earl King, Jimmy Rogers, and Jimmy Witherspoon.
In 1988, Earl formed his own band that he called The Broadcasters, named after the first Fender guitar which originally had been labeled The Broadcaster and was distributed in 1950. The first group of Broadcasters included Darrell Nulisch (vocalist), Jerry Portnoy (harmonica), Steve Gomes (bass), and Per Hanson (drums). In 1988 they released their first album, Soul Searchin, followed by Peace of Mind in 1990. Their album Language of the Soul was released in 1994. The lineup for the Broadcasters for that album was Bruce Katz (keyboards), Per Hanson (drums) and "Rocket" Rod Carey (bass). The next album The Colour of Love, featured Marc Quinones (percusion) and Gregg Allman (keyboards). The association lead to Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters opening for the Allman Brothers Band at Great Woods, and Warren Haynes (guitar for the Allman Brothers Band) sitting in with Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters at Johnnie D's in Somerville. Later Katz joining the Gregg Allman Band.
In 2000, Earl was diagnosed with several medical ailments,[4] and scaled back his touring, as well as re-evaluating his career plans. The current group of Broadcasters, Jimmy Mouradian (bass), Dave Limina (organ), and Lorne Entress (drums), began playing together prior to the 2003 release of I Feel Like Going On and, in 2009, released Living in the Light, their fifth release from Stony Plain Records.[5] In 2008, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters celebrated twenty years as a band, and by August, 2010, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters released Spread the Love.
Earl is a three-time Blues Music Award winner as Guitar Player of the Year.[6] For five years he was an Associate Professor of Guitar at Berklee College of Music and, in 1995, he released Ronnie Earl: Blues Guitar with Soul, an instructional VHS tape that was then re-released in DVD format in 2005. Earl was also the blues instructor at the 'National Guitar Summer Workshop'.
In early 2004, Earl's "Hey Jose" won in the third Independent Music Awards for Best Blues/R&B Song.
Career
Earl collected blues, jazz, rock and soul records while growing up. He studied American History at C.W. Post College on Long Island for a year and a half, then moved to Boston to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Special Education and Education at Boston University where he would graduate in 1975.[2] He spent a short time teaching handicapped children. It was during his college years that he attended a Muddy Waters concert at the Jazz Workshop in Boston. After seeing Waters perform, Earl took a serious interest in the guitar, which he had first picked up in 1973. His first job was as a rhythm guitarist at The Speakeasy,[3] a blues club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition to playing in the Boston blues scene, Earl traveled twice by Greyhound Bus to Chicago, where he was introduced to the Chicago blues scene by Koko Taylor.
Later he traveled to New Orleans and Austin, Texas, where he spent time with Kim Wilson, Jimmie Vaughan and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. In 1979 he joined Roomful of Blues as lead guitarist for the band.
He began performing solo in 1986, in addition to playing with Roomful of Blues, and he released his first solo album on the Black Top Records label with a quartet that focused on blues instrumentals. After leaving Roomful of Blues, he began collaborations with contemporaries Ron Levy and Jerry Portnoy, Earl King, Jimmy Rogers, and Jimmy Witherspoon.
In 1988, Earl formed his own band that he called The Broadcasters, named after the first Fender guitar which originally had been labeled The Broadcaster and was distributed in 1950. The first group of Broadcasters included Darrell Nulisch (vocalist), Jerry Portnoy (harmonica), Steve Gomes (bass), and Per Hanson (drums). In 1988 they released their first album, Soul Searchin, followed by Peace of Mind in 1990. Their album Language of the Soul was released in 1994. The lineup for the Broadcasters for that album was Bruce Katz (keyboards), Per Hanson (drums) and "Rocket" Rod Carey (bass). The next album The Colour of Love, featured Marc Quinones (percusion) and Gregg Allman (keyboards). The association lead to Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters opening for the Allman Brothers Band at Great Woods, and Warren Haynes (guitar for the Allman Brothers Band) sitting in with Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters at Johnnie D's in Somerville. Later Katz joining the Gregg Allman Band.
In 2000, Earl was diagnosed with several medical ailments,[4] and scaled back his touring, as well as re-evaluating his career plans. The current group of Broadcasters, Jimmy Mouradian (bass), Dave Limina (organ), and Lorne Entress (drums), began playing together prior to the 2003 release of I Feel Like Going On and, in 2009, released Living in the Light, their fifth release from Stony Plain Records.[5] In 2008, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters celebrated twenty years as a band, and by August, 2010, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters released Spread the Love.
Earl is a three-time Blues Music Award winner as Guitar Player of the Year.[6] For five years he was an Associate Professor of Guitar at Berklee College of Music and, in 1995, he released Ronnie Earl: Blues Guitar with Soul, an instructional VHS tape that was then re-released in DVD format in 2005. Earl was also the blues instructor at the 'National Guitar Summer Workshop'.
In early 2004, Earl's "Hey Jose" won in the third Independent Music Awards for Best Blues/R&B Song.
Seit mehr als 20 Jahre ist der Münsteraner als Sänger und Mundharmonika-Spieler in der deutschen Bluesszene präsent. In dieser Zeit spielte er mehr als 1500 Konzerte in ganz Deutschland .
Ebenso tourte er mit seinen Bands >Hootin’ the Blues, der "Blues Mafia" und den "Speedos" durch 9 Länder Europas. Zahlreiche Konzerte mit amerikanischen Bluesmusikern wie Angela Brown, Louisiana Red, Dave Myers, Sam Myers und über 10 Jahre intensive Konzerttätigkeit mit der US-Sängerin Jeanne Carroll bereichern seine Vita.
Mit seiner unverwechselbaren Stimme, sowie seinem virtuosem Harmonikaspiel (,das laut dem „German Blues Circle mit zum Besten Deutschlands gehört,) begeistert Gerd Gorke sein Publikum.
Er liefert ein musikalisches Repertoire aus Blues, Swing und Boogie der 40/50er Jahre . Bis Heute sind eine Vielzahl von CD’s erschienen mit „Hootin’the Blues“ ,der "Blues Mafia", "The Speedos" den "Pink Piano Altstars“ (ehemalige Formation der legendären Blues Session in Osnabrück) und zahlreichen Gasteinspielungen bei diversen Produktionen unter Mitwirkung von Gerd Gorke .
Seine neueste Formation heißt >Mr. Blues jr ., eine "frei skalierbare" Band - vom Duo bis zur Vollbesetzung - jedenfalls immer mit Gerd Goke an der Mundharmonika und Gesang!
Gerd ist mit seiner Band Gewinner der German Blues Challenge (2009) und Semifinalist bei der anschließenden International Blues Challenge.
Im Shop sind zwei seiner CDs zu haben: >"Hootin' the Blues - Tree Mountain Hop (2008)" - ein Album mit traditioneller Blues-Musik: Stomps and Hollers from the Westfalian Countryside - gespielt auf SEYDEL's 1847!
Und ein neueres Werk >"Delta Boys - Front Porch Stories (2010)" im Duo mit dem einzigartigen Michael van Merwyk auf der akkustischen Gitarre.
Ebenso tourte er mit seinen Bands >Hootin’ the Blues, der "Blues Mafia" und den "Speedos" durch 9 Länder Europas. Zahlreiche Konzerte mit amerikanischen Bluesmusikern wie Angela Brown, Louisiana Red, Dave Myers, Sam Myers und über 10 Jahre intensive Konzerttätigkeit mit der US-Sängerin Jeanne Carroll bereichern seine Vita.
Mit seiner unverwechselbaren Stimme, sowie seinem virtuosem Harmonikaspiel (,das laut dem „German Blues Circle mit zum Besten Deutschlands gehört,) begeistert Gerd Gorke sein Publikum.
Er liefert ein musikalisches Repertoire aus Blues, Swing und Boogie der 40/50er Jahre . Bis Heute sind eine Vielzahl von CD’s erschienen mit „Hootin’the Blues“ ,der "Blues Mafia", "The Speedos" den "Pink Piano Altstars“ (ehemalige Formation der legendären Blues Session in Osnabrück) und zahlreichen Gasteinspielungen bei diversen Produktionen unter Mitwirkung von Gerd Gorke .
Seine neueste Formation heißt >Mr. Blues jr ., eine "frei skalierbare" Band - vom Duo bis zur Vollbesetzung - jedenfalls immer mit Gerd Goke an der Mundharmonika und Gesang!
Gerd ist mit seiner Band Gewinner der German Blues Challenge (2009) und Semifinalist bei der anschließenden International Blues Challenge.
Im Shop sind zwei seiner CDs zu haben: >"Hootin' the Blues - Tree Mountain Hop (2008)" - ein Album mit traditioneller Blues-Musik: Stomps and Hollers from the Westfalian Countryside - gespielt auf SEYDEL's 1847!
Und ein neueres Werk >"Delta Boys - Front Porch Stories (2010)" im Duo mit dem einzigartigen Michael van Merwyk auf der akkustischen Gitarre.
For over 20 years Gerd is present as a singer and harmonica-player in the German Blues-scene. During this time he played on more than 1500 concerts all over Germany.
He also performed with his band >"Hootin’ the Blues", the "Blues Mafia" and the "Speedos" in 9 different european countries. He had many concerts with American Blues musicians like Angela Brown, Louisiana Red, Dave Myers, Sam Myers and over 10 years of intensive performances with the US-singer Jeanne Carroll enrich his vita.
His distinctive voice as well as his virtuosic harmonica playing (that is one of the best all over Germany according to the "German Blues Circle") he inspires his audience.
He plays the blues, swing and boogie from the 40th-50th. Until today there are many CDs available where Gerd plays together with his bands or as a guest on many other recordings.
Gerd's newest Band is named >Mr. Blues jr . and is a "scalable band" - if you can afford "only" a Duo or if you need a whole band - always featuring Gerd Gorke on harmonica and vocals!
Gerd and his band won the German Blues Challenge in 2009 and were semi-finalists at the following International Blues Challenge.
There are two CDs now available in our webshop: >"Hootin' the Blues - Tree Mountain Hop (2008)" - an album with traditional Blues music: Stomps and Hollers from the Westfalian Countryside - played on the SEYDEL 1847!
And a newer album together with Gerd's excellent duo partner Michael van Merwyk on accoustic guitar - >"Delta Boys- Front porch stories"
He also performed with his band >"Hootin’ the Blues", the "Blues Mafia" and the "Speedos" in 9 different european countries. He had many concerts with American Blues musicians like Angela Brown, Louisiana Red, Dave Myers, Sam Myers and over 10 years of intensive performances with the US-singer Jeanne Carroll enrich his vita.
His distinctive voice as well as his virtuosic harmonica playing (that is one of the best all over Germany according to the "German Blues Circle") he inspires his audience.
He plays the blues, swing and boogie from the 40th-50th. Until today there are many CDs available where Gerd plays together with his bands or as a guest on many other recordings.
Gerd's newest Band is named >Mr. Blues jr . and is a "scalable band" - if you can afford "only" a Duo or if you need a whole band - always featuring Gerd Gorke on harmonica and vocals!
Gerd and his band won the German Blues Challenge in 2009 and were semi-finalists at the following International Blues Challenge.
There are two CDs now available in our webshop: >"Hootin' the Blues - Tree Mountain Hop (2008)" - an album with traditional Blues music: Stomps and Hollers from the Westfalian Countryside - played on the SEYDEL 1847!
And a newer album together with Gerd's excellent duo partner Michael van Merwyk on accoustic guitar - >"Delta Boys- Front porch stories"
http://www.hootingtheblues.de/
John Nemeth *10.03.1976
John Németh (*1976, Boise, ID) kommt zwar nicht grad aus einer Gegend, die man als Hochburg von Soul und Blues bezeichnen könnte.
Aber dort war es, wo der extrem talentierte Sohn eines ungarischen Einwanderers seine ersten Erfahrungen auf der Harp machte, beeinflusst von Helden wie Sonny Boy Williamson und Little Walter. Dort begann seine Liebe zur Musik, die ihn vom Kirchenchor und Teenager mit eigener Band bis zu einem hochgelobten Sänger, Harper und Songschreiber mit sieben tollen CD’s und neun Blues Award Nominierungen brachte.
2014 gewann er den Blues Music Award als bester männlicher Soul Blues Künstler des Jahres. Mit seiner Karriere ging es steil aufwärts, nachdem er 2002 in der Band von Junior Watson spielte. Watson war zwei Jahre später auch auf seinem ersten Solo Album mit von der Partie.
Als grossartiger Sänger mit viel Soul in der Stimme und tollem Harpspiel gelang es ihm mühelos, ab 2005 vorübergehend den grossen Sam Myers bei Anson Funderburgh‘s Band zu ersetzen. Seine folgenden CD’s, die er ab 2006 auf dem bekannten Blind Pig Label veröffentlichte, erreichten fast alle hohe Notierungen in den Billboard Top Blues Album Charts.
Seit 2013 lebt Németh in Memphis. Welch hohen Stellenwert er in der Szene geniesst, verdeutlicht wohl am besten die renommierte Zeitschrift Living Blues, deren Kritiker gar meinte, John Németh sei vielleicht der beste weisse Blues Sänger aller Zeiten.
John Németh (born 1976) is an American electric blues and soul harmonicist, singer, and songwriter. He has recorded seven albums since 2002, having also backed Junior Watson and Anson Funderburgh.[1] He has opened for Robert Cray, Keb' Mo', and Earl Thomas.[2]
Allmusic noted that he is a "vocalist with great range, ability, and soulfulness, Németh had also developed into a top-notch blues harmonica player..."[1] In 2013 alone, he was nominated five times for a Blues Music Award, making nine such nominations in total.
Németh was born in Idaho, United States and grew up in Boise.[1] After singing at his local church, Németh played in local groups in his teenage years, and later formed Fat John & the 3 Slims with his friend Tom Moore. He toured and performed regularly working between five and seven nights a week for almost a decade.[4]
By 2000, Németh was supplying backing to Junior Watson, and separately fronting his own band known as The Jacks.[1] In 2002, he self-published the album, The Jack of Harps. His debut solo effort, Come and Get It, followed in 2004.[1] The same year, Németh relocated to Oakland, California.[5][6] Gaining more experience, he temporarily replaced Sam Myers in Anson Funderburgh's backing band in 2005 and 2006.[2]
In 2006, he signed a recording contract with Blind Pig Records. Magic Touch, which was produced by Funderburgh and had Watson as a guest musician on several tracks, was issued in 2007.[1] Living Blues stated "Magic Touch gives hope that the blues will survive." The release saw Németh nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Best New Artist Debut' category. Németh also appeared on Elvin Bishop's The Blues Roles On album (2008), which was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Blues Album category.[5] Németh performed at the Blue Bear Live III concert on May 9, 2008 at the Great American Music Hall, to benefit the Blue Bear School of Music.[7] Németh's next release, Love Me Tonight (2009), reached number 6 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums Chart.[8]
Németh's fourth solo release, Name the Day!, was released in 2010.[1] It equalled the achievement of Love Me Tonight by peaking at number 6 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums Chart.[8] Blues Live was recorded in February 2012 at three venues in the San Francisco Bay Area, and included guitar contributions from Kid Andersen.[9] Soul Live was released in September 2012.[10] In December 2012, Németh appeared at the PowerHouse Pub in Folsom, California.[11] The following February, he performed in his home town of Boise.[12]
In 2013, Németh was nominated in five categories for a Blues Music Award. These included 'B.B. King Entertainer', 'Contemporary Blues Album', 'Instrumentalist - Harmonica', 'Soul Blues Album', and 'Soul Blues Male Artist'.[13] Németh is due to perform at the Great Lakes Blues Society in April; the Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival in May; and the Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival in August 2013.[14] He relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in early 2013, and has stated that the Bo-Keys will back him on his next recording.[15] In 2014, he won a Blues Music Award in the 'Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year' category.[16]
Németh is sponsored by Hohner.[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N%C3%A9meth
John Nemeth - Love Gone Crazy [HD]
Boise, Idaho is hardly the place anyone would conjure up as a hotbed of soul music.
But for John Németh, it’s where his love for the genre began—and the starting point for a journey that’s taken him from his first gigs fronting a teenaged band to five Blues Music Award nominations in 2013 alone.
It’s where this preternaturally talented son of a Hungarian immigrant gained his early chops on the harmonica, building on the style of rootsy heroes like Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson. Németh’s first paid performance came in 1991, when he was hired to perform drinking songs for a pinochle luncheon held by the Catholic Daughters of America before setting his sights on the Boise club scene, where, for nearly a decade, he played seven nights a week at local pubs, taverns, joints, and parties.
After opening a show for Junior Watson, Németh was tapped as tour opener for the guitar great, a gig that took him across the United States, to Scandinavia, and into the recording studio for his 2004 solo debut, Come And Get It, featuring Watson. When Németh’s girlfriend decided to relocate to California, he knew he couldn’t lose her, so he packed up the house and traveled west. It was an astute move: shortly after his arrival, Németh was signed by Blind Pig Records to a three-album deal. He also earned critical acclaim placing him in, as Nick Cristiano of the Philadelphia Inquirer put it, “a cadre of young and relatively young artists such as James Junter, Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed, and Sharon Jones.”
“I learned a lot living in Oakland and San Francisco,” Németh says, “from recording and performing with Elvin Bishop to hearing Jimmy Hughes perform. Oakland is like a truly southern city, only it’s on the west coast. It wasn’t until after I arrived that I discovered that so many great songs I love actually originated there.”
In early 2013, Németh traded his life on the west coast to settle down in Memphis, Tennessee. He and Jaki, that girlfriend he followed to California, had married and started a family, and Memphis made sense for multiple reasons: It’s centrally located for touring, the cost of living is inexpensive, and the river town is the historical ground zero for American roots music.
“I moved to Memphis because it is the epicenter for soul and blues,” Németh confirms. “The wealth of knowledge runs deep in the instincts of its musicians and its studios.”
The 2000-mile trek south was wild. Németh’s 26-foot Budget rental truck broke down in the middle of the night in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he had to unload the entire truck and reload a new one on the side of the road. A scant two days after that, he was in Memphis and, as improbably as it sounds, in the recording studio.
Németh landed in the perfect place: Electraphonic Studio, home of producer and musician Scott Bomar, who composed the film scores for Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan and produced Cyndi Lauper’s Memphis Blues. Backed by the Bo-Keys, Bomar’s group of veteran Memphis performers who made their names backing the likes of Al Green, O.V. Wright, Rufus Thomas, and the Bar-Kays, Németh quickly laid down thirteen tracks that, as he describes it, “live in the style like I live in the style.” The tapes from that session caught the ear of manager Charles Driebe, who took the record to Denby Auble of Blue Corn Music. The Americana/roots music label signed Németh that year, adding him to a roster that boasts the likes of Ruthie Foster, Gurf Morlix, and Steve Forbert.
Memphis Grease, the long-awaited follow up to Németh’s fourth solo studio release, 2010’s Name The Day!, embodies everything that sets this artist apart from the revivalist pack: it’s innovative and unique while epitomizing the absolute best of the genre. It’s a deeply forged amalgamation of scorching harmonica-driven blues and sweet blue-eyed soul ala the Box Tops or Roy Head, delivered via two fistfuls of originals and a trio of carefully chosen covers, including Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” reinvented here as a slow-burning soul number that matches anything that came out of circa-late 1960s’ Muscle Shoals.
The album title itself is evocative of Németh’s journey to Memphis. The soul-blues scene he fell into in the Bay Area is historically referred to as “Oakland Grease,” and a pair of Oakland’s “greasiest” artists, guitarist Lowell Fulson and pianist Jimmy McCracklin, journeyed south to record two of their best, if often overlooked albums: Fulson’s funky psych-blues In A Heavy Bag and McCracklin’s soulful High on the Blues. For Németh, Memphis Grease is a natural concept that marries the techniques he honed in the Bay with the intuitiveness that flows between him and the Bo-Keys.
“When it comes to more traditional styles of music, people expect to hear a tribute record. But you can get into a real rut if you’re just doing rewrites,” Németh says. “We’re creating fresh music here. Our arrangements sound just like they would back then, but what we’re doing is so much more innovative.”
With the inter-generational combination of drummer Howard Grimes, guitarist Joe Restivo, Al Gamble on keyboards, producer Scott Bomar on bass, venerable soul vocalist Percy Wiggins singing background, and a killer horn section featuring Marc Franklin, Kirk Smothers, and Art Edmaisten, it’s a collaboration that sounds completely effortless. Together, Németh and the Bo-Keys take modern soul from a simmer to a full boil.
The Bo-Keys
Lost in much of the soul revival hype is the fact that many of the originators of soul music are still performing up to their Black Power-era standards. In the early parts of their careers, members of the Bo-Keys performed in B.B. King’s orchestra, anchored the Hi Rhythm Section, nailed the unforgettable intro to “Theme From Shaft,” and survived the plane crash that claimed Otis Redding. The Bo-Keys features alumni both of Stax Records and Hi Records, plus younger musicians who’ve garnered an Emmy award and a Grammy nomination. The Bo-Keys’ debut effort The Royal Sessions drew raves, and can still be heard in snippets on National Public Radio broadcasts. Their song “I’m Still in Need,” with Percy Wiggins on vocals, is featured in the new film Grudge Match, starring Robert DeNiro and Sylvester Stallone.
The Bo-Keys include vocalist Percy Wiggins, keyboardist Al Gamble, trumpeter Marc Franklin (Lucero, Solomon Burke, Bobby “Blue” Bland), and saxophonists Kirk Smothers (Buddy Guy, Ike Turner, Cliff Richard), and Art Edmaisten. On drums is the incomparable Howard Grimes, whose credits include Rufus and Carla Thomas’ “Cause I Love You,” O.V. Wright’s “Nickel and a Nail,” Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain,” and Syl Johnson’s “Take Me to the River.”
Bass player Scott Bomar is a founding father of The Bo-Keys, along with the late guitarist Skip Pitts. Bomar’s music career began in the 1990s with the instrumental group Impala; the bassist also backed Rufus and Carla Thomas, Rosco Gordon, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, and Motown session guitarist Dennis Coffey. Production-wise, Bomar served an apprenticeship with Willie Mitchell, engineering Al Green’s two most recent releases at Mitchell’s Royal Studio and working with a variety of musicians, running the gamut from jazz legend Calvin Newborn to punk visionary Jay Reatard. In 2005, Bomar composed the soundtrack for the Academy Award-winning film Hustle and Flow, and the Bo-Keys played the film’s score. Bomar also produced three songs for the Soul Men motion picture soundtrack, including the Grammy-nominated “Soul Music,” and the Bo-Keys performed on-screen with stars Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mack. Most recently Bomar won an Emmy for “Best Original Music” for the documentary I Am A Man: From Memphis, A Lesson in Life and co-produced and engineered Cyndi Lauper’s Grammy-nominated Memphis Blues album at his own Electraphonic Recording studio in downtown Memphis.
But for John Németh, it’s where his love for the genre began—and the starting point for a journey that’s taken him from his first gigs fronting a teenaged band to five Blues Music Award nominations in 2013 alone.
It’s where this preternaturally talented son of a Hungarian immigrant gained his early chops on the harmonica, building on the style of rootsy heroes like Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson. Németh’s first paid performance came in 1991, when he was hired to perform drinking songs for a pinochle luncheon held by the Catholic Daughters of America before setting his sights on the Boise club scene, where, for nearly a decade, he played seven nights a week at local pubs, taverns, joints, and parties.
After opening a show for Junior Watson, Németh was tapped as tour opener for the guitar great, a gig that took him across the United States, to Scandinavia, and into the recording studio for his 2004 solo debut, Come And Get It, featuring Watson. When Németh’s girlfriend decided to relocate to California, he knew he couldn’t lose her, so he packed up the house and traveled west. It was an astute move: shortly after his arrival, Németh was signed by Blind Pig Records to a three-album deal. He also earned critical acclaim placing him in, as Nick Cristiano of the Philadelphia Inquirer put it, “a cadre of young and relatively young artists such as James Junter, Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed, and Sharon Jones.”
“I learned a lot living in Oakland and San Francisco,” Németh says, “from recording and performing with Elvin Bishop to hearing Jimmy Hughes perform. Oakland is like a truly southern city, only it’s on the west coast. It wasn’t until after I arrived that I discovered that so many great songs I love actually originated there.”
In early 2013, Németh traded his life on the west coast to settle down in Memphis, Tennessee. He and Jaki, that girlfriend he followed to California, had married and started a family, and Memphis made sense for multiple reasons: It’s centrally located for touring, the cost of living is inexpensive, and the river town is the historical ground zero for American roots music.
“I moved to Memphis because it is the epicenter for soul and blues,” Németh confirms. “The wealth of knowledge runs deep in the instincts of its musicians and its studios.”
The 2000-mile trek south was wild. Németh’s 26-foot Budget rental truck broke down in the middle of the night in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he had to unload the entire truck and reload a new one on the side of the road. A scant two days after that, he was in Memphis and, as improbably as it sounds, in the recording studio.
Németh landed in the perfect place: Electraphonic Studio, home of producer and musician Scott Bomar, who composed the film scores for Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan and produced Cyndi Lauper’s Memphis Blues. Backed by the Bo-Keys, Bomar’s group of veteran Memphis performers who made their names backing the likes of Al Green, O.V. Wright, Rufus Thomas, and the Bar-Kays, Németh quickly laid down thirteen tracks that, as he describes it, “live in the style like I live in the style.” The tapes from that session caught the ear of manager Charles Driebe, who took the record to Denby Auble of Blue Corn Music. The Americana/roots music label signed Németh that year, adding him to a roster that boasts the likes of Ruthie Foster, Gurf Morlix, and Steve Forbert.
Memphis Grease, the long-awaited follow up to Németh’s fourth solo studio release, 2010’s Name The Day!, embodies everything that sets this artist apart from the revivalist pack: it’s innovative and unique while epitomizing the absolute best of the genre. It’s a deeply forged amalgamation of scorching harmonica-driven blues and sweet blue-eyed soul ala the Box Tops or Roy Head, delivered via two fistfuls of originals and a trio of carefully chosen covers, including Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” reinvented here as a slow-burning soul number that matches anything that came out of circa-late 1960s’ Muscle Shoals.
The album title itself is evocative of Németh’s journey to Memphis. The soul-blues scene he fell into in the Bay Area is historically referred to as “Oakland Grease,” and a pair of Oakland’s “greasiest” artists, guitarist Lowell Fulson and pianist Jimmy McCracklin, journeyed south to record two of their best, if often overlooked albums: Fulson’s funky psych-blues In A Heavy Bag and McCracklin’s soulful High on the Blues. For Németh, Memphis Grease is a natural concept that marries the techniques he honed in the Bay with the intuitiveness that flows between him and the Bo-Keys.
“When it comes to more traditional styles of music, people expect to hear a tribute record. But you can get into a real rut if you’re just doing rewrites,” Németh says. “We’re creating fresh music here. Our arrangements sound just like they would back then, but what we’re doing is so much more innovative.”
With the inter-generational combination of drummer Howard Grimes, guitarist Joe Restivo, Al Gamble on keyboards, producer Scott Bomar on bass, venerable soul vocalist Percy Wiggins singing background, and a killer horn section featuring Marc Franklin, Kirk Smothers, and Art Edmaisten, it’s a collaboration that sounds completely effortless. Together, Németh and the Bo-Keys take modern soul from a simmer to a full boil.
The Bo-Keys
Lost in much of the soul revival hype is the fact that many of the originators of soul music are still performing up to their Black Power-era standards. In the early parts of their careers, members of the Bo-Keys performed in B.B. King’s orchestra, anchored the Hi Rhythm Section, nailed the unforgettable intro to “Theme From Shaft,” and survived the plane crash that claimed Otis Redding. The Bo-Keys features alumni both of Stax Records and Hi Records, plus younger musicians who’ve garnered an Emmy award and a Grammy nomination. The Bo-Keys’ debut effort The Royal Sessions drew raves, and can still be heard in snippets on National Public Radio broadcasts. Their song “I’m Still in Need,” with Percy Wiggins on vocals, is featured in the new film Grudge Match, starring Robert DeNiro and Sylvester Stallone.
The Bo-Keys include vocalist Percy Wiggins, keyboardist Al Gamble, trumpeter Marc Franklin (Lucero, Solomon Burke, Bobby “Blue” Bland), and saxophonists Kirk Smothers (Buddy Guy, Ike Turner, Cliff Richard), and Art Edmaisten. On drums is the incomparable Howard Grimes, whose credits include Rufus and Carla Thomas’ “Cause I Love You,” O.V. Wright’s “Nickel and a Nail,” Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain,” and Syl Johnson’s “Take Me to the River.”
Bass player Scott Bomar is a founding father of The Bo-Keys, along with the late guitarist Skip Pitts. Bomar’s music career began in the 1990s with the instrumental group Impala; the bassist also backed Rufus and Carla Thomas, Rosco Gordon, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, and Motown session guitarist Dennis Coffey. Production-wise, Bomar served an apprenticeship with Willie Mitchell, engineering Al Green’s two most recent releases at Mitchell’s Royal Studio and working with a variety of musicians, running the gamut from jazz legend Calvin Newborn to punk visionary Jay Reatard. In 2005, Bomar composed the soundtrack for the Academy Award-winning film Hustle and Flow, and the Bo-Keys played the film’s score. Bomar also produced three songs for the Soul Men motion picture soundtrack, including the Grammy-nominated “Soul Music,” and the Bo-Keys performed on-screen with stars Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mack. Most recently Bomar won an Emmy for “Best Original Music” for the documentary I Am A Man: From Memphis, A Lesson in Life and co-produced and engineered Cyndi Lauper’s Grammy-nominated Memphis Blues album at his own Electraphonic Recording studio in downtown Memphis.
John Nemeth - Love Gone Crazy [HD]
Edward 'Ted' McKenna *10.03.1950
Edward 'Ted' McKenna (born 10 March 1950, Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland), is a Scottish drummer, who has played with bands Tear Gas, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Rory Gallagher, The Sensational Party Boys,[1] and The Michael Schenker Group. He also toured with Ian Gillan for a short period in 1975 alongside fellow former SAHB bassist, Chris Glen. He lectured in Applied Arts at North Glasgow College from 1996–2011. McKenna was educated at St Patrick's High School, Coatbridge. His studies included Double bass lessons at school, several piano lessons, and a year under Glasgow big band veteran, Lester Penman. He has worked as a bandmember for several artists, including Rory Gallagher from 1978–1981. He additionally worked as a session musician with Greg Lake & Gary Moore in The Greg Lake Band 1980–81; the Michael Schenker Group in 1981–84; Bugatti & Musker, 1982; Ian Gillan; and a solo album for Nazareth singer Dan McCafferty, in 1975.
Ted also had his own band after his time in MSG called McKenna's Gold. Formed at the end of 1986 this band played together for just over two years and featured Charles Bowyer/vocals, Julian Hutson-Saxby/guitar, Alex Bowler/bass and Steve Franklin/keyboards. Julian Hutson-Saxby later played guitar with the reformed Sensational Alex Harvey Band after Zal's departure in 2008.
In 1992, Ted & Zal Cleminson decided to get together again and they put together an outfit called The Party Boys an idea Ted had in Australia whilst working with Womack and Womack. They had keyboardist Ronnie Leahy from Stone The Crows come in, and invited well known and respected rock singers to come up and do their thing. Singers such as Stevie Doherty, Fish, and Dan McCafferty to name a few. It wasn't before long that the band decided to get reunited with SAHB keyboardist Hugh McKenna and reform as SAHB. This line up included Stevie Doherty from Zero Zero & Peter Goes To Partick on vocal duties, and they released a live album titled 'LIVE IN GLASGOW 93' which is still regarded as one of the best live albums the band did as it shows both their technical abilities, and their 'rockier' spin on the SAHB classics. The band later disbanded in 1995 after a gig with Maggie Bell at The Kings Theatre in Glasgow.
In 2004, Ted again reformed SAHB with remaining members Zal Cleminson, Hugh McKenna, and Chris Glen, but this time introduced vocalist Max Maxwell, formally of The Shamen, which originally was to be a farewell tour, but with the success they received, the band decided to keep it together and do various other tours and festivals from 2004–2009. Some of the festivals the band performed were:
The Wickerman Festival & The Sweden Rock Festival in 2006
The Tours were:
2004 - Brick By Brick, 2005 - Zalvation, 2006 - Dogs of War, 2007 - Hail Vibrania
In this time they also released a live album Zalvation, which was the band's first official release since Rock Drill in 1977 with Alex. They also performed various tours across the UK, Europe, and Australia, as well as 2 successful sellout Christmas shows in 2006 & 2007 at the ABC in their hometown of Glasgow. In 2008, Guitarist Zal Cleminson left the band and retired from performing altogether, and the band continued for a short spell with guitarist Julian Hutson Saxby before disbanding in 2009.
Although primarily known as a rock musician, Ted has also worked with jazz maestro John Etheridge, Juno Award-winning American/Canadian blues guitarist Amos Garrett and American soul duo Womack & Womack as well as Paul Rose, Gwyn Ashton, The Rhumboogie Orchestra, Frank O Hagan, and FISH. Ted is currently touring with Rory Gallagher bassist Gerry McAvoy and Dutch guitar virtuoso Marcel Scherpenzeel in "Band of Friends", a celebration of the music of Rory Gallagher. The band won 'Best Blues Band of 2013' at the European Blues Awards, and recently released a CD/DVD titled 'Too Much Is Not Enough'. Band of Friends Website: http://www.bandoffriends.eu/ Band of Friends Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GerryMcAvoys.BoF
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_McKenna Ted also had his own band after his time in MSG called McKenna's Gold. Formed at the end of 1986 this band played together for just over two years and featured Charles Bowyer/vocals, Julian Hutson-Saxby/guitar, Alex Bowler/bass and Steve Franklin/keyboards. Julian Hutson-Saxby later played guitar with the reformed Sensational Alex Harvey Band after Zal's departure in 2008.
In 1992, Ted & Zal Cleminson decided to get together again and they put together an outfit called The Party Boys an idea Ted had in Australia whilst working with Womack and Womack. They had keyboardist Ronnie Leahy from Stone The Crows come in, and invited well known and respected rock singers to come up and do their thing. Singers such as Stevie Doherty, Fish, and Dan McCafferty to name a few. It wasn't before long that the band decided to get reunited with SAHB keyboardist Hugh McKenna and reform as SAHB. This line up included Stevie Doherty from Zero Zero & Peter Goes To Partick on vocal duties, and they released a live album titled 'LIVE IN GLASGOW 93' which is still regarded as one of the best live albums the band did as it shows both their technical abilities, and their 'rockier' spin on the SAHB classics. The band later disbanded in 1995 after a gig with Maggie Bell at The Kings Theatre in Glasgow.
In 2004, Ted again reformed SAHB with remaining members Zal Cleminson, Hugh McKenna, and Chris Glen, but this time introduced vocalist Max Maxwell, formally of The Shamen, which originally was to be a farewell tour, but with the success they received, the band decided to keep it together and do various other tours and festivals from 2004–2009. Some of the festivals the band performed were:
The Wickerman Festival & The Sweden Rock Festival in 2006
The Tours were:
2004 - Brick By Brick, 2005 - Zalvation, 2006 - Dogs of War, 2007 - Hail Vibrania
In this time they also released a live album Zalvation, which was the band's first official release since Rock Drill in 1977 with Alex. They also performed various tours across the UK, Europe, and Australia, as well as 2 successful sellout Christmas shows in 2006 & 2007 at the ABC in their hometown of Glasgow. In 2008, Guitarist Zal Cleminson left the band and retired from performing altogether, and the band continued for a short spell with guitarist Julian Hutson Saxby before disbanding in 2009.
Although primarily known as a rock musician, Ted has also worked with jazz maestro John Etheridge, Juno Award-winning American/Canadian blues guitarist Amos Garrett and American soul duo Womack & Womack as well as Paul Rose, Gwyn Ashton, The Rhumboogie Orchestra, Frank O Hagan, and FISH. Ted is currently touring with Rory Gallagher bassist Gerry McAvoy and Dutch guitar virtuoso Marcel Scherpenzeel in "Band of Friends", a celebration of the music of Rory Gallagher. The band won 'Best Blues Band of 2013' at the European Blues Awards, and recently released a CD/DVD titled 'Too Much Is Not Enough'. Band of Friends Website: http://www.bandoffriends.eu/ Band of Friends Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GerryMcAvoys.BoF
The Paul Rose Band - LsL T-Bone Blues Jam
A slow blues shot at the end of a days filming at Riverside Complex in
Glasgow. With Paul Rose on guitar, Ted McKenna on Drums, Kenny Hutchison
on bass and Colin Train on keyboards. More song orientated footage to
follow shortly.
Rory Gallagher - As The Crow Flies.wmv
Ted McKenna -- drums
R.I.P.
LaVern Baker +10.03.1997
LaVern Baker (* 11. November 1929 in Chicago, Illinois; † 10. März 1997 in New York City; eigentlich Delores Baker, nicht jedoch Delores Williams, wie oft fälschlich angegeben (angeheirateter Name)), war eine US-amerikanische Rhythm-and-Blues-Sängerin.
Sie begann in einem Chicagoer Gospel-Kirchenchor, von dem aus sie mit siebzehn Jahren in einen Chicagoer sowie in einen Detroiter Nachtclub wechselte, wo man sie unter dem Namen Little Miss Sharecropper buchen konnte. Der Bühnenname bezog sich auf die seit Anfang der 40er Jahre in Chicago auftretende Little Miss Cornshucks, deren Erkennungsmelodie „So Long“ auch Baker sang. In Detroit wurde sie von dem Jazz-Orchesterleiter Fletcher Henderson entdeckt, der ihr einen Plattenvertrag bei Okeh Records verschaffte. Zusammen mit dem Orchester von Todd Rhodes nahm sie für King Records in Cincinnati ihre ersten Singles auf, die allerdings völlig unbeachtet blieben. Sie nannte sich von nun an LaVern Baker.
1954 erhielt sie einen Plattenvertrag bei Atlantic Records. Ihr Manager wurde Al Green, der sich bei ihren weiteren Rhythm-and-Blues-Aufnahmen bis zu seinem Tod im Jahre 1957 um Baker kümmerte. Eine unter ihnen war der Klassiker „Tweedlee Dee“, der später ein großer Hit für Georgia Gibbs wurde. Baker verklagte daraufhin Gibbs' Plattenfirma auf Schadenersatz wegen geistigen Diebstahls. Dieser Diebstahl bezog sich nicht auf die Songwriter-Tantiemen, sondern auf das Arrangement, das Ton für Ton übernommen wurde. Der damals in der Fachbranche beachtete Prozess entschied sich zu Ungunsten von Baker und Atlantic. Baker schaffte mit „Tweedle Dee“ gerade mal einen Platz 14 in den R&B-Charts.
Ab 1956 gelangten ihre Singles dann aber regelmäßig in die Pop-Charts. Ihre Alben verkauften sich nicht besonders gut, nennenswert ist allein LaVern Baker Sings Bessie Smith von 1958, auf dem Baker verschiedene von Smith' Blues-Klassikern vorträgt und dabei von Jazz-Musikern begleitet wird. Bis 1960 hielt die Hitwelle an (darunter ihr wohl bekanntester Song I Cried A Tear), doch dann drängte "Hitsville" Motown Baker immer mehr in den Hintergrund. Durch Zusammenarbeit mit dem Komponisten- und Produzenten-Duo Leiber/Stoller hatte sie 1962 mit See See Rider ihren letzten größeren Single-Erfolg.
Nachdem auch einige Duette mit Jackie Wilson ihr kein Comeback verschaffen konnten, wanderte sie nach Japan aus, wo sie sich als Entertainerin betätigte. 1969 vereitelte ihr eine Lungenentzündung eine weitere Karriere im Showbusiness und sie zog auf die Philippinen. Dort lebte sie zusammen mit ihrem Ehemann und leitete einen Nachtclub.
Erst 1988 kehrte sie zum 40-jährigen Jubiläum von Atlantic nach New York zurück und wurde Nachfolgerin Ruth Browns in dem Broadway-Musical Black And Blue. 1991 wurde sie in die Rock and Roll Hall of Fame aufgenommen[1] und sie begann ein Comeback. Obwohl ihr als Folge einer Diabetes-Erkrankung im Jahre 1995 beide Beine unterhalb des Knies amputiert werden mussten, trat sie weiterhin - nun im Rollstuhl sitzend - auf. Am 10. März 1997 starb LaVern Baker in einem New Yorker Krankenhaus an Herzversagen.
Delores LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" (1955), "Jim Dandy" (1956), and "I Cried a Tear" (1958).
Early life
Baker was born in Chicago and is occasionally referred to as Delores Williams because of an early marriage to Eugene Williams.[1][2]
Career
She began singing in Chicago clubs such as the Club DeLisa around 1946, often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper,[3] and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, and then became LaVern Baker when singing with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.[1]
In 1953 she signed for Atlantic Records as a solo artist, her first release being "Soul on Fire". Her first hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo "Tweedlee Dee" reaching #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. Georgia Gibbs' note-for-note cover of Baker's "Tweedle Dee" reached #1; subsequently Baker made an unsuccessful attempt to sue her and petitioned Congress to consider such covers copyright violations.[4][5]
Baker had a succession of hits on the R&B charts over the next couple of years with her backing group The Gliders, including "Bop-Ting-A-Ling" (#3 R&B), "Play It Fair" (#2 R&B), and "Still" (#4 R&B). At the end of 1956 she had another smash hit with "Jim Dandy" (#1 R&B, #17 pop). It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[6] Further hits followed for Atlantic, including the follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married" (#7 R&B), "I Cried a Tear" (#2 R&B, #6 pop in 1958, with sax by King Curtis), "I Waited Too Long" (#5 R&B, #3 pop, written by Neil Sedaka), "Saved" (#17 R&B, written by Leiber and Stoller), and "See See Rider" (#9 R&B in 1963). In addition to singing, she did some work with Ed Sullivan[7] and Alan Freed on TV and in films, including Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. In 1964, she recorded a Bessie Smith tribute album, before leaving Atlantic and joining Brunswick Records, where she recorded the album "Let Me Belong to You".[citation needed]
In 1966, Baker recorded a duet single with Jackie Wilson. The controversial song, "Think Twice", featured raunchy lyrics that were not considered appropriate for airplay at that time or even today. Three versions were recorded, one of which is the X-rated version with the raunchy lyrics.[8]
Baker and comedian Slappy White were married in 1959.[2] After the couple was divorced in 1969, Baker signed on for a USO tour; she became seriously ill with bronchial pneumonia after a trip to Vietnam. While recovering at the US Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines, a friend recommended that she stay on as the entertainment director at the Marine Corps Staff NCO club there. She remained there for 22 years, returning to the US after the base was closed in 1988.[9]
In 1988 she returned to perform at Madison Square Garden for Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary. She then worked on the soundtracks to films such as Shag, (1989), Dick Tracy, (1990) and A Rage in Harlem (1991), which were all issued on CD. She performed a song on Alan Parker's film Angel Heart (1987), which appeared on the original vinyl soundtrack album, but was not included on the later CD issue "for contractual reasons".[10]
In 1990, she made her Broadway debut replacing Ruth Brown as star of the hit musical Black and Blue.[9] In 1991, Rhino Records released a new album Live in Hollywood recorded at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill, as well as a compilation of her greatest Atlantic hits entitled Soul on Fire. In 1992, she recorded a well-received studio album, Woke Up This Morning, for DRG Records.[9] She continued performing after having both legs amputated from diabetes complications in 1994.[9] Baker made her last recording, "Jump Into the Fire," for the 1995 Harry Nilsson tribute CD, For the Love of Harry on the Music Masters label.[citation needed]
In 1990 she was among the first eight recipients of the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1991, Baker became the second female solo artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following Aretha Franklin in 1987. Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and was ranked #343 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Death
LaVern Baker died from cardiovascular disease on March 10, 1997, at the age of 67. She was originally buried in an unmarked plot in Maple Grove Cemetery, Kew Gardens, New York, but her grave received a headstone on May 4, 2008, after a fundraiser was held by local historians.
Early life
Baker was born in Chicago and is occasionally referred to as Delores Williams because of an early marriage to Eugene Williams.[1][2]
Career
She began singing in Chicago clubs such as the Club DeLisa around 1946, often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper,[3] and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, and then became LaVern Baker when singing with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.[1]
In 1953 she signed for Atlantic Records as a solo artist, her first release being "Soul on Fire". Her first hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo "Tweedlee Dee" reaching #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. Georgia Gibbs' note-for-note cover of Baker's "Tweedle Dee" reached #1; subsequently Baker made an unsuccessful attempt to sue her and petitioned Congress to consider such covers copyright violations.[4][5]
Baker had a succession of hits on the R&B charts over the next couple of years with her backing group The Gliders, including "Bop-Ting-A-Ling" (#3 R&B), "Play It Fair" (#2 R&B), and "Still" (#4 R&B). At the end of 1956 she had another smash hit with "Jim Dandy" (#1 R&B, #17 pop). It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[6] Further hits followed for Atlantic, including the follow-up "Jim Dandy Got Married" (#7 R&B), "I Cried a Tear" (#2 R&B, #6 pop in 1958, with sax by King Curtis), "I Waited Too Long" (#5 R&B, #3 pop, written by Neil Sedaka), "Saved" (#17 R&B, written by Leiber and Stoller), and "See See Rider" (#9 R&B in 1963). In addition to singing, she did some work with Ed Sullivan[7] and Alan Freed on TV and in films, including Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. In 1964, she recorded a Bessie Smith tribute album, before leaving Atlantic and joining Brunswick Records, where she recorded the album "Let Me Belong to You".[citation needed]
In 1966, Baker recorded a duet single with Jackie Wilson. The controversial song, "Think Twice", featured raunchy lyrics that were not considered appropriate for airplay at that time or even today. Three versions were recorded, one of which is the X-rated version with the raunchy lyrics.[8]
Baker and comedian Slappy White were married in 1959.[2] After the couple was divorced in 1969, Baker signed on for a USO tour; she became seriously ill with bronchial pneumonia after a trip to Vietnam. While recovering at the US Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines, a friend recommended that she stay on as the entertainment director at the Marine Corps Staff NCO club there. She remained there for 22 years, returning to the US after the base was closed in 1988.[9]
In 1988 she returned to perform at Madison Square Garden for Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary. She then worked on the soundtracks to films such as Shag, (1989), Dick Tracy, (1990) and A Rage in Harlem (1991), which were all issued on CD. She performed a song on Alan Parker's film Angel Heart (1987), which appeared on the original vinyl soundtrack album, but was not included on the later CD issue "for contractual reasons".[10]
In 1990, she made her Broadway debut replacing Ruth Brown as star of the hit musical Black and Blue.[9] In 1991, Rhino Records released a new album Live in Hollywood recorded at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill, as well as a compilation of her greatest Atlantic hits entitled Soul on Fire. In 1992, she recorded a well-received studio album, Woke Up This Morning, for DRG Records.[9] She continued performing after having both legs amputated from diabetes complications in 1994.[9] Baker made her last recording, "Jump Into the Fire," for the 1995 Harry Nilsson tribute CD, For the Love of Harry on the Music Masters label.[citation needed]
In 1990 she was among the first eight recipients of the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 1991, Baker became the second female solo artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following Aretha Franklin in 1987. Her song "Jim Dandy" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and was ranked #343 on the Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Death
LaVern Baker died from cardiovascular disease on March 10, 1997, at the age of 67. She was originally buried in an unmarked plot in Maple Grove Cemetery, Kew Gardens, New York, but her grave received a headstone on May 4, 2008, after a fundraiser was held by local historians.
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