1962 Richard Koechli*
1965 Sonny Boy Williamson II+
1981 Roy Brown+
Krissy Matthews*
Happy Birthday
Krissy Matthews *25.05.
Krissy Matthews (* 25. Mai 1992[1]) ist ein britisch-norwegischer Bluesrock-Gitarrist und Singer-Songwriter.
Biografie
Bereits mit drei Jahren nahm sein Vater ihn mit auf die Bühne. Seine erste elektrische Gitarre bekam Krissy Matthews an seinem achten Geburtstag. Sein Vater brachte ihm Stücke von Hank Marvin und den Shadows bei. Mit 11 Jahren entdeckte er den Blues für sich. 2004 spielte er John Mayall vor, dessen Konzert er in Norwegen besuchte. Mayell nahm den 12-jährigen mit auf die Bühne, um bei einigen Songs mitzuspielen. Daraufhin wurde er zu Interviews eingeladen und durfte bei einigen norwegischen Festivals und in Clubs mitspielen.[2]
In England gründete er 2004 seine erste Band, Krissy’s Blues Boys, in der sein Vater Keith Matthews als zweiter Gitarrist spielte. Nach einem Jahr wurde aus dem ursprünglichen Quartett ein Trio mit Keith Matthews am Bass; die Schlagzeuger wechselten öfters. 2005 nahmen sie eine erste CD Influences auf, mit Mark Freeman am Schlagzeug und Keith Matthews am Bass. Zunächst nur zum Verkauf bei Auftritten gedacht, bekam Krissy Matthews Anfang 2006 einen Plattenvertrag; das Album wurde in Blues Boy umbenannt.[2]
Anfang 2007 wurde das zweite Album No Age Limit in Norwegen aufgenommen. Neben Krissy Matthews spielten Keith Matthews am Bass, Freddy Schaal am Schlagzeug, Mike Smith an den Keyboards, und als „Special Guests“ Felix Peikli an der Klarinette und Silje Hagen als Begleitsängerin. Das Album erschien im August 2007. Im April 2008 verließ Krissy Matthews die Schule im Alter von 15 Jahren und widmete sich seitdem ganz der Musik.[2]
Im Januar 2009 entstand das dritte Album Allen in Reverse mit Keith Matthews am Bass, Chris Sharley am Schlagzeug, Mike Smith an den Keyboards und Holly Petrie als Begleitsängerin. Das Album kam im September auf den Markt. Im November gab es eine Live Session bei BBC Radio 2, die im Februar 2010 ausgestrahlt wurde. Das vierte Album Hit the Rock wurde Ende 2011 in Oxford aufgenommen und im April 2011 veröffentlicht.[2]
Das fünfte Album Scenes from A Moving Window entstand 2013 in der Besetzung Paul Jobson (Keyboards), Aaron Spiers (Bass) und Kevin Hickman (Schlagzeug), mit Nikki Loy und Keith Matthews als Gästen; Produzent war Pete Brown. Die Veröffentlichung fand erst 2015 statt.[2]
Krissy Matthews ist in zahlreichen Ländern und mit vielen maßgeblichen Größen der Bluesrock aufgetreten.
Half English/Norwegian Krissy Matthews was born 25th May 1992, and now at the rare age of 17, has already managed to do a lot of things a normal young teenager wouldn’t.
Krissy’s father, Keith Matthews first got him up on stage at the age of three, but Krissy got his first electric guitar at the age of eight, and from then on it was an upwards spiral. It all started in August 2004, when Krissy sat in with John Mayall and the BluesBreakers in the Notodden Blues Festival, Norway. He played two nights running, and from that, Krissy had national radio and press interviews and sat in with several top Norwegian acts.
Krissy went back in October 2004, where he appeared on “God Morgen Norge”, Norway’s national breakfast TV, did a radio session with Knut Reiersrud for “BluesAsylet” on NRK P2, and performed live on stage with Larry Burton (Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, Albert King) in the club “Muddy Waters”, centre of Oslo.
When Krissy got back to the UK, he started his first band Krissy’s Blues Boys. This was a four piece, with the extra guitar added by Keith Matthews. The band did several pub gigs to get the name around, with the odd festival, and an appearance by Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake) sitting in at one of them. Krissy continued to build his name up locally.
Then about a year later, Keith Matthews went onto bass, forming a 3 piece power blues trio, and this was the line up to stay. The band used different drummers, but in July 2005, went onto record their first CD “Influences” in Timeless Studios with Mark Freeman on Drums and Keith Matthews on Bass.
This was to be sold just at gigs, but then in February 2006, Krissy signed to Via Music in Norway, and the CD was released in Scandinavia. April 2006, Krissy went over to Norway for a press weekend to promote the CD. This included “God Morgen Norge” again and several radio and newspaper interviews such as “Dagbladet”, “Vaart Land” and “Aftenposten”.
Since then, the band have developed, had reviews in several magazines and newspapers, including a 7 page feature of Krissy and the band in the British national magazine “Blues Matters. February 2007, they went off to Norway to record the second CD “No Age Limit”, in Juke Joint Studios, Notodden.
This was followed up by their first trip to France in March the same year, where they performed the Blues Autour Du Zinc festival” and received great responses.
2 months later, Krissy was invited up by Jeff Healey to perform live on stage with him, which sadly turned out to be his last ever two songs performed live in the U.K.
The CD was released in August 2007, and to celebrate that, the band did a 15 date tour of Scandinavia, which included playing Rockefeller, Oslo supporting Walter Trout, and going off for two nights in the Mojo Blues Bar, Copenhagen. That same year, the band also went of to Europe in October, to celebrate the release. This included 3 shows supporting Robben Ford, as well as 4 club dates in and around Belgium and Holland, with a support slot for Walter Trout in the U.K, where Krissy got up and jammed with him.
April 2008, the band went off for their second tour of Europe, where they performed 15 shows in 15 days.
Since then the band did a week’s tour of Norway in May and September 2008 and a 20 date tour of Europe in October/November, as well as numerous gigs across the UK, performing festivals and receiving great reviews.
The next CD “Allen in Reverse” was recorded in January 2009, and was released in September 2009. It is receiving good reviews across Europe, and plenty of plays in Europe.
July 2009, Krissy got a phone call from Marshall Amplification to come and perform for the Marshall Class 5 Launch Party at Ronnie Scotts supporting Joe Bonamassa. Of course the band did the gig, and from that went onto recording for Paul Jones, and also had one of his songs on the Classic Rock Blues Compilation CD, and Total Guitar featuring him in the “Bands to watch out for” section.
November 20th, the band went to record a session for BBC Radio 2 Paul Jones at BBC Maida Vale, which was aired February 2010, just before a string of UK shows.
2010 proved to be another busy year for the band. Miikey Dean Smith joined the band on the drum stool, just before the festival season started, giving the band an extra dimension, and Krissy had his first 15 date tour of Poland on his own with a polish band, as well as several other fantastic gigs in Europe. The year ended with the recording of the 4th studio CD to date “Hit the Rock” which will be released late April 2011.
2011 is shaping up to be a busy year with over 50 gigs across Europe from March – June. Krissy is definitely worth going to watch, and is building up a name as one of the brightest blues rock players coming up in Europe.
The band have performed in over 12 different countries including England, Wales, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Holland, Belgium, Germany, France and Switzerland, and Portugal where they played the Festi Avante. Krissy performed to 15,000 people alongside Brazilian blues player Nuno Mindelis there. They got such a good reception, they got asked to come back the following year where they were upgraded as the main stage opening act.
Richard Koechli *25.05.1962
Nach seinem preisgekrönten Sachbuch «Masters of Blues Guitar» verblüffte der Schweizer Gitarrist & Songwriter Richard Koechli 2011 mit dem fantastischen RootsBlues-Album «Howlin' with the bad boys». 2013 doppelte er kräftig nach, heimste den renommierten SWISS BLUES AWARD ein, legte das vor Spielfreude strotzende Live-Album «Still howlin» vor und beweist anlässlich seiner laufenden Tour eindrücklich: Auf der Konzertbühne läuft der Blues zur Höchstform auf! 2014 kam der grosse Glückstreffer: Koechlis Musik zum CH-Erfolgsfilm «Der Goalie bin ig» (Co-produziert mit Peter Von Siebenthal) wurde mit dem SCHWEIZER FILMPREIS 2014 («Beste Filmmusik») ausgezeichnet. Die Spurensuche geht weiter – mit dem kürzlich veröffentlichten Roman «Dem Blues auf den Fersen» (tredition Verlag), welchen der Innerschweizer gemeinsam mit dem bekannten TV-Sprecher Ernst Süss auch live präsentiert. Ende April 2015 schliesslich erscheint sein neuestes Doppelalbum «Searching for the Blues».
Richard Koechli arbeitet seit 25 Jahren als professioneller Gitarrist auf der Bühne und im Studio mit unzähligen Grössen wie Blues Max, Polo Hofer, Lilly Martin, Dänu Brüggemann, Reto Burrell, Yvonne Moore, Luke Gasser, Jens Krüger, Jenny White, Nico Brina, Dänu Wisler oder Doris Ackermann - und hat sich in Deutschland wie in den USA als Autor erfolgreicher Gitarren-Sachbücher einen Namen gemacht. Spätestens seit seinem Album «laid-back» (2008) schätzt man den Luzerner auch als feinfühligen und mehrsprachigen Singer/Songwriter, doch sein grösster Joker bleibt die Slide-Gitarre. Sein geliebter 'Bottleneck' ist denn auch das perfekte Bindeglied zum Blues, dem er sich seit einigen Jahren kompromisslos und mit Erfolg hingibt: Sein Buch «Masters of Blues Guitar» (inzwischen in einer englischen Übersetzung auch weltweit veröffentlicht) heimste den Deutschen Musikeditionspreis «Best Edition 2011» ein, seine CDs wurden 2013 mit dem Swiss Blues Award ausgezeichnet, zusammen mit zahlreichen helvetischen Musikgrössen spielte er auf der legendären Schweizer Rock- & Blues-Cruise – bevor seine stimmungsvollen Gitarren-Klänge in Sabine Boss' Verfilmung von Pedro Lenz' Erfolgsroman «Der Goalie bin ig» 2014 mit dem Schweizer Filmpreis geehrt wurden. Als erster Schweizer Act trat Koechli noch im selben Jahr mit seiner Live-Band «Blue Roots Company» bei Europas renommiertestem «Lucerne Blues Festival» auf der Hauptbühne auf – und bedankte sich mit dem offiziellen 20-Years-Jubilee-Song «Lucerne is a Blues Town».
Jetzt schliesslich der unerwartete Quereinstieg in die Literaturszene: Mit «Dem Blues auf den Fersen» (tredition Verlag, Hamburg) legt Koechli eine packend-eigenwillige Gedankenreise zu den Tempeln der afroamerikanischen Musikseele vor. Humorvoll, tiefsinnig und verschroben mutiert in seinem Roman ein musikhistorisches Drama zur mythischen Erzählung – die er in Form einer musikalischen Lesung (zusammen mit dem bekannten TV-Sprecher Ernst Süss) auch auf der Bühne präsentiert. Den selben Titel in Englisch trägt auch das brandneue Musik-Album; eine Doppel-CD, welche Richard Koechli für einmal im Lichte eines Solo-Künstlers zeigt: «Ganz ohne Band, ungeschminkt, allein mit Stimme und Gitarre – das ist die eigentliche Prüfung, der sich jeder ernsthafte Sänger/Musiker früher oder später stellen muss ...» CD1 enthält den Live-Mitschnitt eines Solo-Konzertes im französischen «Hall Blues Club» - und auf CD2 sind diverse Film-Soundtracks (u.a. «Der Goalie bin ig») sowie der Bonus-Song «Dem Blues auf den Fersen», alles ebenfalls im Spirit der Solo-Musik, zu hören.
Richard Koechli (1962)
Guitar-Player, Singer/Songwriter, Producer & Author
Richard Koechli is a professional and popular roots-musician from Switzerland. He has played with many well known artists such as Larry Garner ("…maybe I'll forget your face, but I’ll never forget your slide-guitar!"), Philipp Fankhauser, Hank Shizzoe, Jens Krüger, Yvonne Moore, Polo Hofer, Max Lässer, Reto Burrell, Jenny White, Andy Martin, Keiser-Twins and many more. He is a regularly sought after studio musician and has also been engaged as producer for Swiss artists such as Daenu Brueggemann, KRIZZ, Deanu Wisler ore Blues-Max. Richard is also internationally known for the successful guitar-books he has written and released under AMA Publishing; "Slide Guitar Styles", "Best in the West"(translated in English and distributed by MELBAY) and the new award-winning release „Masters of Blues Guitar" (BEST GERMAN EDITION-Award 2011).
In 2002, Koechli had the creative vision to combine Celtic-Folkmusic with the Blues . He went on to produce the album „Blue Celtic Mystery" (MARA Records, AMA 626635). "Highly recommended!" (Glen Clifford, celtic-musicians.net). "He takes the myths of our lands and adds music that retains a hint of the ancient but is truly 21st century in style. He concocts new tales for our timeless times!" (Nicky Rossiter, www.rambles.net ).
Koechli was a guitarist and instrumental-composer for a long time, but now he definitely seems to be on his way to the world of Songwriting. Together with his musically solid and brilliant backup-band "Blue Roots Company", Koechli recorded the album “laid-back” (MARA Records, AMA 626668) in 2008. This album presents Richard in his best Singer/Songwriter manner and as a master of Slide guitar. Roots music at its finest , in two languages (French and English), caringly produced! Koechli puts together the spirit of all his inspirations: from Blind Willie Johnson, Fred Mc Dowell and Elmore James to Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, from Gary Rafferty, Zachary Richard, Eric Clapton and Randy Newman to … his biggest influences: the laid-back-Masters J.J. Cale and Mark Knopfler.
Between 2008 – 2010, Koechli played more than 180 club-gigs in Switzerland and wrote his new award-winning book „Masters of Blues Guitar“. In 2011 he felt that it was the right time to follow his Blues-roots and produce two real Blues-albums, dedicated to the pioneers of Afro-American Folk Blues: HOWLIN' WITH THE BAD BOYS (2011, Nation Music, NB 0262) and STILL HOWLIN (live, 2013, Nation Music, NB 0381). „Brilliantly delivered original compositions, deeply rooted in traditional blues – Richard Koechli bows before the legends and gets every blues-loving soul moving“ (Guido Schmidt, President Lucerne Blues Festival). Koechli finally won the SWISS BLUES AWARD 2013 at the Basel Blues Festival!
Guitar-Player, Singer/Songwriter, Producer & Author
Richard Koechli is a professional and popular roots-musician from Switzerland. He has played with many well known artists such as Larry Garner ("…maybe I'll forget your face, but I’ll never forget your slide-guitar!"), Philipp Fankhauser, Hank Shizzoe, Jens Krüger, Yvonne Moore, Polo Hofer, Max Lässer, Reto Burrell, Jenny White, Andy Martin, Keiser-Twins and many more. He is a regularly sought after studio musician and has also been engaged as producer for Swiss artists such as Daenu Brueggemann, KRIZZ, Deanu Wisler ore Blues-Max. Richard is also internationally known for the successful guitar-books he has written and released under AMA Publishing; "Slide Guitar Styles", "Best in the West"(translated in English and distributed by MELBAY) and the new award-winning release „Masters of Blues Guitar" (BEST GERMAN EDITION-Award 2011).
In 2002, Koechli had the creative vision to combine Celtic-Folkmusic with the Blues . He went on to produce the album „Blue Celtic Mystery" (MARA Records, AMA 626635). "Highly recommended!" (Glen Clifford, celtic-musicians.net). "He takes the myths of our lands and adds music that retains a hint of the ancient but is truly 21st century in style. He concocts new tales for our timeless times!" (Nicky Rossiter, www.rambles.net ).
Koechli was a guitarist and instrumental-composer for a long time, but now he definitely seems to be on his way to the world of Songwriting. Together with his musically solid and brilliant backup-band "Blue Roots Company", Koechli recorded the album “laid-back” (MARA Records, AMA 626668) in 2008. This album presents Richard in his best Singer/Songwriter manner and as a master of Slide guitar. Roots music at its finest , in two languages (French and English), caringly produced! Koechli puts together the spirit of all his inspirations: from Blind Willie Johnson, Fred Mc Dowell and Elmore James to Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, from Gary Rafferty, Zachary Richard, Eric Clapton and Randy Newman to … his biggest influences: the laid-back-Masters J.J. Cale and Mark Knopfler.
Between 2008 – 2010, Koechli played more than 180 club-gigs in Switzerland and wrote his new award-winning book „Masters of Blues Guitar“. In 2011 he felt that it was the right time to follow his Blues-roots and produce two real Blues-albums, dedicated to the pioneers of Afro-American Folk Blues: HOWLIN' WITH THE BAD BOYS (2011, Nation Music, NB 0262) and STILL HOWLIN (live, 2013, Nation Music, NB 0381). „Brilliantly delivered original compositions, deeply rooted in traditional blues – Richard Koechli bows before the legends and gets every blues-loving soul moving“ (Guido Schmidt, President Lucerne Blues Festival). Koechli finally won the SWISS BLUES AWARD 2013 at the Basel Blues Festival!
R.I.P.
Roy Brown +25.05.1981
Roy Brown wurde 1925 in New Orleans geboren und kam als Kind nach Eunice, wo er 1938 ein Gospel-Quartett gründete. 1942 ging er nach Los Angeles und schlug sich unter anderem als Boxer durch. 1945 gewann er einen Gesangswettbewerb. Danach versuchte er, seinen Lebensunterhalt als Sänger im Stil von Bing Crosby zu verdienen.
Karrierebeginn
1946 nahm er den Titel Deep Sea Diver für das Gold-Star-Label auf, der jedoch nicht in die Charts kam. Im selben Jahr schrieb Brown den Jump Blues Good Rocking Tonight. Er kehrte nach New Orleans zurück und bot das Stück dem populären Blues-Sänger Wynonie Harris an, der es jedoch zunächst ablehnte. 1947 nahm Brown den Song schließlich in den J&M-Studios von Cosimo Matassa selbst auf, diesmal für das DeLuxe-Label. Der Titel wurde im September 1947 als DeLuxe # 1093 veröffentlicht und erreichte Platz 13 der R&B-Charts. Nun erkannte Harris das Potenzial des Titels, nahm ihn ebenfalls auf und machte das Stück im Mai 1948 zum Nr-1-Hit der R&B-Charts. Elvis Presley, der damals noch bei Sun Records unter Vertrag war, nahm den Song mit einem authentischen R&B-Shout-Gesangsstil am 10. September 1954 auf.
Weitere Erfolge
Mit seiner Gruppe „Mighty-Mighty Men“ trat Brown schließlich überall in den USA auf. Seine fünfte Single für DeLuxe Records, Long about Midnight, erreichte in den R&B-Charts Platz 1. Sein erster Millionseller war der selbstverfasste Hard Luck Blues, aufgenommen am 19. April 1950. Weitere erwähnenswerte Titel von Roy Brown sind zum Beispiel Boogie At Midnight (September 1949) oder Love Don't Love Nobody (Juni 1950). Bis Ende 1952 blieb er bei DeLuxe, wechselte dann zum Label King Records, das DeLuxe zuvor erworben hatte. Seine erste Single dort erschien bereits im Januar 1953 unter dem Titel Travellin' Man. Diese und weitere 15 Singles kamen jedoch nicht mehr in die Charts.
Das gelang erst wieder mit dem Wechsel zu den größeren Imperial Records im Jahre 1956. Seine Version der Dave-Bartholomew-Komposition Let The Four Winds Blow, von Bartholomew selbst bereits im März 1955 aufgenommen und später durch Fats Domino zum Rock and Roll-Hit gemacht, erreichte im Mai 1957 Platz 5 der R&B-Charts und die Top 40 der Pop Charts (Platz 38). Ein weiterer Vorstoß in die Top 100 der Pop Charts (Platz 89) gelang Brown mit seiner Coverversion des Buddy Knox-Hits Party Doll. Unter Bartholomew als Produzent wurden zwischen 1956 und 1958 insgesamt 20 Stücke aufgenommen, teilweise im New- Orleans-Sound der J&M-Studios produziert.
Comeback und Tod
Der Crossover zum Rock and Roll gelang Brown wegen seines originären Bluesstils, der eher ein erwachsenes Publikum und weniger Teenager, die damals die hauptsächliche Hörerschaft des Rock and Roll bildeten, ansprach, nicht dauerhaft. 1970 deutete sich ein Comeback an, als er mit Johnny Otis beim Monterey Jazz Festival auftrat und die daraus resultierende LP neben etablierten - aber etwas in Vergessenheit geratene - Künstlern wie Roy Milton, Big Joe Turner oder Brown auch aufstrebende Musiker wie Shuggie Otis oder Margie Evans präsentierte. Im Jahre 1978 veröffentlichte er auf seinem eigenen Faith Records Label die LP Cheapest price in town, die neue Kompositionen beinhaltete und auf der neben erfahrenen Studio- und Livemusikern wie dem Saxophonisten Hollis Gilmore (u. a. Jimmy McCracklin) oder dem Schlagzeuger Charles Brown (nicht verwandt mit dem Pianisten gleichen Namens) auch der bekannte Gitarrist Pee Wee Crayton als Mitmusiker fungierten. Im selben Jahr tourte er durch England.
Roy Brown starb im Mai 1981 in San Fernando (Kalifornien) an einem Herzinfarkt. Im selben Jahr wurde er in die Blues Hall of Fame aufgenommen.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Brown_%28Bluesmusiker%29
Roy James Brown (September 10, 1925 – May 25, 1981)[1] was an American R&B singer, songwriter and musician, who had a significant influence on the early development of rock and roll and changed the direction rhythm and blues was headed in. His original song and hit recording "Good Rocking Tonight" was covered by Wynonie Harris, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Ricky Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone, James Brown, the Doors, and the rock group Montrose. Brown was the first singer in recording history to sing R&B songs with a gospel-steeped delivery, which was then considered taboo by many churches. In addition, his melismatical pleading, vocal style influenced such notable artists as B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Elvis Presley, Jackie Wilson, James Brown and Little Richard.[2][3]
Early life and education
Brown was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 10, 1925.[1] As with most R&B singers, he started singing gospel music in the church. His mother was an accomplished singer and church organist.[4] After a move to Los Angeles some time in the 1940s, and a brief period spent as a professional boxer in the welterweight category, he won a singing contest in 1945 at the Million Dollar Theater covering "There's No You", originally recorded by Bing Crosby. In 1946, Brown moved to Galveston, Texas, where he sang in Joe Coleman's group performing mostly songs from the Hit Parade, in a club called the Club Granada. His numbers included a song he wrote entitled "Good Rocking Tonight". After being rejected by the Armed Forces because of flat feet, he secured his first major job in a Shreveport, Louisiana club singing mostly pop ballads such as "Stardust" and "Blue Hawaii". The owner of Bill Riley's Palace Park hired him, as Brown told a Blues Unlimited interviewer, because of his appeal as "a Negro singer who sounds white."[5] It was at the Palace Park that Brown started developing a blues repertoire, learning contemporary R&B tunes such as "Jelly Jelly" (recorded by Billy Eckstine).[5] He returned to New Orleans in 1947, where he performed at The Dew Drop Inn.[6]
Career
Brown was a big fan of blues singer Wynonie Harris. When Harris appeared in town, Brown tried but failed to interest Harris in listening to "Good Rocking Tonight." Dejected, Brown approached another blues singer, Cecil Gant who was appearing at another club in town. Brown introduced his song, and Gant had Brown sing it over the telephone to the president of De Luxe Records, Jules Braun, reportedly at 4:00 in the morning. Brown was signed to a recording contract immediately. Brown recorded the song in a jump blues style with a swing beat. It was released in 1948 and reached #13 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Ironically, Wynonie Harris covered it and hit the top of Billboard's R&B chart later in 1948.[2] Presley also covered the song for Sun Records in 1954; later re-released on RCA Victor when his recording contract was sold to that record label in 1956.
Brown continued to make his mark on the R&B charts, scoring 14 hits from mid-1948 to late 1951 with De Luxe, including "Hard Luck Blues" (his biggest seller in 1950), "Love Don't Love Nobody", "Rockin' at Midnight," "Boogie at Midnight," "Miss Fanny Brown," and "Cadillac Baby", making him, along with Harris, one of the top R&B performers for those three years.
After his popularity peaked, Brown began to experience a lull in his career. Doo-wop and R&B groups were quickly gaining popularity as the standard sound of R&B in the early to mid-1950s. The decline of his fortunes coincided with his winning a lawsuit against King Records for unpaid royalties in 1952, one of the few African American musicians to do so in the 1950s. This has led some, such as author Nick Tosches (in his book Unsung Heroes of Rock 'N' Roll, which contained a chapter on Brown) to believe that Brown may have been blacklisted. Brown's other misfortunes included trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. When confronted by the government for unpaid taxes he owed, he approached Elvis Presley for help. Presley wrote him a check on a brown paper bag, but it wasn't enough to keep him out of jail. Brown did a little prison time for tax evasion.
Brown had a brief comeback through Imperial Records in 1957. Working with Dave Bartholomew, Brown returned to the charts with the original version of "Let the Four Winds Blow", co-written with Fats Domino, who would later have a hit with it.
He returned to King Records where his popularity ground down to a low by 1959, but he sporadically managed to find work and do some recording through the 1960s, making appearances where ever he was wanted.[2] To supplement his income, Brown sold the rights to "Good Rocking Tonight". "I was selling door to door," he once reminisced,[7] referring to his stint as an encyclopedia salesman.[8]
In 1970, Brown closed The Johnny Otis Show at the Monterey Jazz Festival. As a result of the crowd's positive reaction, he recorded "Love For Sale", which became a hit for Mercury Records.[4]
Later life and death
In the late 1970s, a compilation album of his old work brought about a minor revival of interest. In 1978 he had a successful tour in Scandinavia following the releases of Laughing But Crying and Good Rocking Tonight. Shortly before his death he performed at the Whisky A Go-Go in West Hollywood, California and headlined the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1981.
Brown died of a heart attack, at Pacoima Lutheran Memorial Hospital,[9] near his home in the San Fernando Valley on May 25, 1981. He was 55 years old.[1][2] The Reverend Johnny Otis conducted the funeral. He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame the same year.
Legacy
Two of Brown's songs, "Butcher Pete, Pt. 1" and "Mighty Mighty Man" are featured in the 2008 video game, Fallout 3. "Butcher Pete, Pt. 1," "Butcher Pete, Pt. 2", "Good Rockin' Tonight," and "Mighty Mighty Man" are featured in the 2015 sequel, Fallout 4.
Early life and education
Brown was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 10, 1925.[1] As with most R&B singers, he started singing gospel music in the church. His mother was an accomplished singer and church organist.[4] After a move to Los Angeles some time in the 1940s, and a brief period spent as a professional boxer in the welterweight category, he won a singing contest in 1945 at the Million Dollar Theater covering "There's No You", originally recorded by Bing Crosby. In 1946, Brown moved to Galveston, Texas, where he sang in Joe Coleman's group performing mostly songs from the Hit Parade, in a club called the Club Granada. His numbers included a song he wrote entitled "Good Rocking Tonight". After being rejected by the Armed Forces because of flat feet, he secured his first major job in a Shreveport, Louisiana club singing mostly pop ballads such as "Stardust" and "Blue Hawaii". The owner of Bill Riley's Palace Park hired him, as Brown told a Blues Unlimited interviewer, because of his appeal as "a Negro singer who sounds white."[5] It was at the Palace Park that Brown started developing a blues repertoire, learning contemporary R&B tunes such as "Jelly Jelly" (recorded by Billy Eckstine).[5] He returned to New Orleans in 1947, where he performed at The Dew Drop Inn.[6]
Career
Brown was a big fan of blues singer Wynonie Harris. When Harris appeared in town, Brown tried but failed to interest Harris in listening to "Good Rocking Tonight." Dejected, Brown approached another blues singer, Cecil Gant who was appearing at another club in town. Brown introduced his song, and Gant had Brown sing it over the telephone to the president of De Luxe Records, Jules Braun, reportedly at 4:00 in the morning. Brown was signed to a recording contract immediately. Brown recorded the song in a jump blues style with a swing beat. It was released in 1948 and reached #13 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Ironically, Wynonie Harris covered it and hit the top of Billboard's R&B chart later in 1948.[2] Presley also covered the song for Sun Records in 1954; later re-released on RCA Victor when his recording contract was sold to that record label in 1956.
Brown continued to make his mark on the R&B charts, scoring 14 hits from mid-1948 to late 1951 with De Luxe, including "Hard Luck Blues" (his biggest seller in 1950), "Love Don't Love Nobody", "Rockin' at Midnight," "Boogie at Midnight," "Miss Fanny Brown," and "Cadillac Baby", making him, along with Harris, one of the top R&B performers for those three years.
After his popularity peaked, Brown began to experience a lull in his career. Doo-wop and R&B groups were quickly gaining popularity as the standard sound of R&B in the early to mid-1950s. The decline of his fortunes coincided with his winning a lawsuit against King Records for unpaid royalties in 1952, one of the few African American musicians to do so in the 1950s. This has led some, such as author Nick Tosches (in his book Unsung Heroes of Rock 'N' Roll, which contained a chapter on Brown) to believe that Brown may have been blacklisted. Brown's other misfortunes included trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. When confronted by the government for unpaid taxes he owed, he approached Elvis Presley for help. Presley wrote him a check on a brown paper bag, but it wasn't enough to keep him out of jail. Brown did a little prison time for tax evasion.
Brown had a brief comeback through Imperial Records in 1957. Working with Dave Bartholomew, Brown returned to the charts with the original version of "Let the Four Winds Blow", co-written with Fats Domino, who would later have a hit with it.
He returned to King Records where his popularity ground down to a low by 1959, but he sporadically managed to find work and do some recording through the 1960s, making appearances where ever he was wanted.[2] To supplement his income, Brown sold the rights to "Good Rocking Tonight". "I was selling door to door," he once reminisced,[7] referring to his stint as an encyclopedia salesman.[8]
In 1970, Brown closed The Johnny Otis Show at the Monterey Jazz Festival. As a result of the crowd's positive reaction, he recorded "Love For Sale", which became a hit for Mercury Records.[4]
Later life and death
In the late 1970s, a compilation album of his old work brought about a minor revival of interest. In 1978 he had a successful tour in Scandinavia following the releases of Laughing But Crying and Good Rocking Tonight. Shortly before his death he performed at the Whisky A Go-Go in West Hollywood, California and headlined the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1981.
Brown died of a heart attack, at Pacoima Lutheran Memorial Hospital,[9] near his home in the San Fernando Valley on May 25, 1981. He was 55 years old.[1][2] The Reverend Johnny Otis conducted the funeral. He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame the same year.
Legacy
Two of Brown's songs, "Butcher Pete, Pt. 1" and "Mighty Mighty Man" are featured in the 2008 video game, Fallout 3. "Butcher Pete, Pt. 1," "Butcher Pete, Pt. 2", "Good Rockin' Tonight," and "Mighty Mighty Man" are featured in the 2015 sequel, Fallout 4.
Sonny Boy Williamson II +25.05.1965
http://blueskalender.blogspot.de/p/sonny-boy-williamson-ii-25.html
Sonny Boy Williamson II. (* 5. Dezember 1899[1] oder 1912[2] in Glendora, Mississippi; † 25. Mai 1965 in Helena, Arkansas, bürgerlicher Name Aleck/Alex „Rice“ Miller) war ein US-amerikanischer Bluesmusiker.
Sonny Boy Williamson II. war ein unehelicher Sohn von Millie Ford. Er übernahm dann den Nachnamen seines Stiefvaters Jim Miller. Um 1920 brachte er sich selbst das Mundharmonikaspielen bei. Später galt er als einer der inspirierendsten Mundharmonikaspieler des Blues. In den 30er Jahren heiratete er Mary Burnett, die Schwester von Chester Burnett, der sich später Howlin' Wolf nannte. In dieser Zeit spielten die beiden ab und zu zusammen. Ansonsten spielte Williamson ein paar Wochen oder Monate mit Musikern wie Elmore James, Willie Love oder Robert Johnson zusammen. Der wichtigste Partner aus dieser Zeit war allerdings Robert Lockwood, genannt Robert Junior. Sie traten das erste Mal 1931 zusammen auf und tourten ab 1938 zusammen durch die Südstaaten der USA.
Am 19. November 1941 hatte das Duo seinen ersten Auftritt im Radio. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt legte sich Sonny Boy Williamson auch seinen Künstlernamen zu. Da es schon einen bekannten Bluesmusiker namens Sonny Boy Williamson gab, ist er als „Sonny Boy Williamson II.“ bekannt. Im Jahre 1951 nahm er das Stück Eyesight to the blind auf, welches er später in Chicago unter dem Namen Born blind nochmals aufnahm. Dieses Stück findet sich auch auf dem Album Tommy von The Who wieder. In den nächsten vier Jahren nahm er weitere neun Alben auf. Ab 1954 lebte seine Frau in Milwaukee, während er in Chicago mit Tampa Red und in Detroit mit Baby Boy Warren Aufnahmen machte. Später kam er, genauer gesagt sein Vertrag, zu Chess Records. Einen großen Hit hatte Sonny Boy im Jahre 1955 mit Don´t start me talkin. Auf dieser Aufnahme sind auch Musiker wie Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, Jimmy Rogers und Fred Below zu hören. Bei Chess traf er auch wieder auf Robert Lockwood, mit dem er die nächsten fünf Jahre weitere Aufnahmen machte. Danach legte er eine Schaffenspause ein.
Am 12. Januar 1963 kehrte Sonny Boy nach einer längeren Pause wieder in die Chess-Studios zurück. Dort entstand der Song Help Me. Die B-Seite Bye bye bird wurde von John Mayall und den Bluesbreakers in ihr Programm aufgenommen. Dank dieses Erfolges ging er auf eine ausgedehnte Tournee durch Europa, wo er unter anderem mit Chris Barber, den Yardbirds, den Animals, Jimmy Page und Brian Auger auftrat. Mit den Yardbirds und den Animals nahm er dabei jeweils ein Live-Album auf. Er musste aber, als sein Visum auslief, wieder in die USA zurückkehren. 1965 reiste Sonny Boy Williamson II. nach Helena, um dort aufzutreten. Während dieses Auftrittes beobachtete sein Gitarrist Robbie Robertson, dass er ständig Blut ins Taschentuch spuckte. Am 25. Mai 1965 wurde er tot in seinem Bett aufgefunden und in Tutwiler, Mississippi, beigesetzt.
Er wurde 1980 posthum in die Blues Hall of Fame aufgenommen.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Boy_Williamson_II.
Alex or Aleck Miller (né Ford, possibly December 5, 1912[2] – May 24, 1965),[4] known later in his career as Sonny Boy Williamson, was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.[5] He was an early and influential amplified-blues harp stylist who recorded successfully in the 1950s and 1960s. Miller used a variety of names, including Rice Miller and Little Boy Blue, before settling on Sonny Boy Williamson, which was also the name of a popular Chicago blues singer and harmonica player. Later, to distinguish the two, Miller became widely known as Sonny Boy Williamson II.
He first recorded with Elmore James on "Dust My Broom" and some of his popular songs include "Don't Start Me Talkin'", "Help Me", "Checkin' Up on My Baby", and "Bring It On Home". He toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival and recorded with English rock musicians, including the Yardbirds, the Animals, and Jimmy Page. "Help Me" became a blues standard and many blues and rock artists have recorded his songs.
Biography
Year of birth
Born Alex Ford (pronounced "Aleck") on the Sara Jones Plantation in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, his date and year of birth are a matter of uncertainty. He claimed to have been born on December 5, 1899, but Dr. David Evans, professor of music and an ethnomusicologist at the University of Memphis,[6] claims to have found census record evidence that he was born around 1912, being seven years old on February 2, 1920, the day of the census.[7][8] His gravestone in or near Tutwiler, Mississippi, set up by record company owner Lillian McMurry twelve years after his death, gives his date of birth as March 11, 1908, but has no basis to be recognized as accurate.[9][4]
Early years
He lived and worked with his sharecropper stepfather, Jim Miller, whose last name he soon adopted, and mother, Millie Ford, until the early 1930s. Beginning in the 1930s, he traveled around Mississippi and Arkansas and encountered Big Joe Williams, Elmore James and Robert Lockwood, Jr., also known as Robert Junior Lockwood, who would play guitar on his later Checker Records sides. He was also associated with Robert Johnson during this period. Miller developed his style and raffish stage persona during these years. Willie Dixon recalled seeing Lockwood and Miller playing for tips in Greenville, Mississippi in the 1930s. He entertained audiences with novelties such as inserting one end of the harmonica into his mouth and playing with no hands. At this time he was often known as "Rice" Miller — a childhood nickname stemming from his love of rice and milk[10] — or as Little Boy Blue.[11]
In 1941 Miller was hired to play the King Biscuit Time show, advertising the King Biscuit brand of baking flour on radio station KFFA in Helena, Arkansas with Lockwood. It was at this point that the radio program's sponsor, Max Moore, began billing Miller as Sonny Boy Williamson, apparently in an attempt to capitalize on the fame of the well-known Chicago-based harmonica player and singer Sonny Boy Williamson (birth name John Lee Curtis Williamson, died 1948). Although John Lee Williamson was a major blues star who had already released dozens of successful and widely influential records under the name "Sonny Boy Williamson" from 1937 onward, Aleck Miller would later claim to have been the first to use the name, and some blues scholars believe that Miller's assertion he was born in 1899 was a ruse to convince audiences he was old enough to have used the name before John Lee Williamson, who was born in 1914.
Radio show in Memphis
In 1949, Williamson relocated to West Memphis, Arkansas and lived with his sister and her husband, Howlin' Wolf. (Later, for Checker Records, he did a parody of Howlin' Wolf entitled "Like Wolf".) He started his own KWEM radio show from 1948 to 1950 selling the elixir Hadacol. He brought his King Biscuit musician friends to West Memphis, Elmore James, Houston Stackhouse, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Robert Nighthawk and others to perform on KWEM Radio. In the 1940s Williamson married Mattie Gordon, who remained his wife until his death.[citation needed]
Recording career
Trumpet Records
Williamson's first recording session took place in 1951 for Lillian McMurry of Jackson, Mississippi's Trumpet Records, three years after the death of John Lee Williamson, which for the first time allowed some legitimacy to Miller's carefully worded claim to being "the one and only Sonny Boy Williamson". McMurry later erected Williamson's headstone, near Tutwiler, Mississippi, in 1977.[citation needed]
Checker Records
When Trumpet went bankrupt in 1955, Sonny Boy's recording contract was yielded to its creditors, who sold it to Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois. Sonny Boy had begun developing a following in Chicago beginning in 1953, when he appeared there as a member of Elmore James's band. It was during his Chess years that he enjoyed his greatest success and acclaim, recording about 70 songs for Chess subsidiary Checker Records from 1955 to 1964. Sonny Boy's first LP record was titled Down and Out Blues and was released by Checker Records in 1959.
Ace Records
One single, "Boppin' With Sonny" b/w "No Nights By Myself" was released with Ace Records in 1955.[12]
1960s European tours
In the early 1960s he toured Europe several times during the height of the British blues craze backed on a number of occasions by The Authentics (see American Folk Blues Festival), recording with The Yardbirds (see album: Sonny Boy Williamson and The Yardbirds) and The Animals, and appearing on several TV broadcasts throughout Europe. During this time Sonny was quoted as saying of the backing bands who accompanied him, "those British boys want to play the blues real bad, and they do". According to the Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods, while in England Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator. The book also maintains that future Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant purloined one of the bluesman's harmonicas at one of these shows as well. Robert Palmer's "Deep Blues" mentions that during this tour he allegedly stabbed a man during a street fight and left the country abruptly.[citation needed]
Sonny Boy took a liking to the European fans, and while there had a custom-made, two-tone suit tailored personally for him, along with a bowler hat, matching umbrella, and an attaché case for his harmonicas. He appears credited as "Big Skol" on Roland Kirk's live album Kirk in Copenhagen (1963).[13] One of his final recordings from England, in 1964, featured him singing "I'm Trying To Make London My Home" with Hubert Sumlin providing the guitar.
Death
Upon his return to the U.S., he resumed playing the King Biscuit Time show on KFFA, and performed in the Helena, Arkansas area. As fellow musicians Houston Stackhouse and Peck Curtis waited at the KFFA studios for Williamson on May 25, 1965, the 12:15 broadcast time was closing in and Sonny Boy was nowhere in sight. Peck left the radio station to locate Williamson, and discovered his body in bed at the rooming house where he had been staying, dead of an apparent heart attack suffered in his sleep the night before. Williamson is buried on New Africa Road, just outside Tutwiler, Mississippi at the site of the former Whitman Chapel cemetery. His headstone was provided by Mrs. Lillian McMurry, owner of Trumpet Records; the death date shown on the stone is incorrect.[4]
Name issues
The recordings made by John Lee Williamson between 1937 and his death in 1948, and those made later by "Rice" Miller, were all originally issued under the name Sonny Boy Williamson. It is believed that Miller adopted the name to suggest to audiences, and his first record label, that he was the "original" Sonny Boy.[14] In order to differentiate between the two musicians, many later scholars and biographers now refer to Williamson (1914-1948) as "Sonny Boy Williamson I", and Miller (c.1912-1965) as "Sonny Boy Williamson II".
He first recorded with Elmore James on "Dust My Broom" and some of his popular songs include "Don't Start Me Talkin'", "Help Me", "Checkin' Up on My Baby", and "Bring It On Home". He toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival and recorded with English rock musicians, including the Yardbirds, the Animals, and Jimmy Page. "Help Me" became a blues standard and many blues and rock artists have recorded his songs.
Biography
Year of birth
Born Alex Ford (pronounced "Aleck") on the Sara Jones Plantation in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, his date and year of birth are a matter of uncertainty. He claimed to have been born on December 5, 1899, but Dr. David Evans, professor of music and an ethnomusicologist at the University of Memphis,[6] claims to have found census record evidence that he was born around 1912, being seven years old on February 2, 1920, the day of the census.[7][8] His gravestone in or near Tutwiler, Mississippi, set up by record company owner Lillian McMurry twelve years after his death, gives his date of birth as March 11, 1908, but has no basis to be recognized as accurate.[9][4]
Early years
He lived and worked with his sharecropper stepfather, Jim Miller, whose last name he soon adopted, and mother, Millie Ford, until the early 1930s. Beginning in the 1930s, he traveled around Mississippi and Arkansas and encountered Big Joe Williams, Elmore James and Robert Lockwood, Jr., also known as Robert Junior Lockwood, who would play guitar on his later Checker Records sides. He was also associated with Robert Johnson during this period. Miller developed his style and raffish stage persona during these years. Willie Dixon recalled seeing Lockwood and Miller playing for tips in Greenville, Mississippi in the 1930s. He entertained audiences with novelties such as inserting one end of the harmonica into his mouth and playing with no hands. At this time he was often known as "Rice" Miller — a childhood nickname stemming from his love of rice and milk[10] — or as Little Boy Blue.[11]
In 1941 Miller was hired to play the King Biscuit Time show, advertising the King Biscuit brand of baking flour on radio station KFFA in Helena, Arkansas with Lockwood. It was at this point that the radio program's sponsor, Max Moore, began billing Miller as Sonny Boy Williamson, apparently in an attempt to capitalize on the fame of the well-known Chicago-based harmonica player and singer Sonny Boy Williamson (birth name John Lee Curtis Williamson, died 1948). Although John Lee Williamson was a major blues star who had already released dozens of successful and widely influential records under the name "Sonny Boy Williamson" from 1937 onward, Aleck Miller would later claim to have been the first to use the name, and some blues scholars believe that Miller's assertion he was born in 1899 was a ruse to convince audiences he was old enough to have used the name before John Lee Williamson, who was born in 1914.
Radio show in Memphis
In 1949, Williamson relocated to West Memphis, Arkansas and lived with his sister and her husband, Howlin' Wolf. (Later, for Checker Records, he did a parody of Howlin' Wolf entitled "Like Wolf".) He started his own KWEM radio show from 1948 to 1950 selling the elixir Hadacol. He brought his King Biscuit musician friends to West Memphis, Elmore James, Houston Stackhouse, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Robert Nighthawk and others to perform on KWEM Radio. In the 1940s Williamson married Mattie Gordon, who remained his wife until his death.[citation needed]
Recording career
Trumpet Records
Williamson's first recording session took place in 1951 for Lillian McMurry of Jackson, Mississippi's Trumpet Records, three years after the death of John Lee Williamson, which for the first time allowed some legitimacy to Miller's carefully worded claim to being "the one and only Sonny Boy Williamson". McMurry later erected Williamson's headstone, near Tutwiler, Mississippi, in 1977.[citation needed]
Checker Records
When Trumpet went bankrupt in 1955, Sonny Boy's recording contract was yielded to its creditors, who sold it to Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois. Sonny Boy had begun developing a following in Chicago beginning in 1953, when he appeared there as a member of Elmore James's band. It was during his Chess years that he enjoyed his greatest success and acclaim, recording about 70 songs for Chess subsidiary Checker Records from 1955 to 1964. Sonny Boy's first LP record was titled Down and Out Blues and was released by Checker Records in 1959.
Ace Records
One single, "Boppin' With Sonny" b/w "No Nights By Myself" was released with Ace Records in 1955.[12]
1960s European tours
In the early 1960s he toured Europe several times during the height of the British blues craze backed on a number of occasions by The Authentics (see American Folk Blues Festival), recording with The Yardbirds (see album: Sonny Boy Williamson and The Yardbirds) and The Animals, and appearing on several TV broadcasts throughout Europe. During this time Sonny was quoted as saying of the backing bands who accompanied him, "those British boys want to play the blues real bad, and they do". According to the Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods, while in England Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator. The book also maintains that future Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant purloined one of the bluesman's harmonicas at one of these shows as well. Robert Palmer's "Deep Blues" mentions that during this tour he allegedly stabbed a man during a street fight and left the country abruptly.[citation needed]
Sonny Boy took a liking to the European fans, and while there had a custom-made, two-tone suit tailored personally for him, along with a bowler hat, matching umbrella, and an attaché case for his harmonicas. He appears credited as "Big Skol" on Roland Kirk's live album Kirk in Copenhagen (1963).[13] One of his final recordings from England, in 1964, featured him singing "I'm Trying To Make London My Home" with Hubert Sumlin providing the guitar.
Death
Upon his return to the U.S., he resumed playing the King Biscuit Time show on KFFA, and performed in the Helena, Arkansas area. As fellow musicians Houston Stackhouse and Peck Curtis waited at the KFFA studios for Williamson on May 25, 1965, the 12:15 broadcast time was closing in and Sonny Boy was nowhere in sight. Peck left the radio station to locate Williamson, and discovered his body in bed at the rooming house where he had been staying, dead of an apparent heart attack suffered in his sleep the night before. Williamson is buried on New Africa Road, just outside Tutwiler, Mississippi at the site of the former Whitman Chapel cemetery. His headstone was provided by Mrs. Lillian McMurry, owner of Trumpet Records; the death date shown on the stone is incorrect.[4]
Name issues
The recordings made by John Lee Williamson between 1937 and his death in 1948, and those made later by "Rice" Miller, were all originally issued under the name Sonny Boy Williamson. It is believed that Miller adopted the name to suggest to audiences, and his first record label, that he was the "original" Sonny Boy.[14] In order to differentiate between the two musicians, many later scholars and biographers now refer to Williamson (1914-1948) as "Sonny Boy Williamson I", and Miller (c.1912-1965) as "Sonny Boy Williamson II".
Sonny Boy Williamson II - Bye Bye Bird
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