1899 Mississippi Joe Callicott*
1914 Ivory Joe Hunter*
1943 Bugs Henderson*
1958 Wesley Wilson*
1969 Walter Coolen*
1979 Paul Karapiperis*
1983 Jack Savoretti*
2010 Solomon Burke+
2015 Smokin 'Joe Kubek+
2016 Osee Anderson+
Pat McManus*
Happy Birthday
Ivory Joe Hunter *10.10.1914
Hunter war bekannt als „the Baron of the Boogie“ („der Baron des Boogie“), aber auch als „the Happiest Man Alive“ („der glücklichste lebende Mensch“). Sein bekanntester Hit war 1956 Since I Met You, Baby. Es wird geschätzt, dass er über 7000 Songs geschrieben hat.
Ivory Joe, so sein Taufname, wurde in eine musikalische Familie hineingeboren. Sein Vater spielte Gitarre, seine Mutter war Gospel-Sängerin. Bereits jung zeigte sich Hunters Talent am Klavier. Alan Lomax nahm ihn 1933 für die Library of Congress auf.
Anfang der 1940er hatte Hunter eine eigene Radiosendung in Beaumont (Texas). 1942 zog er nach Los Angeles, wo er mit Johnny Moore's Three Blazers musizierte. Mit ihnen nahm er seinen ersten Hit auf, Blues at Sunrise, den er auf seinem eigenen Label Ivory Records herausbrachte.
Später in den 1940ern gründete Hunter das Label Pacific Records. Zahlreiche Aufnahmen dieser Phase wurden von Four Star Records in Hollywood lizenziert und erneut auf diesem Label veröffentlicht. 1949 hatte er seine ersten USA-weiten R-&-B-Hits I Quit My Pretty Mama und Guess Who. 1950 eroberte I Almost Lost My Mind auf MGM Records veröffentlicht die Spitzenposition der R-&-B-Charts. Weitere Hits folgten, und 1951 trat er zum ersten Mal im Fernsehen auf. 1954 hatte er bereits mehr als einhundert Titel aufgenommen. 1956 erschien sein größter Hit, Since I Met You, Baby bei Atlantic Records, der Platz zwölf der Pop-Charts erreichte.
Ende der 1950er-Jahre begann der Erfolg nachzulassen. In den 1970ern hatte Hunter ein Comeback als Country-Sänger. Er trat unter anderem auf dem Monterey Jazz Festival auf.
Ivory Joe Hunter starb 1974 an Lungenkrebs.
Etliche Stücke Hunters wurden von anderen Künstlern neu eingespielt. Pat Boone hatte 1956 mit I Almost Lost My Mind einen Nummer-Eins-Hit. Sonny James kam 1970 mit Since I Met You, Baby auf Platz 1 der Country-Charts und leitete damit Hunters Comeback ein. Elvis Presley hatte zwei Top-20-Hits mit Hunter-Songs: My Wish Came True und Ain't That Loving You, Baby.
Ivory Joe Hunter (October 10, 1914 – November 8, 1974)[1] was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, and pianist. After a series of hits on the US R&B chart starting in the mid-1940s, he became more widely known for his hit recording, "Since I Met You Baby" (1956). He was billed as The Baron of the Boogie, and also known as The Happiest Man Alive. His musical output ranged from R&B to blues, boogie-woogie, and country, and Hunter made a name in all of those genres. Uniquely, he was honored at the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Grand Ole Opry.[2]
Early years
Hunter was born in Kirbyville, Texas, United States. Ivory Joe Hunter was his birthname, not a nickname nor a stage name.[1] As a youngster, Hunter developed an early interest in music from his father, Dave Hunter, who played guitar, and his gospel-singing mother. He was a talented pianist by the age of 13, and as a teenager, Hunter made his first recording for Alan Lomax and the Library of Congress in 1933.[3] Hunter was also the uncle of Tower of Power's original lead vocalist, Rick Stevens.[4]
Radio and recordings
In the early 1940s, Hunter had his own radio show in Beaumont, Texas, on KFDM, where he eventually became program manager, and in 1942 he moved to Los Angeles, joining Johnny Moore's Three Blazers in the mid-1940s.[1] When he wrote and recorded his first song, "Blues At Sunrise", with the Three Blazers for his own label, Ivory Records, it became a nationwide hit on the R&B chart in 1945.[3][5]
In the late 1940s, Hunter founded Pacific Records,[1] and in 1947, he recorded for Four Star Records and King Records. Two years later, he recorded further R&B hits; on "I Quit My Pretty Mama" and "Guess Who" he was backed by members of Duke Ellington's band.[3][6]
After signing with MGM Records, he recorded "I Almost Lost My Mind",[1] which topped the 1950 R&B charts and would later (in the wake of Hunter's success with "Since I Met You Baby") be recorded by Pat Boone whose version became a number one pop hit.[3] "I Need You So" was a number two R&B hit that same year. With his smooth delivery, Hunter became a hot R&B commodity, and he also began to be noticed in the country music community. In April 1951, he made his network TV debut on You Asked For It. He toured widely with a backing band and became known for his large build (he was 6' 4" tall), his brightly colored stage suits, and his volatile temperament.[7]
By 1954, he had recorded more than 100 songs and moved to Atlantic Records. His first song to cross over to the pop charts was "Since I Met You Baby" (1956). It was to be his only Top 40 pop song, climbing to the number 12 position.[8]
While visiting Memphis, Tennessee, in the spring of 1957, Hunter was invited by Elvis Presley to visit Graceland. The two spent the day together, singing "I Almost Lost My Mind" and other songs together. Hunter commented, "He is very spiritually minded... he showed me every courtesy, and I think he's one of the greatest."[9] Presley recorded several of his songs, including "I Need You So", "My Wish Came True" and "Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby".[3] Hunter was a prolific songwriter, and some estimate he wrote more than 7,000 songs.
Country comeback
Hunter's "Empty Arms" and "Yes I Want You" also made the pop charts, and he had a minor hit with "City Lights" in 1959, just before his popularity began to decline. Hunter came back as a country singer in the late 1960s, making regular Grand Ole Opry appearances and recording an album titled I've Always Been Country.[10]
Ivory Joe Hunter in his network television debut on You Asked for It (DuMont, April 1951)
Country singer Sonny James issued a version of "Since I Met You Baby" and it topped the country charts in 1969, paving the way for Hunter's album The Return of Ivory Joe Hunter and his appearance at the Monterey Jazz Festival. The Return of Ivory Joe Hunter was recorded in Memphis with a band that included Isaac Hayes, Gene "Bowlegs" Miller and Charles Chalmers.[3] Jerry Lee Lewis covered "Since I Met You Baby" in 1969.
Death
In 1974, lung cancer led to Hunter's death in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 60.[1] He was buried in his native Kirbyville.
Joe Callicott, auch Mississippi Joe Callicott, (* 10. November 1901 in Nesbit, Mississippi; † 1969), war ein US-amerikanischer Bluesmusiker.
Callicott begann als Fünfzehnjähriger Gitarre zu spielen und war seit 1918 als Musiker aktiv, zeitweise spielte er in Medicine Shows. Seit Mitte der zwanziger Jahre spielte er als zweiter Gitarrist zusammen mit Garfield Akers, mit dem er 1929 zwei Stücke für Vocalion Records aufnahm (Cottonfield Blues Part 1 & 2). Während dieser Session nahm er auch ein Solostück auf, den „Mississippi Boll Weevil Blues“, der aber unveröffentlicht blieb. 1930 dann nahm er, begleitet von Jim Jackson, seine erste eigene Veröffentlichung als Solist auf, „Fare Thee Well Blues / Traveling Mama Blues“. Die Folgen der Weltwirtschaftskrise verhinderten jedoch vorerst weitere Aufnahmen. Als Akers in den 1950er Jahren starb, legte Callicott die Gitarre beiseite und begann erst Mitte der 1960er wieder zu spielen.
1967 fand ihn der Bluesforscher George Mitchell und zeichnete im August des Jahres elf Stücke mit ihm auf. Am 20. Juli 1968 spielte Callicott beim Memphis Country Blues Festival (wo zwei seiner Stücke live mitgeschnitten und später auf dem Album The 1968 Memphis Country Blues Festival veröffentlicht wurden). Am folgenden Tag spielte er dort in den Ardent Studios sein einziges Album ein, auf einem Stück wird er dabei vom (pfeifenden) Bukka White begleitet. Joe Callicott starb 1969.
Blues in Peer ... Compilatie
Blues in Peer ... Compilatie
Saverio Maccne Serge van der Kuil Marcel Gootjes
Guest on bluesharp Walter Coolen
Cafe the Other Side
6-09-2013 ... Peer Belgie
Saverio Maccne Serge van der Kuil Marcel Gootjes
Guest on bluesharp Walter Coolen
Cafe the Other Side
6-09-2013 ... Peer Belgie
Paul Karapiperis *10.10.1979
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000344598582&sk=photos&collection_token=100000344598582%3A2305272732%3A6
As the leader of Greek blues band Small Blues Trap, Paul Karapiperis has become known for his raspy, guttural vocal style and fiery, take-no-prisoners harmonica playing.
Paul's unleashed more of the same upon us with his new solo album, "Fifteen Raindrops In An Ocean Of Blues Tales".
The record starts out with the short, Delta-like harmonica instrumental "Welcome Onboard! Clap Your Hands!" the perfect intro to a disc ripe with raw, emotional moaning at midnight blues.
"A Voodoo Woman Can..." is a foot-stomping, back-porch blues showcasting Karapiperis' steel slide guitar skills, and nearly a minute of hypnotic tremolo effect as the song fades out - you 're instantly transported to the cotton fields of Mississippi.
"In Wood Alcohol Line" another rural-flavored blues cut, is sparse in instrumentation, but huge in emotional impact.
Karapiperis has a talent for creating emotional depth with very little, often just a harmonica and simple percussion track. "Midnight Ride" is a fine example of that, it's a two-minute-long instrumental that sounds as if Karapiperis' soul exploded and is being filtered through the mouthpiece of his harmonica.
Karapiperis to me has always sounded like a cool hybrid of Tom Waits and Howlin' Wolf. Listen to track "Goodbye My Good Luck" and you 'll see why. The pure, hungry vocal passion of those two artists is present and Karapiperis' vocals only enhance his jagged, piercing, minimalist songwriting.
His style of blues is meant to be felt, you won't have any difficulty feeling music that is this coarse, at times abrasive yet grippingly passionate.
Karapiperis is not trying to rehash traditional blues. He 's got a style that 's all his own - direct, brutally honest and at times experimental.
The blues has found a home in Greece.
http://www.harmonicaspace.com/profile.php?profileid=1240
http://www.smallbluestrap.gr/mp3/mp3.html
RECORDINGS-PARTICIPATION...
The Small Blues Trap band was formed in August 2004 by the need of three people to express their musical interests. They are based at the villages of central Greece, Malesina and Martino.
-In October 2004, they recorded a CD-R that included the songs that they represent their common influences along with three original compositions. (''Small Blues Trap'').
-Between December 2004 and April 2005, the band recorded a CD with 12 original songs. The CD title is: ''Our Trap''.
-They won the first prize by participating with two songs in a music competition organized by the magazine “Virtual Studio”.
-In the summer of 2006, they recorded a CD (''Crossroad Ritual'') with 12 original songs.
-Two of their songs are included in the CD compilation that was released by “Diapason” magazine in May 2007.
-In September 2008, the band participates with three songs in a CD compilation titled: ''Magic Bus Sessions''.
-In April 2010 they recorded another album ("Red Snakes & Cave Bats") with 12 original songs and a song (“Buy A Dog”) that was written and previously released by Elias Zaikos .
-In February 2013, they recorded another album ("The Longest Road I Know") which contains 10 original songs. The noted singer Georgia Sylleou sings four of the album’s songs. The album is available in both CD and LP by Anazitisi Records.
-A song of the band is included in the CD compilation released by the magazine “Jazz and Tzaz” in May 2013.
-Τheir latest album (“Time Tricks”) was recorded during March and April 2015. It 's available in vinyl (LP) exclusively by Anazitisi Records.
CONCERTS...
The band has participated in numerous live events and festivals all over Greece. During live shows they mainly play their songs as well as a few classics composed by Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Albert King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jimmy Reed, T-Bone Walker, Elmore James, Tampa Red, Son House, Robert Johnson, Bo Diddley, Freddie King, Paul Butterfield, Peter Green, Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart…who continue to haunt the blues crossroads…
PRESS
The band has received encourage comments and CD reviews from the national as well as the international press. Well known magazines and newspapers have occasionally made presentations of their work.
more info
THE SOUND
The band mixes its blues passion which is always their main ingredient in their compositions with elements from other genres of music forming a very innovative and personal sound and according to reviewers, it is identifiable and personal.
Their music is made for people who feel the call of the need to express their human and humane emotions such as love, pain, rejection, abandonment, humor, deprivation, treachery, laughter, anger, passion and sadness. In other words, the band attempts to depict the absolute make-up of the human soul and disposition. All these emotions have been diachronically expressed by the blues music whose ‘crossroads’ not only continue to exist but also retain the power to influence and inspire people like the SBT. Furthermore, the band’s main goal is to prove that the blues music is the absolute expression of the human soul and the human conscience.
The Small Blues Trap band was formed in August 2004 by the need of three people to express their musical interests. They are based at the villages of central Greece, Malesina and Martino.
-In October 2004, they recorded a CD-R that included the songs that they represent their common influences along with three original compositions. (''Small Blues Trap'').
-Between December 2004 and April 2005, the band recorded a CD with 12 original songs. The CD title is: ''Our Trap''.
-They won the first prize by participating with two songs in a music competition organized by the magazine “Virtual Studio”.
-In the summer of 2006, they recorded a CD (''Crossroad Ritual'') with 12 original songs.
-Two of their songs are included in the CD compilation that was released by “Diapason” magazine in May 2007.
-In September 2008, the band participates with three songs in a CD compilation titled: ''Magic Bus Sessions''.
-In April 2010 they recorded another album ("Red Snakes & Cave Bats") with 12 original songs and a song (“Buy A Dog”) that was written and previously released by Elias Zaikos .
-In February 2013, they recorded another album ("The Longest Road I Know") which contains 10 original songs. The noted singer Georgia Sylleou sings four of the album’s songs. The album is available in both CD and LP by Anazitisi Records.
-A song of the band is included in the CD compilation released by the magazine “Jazz and Tzaz” in May 2013.
-Τheir latest album (“Time Tricks”) was recorded during March and April 2015. It 's available in vinyl (LP) exclusively by Anazitisi Records.
CONCERTS...
The band has participated in numerous live events and festivals all over Greece. During live shows they mainly play their songs as well as a few classics composed by Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Albert King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jimmy Reed, T-Bone Walker, Elmore James, Tampa Red, Son House, Robert Johnson, Bo Diddley, Freddie King, Paul Butterfield, Peter Green, Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart…who continue to haunt the blues crossroads…
PRESS
The band has received encourage comments and CD reviews from the national as well as the international press. Well known magazines and newspapers have occasionally made presentations of their work.
more info
THE SOUND
The band mixes its blues passion which is always their main ingredient in their compositions with elements from other genres of music forming a very innovative and personal sound and according to reviewers, it is identifiable and personal.
Their music is made for people who feel the call of the need to express their human and humane emotions such as love, pain, rejection, abandonment, humor, deprivation, treachery, laughter, anger, passion and sadness. In other words, the band attempts to depict the absolute make-up of the human soul and disposition. All these emotions have been diachronically expressed by the blues music whose ‘crossroads’ not only continue to exist but also retain the power to influence and inspire people like the SBT. Furthermore, the band’s main goal is to prove that the blues music is the absolute expression of the human soul and the human conscience.
''OUR TRAP'' 10 years of the SMALL BLUES TRAP
Bugs Henderson *10.10.1943
Leben
Henderson wuchs in Tyler (Texas) auf. Im Alter von sechs Jahren begann er mit dem Gitarrenspiel und gründete mit 16 seine erste Band namens The Sensores. Die Musik ermöglichte ihm jedoch keinen Lebensunterhalt und so arbeitete er in einem Plattenladen und später als Studiomusiker. 1966 schloss er sich der Formation Mouse and the Traps an bevor er seine eigene Band The Shuffle Kings in Fort Worth gründete. Er lebte mit seiner Familie in Garland. Er war Vater von vier Kindern. Mit den The Shuffle Kings hatte er auch seine größten Erfolge. In Europa trat die Band meist als Trio (Gitarre, Schlagzeug, Bass) auf. In den USA wurde sie häufig noch durch einen Keyboarder ergänzt. Henderson prägte den neueren Texas Blues.
Wirken
Zu Beginn seiner musikalischen Laufbahn spielte Henderson progressiven Rock wie mit Mouse and the Traps und als Studiomusiker. Hinzu kamen Country ebenfalls als Studiomusiker. Zu Beginn der 1970er orientierte er sich zunehmend auf den Blues in dem er schließlich seine musikalische Heimat fand. Freddie King, ein Vertreter des sogenannten "Elektrischen Blues" der die E-Gitarre betont, wurde sein Mentor. Henderson war in Europa – besonders in Deutschland und Österreich, wo er häufig auf Festivals auftrat – immer populärer als in seiner Heimat Texas. Henderson spielte mit Musikern wie B. B. King, Eric Clapton, Ted Nugent, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan und Don Wise. Der große kommerzielle Durchbruch stellte sich jedoch nie ein. Die Liveauftritte sicherten ihm jedoch insbesondere in Europa eine treue Fangemeinde. Besonders das erste Album At Last ein Livemitschnitt aus Texas mit zum teils sehr eigenwilligen Interpretationen von Elvis Presley – begründete seinen Erfolg.
Der
Begriff Texas-Blues wurde meist in einem Atemzug mit Bugs Henderson
genannt. Das wird sich auch nach dem Tod des Gitarristen und Sängers
nicht ändern, mit seiner Band erspielte er sich vor allem in Europa eine
treue Fangemeinde. Hierzulande waren Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle
Kings meist als Trio unterwegs, zur US-Band zählte hingegen noch ein
Keyboarder. Der große Durchbruch blieb Henderson allerdings verwehrt,
womit der sympathische Künstler aber stets ohne jegliche Bitternis
umging. "Meine Musik ist unglaublich wichtig für mich und Berühmtheit
ist ja nicht unbedingt mit Glück gleichzusetzen", sagte er in einem
Interview mit bluesnews. Buddy Henderson wurde am 20. Oktober 1943 in
Palm Springs (Kalifornien) geboren, lebte aber seit frühester Kindheit
im Osten von Texas. Ein früherer Bandkollege gab ihm den Spitzenamen
Bugs und vor allem durch die Intensität seiner Auftritte genoss er bei
seinen Fans großes Ansehen. Nicht umsonst wurde der knochentrockene
Bluesrock von Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings immer wieder auf
Live-Produktionen dokumentiert. Rund 20 Titel umfasst die Diskografie,
das Debüt "At Last" (1978) war eines von sieben Alben, die von Taxim
veröffentlicht wurden. Zuletzt brachte die norddeutschen Plattenschmiede
die Doppel-CD "Vienna Calling" (2009) heraus.
Vor nicht einmal einem halben Jahr wurde bei Bugs Henderson Krebs diagnostiziert. Um Geld für die Behandlungskosten zu sammeln, organisierten Fans und Veranstalter in den USA und Europa unter anderem Benefiz-Veranstaltungen. Am 9. März 2012 verlor der Musiker seinen Kampf gegen die Krankheit.
Buddy Henderson (October 20, 1943 – March 8, 2012), better known as "Bugs" Henderson, was a blues guitarist who was popular in Europe and from the 1970s was based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, where he was known as a local blues guitar legend.[1] He was born in Palm Springs, California, and spent his early life in Tyler, Texas, where he formed a band called the Sensores at age 16, and later joined Mouse and the Traps. In Dallas-Fort Worth during the early 1970s, he was lead guitarist for the blues/rock band Nitzinger[2] before forming the Shuffle Kings and later a band that was eponymously named.
Henderson played with blues legends such as B. B. King, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan, also with Rhythm and Blues saxophonist Don Wise and rock guitarist Ted Nugent. [3] He died from complications of liver cancer just four days after a benefit concert in his name.[4] The performers at the 11-hour “Benefit Bugs” event included Ray Wylie Hubbard, Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King, and Mouse & the Traps, the band from early in his career with the hit songs, “A Public Execution” and “Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice” that featured his guitar solos.
Vor nicht einmal einem halben Jahr wurde bei Bugs Henderson Krebs diagnostiziert. Um Geld für die Behandlungskosten zu sammeln, organisierten Fans und Veranstalter in den USA und Europa unter anderem Benefiz-Veranstaltungen. Am 9. März 2012 verlor der Musiker seinen Kampf gegen die Krankheit.
Buddy Henderson (October 20, 1943 – March 8, 2012), better known as "Bugs" Henderson, was a blues guitarist who was popular in Europe and from the 1970s was based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, where he was known as a local blues guitar legend.[1] He was born in Palm Springs, California, and spent his early life in Tyler, Texas, where he formed a band called the Sensores at age 16, and later joined Mouse and the Traps. In Dallas-Fort Worth during the early 1970s, he was lead guitarist for the blues/rock band Nitzinger[2] before forming the Shuffle Kings and later a band that was eponymously named.
Henderson played with blues legends such as B. B. King, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan, also with Rhythm and Blues saxophonist Don Wise and rock guitarist Ted Nugent. [3] He died from complications of liver cancer just four days after a benefit concert in his name.[4] The performers at the 11-hour “Benefit Bugs” event included Ray Wylie Hubbard, Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King, and Mouse & the Traps, the band from early in his career with the hit songs, “A Public Execution” and “Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice” that featured his guitar solos.
BUGS HENDERSON - BUGS' BLUES
Bugs Henderson - At Last: Live at the Armadillo
Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings 8 10 11 at Fair-Café Schortens
Pat McManus *10.10.
http://www.guitarplanet.eu/latest-news/date/2012/07/16/irish-guitar-hero-pat-mcmanus-chooses-fret-king-and-vintage.html
Pat wurde im Jahr 1958 als ältestes von sechs Kindern in Nordirland geboren. Durch seine Eltern, beide selbst begnadete Musiker, kam er schon sehr früh zur Musik und brachte es zum 'All Ireland Champion' auf der Geige. Im Alter von neun Jahren wechselte er zur Gitarre. Eine Tatsache, die sein ganzes Leben veränderte.
Zusammen mit seinen Brüdern John am Bass und Tommy am Schlagzeug rief Pat seine erste Band Pulse ins Leben, die sich bald in Mamas Boys umbenannte. Unter diesem Namen entstanden acht Alben. Außerdem gab es zahlreiche Touren durch Europa, Japan und den USA, bei denen sich die Band die Bühne mit solchen Größen wie den Scorpions, Jethro Tull, Deep Purple und
Thin Lizzy teilten. Die Zeichen von Mamas Boys standen günstig für eine große Karriere und wurden abrupt beendet als Tommy an Leukämie verstarb.
Nun ist Pat mit seiner eigenen Truppe wieder unterwegs und legt mit "Walking Through Shadows", seinem inzwischen dritten Album, einen sehr intensiven und vielseitigen Silberling vor, bei dem der Blues meistens das Sagen hat. Schon beim Opener "Danger Zone" geht es druckvoll und bluesrockig zur Sache. Power-Riffs beherrschen den Song, und Pat lässt den Sechssaiter ein ums andere Mal voller Verzückung aufjaulen. Prima Einstand!
http://www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/m/pat_mcmanus/walking_through_shadows.html
Patrick Frances McManus was one of 6 children born into an incredibly talented musical family in Derrylin, Co.Fermangh, N.Ireland. Pat’s father, John, and his mother Valerie were highly accomplished Traditional Irish music players, so it wasn’t long before Pat and his two brothers, John and Tommy, were picking up all the instruments lying around the house and learning to play. By the age of 7, Pat had already performed on live T.V. and by 14 he was All-Ireland Fiddle Champion. Aged 20, Pat somehow stumbled across a band called Horslips. As Horslips were a Celtic rock band, the 3 brothers could relate to their music and quickly became big fans and later attended so many gigs that they formed a friendship with the guys in the band. The brothers soon swapped their Fiddles, Uilleann Pipes and Bodhrans for electric instruments and formed their first band called - Pulse, with Pat on Guitar, John on Bass & Vocals and Tommy (who was only 12 at the time) on drums. During an interview with Radio Luxembourg , Dj – Tony Prince, who remarked how young they all were, jokingly called them Mamas Boys - the boys changed their name. It was just meant to be an ‘of the cuff’ remark but the name stuck and soon the 3 brothers were officially known as Mamas Boys.
So quickly did they begin to win over their live audiences that soon they were invited to support almost every rock band that came to Belfast or Dublin . By this time, the brothers had released their first self financed album called “The Official Bootleg”. It was really just a demo that had been pressed onto vinyl and sold at their gigs. The first pressing of only 1000 (which had 10 tracks) sold so quickly that it had to be repressed time and time again (this time however with only 8 tracks). The album got the band noticed in England and in 1981 Mamas Boys were invited to tour the U.K. with Hawkwind. In 1982 the band released their second self financed album “Plug It In” which gained great reviews and spurned the hit single “Needle in The Groove”. Record labels were by now fighting over the band and this saw “Plug it in” repackaged and re-released in the U.K. by Ultranoise and by Virgin in France . Apart from headlining their own shows the band toured with Wishbone Ash and in 1983 they released their third album Turn it Up. By now the band were so popular that Phil Lynott personally asked them if they would be his support band on Thin Lizzys’ farewell tour which also included a slot at Reading Rock.
This is where they were spotted by Jive Records who signed the band on a world wide deal (except France where they were still signed to Virgin). Mamas Boys first release for Jive was the self titled “Mamas Boys” album.This record was basically just the best bits of the last two records plus two new tracks, an instrumental – “The Professor” (Pat’s nick name) and “Mama Were All Crazee Now” a cover of the old Slade song. A video was made to accompany this track and it gained Mamas Boys massive airplay in America with record stations playing all three versions of the track (Quiet Riot had also released the song at the same time) and asking the public to vote on which version was the best with Mamas Boys coming out on top, the majority of times. This saw the band getting some prestigious tour slots, going out in America with Ratt and Rush.
It was whilst signed to Jive that Pat first began to work as a session man for other artists which included a very wide range of acts such as John Parr, Tricky and Samantha Fox. (Pat is responsible for the guitar work on her hit single ‘Touch Me’ and she also covered a Mamas Boys song ‘Spirit Of America.’) In 1985 their 5 th album “Power And Passion” was released and after touring Europe in April and May they again headed to the States to tour with Bon Jovi and Ratt before briefly flying back to England to play the Knebworth festival with Deep Purple in front of 100,000 people. The tour ended up in Europe with Gary Moore and then onto Ireland by themselves in December of that year. Tommy, who first had been diagnosed with leukaemia aged nine had a relapse just before the second part of the European tour and had to be replaced by Jim Degrasso from Y&T, thought he was fit and well enough to complete the Irish leg of the tour. However this proved a bad decision and after the tour finished was rushed back into hospital suffering from another relapse and dehydration.
Two years passed before Mamas Boys returned with a new album “Growing Up The Hard Way”, a new polished sound and a new singer. Jive records had convinced the band to bring in a front man and after initially choosing a guy called Ricky Chase the band opted for ex Airrace man Keith Murrell. Keith who was a backing singer for Cliff Richard was currently plying his trade in the West End of London in the musical ‘Time’. Unfortunately, after his second European tour with the band Keith decided to head back to the comfort of Cliff Richard and the process of looking for a new singer started again. In 1989 Connor McKeon was picked from over 500 applicants and the boys again headed out on tour in Ireland with ex- Deep Purple and Rainbow keyboard man Don Airey helping them out. The tour finished with a sell out date at the Marquee club in London . Connor, who had obviously been hit by the fame bug, then decided he wanted to pursue a solo career and soon the long process of finding another singer began again.
In 1990 the boys returned with their fourth singer in as many years – Mike Wilson and another European tour was completed. In 1991 a live album “Live Tonite” was released on the Music For Nations label and the whole year was spent touring. In 1992 what would prove to be Mamas Boys last album “Relativity” was released on the CTM label. During an extensive European tour Mike Wilson met an air hostess, fell in love and walked out on the band. By this time the three brothers had had enough. As Tommy’s health had deteriorated they decided to split the band, only for Barry Hearn to ask them if he could use one of their songs from “Relativety” to promote a boxing match.
The band came back with a second guitarist and a new name “The Government”. The single “Judgement Day” was released and a showcase was performed for record company bosses in London on the 3 rd of August 1993 . Unfortunately Tommy was too ill to perform and after the gig “The Government” project was put on the back burner. Then something extraordinary happened. Due to the pressure the band had been under they had over looked the fact that Mamas Boys had been booked to play three shows in Switzerland in December of that year and as the contracts had been signed, the shows had to be honoured. On the 18 th of December 1993 at the Fuchs Rain Halle in Mohlin, Pat, John - back on vocals, Tommy and keyboard man Alan Williams played as Mamas Boys for the last time. The band had come full circle.
During 1994 Tommy’s health plummeted and rather than suffer years more of intensive pain he bravely decided to have a bone marrow transplant which took place on October the 21 st. Unfortunately, complications set in and after three and a half weeks of fighting, Tommy slipped away at 11.35pm on the 16th of November. After 18 years of intermittent suffering, Tommy was free.
After years of encouragement from fans Pat and John returned in 1997 under a new name “Celtus” and with a new album on the Sony record label called “Moonchild” which was released on the 16 th of June. This was followed straight away with a support slot on the Sheryl Crow tour, who apparently asked for the band herself as she loved the album, including a date at The Royal Albert Hall in London . In November of that year the band went out on tour again this time with Paul Carrick and to top off an incredible year on the 23 rd February 1998 the band were presented with the Irish World Music awards – Best Album Of The Year award, beating off stiff competition from U2, The Corrs and Enya.
The band, who were selling out The Borderline in London every month, then went out on a five week – 23 date tour with Paul Carrick again. Apart from coming out of the recording studio to do a few festivals in the summer, the rest of the year was spent recording the follow up to “Moonchild”. In March of 1999 the band did a headlining tour of England to showcase the new material and on the 26 th July the second album “Portrait” was released. The rest of that year was spent extensively touring, including support slots with Deacon Blue and Jimmy Nail. Incredibly, with the 3 rd single from the album already pressed and due for a January 2000 release and after playing to approximately 50,000 people in the previous three months, Sony decided to drop the band on Christmas day 1999.
Undeterred, the band recorded their third album “Rooted” on their own record label and headed on tour that March, selling the album at the gigs and through the fan club. Celtus were still a very big attraction live and that summer they were invited to play the Irish Festival at Finsbury Park London . The rest of 2000 was spent with the band writing and recording material for a new studio album. A new record contract was secured with Evangeline Records who first released a live album called “Live 2000” and then on 26 th February 2001 released Celtus’ fifth and final album “What Goes Around”. A fifteen date headlining tour of England still proved how popular Celtus were but Pat, who had become a father a few years previous, had become more and more disillusioned with the record industry, decided to move back to the shores of Lough Erne, to bring his daughter up in the surroundings in which he grew up, rather than the hussle and bussle of London.
When home in Ireland Pat began work as a session man and soon began teaching music. After a while a local band who had just lost their guitarist called “The Painkillers” approached Pat and asked him if he could help them out for a few gigs. After a bit of persuasion Pat agreed and soon he had the bug again and “Pat McManus and The Painkillers” began touring the length of Ireland . During late 2003 while working on their album “Blue Flowers” at Mid Atlantic studios in Enniskillen, Pat became a full time member of Sligo band “Indian” For the next year and a half Pat toured with both bands “Indian” and “The Painkillers”. In February 2005 Pat decided a more professional approach was needed and left "The Painkillers" and in April of that year returned with a completely new band. "Pat McManus and Hi-Voltage" played their first gig in Cavan on the 1st of April 2005 and toured extensively throughout Ireland for the next couple of years. In 2007 Pat recorded his first solo album "In My Own Time" which gained fantastic reviews in the press and was also released throughout Europe by Bad Reputation Records of France complete with a different cover.
A series of European gigs were booked which went down so well that the band were invited back time and time again. Around this time Pat decided that a fresh approach was needed and completely changed his rhythm section of the band. The band evolved into the 'Pat McManus Band' with Paul Faloon on drums and Gordon Sheridan on Bass and in late 2008 the band recorded a live DVD in France,which has been a sell-out since it's release.
In 2009 Pat, Paul and Gordon extensively toured throughout Europe, returning to the well established venues and many new ones. This included several festivals such as 'The Harley Davidson Festival' in ST.Tropez, 'Rock The Wolves' in Switzerland, 'The Guitar Festival' in Corsica, 'ST.Julian Guitar Festival' in Geneva and 'Raismes Fest' in France. At the 'Raismes Fest' a live DVD was filmed, which was released in March 2010. The band also collaborated with guests Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash' and Bernie Marsden formerly of 'Whitesnake' and 'Alaska'. Although continually touring the band recorded a second studio CD, which was launched in Paris and Dublin in September 2009. Titled '2pm' the CD showcases 14 new tracks written by Pat and all the reviews have been positive and complimentary. 2010 is set to be another great year for the 'PMB', with a packed tour schedule ahead, more possible collaborations and a third album already started, with a projected release date of October 2010......
PAT McMANUS BAND RORY GALLAGHER FESTIVAL 2014 BALLYSHANNON@THE GABLES "GENTLEMEN ROGUES
Pat McManus - Last Thing At Night + Fiddle Solo, Maryport (Uk) 2013.
Jack Savoretti *10.10.1983
Jack Savoretti (born 10 October 1983) is an Italian-English solo acoustic singer. He has released four studio albums to date: Between the Minds (2007), Harder Than Easy (2009), Before the Storm (2012) and Written in Scars (2015).
Early career
Born to an Italian father and English mother,[1] Savorettii grew up in London[2] before moving to Lugano, a Swiss city near the Italian border.[3] Moving around Europe as a child, he ended up at The American School In Switzerland where he picked up an accent he describes as "transatlantic mutt".
As a teenager, he was interested only in poetry.[4] "I was writing all the time, it was the thing to do, sit under a tree with a notebook, go somewhere else in your head. I was in the clouds." When his mother gave him a guitar and suggested he try putting some of his words to music he was "surprised how much more people listen to you when you are singing than if you read a poem," he admits. "After that, I couldn't stop, it was constant writing, every day, it became almost a form of conversation, the way I interact with the world."
He began playing guitar at 16.[5] Savoretti did two duets with Shelly Poole called "Anyday Now" and "Hope", both of which appear on Poole's album Hard Time for the Dreamer, which was released in September 2005.
Between the Minds (2006–08)
Savoretti released his first single on 9 October 2006, called "Without". The video, filmed in Mallorca was directed by Oscar-nominated director Bobby Garabedian. The single charted at number 90 in the UK Singles Chart and was B-Listed on BBC Radio 2. His second single, "Dreamers", was less successful, reaching #123 in the UK Singles Chart; it was also playlisted on Radio 2. Savoretti was then spotted by Corinne Bailey Rae, who invited Savoretti to perform with her on her European tour. His album gained support on Radio 2, where it was declared Album of the Week. The album Between the Minds was released in March 2007, and it débuted at number 5 on the UK indie charts. On 6 August 2007 he made his television debut on GMTV, where he performed "Dr Frankenstein". Throughout February and March 2008, Savoretti embarked on a solo mini-tour of Caffè Nero bars in the UK.
After his Caffe Nero tour he re-released his debut album Between the Minds with a bonus disc with unplugged versions of some of his songs, three new songs, as well as a live cover version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" on 31 March 2008. Four days later, on 4 April 2008, he made another television performance, performing "Gypsy Love" on This Morning.
Savoretti joined Steve Booker (writer of Duffy's "Mercy") to write the A-side to his single, "Gypsy Love", which captures the sincerity of Savoretti's song writing. Songs such as the AA side of his single "One Man Band" are a testament to how he has spent the beginning of the year, and an expression of the ability to showcase his voice without the support of a full band.[6]
Two of his songs featured in series 5 of the hit TV series One Tree Hill. "Between the Minds" was featured in the episode "Cryin' Won't Help You Now", and "No One's Aware" was featured in the episode "What Do You Go Home To?" "No One's Aware" was also featured in the film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, which was released in August in the US and was released in the UK in January 2009. His song "Chemical Courage" was featured on the A&E television series The Cleaner. The track "Soldier's Eyes" from Between the Minds played over the closing credits of the second episode of the fifth series of Sons of Anarchy.
Savoretti toured Europe with Gavin DeGraw after he approached Savoretti asking him to be his support act. To coincide with Savoretti supporting DeGraw, Savoretti's debut album, Between the Minds, was released on all European iTunes Stores.
Harder Than Easy (2009–11)
Savoretti's second album, Harder Than Easy, was due for release on 6 July 2009. The album release was postponed and is set to be released in North America on 15 September. On 14 April a new song called "Him & Her" was released through gigwise.com as a free download to launch the new album.[7]
Savoretti wrote the track "One Day" specifically for the American film Post Grad, and a version of "One Day" is performed in the film by Zach Gilford's character. A "One Day" music video featuring Post Grad footage was released.[8] The film was released in the USA on 21 August 2009.[9]
On 2 November 2010, Savoretti announced via Facebook that he was in London working on his third album.[10] He spent most of 2011 touring and working on his third album, debuting many new songs.
Before the Storm (2012)
On 2 February 2012 Savoretti released the song "Hate & Love", featuring Sienna Miller, followed by the first single, "Knock Knock", on 12 February.[11] On 3 May Savoretti released a third single called "Take Me Home" along with a music video. A competition was set for fans to cover this song and submit to the Facebook page in order to win the chance to tour with Savoretti. The third album, Before the Storm, was released on 4 June. With his band, The Dirty Romantics, they recorded at Kensaltown Studios and mastered the LP at Abbey Road Studios.[12] The album showed a new side to Savoretti, yet kept the same poetic charm seen in previous albums. Starting his UK leg of the tour at The Borderline, Savoretti showcased the new material whilst also appearing to have something else up his sleeve with a song called "Crazy Town". In the autumn of 2012, Jack co-wrote songs with Janet Devlin for her upcoming debut release.[13]
Written in Scars (2014–15)
Before the Storm re-ignited Savoretti's passion for songwriting, taught him how to put himself in his songs and, crucially, led him to the musicians who helped him helm Written in Scars — his fourth album and his first to be released by a major label, BMG Chrysalis, with whom he signed in 2014. Many of the songs on the album were co-written with Samuel Dixon and Matt Benbrook.[14] The track "Wasted" featured Lissie and a deluxe version contained three acoustic tracks.[15]
The singles "Tie Me Down", "Home" and "The Other Side of Love" were playlisted and championed by BBC Radio 2, where Savoretti appeared as a guest on the shows of Dermot O'Leary, Chris Evans and Richard Madeley.[16] Savoretti also appeared on BBC One's The One Show on 20 February 2015 to perform his single "Home".[17]
The official video for "Home"[18] was filmed during a football match at the stadium of Genoa, Jack's hometown.[19]
The official video for "The Other Side of Love' premièred in March 2015,[20] and stars the actor Rafe Spall.[21]
Written in Scars was released on 9 February 2015 on BMG Chrysalis. The album peaked in the official UK Albums Chart at number 13 on 15 February 2015.[22] BBC Radio 2 made Written in Scars their Album of the Week on 1 February 2015,[23] and Tesco also made it their Album of the Week on 10 April 2015.
To mark the album's release, Savoretti embarked on a sold-out headline UK and Ireland tour, which took in cities including Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin and Leeds before finishing with a sold-out show at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire, which was given a 4 star review by Emily Jupp of The Independent.
In 2016, Savoretti recorded a duet with Elisa, called "Waste Your Time on Me", on her album, On.
Personal life and family
Savoretti's grandparents hid in the mountains near Genoa, Italy during World War II. His grandfather was head of the Partisan movement that freed Genoa and that area of Italy from fascism.[24]
Savoretti has a house on Formentera in the Balearic Islands.[24] He is married to British actress Jemma Powell. They have two children.
Early career
Born to an Italian father and English mother,[1] Savorettii grew up in London[2] before moving to Lugano, a Swiss city near the Italian border.[3] Moving around Europe as a child, he ended up at The American School In Switzerland where he picked up an accent he describes as "transatlantic mutt".
As a teenager, he was interested only in poetry.[4] "I was writing all the time, it was the thing to do, sit under a tree with a notebook, go somewhere else in your head. I was in the clouds." When his mother gave him a guitar and suggested he try putting some of his words to music he was "surprised how much more people listen to you when you are singing than if you read a poem," he admits. "After that, I couldn't stop, it was constant writing, every day, it became almost a form of conversation, the way I interact with the world."
He began playing guitar at 16.[5] Savoretti did two duets with Shelly Poole called "Anyday Now" and "Hope", both of which appear on Poole's album Hard Time for the Dreamer, which was released in September 2005.
Between the Minds (2006–08)
Savoretti released his first single on 9 October 2006, called "Without". The video, filmed in Mallorca was directed by Oscar-nominated director Bobby Garabedian. The single charted at number 90 in the UK Singles Chart and was B-Listed on BBC Radio 2. His second single, "Dreamers", was less successful, reaching #123 in the UK Singles Chart; it was also playlisted on Radio 2. Savoretti was then spotted by Corinne Bailey Rae, who invited Savoretti to perform with her on her European tour. His album gained support on Radio 2, where it was declared Album of the Week. The album Between the Minds was released in March 2007, and it débuted at number 5 on the UK indie charts. On 6 August 2007 he made his television debut on GMTV, where he performed "Dr Frankenstein". Throughout February and March 2008, Savoretti embarked on a solo mini-tour of Caffè Nero bars in the UK.
After his Caffe Nero tour he re-released his debut album Between the Minds with a bonus disc with unplugged versions of some of his songs, three new songs, as well as a live cover version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" on 31 March 2008. Four days later, on 4 April 2008, he made another television performance, performing "Gypsy Love" on This Morning.
Savoretti joined Steve Booker (writer of Duffy's "Mercy") to write the A-side to his single, "Gypsy Love", which captures the sincerity of Savoretti's song writing. Songs such as the AA side of his single "One Man Band" are a testament to how he has spent the beginning of the year, and an expression of the ability to showcase his voice without the support of a full band.[6]
Two of his songs featured in series 5 of the hit TV series One Tree Hill. "Between the Minds" was featured in the episode "Cryin' Won't Help You Now", and "No One's Aware" was featured in the episode "What Do You Go Home To?" "No One's Aware" was also featured in the film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, which was released in August in the US and was released in the UK in January 2009. His song "Chemical Courage" was featured on the A&E television series The Cleaner. The track "Soldier's Eyes" from Between the Minds played over the closing credits of the second episode of the fifth series of Sons of Anarchy.
Savoretti toured Europe with Gavin DeGraw after he approached Savoretti asking him to be his support act. To coincide with Savoretti supporting DeGraw, Savoretti's debut album, Between the Minds, was released on all European iTunes Stores.
Harder Than Easy (2009–11)
Savoretti's second album, Harder Than Easy, was due for release on 6 July 2009. The album release was postponed and is set to be released in North America on 15 September. On 14 April a new song called "Him & Her" was released through gigwise.com as a free download to launch the new album.[7]
Savoretti wrote the track "One Day" specifically for the American film Post Grad, and a version of "One Day" is performed in the film by Zach Gilford's character. A "One Day" music video featuring Post Grad footage was released.[8] The film was released in the USA on 21 August 2009.[9]
On 2 November 2010, Savoretti announced via Facebook that he was in London working on his third album.[10] He spent most of 2011 touring and working on his third album, debuting many new songs.
Before the Storm (2012)
On 2 February 2012 Savoretti released the song "Hate & Love", featuring Sienna Miller, followed by the first single, "Knock Knock", on 12 February.[11] On 3 May Savoretti released a third single called "Take Me Home" along with a music video. A competition was set for fans to cover this song and submit to the Facebook page in order to win the chance to tour with Savoretti. The third album, Before the Storm, was released on 4 June. With his band, The Dirty Romantics, they recorded at Kensaltown Studios and mastered the LP at Abbey Road Studios.[12] The album showed a new side to Savoretti, yet kept the same poetic charm seen in previous albums. Starting his UK leg of the tour at The Borderline, Savoretti showcased the new material whilst also appearing to have something else up his sleeve with a song called "Crazy Town". In the autumn of 2012, Jack co-wrote songs with Janet Devlin for her upcoming debut release.[13]
Written in Scars (2014–15)
Before the Storm re-ignited Savoretti's passion for songwriting, taught him how to put himself in his songs and, crucially, led him to the musicians who helped him helm Written in Scars — his fourth album and his first to be released by a major label, BMG Chrysalis, with whom he signed in 2014. Many of the songs on the album were co-written with Samuel Dixon and Matt Benbrook.[14] The track "Wasted" featured Lissie and a deluxe version contained three acoustic tracks.[15]
The singles "Tie Me Down", "Home" and "The Other Side of Love" were playlisted and championed by BBC Radio 2, where Savoretti appeared as a guest on the shows of Dermot O'Leary, Chris Evans and Richard Madeley.[16] Savoretti also appeared on BBC One's The One Show on 20 February 2015 to perform his single "Home".[17]
The official video for "Home"[18] was filmed during a football match at the stadium of Genoa, Jack's hometown.[19]
The official video for "The Other Side of Love' premièred in March 2015,[20] and stars the actor Rafe Spall.[21]
Written in Scars was released on 9 February 2015 on BMG Chrysalis. The album peaked in the official UK Albums Chart at number 13 on 15 February 2015.[22] BBC Radio 2 made Written in Scars their Album of the Week on 1 February 2015,[23] and Tesco also made it their Album of the Week on 10 April 2015.
To mark the album's release, Savoretti embarked on a sold-out headline UK and Ireland tour, which took in cities including Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin and Leeds before finishing with a sold-out show at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire, which was given a 4 star review by Emily Jupp of The Independent.
In 2016, Savoretti recorded a duet with Elisa, called "Waste Your Time on Me", on her album, On.
Personal life and family
Savoretti's grandparents hid in the mountains near Genoa, Italy during World War II. His grandfather was head of the Partisan movement that freed Genoa and that area of Italy from fascism.[24]
Savoretti has a house on Formentera in the Balearic Islands.[24] He is married to British actress Jemma Powell. They have two children.
Jack Savoretti - The Other Side of Love - Live @ Blue Note Milano
R.I.P.
Solomon Burke +10.10.2010
Das älteste von insgesamt sieben Kindern begann schon sehr früh im Chor der Kirche seiner Großmutter zu singen und predigte bereits mit neun Jahren vor der dortigen Gemeinde, wo er als „Wonder Boy Preacher“ bekannt war. Mit zwölf Jahren reiste er in der Umgebung Philadelphias umher und trat als Gospel-Sänger auf. 1954 bekam Burke von seiner Großmutter zu Weihnachten eine Gitarre geschenkt. Als Folge dessen meldete er sich 1955 mit seiner Band, den Cavaliers, bei einer Talentshow an. Dort wurde die Frau eines berühmten Radio-DJs auf Burke aufmerksam und verschaffte ihm im Dezember 1955 einen Plattenvertrag bei Apollo Records in New York City, wo er sowohl geistliche als auch weltliche Musik aufnahm.
Die Platten floppten durchgehend alle, und Apollo konnte Burke nicht bezahlen, weshalb er schon bald nach Philadelphia zurückkehrte, wo er einige Zeit das Beerdigungsinstitut einer Tante leitete. Nach ein paar ebenfalls nicht erfolgreichen Aufnahmen bei Singular Records bekam Burke 1960 schließlich einen Vertrag bei Atlantic Records. Mit dem Country-Hit Just Out of Reach kam er im September 1961 erstmals in die US-Charts. Zwischen dem Aufnahmedatum 6. Dezember 1961 und der Aufnahmesession am 28. August 1964 war Bert Berns als Produzent für Burke zuständig. In diesem Zeitraum erschienen bei Atlantic Records insgesamt 13 Singles, darunter If You Need Me, das bis auf Platz 2 der Rhythm & Blues-Charts vordrang oder das temporeiche Everybody Needs Somebody to Love. Ironischerweise wurde die nächste Single ohne den Produzenten Berns, nämlich das im Februar 1965 veröffentlichte Got to Get You off My Mind, mit einer #1 in den R&B-Charts Burkes größter Hit. Bis 1969 konnte Burke diverse Songs in der Hitparade platzieren, darunter eine weitere Nr. 2 R&B-Platzierung Tonight’s the Night. Burke beeinflusste Sänger wie Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart und Tom Jones. 1965 tourte er erstmals durch Europa, und seine Konzerte waren meist sehr gut besucht.
Nach sieben Jahren bei Atlantic wechselte 1969 Burke zu Bell Records. Es folgten viele weitere Label-Wechsel in den Jahren 1970/71, die Erfolge ließen aber merklich nach. 1972 verschwand Burke endgültig aus den Charts. 1975 verließ er nach einer letzten Veröffentlichung auf Chess Records zunächst das Musikgeschäft vollkommen. Erst neun Jahre später kehrte er in die Musikszene zurück. Er tourte durch Nordamerika und Europa und hatte auch weiterhin viele Fans, trotzdem ernteten seine Veröffentlichungen keine nennenswerten Erfolge mehr.
Nachdem das 1987er Album Love Trap miserable Kritiken erntete, zog sich Burke abermals in seine Gemeinde zurück und veröffentlichte zunächst nicht mehr. Er baute sich ein eigenes Bestattungsunternehmen auf, hat 21 Kinder und wurde schließlich Urgroßvater. 1992 kam er auf die Idee ein Blues-Album aufzunehmen und unterschrieb bei Black Top Records. 1993 erschien das Album Soul of the Blues, das exzellente Kritiken bekam. Im gleichen Jahr erhielt er einen Pioneer Award der R&B Foundation. Für sein Album Live at the House of Blues kam 1994 ein W.-C.-Handy-Award hinzu. 1996 wurde Burkes Biographie von George Nierenberg als Sweet Inspiration verfilmt und 2001 wurde er in die Rock and Roll Hall of Fame aufgenommen.[1] 2003 erhielt er den Living Blues Award in den Kategorien Best Live Performer und Most Outstanding Blues Singer.[2]
Im Jahre 2002 veröffentlichte er das von Joe Henry produzierte Album Don’t Give Up on Me, das bei „Fat Possum Records“ erschien. Die Songs stammten u. a. von Van Morrison, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Joe Henry und Nick Lowe.
Like a Fire hieß sein Album von 2008 bei Shout!/Soulfood. Die Songs stammten u. a. von Eric Clapton. Das Album widmete Burke seiner verstorbenen Tochter Michelle. 2010 veröffentlichte er auf E1 noch das Album Nothing’s Impossible, das 2011 den Blues Music Award als bestes Soul Blues Album erhielt. Burke persönlich wurde in diesem Jahr noch als bester Soul Blues Künstler ausgezeichnet.
Am 10. Oktober 2010 starb er mit 70 Jahren wahrscheinlich durch einen Herzinfarkt in einem Flugzeug, kurz nach der Landung der Maschine aus Los Angeles auf dem Flughafen von Amsterdam.[3] Er hinterlässt 21 Kinder und 90 Enkelkinder.
Solomon Burke (March 21, 1940 – October 10, 2010) was an American recording artist and vocalist, who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s[2] and a "key transitional figure in the development of soul music from rhythm and blues.[3][4] He had a string of hits including "Cry to Me", "If You Need Me", "Got to Get You Off My Mind", "Down in the Valley" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love". Burke was referred to as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", "Bishop of Soul" and the "Muhammad Ali of soul".[5][6][1] Due to his minimal chart success in comparison to other soul music greats such as James Brown, Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding, Burke has been described as the genre's "most unfairly overlooked singer" of its golden age.[7] Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler referred to Burke as "the greatest male soul singer of all time".[1][6][8]
Burke's most famous recordings, which spanned five years in the early 1960s, bridged the gap between mainstream R&B and grittier R&B.[9] Burke was "a singer whose smooth, powerful articulation and mingling of sacred and profane themes helped define soul music in the early 1960s."[10] He drew from his roots – gospel, jazz, country and blues – as well as developing his own style at a time when R&B, and rock were both still in their infancy.[11] Described as both "Rabelaisian"[12] and also as a "spiritual enigma,"[13] "perhaps more than any other artist, the ample figure of Solomon Burke symbolized the ways that spirituality and commerce, ecstasy and entertainment, sex and salvation, individualism and brotherhood, could blend in the world of 1960s soul music."[14]
During the 55 years that he performed professionally, Burke released 38 studio albums on at least 17 record labels and had 35 singles that charted in the US, including 26 singles that made the Billboard R&B charts. In 2001, Burke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a performer. His album Don't Give Up on Me won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 45th Grammy Awards in 2003. By 2005 Burke was credited with selling 17 million albums.[11][15][16] Rolling Stone ranked Burke as no. 89 on its 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."[17]
Early life and career
Burke was born James Solomon McDonald[18] on March 21, 1940 in the upper floor of his grandmother Eleanor Moore's home,[19] a row house in West Philadelphia.[1][13][20][21] Burke was the child of Josephine Moore[22] and an absentee father. His mother Josephine was a nurse, schoolteacher, concert performer and pastor.[23][24] Burke was consecrated a bishop at birth by his grandmother in the Solomon's Temple, a congregation of the United House of Prayer for All People, which she founded at her home in Black Bottom, West Philadelphia.[25][26] When Burke was nine, his mother married rabbi and butcher Vincent Burke[13] and had his name changed to Solomon Vincent McDonald Burke.[24] Burke's friends and family called him "Sol".[24] Burke was the godson of Daddy Grace.[27]
Burke credited his grandmother as his main spiritual and musical influence.[28][29] He learned how to sing all forms of music from his grandmother's coaching him to listen to music on the radio.[16][26][28] Burke began preaching at the age of 7 at the Solomon's Temple.[24] He was described in his young preaching years as a "frantic sermonizer" and "spellbinding in his delivery";[30] and was soon nicknamed the "Boy Wonder Preacher" for his charismatic preaching in the pulpit.[31] Burke became a pastor of the congregation at age 12, appeared on the radio station WDAS,[32][33] and later hosted a gospel show on WHAT-AM, mixing songs and sermons in broadcasts from Solomon's Temple.[34] On weekends he traveled with a truck and tent, to Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas to carry on the spiritual crusade of his church.[13] Influenced by Superman,[35] "the first sign of a royal persona was evident in the cape that he wore only on Sundays, made from his "blankie"[31] by his grandmother.[36]
Solomon Burke had six younger siblings – a sister, Laurena Burke-Corbin (born 23 June 1946),[24] and five brothers: Elec Edward "Alec" (born 16 February 1948),[37] Vladimir H. "Laddie" (born 31 July 1949),[38] Mario "Chuck" (born 13 September 1953),[37] Daniel S. "Danny" (born 10 March 1955),[37] and Jolester R. M. Burke (born 24 September 1958).[20][24][37][39] From an early age Solomon Burke worked to supplement his family's income. He recalled: "I used to deliver grocery orders in a little wagon I made out of fish boxes. When I was seven, I sold newspapers out of my own newsstand on the corner of 40th and Lancaster. I had the first 99-cent car wash, which was located at 40th and Wallace outside Al's Barber Shop. We had it there because he was the only one who would let us use his water. We could wash your car in 20 minutes. I had four or five guys, gave 'em each a nickel for each car.[1] Another briefly held early job was as a hot dog seller at Eddie's Meat Market, where his friend Ernest Evans, later known as Chubby Checker, also worked.[1] Burke eventually graduated from John Bartram High School.[24][40][41] He first became a father at 14.[42]
During high school, Burke formed and fronted the quartet, the Gospel Cavaliers.[43] He received his first guitar from his grandmother, later writing his first song, "Christmas Presents".[1][44] The Cavaliers began performing in churches. It was around this time that Burke met Kae "Loudmouth" Williams, a famed Philadelphia deejay with help from Williams' wife, Viola, who saw Burke and the Cavaliers perform at church.[45][46] Before entering a gospel talent contest in which a record deal was for first prize, the group split up.[24] Burke entered the contest, held as Cornerstone Baptist Church, as a solo artist and won the contest against eleven other competitors.[24] Soon, several labels including Apollo, Vee-Jay Records and Peacock Records pursued the 15-year-old.[47] Before pursuing the deal, Burke signed Kae Williams as his manager.[24] Williams then took him to Apollo Records introducing him to Bess Berman, who signed him to the label.[13] The move was made after Williams added four years to Burke's age, which led to confusion from the press about his age.[13]
Career
Early recordings
Burke signed with Apollo Records in late 1955, following the departure of gospel singer and the label's primary star Mahalia Jackson to Columbia.[48][49] After he signed with Apollo, the label's founder Bess Berman and its handlers were reportedly trying to make Burke "the next Harry Belafonte".[13]
Burke recorded nine singles for the label during his two-year tenure,[43][50] releasing his first single, "Christmas Presents", on Christmas Eve of 1955.[40][51][52] He recorded with musicians including King Curtis and Lester Young.[53] His other Apollo recordings during this early period included "I'm in Love",[54] "I'm All Alone"[55] and "No Man Walks Alone",[55] later collected as his first long-player, Solomon Burke. These early records did not sell well, although the self-titled album was rereleased in 1964 after Burke had experienced some chart success.
External video Oral History, Solomon Burke shares early moments of his life story. interview date March 10, 2006, NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Oral History Library
Burke gained some notoriety for the Apollo single, "You Can Run (But You Can't Hide)", which he wrote with Charles Merenstein.[56][57] Due to the song's title borrowing from Joe Louis' quote, "he can run, but he can't hide", Louis was credited as co-writer.[58] Louis helped promote the song by having Burke appear on the Steve Allen Show in early 1957.[59] Burke was abruptly dropped from Apollo following a violent argument with manager Kae Williams over performance royalties;[40] Burke claimed Williams had him "blackballed" from the industry following this move.[60] After releasing a few singles for other labels, Burke briefly returned to Apollo under the pseudonym "Little Vincent", releasing one song in 1961,[61] and the label issued a self-titled album in 1962.[62]
Following his initial Apollo departure, Burke struggled to record or get club dates,[60] and an argument with his mother left him homeless.[5][15][63] He later moved into a home owned by Ohella Thompson, after Thompson accidentally hit him with her car outside a club.[15][64][65] During this time, Burke studied the Islamic faith[5][66] and married, but the marriage was annulled.[5][60][66] Soon afterwards, he married Delores Clark, Thompson's niece, and soon had seven children.[40][64] As his family grew, Burke trained for a while to be a mortician at Eckels College of Mortuary Science, graduating from mortuary science, and finding work at a funeral home.[64][67][68] Burke later had his own mortuary business in Los Angeles.[69]
Burke was briefly signed to Herb Abramson's Triumph Records.[70][71] However, Burke could not record for the label because his contract with Apollo had not yet been dissolved.[72] In 1959, Philadelphia businessman Marvin Leonard "Babe" Chivian (1925-1972), a "body-and-fender man"[41] and real estate speculator,[73] offered Burke a red Lincoln Continental convertible if he would agree to a management contract with him.[74] Chivian arranged for Burke to be signed to Singular Records,[1][15][75] a Philadelphia-based label that was owned by WPEN disc jockey Edwin L. "Larry" Brown and vocal coach Arthur "Artie" Singer, who had a distribution deal with Chess Records.[76] Burke released just two singles for Singular,[50] "Doodle Dee Doo" and "This Little Ring was written by Delores Burke and Marvin Chivian"; neither song charted.[61]
Work with Atlantic Records
In November 1960, he signed with Atlantic Records. According to Burke, he signed with the label within ten minutes of entering Jerry Wexler's office,[65][77] reportedly signing a "handshake deal" with Wexler and Ahmet Ertegun.[78][79] At the time of Burke's signing, two of Atlantic Records' major stars, Bobby Darin and Ray Charles, had left the label for better deals with Capitol and ABC respectively.[19][65] According to Alex Halberstadt, "Salvation arrived in the person of Solomon Burke, a soul singer of overwhelming charisma and remarkable stylistic range. ... Wexler and Burke created a string of hits that carried the label financially and represented the first fully realized examples of the classic soul sound."[80] Burke reportedly helped keep Atlantic Records solvent from 1961 to 1965 with his steady run of hit records.
Burke recorded thirty-two singles with Atlantic, most of which hit both the pop and R&B charts. Burke's second single for the label was the country single, "Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)", which became his first charted single, reaching #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaking at #7 on the R&B charts. The song also became Burke's first million-seller.[81] His next hit came with "Cry to Me", which reached #5 on the R&B chart in 1962 and was described as one of the first songs to mix country, R&B and gospel.[82] After the release of "Cry to Me", Burke was among one of the first artists to be referred to as a "soul artist".[83][84][85] Other hits included Wilson Pickett's "If You Need Me"; "You're Good for Me"; his co-written classic, "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love";[86] his only number-one single, "Got to Get You Off My Mind";[78][87] and "Tonight's the Night" .[5][88] Burke became the first R&B artist to cover a Bob Dylan song with his cover of "Maggie's Farm", which became the b-side of "Tonight's the Night".[89][90] In 1965 Atlantic released his fifth album, The Best of Solomon Burke, which peaked at #22 on the US charts.[87]
Branding
Almost immediately after signing to Atlantic, Wexler and Burke clashed over his branding and the songs that he would record. According to Burke, "Their idea was, we have another young kid to sing gospel, and we’re going to put him in the blues bag."[65] As Burke had struggled from an early age with "his attraction to secular music on the one hand and his allegiance to the church on the other,"[91] when he was signed to Atlantic Records he "refused to be classified as a rhythm-and-blues singer" due to a perceived "stigma of profanity" by the church,[91] and R&B's reputation as "the devil's music." Burke indicated in 2005: "I told them about my spiritual background, and what I felt was necessary, and that I was concerned about being labeled rhythm & blues. What kind of songs would they be giving me to sing? Because of my age, and my position in the church, I was concerned about saying things that were not proper, or that sent the wrong message. That angered Jerry Wexler a little bit. He said, ‘We’re the greatest blues label in the world! You should be honored to be on this label, and we’ll do everything we can – but you have to work with us.’"[65] To mollify Burke, it was decided to market him as a singer of "soul music" after he had consulted his church brethren and won approval for the term.[26] When a Philadelphia DJ said to Burke, "You're singing from your soul and you don't want to be an R&B singer, so what kind of singer are you going to be?", Burke shot back: "I want to be a soul singer."[92] Burke's sound, which was especially popular in the South, was described there as "river deep country fried buttercream soul."[93] Burke is credited with coining the term "soul music,"[94] which he confirmed in a 1996 interview.[95]
Despite his initial reluctance, shared with several former gospel singers including Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett, Burke was "molded into a more secular direction when he signed with Atlantic in the '60s,"[96] and became one of "the "backsliders," artists who "preferred a secular acclaim to the gospel obscurity".[97] He decided eventually that "secular music was not the antithesis of the church but, rather, 'a new avenue, a new dimension to spread the gospel.'"[91] Despite this, "leaving gospel for secular music, as well as integrating secular music into gospel performances, was controversial."[98] Noted blues scholar Paul Oliver maintains that when Sam Cooke and Burke "turned from gospel singing to the blues",[99] unlike others who had done so previously, "they took the gospel technique with them"; "even the words often secularized gospel songs", and this was coupled with a "screaming delivery, the exploitation of emotional involvement, [and] the frenetic displays of dancing singers."[99] For Burke, "gospel influences were pervasive. Gospelly chord progressions, organ accompaniment and a style of singing which can only be described as "preaching" have now spread widely into much black popular music."[100] Music critic Mark Deming described Burke as having: "one of the finest voices in popular music, that possessed a churchly authority that was the ideal match for his material which balanced the pleasures of the flesh with the price of the transgression."[101]
"Burke sounded like a Baptist preacher in a country church, and for [Jerry] Wexler he was the first and possibly the greatest of all '60s soul men."[102] Wexler, who considered Burke to be "the greatest male soul singer of all time",[8] pronounced him a "vocalist of rare prowess and remarkable range. His voice is an instrument of exquisite sensitivity."[8] Wexler also described the young Burke's vocal style as "churchy without being coarse."[5] In 2000 Wexler indicated: "Solomon was beautiful, baby. He sounded just like Dean Martin."[103] In 2003 Wexler assessed Burke: "I rate him at the very top. Since all singing is a trade-off between music and drama, he's the master at both. His theatricality. He's a great actor."[104] Despite his admiration for Burke, Wexler also described Burke as "a piece of work: wily, highly intelligent, a salesman of epic proportions, sly, sure-footed, a never-say-die entrepreneur",[5] while also branding him "a card-carrying fabulist. Solomon has told so many versions of the same happening that it's unreal."[5]
Impact
After a string of a dozen hit records,[105] by November 1963 Burke had agreed to be crowned the "King of Rock 'n' Soul" in a ceremony at the Royal Theatre in Baltimore by local deejay Fred Robinson, known professionally as "Rockin' Robin", who also gave him a cape and crown that he always wore on stage.[1][106][107][108] Burke accepted the appellation the "King of Rock 'N' Soul", indicating "without soul, there'd be no rock and without rock, there'd be no soul."[109] The ceremony was repeated each night during the week Burke performed in Baltimore.[110]
According to Gerri Hirshey: "Title agreed upon, Solomon added the trappings: a crown, a scepter, a cape, robe, dancing girls, and colored lights."[106] Burke's crown was an exact replica of "the crown jewels of London" and the cape was trimmed with real ermine.[111] Burke, whose shows were tours de force of riveting soul and unashamed hokum", "ticked every box from low comedy through country pleading to the kind of magisterial rock'n'roll that brought the house down",[112] and he "became known as much for his showmanship as he did his voice. He would often take the stage in a flowing, 15-foot-long cape and bejeweled crown, his stage theatrics predating those of such legendary showman as James Brown. According to David Hepworth, Burke "once employed a midget who was secreted under his cape. When it was thrown off the cape would disappear stage left as of its own volition."[112][111] After the success of his "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" in late 1965, James Brown, believing he deserved to be crowned "King of Soul", hired Burke to perform for one night in Chicago, but ended up paying not to perform but rather to watch him perform instead, expecting Burke also to surrender his crown and title to him.[113] According to Burke, "He paid me $7,500 to stand onstage and hand him my robe and crown. It was a great gig: I got paid and I didn't have to sing a note."[9][114] Burke accepted Brown's money, but retained his title and regal paraphernalia.[113]
As he increased in weight, "Burke’s sheer bulk meant that he could never be a dancer like James Brown, but like Brown, his act was full of showmanship."[89] Consequently, over the years Burke "evolved a fervently demonstrative stage act",[13] that were often compared with religious revival meetings.[85] Burke and black performers like James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett, "would adopt the 'house-wrecking' tactics of black preachers, and their shows functioned in much the same way as black religious events in that performer and audience became immersed in the music, arriving together at an ecstatic state that allowed them to feel a deep intensity of experience."[115] According to Weldon McDougal, Burke "turned theatres like the Apollo and the Uptown into churches, he had folk running down the aisles to be saved by his music."[13] Cliff White described a show in the UK where "with head thrown back and one hand cupped to his mouth like an Alpine yodeller he cried out with such overwhelming passion that he left the spellbound audience wrung out and exhausted like so many limp rags."[13]
Decline with Atlantic
After 1965, the "biggest year of his career", Burke settled as "at best a middle-of-the-pack chart performer".[88] Due to failing chart numbers and the rise of several performers including Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding, Burke was described by David Cantwell in this period as "a King without a kingdom".[88] Burke's position in Atlantic dropped by 1968 as other Atlantic artists replaced him as the label's primary artists.[78] Burke tried to regain his early Atlantic success by recording at Memphis, working on the album I Wish I Knew at Chips Moman's American Sound Studio.[116] The album included the songs "Get Out My Life Woman" and a cover of "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free", his first recording that provided social commentary.[117] It was later dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr.,[118] and Atlantic gave up 5% of royalties on the single to King's family.[119] It only reached #32 R&B and #68 pop. Burke later met his next manager Tamiko Jones at the Memphis studio.[120] Burke and Jones recorded several duets on Jones' album, I'll Be Anything for You. Following a failed collaboration with other soul artists as the Soul Clan, Burke decided to leave the label. His reasons for leaving Atlantic were for not "bring treated properly" and that Atlantic "just wasn't home anymore, wasn't family".[11][88]
Later recordings
After leaving Atlantic, Burke signed with Bell Records where he released five singles in the next eighteen months.[121] In 1969 he had a small hit with his second release for Bell, a reworking of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary" b/w "What Am I Living For" (Bell 783). This was co-produced by Tamiko Jones,[122] who was being rehabilitated after a bout of polio,[123] and was at the time Burke's manager.[43] Burke recorded a cover of "Proud Mary" prior to Ike & Tina Turner's version, and according to Burke was the one who convinced the duo to record it.[92] The song became a brief hit reaching #15 R&B and #45 pop.[78] All but four of the tracks Burke recorded during an 18-month stay with Bell Records were packaged on the Proud Mary LP. After this album and the two following singles - his own "Generation of Revelations", and the Mac Davis song "In the Ghetto", which had previously been a hit for Elvis Presley - failed to chart, his contract was not renewed.
Through the efforts of his manager, Buddy Glee, by November 1970 Burke signed with Mike Curb's MGM label,[78] and formed MBM Productions, his own production company.[124] Burke's record debut for MGM, "Lookin' Out My Back Door", another Creedence Clearwater Revival song, had disappointing sales.[13] His first MGM album, Electronic Magnetism, also failed to chart. In 1972 Burke had a #13 R&B hit for MGM with "Love Street and Fool's Road" (MGM 14353).[13] In 1972, he recorded the soundtrack to two films, Cool BreezeBurke had his two step children Joyce, Connie and daughter doing back up on the Cool Breeze LpHammer. He left MGM for ABC-Dunhill Records in 1974, recording the album, I Have a Dream,[125] which produced the #14 R&B hit, "Midnight and You".[13] By 1975 Burke was signed to Chess Records. He recorded two albums for Chess: Music to Make Love By and Back to My Roots, and had a top 20 R&B hit in 1975 with "You And Your Baby Blues".[13] However, his follow-up single "Let Me Wrap My Arms Around You" only reached #72 on the R&B chart. In 1978 Burke released an album Please Don't Say Goodbye To Me, which was produced by Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams, though Amherst Records.[78] On September 23, 1978, Burke charted for the 31st and last time when "Please Don't Say Goodbye to Me" reached #91 on the R&B chart.[126] He released the album Sidewalks, Fences and Walls on Infinity Records in 1979 (reissued as Let Your Love Flow in 1993 by Shanachie Records).[78][127]
Between 1979 and 1984, Burke recorded four gospel albums for Savoy Records, starting with the album, Lord I Need a Miracle Right Now.[128] He was nominated for his first Grammy in the Best Male Gospel Soul category for his rendition of "Precious Lord, Take My Hand",[13][129] but complained later that he did not receive royalties from his Savoy work.[130] He then recorded for smaller labels such as Rounder, MCI/Isis, Bizarre/Straight, Black Top, Point Blank and GTR Records. Burke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 19, 2001 in New York City by Mary J. Blige, after eight previous nominations since 1986.[131]
Final recordings
In 2002, Burke signed with Fat Possum Records and released the album, Don't Give Up on Me. The album became critically acclaimed and later resulted in Burke's first Grammy Award win.[132][133] Burke later signed with Shout! Factory to release the album, Make Do With What You Got, which became another critically acclaimed success. In 2006, Burke returned to his country roots with the album, Nashville. In 2008, he received another Grammy nomination for the album, Like a Fire. That same year, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Burke as #89 on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In 2010, Burke came out with the Willie Mitchell-produced Nothing's Impossible for E1 Entertainment. Later in 2010, he released his final album, Hold on Tight, a collaboration album with De Dijk, a Dutch band.
Entrepreneurship
From an early age Burke was "always an enterprising personality."[134] In addition to his recording career, Burke ran funeral homes, owned two drugstores and a popcorn business in Philadelphia,[1] and later had the first Mountain Dew franchise in Philadelphia.[105]
Burke's entrepreneurial activities included cooking and selling barbecued chicken sandwiches backstage,[135][136] and well as sandwiches, soft drinks, and fried chickens at increasingly inflated prices to other performers who were refused service at restaurants on the Chitlin' circuit in the "Jim Crow" South.[1][34][137] According to Sam Moore of the soul duo Sam & Dave, "He gave me one pork chop, one scoop of macaroni and cheese, and one spoonful of gravy. I said, ‘Is that it?’ And he’d say, "That’s it, brother. I’m doing you a favor, so take it or leave it."[134] Trombonist Fred Wesley was one who was critical of Burke's business practices.[138] Burke demanded and operated the concessions at the Apollo Theater when he performed there in 1966.[139] This was very profitable for him but so enraged the owner Frank Schiffman that he was banned from performing at the Apollo for life.[1][140][141] After playing at the reopening of The Cavern Club in Liverpool in July 1966, Burke said: “The Cavern was a great place to play. The groove was there, the people were there, and it was wonderful. I remember them selling hot Pepsis. What a mistake – you gotta put ice in those things. Think of how many more they could have sold with ice in them."[89]
Burke owned funeral parlors in California, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, and two of his children have turned the mortuary business into a franchise.[44][142] Additionally, Burke owned and operated a limousine service.[92] Burke continued to operate companies that supplied theaters and stadiums with his own brand of fast food—Soul Dogs and Soul Corn until at least 2004.[143][144]
Bishopry and community work
From the early 1970s, after having moved to Los Angeles, Burke concentrated on his episcopal duties, preaching from a crimson throne on the third Sunday of the month at the Prayer Assembly Church of God in Christ, his church at 226 North Market St., Inglewood, California.[26][145] Within three decades his church grew to have about 170 missions and 40,000 members.[146] By 2000, Burke's Solomon’s Temple: The House of God for All People had over 300 ordained ministers whose job is to “feed the hungry, educate the uneducated and be God’s workers in the vineyard”, and 40,000 parishioners in close to 200 churches across the USA, Canada, and Jamaica.[142] At the time of his death, there were about 180 churches that were established under the charter of his denomination, with Burke indicating: "We’re non-sectarian, non-denominational. Ours is an open door."[32] In 2008 Burke acknowledged his Christian methodology differed from that of his maternal uncle, Pastor Harry R. Moore (1933–1982), the founder and pastor of Our First Temple of Faith, at Front and Susquehanna Streets, Philadelphia: "Mine was more: God, money and women, hey hey hey; truth, love, peace and get it on."[5] While pursuing other interests, Burke was also deeply involved in community work, assisting The Crippled Children's Foundation for blind and underprivileged children, while personally being responsible for more than 120 adopted children.[13]
Burke was also a mentor to up-coming Soul and Blues musicians, including a young Reggie Sears.[147]
Personal life
Burke was married four times, In total Burke fathered at least 14 children (9 daughters and 5 sons), including at least two fathered outside any of his marriages, including Melvia Burke and Elijah Mohammed Burke, Vickey Burke.[148][149] He had 7 step children, 90 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren at the time of his death.[13]
Burke was married to Doris P. Williams for two months; the marriage was annulled by August 1958,[150] though it resulted in the birth of one child, Valerie Doris Gresham (born September 16, 1957).[151]
Burke's second wife was Delores Clark Burke,[152][153] with whom he had 7 children, including Eleanor Alma (born December 27, 1958),[37][154][155] Dr. Melanie Burke-McCall(born March 1960), Solomon Vincent, Jr. (born October 15, 1961), Carolyn J. Burke (born September 1962), Prince Solomon(JFK)Burke, Gemini C.Burke (born September 1, 1964),[37][156] and Lillian (born August 1966).
Burke's third wife was Bernadine Burke.[157][158] In 2012 Court documents BP Case 126258 (Solomon McDonald Burke) it proved that Burke had never divorced Arch Bishop Bernadine Turner Burke in 1970 before marring Frances Secto, Court records shows no divorce from Bernadine McDonald Burke or Delores Burke.
Burke's fourth wife was Frances Secto Burke McDonald (born 1951), Marriage License dated December 1977;[127] she was living with Burke and live in lover/manger and caregiver Jane Margolis Vickers when Burke died, Frances had three children with Burke.[5]
Burke used different names on each Marriage License.
In a 2006 interview Burke admitted having his first child at age 14: "being a father at age 14 maybe been a little early, but I don’t regret one moment, one second, one day, or one hour. My only regrets are the loss of my twins and my first son."[42] Burke's twin sons were James and David, who both died in infancy. By 1961, Burke had "three kids on the outside, and about four at home",[15] including Eleanor A.H. Burke (born 1958) Melanie Burke (born 1960),[159] Solomon Vincent Burke, Jr. (born October 15, 1961).[37] In an open letter to his children, Burke wrote:
"Your love and your strength, and the love of your mothers, have made me the strongest-minded father in the world. I may not be the best father. Maybe I haven't done everything that I should do, could do, or would do…or desire to do, but by the grace of God, and your prayers, we will make it. Every day is a new way. None of us are perfect and God knows, I have made many mistakes."[42]
Burke admitted serial infidelity during his marriages: "I was young. Girls were coming from every angle. I couldn't love them all. But I tried."[5] Burke stated:
"I realized in later years that money didn’t solve problems. I realized too that maybe the reason I had problems with my marriages was because I didn't spend enough time with my children, my family. I thought that sending money home and buying pretty cars and redoing houses, and ordering food by the hundreds of dollars a day, would keep my family together, keep my children happy.... Not being there all the time, being on the road 250 days out of the year, was too much. I was gaining the world and losing my children. And my wife. My love life."[42]
Family members
Several of Burke's family have had successful careers in various facets of show business. In the mid-1960s two of Burke's younger brothers, Alex (born 1948 in Philadelphia)[37] and Laddie (born 1949 in Philadelphia),[20] joined with fellow Germantown High School students, brothers Earl and Timmy Smith to form The Showstoppers,[160] who had a couple of local hit singles in Philadelphia on Showtime Records in 1968,[161] including a #11 hit on the UK Singles Chart with "Ain't Nothin' But a Houseparty" b/w "How Easy Your Heart Forgets Me" (Heritage HE-800),[162] which peaked at #87 on the Billboard chart in 1968,[93] which was later a discothèque hit (#33) in 1971, just before the group disbanded after a series of flops.[162]
Burke's daughter, Melanie Burke- McCall,[163] a neo soul singer who is an accomplished artist as well as a freelance background recording artist with companies such as Daxwood Records,[164] Casablanca, A&M and Rawkus Records and a studio artist for groups such as Billy Preston, Peacock (Anna Gayle group), and Leslie Uggams, and toured with Chaka Khan, and wrote and produced Trouble Don't Last Play and LP with Family, & Friends, a 14-song original soundtrack, which was released in 2003, Ms. Burke opened for Jocelyn Brown, Jaheim, Norman Connors, and Angela Bofill, as well as for her father at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia in 2006.In 1972 Melanie was signed along with her siblings The Sons & Daughters of Solomon to MGM Records.[159] Her son is Novel,[165] who released his first studio album "The Audiobiography" in October 2008,[166] and wrote movie soundtracks for Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Step Up, and 21. Her youngest son, Solomon, also has started recording.[159]
Burke's granddaughter Candy Burke (born 1977) was a backing singer at many of Burke's performances, including the July 2008 Juan-les-Pins concert, where she performed a rendition of "I Will Survive." She also appears in the 2003 North Sea Jazz Festival DVD with her grand who raised her as his daughter.
Burke's grandson Novel Stevenson has written hits such as "Bossy" for Kelis, as well as numerous songs for artists including India.Arie, Leona Lewis, Fantasia, Justin Timberlake, Dr. Dre, Ashanti, Joss Stone, Stacie Orrico, and Monica. In 2013 Novel was featured along with his grandfather, as writer and singer on The Grammy award winning CD "Gravity" by Lacrae. Novel has up and coming nomination with Gospel LP Smokey Norful latest Album "FOREVER YOURS" Novel songs are Nothing is Impossible and He Loves Me.
Rapper Raeneal T. Quann (known as Q-Don) (born about 1978), who was accidentally shot and killed by robbers on April 26, 2000, outside the Club Evolution in Philadelphia, was also a grandson of Burke.[167][168][169]
Declining health
For many years Burke struggled with his health, with his "weight estimated somewhere between 300 and 400 pounds" in 2006.[170] New York Times writer Ben Sisario wrote of Burke: "Wide-shaped in his youth, he grew into Henry VIII-like corpulence, and in his later years had to be wheeled to his throne."[171] In the later years of his life, "arthritis and weight ... limited his mobility",[170] and confined him to a wheelchair.[172] In an interview in 2008, Burke claimed that "God put me in this wheelchair", and that God's message to him was: "'You are too fat!'" Burke denied having an eating disorder: ... I guess God let me develop into what I am now and allowed me to live. It's not an eating disorder. If I had an eating disorder, I wouldn't travel."[5] In 2006 Burke acknowledged: "It's very rough. I love to eat and I love to cook – as you can see. But my hip has to be replaced and a knee has to be replaced and I've got to lose 150 pounds before they can do that. And that's a lot. But it's NOT! God knows I've enjoyed every kind of food there is, all around the world. It's not like I'm going to miss any of it. Because I've had it all!"[170] Despite his efforts, at the time of his death, Burke's weight still exceeded 350 pounds.[75]
Death and funeral
On Sunday October 10, 2010, Burke died at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport while on a plane from Washington Dulles Airport that had just landed. He had been due to perform with De Dijk in Amsterdam on October 12.[173] The cause of death was not immediately clear; according to his family, Burke died of natural causes.[174] At a 2012 probate court hearing of Burke's will, Burke's manager/companion of 16 years, Jane Margolis Vickers, stated that doctors at Reston Hospital suspected that Burke had a pulmonary embolism and had urged him not to travel. Burke decided to leave the hospital "against medical advice" and proceed to the Washington Dulles for his flight to Amsterdam. There was no autopsy after his death, but the general assumption is that Burke died as a result of a pulmonary embolism.
Grave of Solomon Burke at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills
On Thursday 21 October a wake and meditation service was held at the Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Griffin Mortuary at Westlake Village.[175] Burke's funeral was at 10.00am on Friday 22 October 2010 at the City of Refuge in Gardena, California and was open to the public. It was simulcast on the internet and at a memorial service held at the Sharon Baptist Church in Philadelphia,[175] that was led by Minister Lester Fields and Solomon's younger sister, Apostle Laurena Burke Corbin,[176] the pastor of Our First Temple of Faith Mt. Deborah Pentecostal Church on Haverford Avenue in Philadelphia,[177] and attended by Burke's extended East Coast family.[176]
Joe Henry described the funeral, which was "2 and a half hours long, included many eulogies, some spontaneous gospel singing; some shouting, some wailing, a fainting, and a daughter who hopped on the balls of her feet and spoke in tongues as punctuation to her scripted remarks. The highlight for me was Rudy [Copeland]’s bluesy Hammond B-3 instrumental of Thomas Dorsey's “Precious Lord (Lead Me On)." He played it like Ray [Charles] would have, kicking it heavy on the bass foot pedals, and shouting his own encouragement: 'Tell the story, son!' The whole service climaxed with a rousing version of "When The Saints Go Marching In", which included the choir, a 2nd-line-style brass band marching through the isles (sic), and everyone in the pews clapping and singing along."[178]
Burke is buried at Lot 4037, Space 1, in the Murmuring Trees section of the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills, at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, California.[179]
Legacy
According to Tim Newby: "Despite the endless parade of fans and praise, Burke always seemed to be two steps ahead or one step behind his contemporaries. While he was always at the forefront of the Soul movement, paving the way for a slew of singers who followed in his large wake, he never had that one timeless hit like so many others of the time that would forever endear him to our memories. So many of his peers of the time had that one huge mega-hit that would stamp them as eternal legends, and while Burke came close, he never found that one everlasting song. He became more known for his inspiration on other musicians than for his music. He is often criminally overlooked by the casual fan."
Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy, praised Burke soon after his death: "GRAMMY-winning soul singer Solomon Burke was revered as one of music’s greatest vocalists and a pioneer of the genre. A deeply spiritual man, his love and passion for his craft kept him touring and performing to sold-out audiences right up to his final days. Few artists have had careers as long, rich and influential as his, and he leaves a larger-than-life legacy as powerful and soulful as he was. The music industry has lost one of its most distinctive voices."
Wesley Wilson +10.10.1958
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leola-B-Wilson-Kid-Wesley-Wilson-1928-1933-Blues-Coots-Grant-Eddie-Lang-NM-/151685657145
Wesley
Wilson (October 1, 1893 – October 10, 1958) was an American blues and
jazz singer and songwriter.[2] His own stage craft, plus the double act
with his wife and musical partner, Coot Grant, was popular with African
American audiences in the 1910s, 1920s and early 1930s.[3][4]
His stage names included Kid Wilson, Jenkins, Socks, and either Sox Wilson or Socks Wilson. His musical excursions included participation in the oddly named duo of Pigmeat Pete and Catjuice Charlie.[2] Wilson recorded songs such as "Blue Monday on Sugar Hill" and "Rasslin' Till The Wagon Comes".[1]
Biography
He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Wilson played both piano and organ, whilst Coot Grant strummed guitar as well as sing and dance.[2]
The duo's billing also varied between Grant and Wilson, Kid and Coot, and Hunter and Jenkins, as they went on to appear and later record with Fletcher Henderson, Mezz Mezzrow, Sidney Bechet, and Louis Armstrong. Their variety was such that they performed separately and together in vaudeville, musical comedies, revues and traveling shows. This ability to adapt also saw them appear in the 1933 film, The Emperor Jones, alongside Paul Robeson.[2]
In addition to this, the twosome wrote in excess of 400 songs over their working lifetime.[5] That list included "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" (1933) and "Take Me for a Buggy Ride", which were both made famous by Bessie Smith's recording of the songs, plus "Find Me at the Greasy Spoon (If You Miss Me Here)" (1925)[6] and "Prince of Wails" for Fletcher Henderson. Their own renditions included the diverse, "Come on Coot, Do That Thing" (1925), "Dem Socks Dat My Pappy Wore," and "Throat Cutting Blues" (although the latter remains unreleased)."[2]
Although Grant and Wilson's act, once seen as a serious rival to Butterbeans and Susie,[3] began to lose favor with the public by the middle of the 1930s, they recorded further songs in 1938.[2] Their only child, Bobby Wilson, was born in 1941.[7] By 1946, and after Mezz Mezzrow had founded his King Jazz record label, he engaged them as songwriters.[2] In that year, the association led to their final recording session backed by a quintet incorporating Bechet and Mezzrow.[7]
Wilson retired in ill health shortly thereafter,[5] but Grant continued performing into the 1950s.[2] In January 1953, one commentator noted that the couple had moved from New York to Los Angeles, but were in considerable financial hardship.[8]
Wilson died from a stroke, aged 65, in October 1958 in Cape May Court House, New Jersey.[1]
In 1998, his entire recorded work, both with and without Grant, was made available in three chronological volumes by Document Records.
His stage names included Kid Wilson, Jenkins, Socks, and either Sox Wilson or Socks Wilson. His musical excursions included participation in the oddly named duo of Pigmeat Pete and Catjuice Charlie.[2] Wilson recorded songs such as "Blue Monday on Sugar Hill" and "Rasslin' Till The Wagon Comes".[1]
Biography
He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Wilson played both piano and organ, whilst Coot Grant strummed guitar as well as sing and dance.[2]
The duo's billing also varied between Grant and Wilson, Kid and Coot, and Hunter and Jenkins, as they went on to appear and later record with Fletcher Henderson, Mezz Mezzrow, Sidney Bechet, and Louis Armstrong. Their variety was such that they performed separately and together in vaudeville, musical comedies, revues and traveling shows. This ability to adapt also saw them appear in the 1933 film, The Emperor Jones, alongside Paul Robeson.[2]
In addition to this, the twosome wrote in excess of 400 songs over their working lifetime.[5] That list included "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" (1933) and "Take Me for a Buggy Ride", which were both made famous by Bessie Smith's recording of the songs, plus "Find Me at the Greasy Spoon (If You Miss Me Here)" (1925)[6] and "Prince of Wails" for Fletcher Henderson. Their own renditions included the diverse, "Come on Coot, Do That Thing" (1925), "Dem Socks Dat My Pappy Wore," and "Throat Cutting Blues" (although the latter remains unreleased)."[2]
Although Grant and Wilson's act, once seen as a serious rival to Butterbeans and Susie,[3] began to lose favor with the public by the middle of the 1930s, they recorded further songs in 1938.[2] Their only child, Bobby Wilson, was born in 1941.[7] By 1946, and after Mezz Mezzrow had founded his King Jazz record label, he engaged them as songwriters.[2] In that year, the association led to their final recording session backed by a quintet incorporating Bechet and Mezzrow.[7]
Wilson retired in ill health shortly thereafter,[5] but Grant continued performing into the 1950s.[2] In January 1953, one commentator noted that the couple had moved from New York to Los Angeles, but were in considerable financial hardship.[8]
Wilson died from a stroke, aged 65, in October 1958 in Cape May Court House, New Jersey.[1]
In 1998, his entire recorded work, both with and without Grant, was made available in three chronological volumes by Document Records.
Smokin 'Joe Kubek +10.10.2015
Smokin 'Joe Kubek (* 30. November 1956, + 10. Oktober 2015) war ein amerikanischer Texas Blues-E-Gitarrist, Songwriter und Performer.
Biographie
Geboren in Grove City, Pennsylvania, wuchs Kubek in Dallas, Texas auf. In den 1970er Jahren während seiner Teenager-Zeit spielte er mit Größen wie Freddie King, und in den 1980er Jahren begann die Zusammenarbeit mit dem in Louisiana geborenen Sänger Bnois King.
Im Jahr 1985 veröffentlichte Kubek seine erste Platte auf Bird Records, eine 45 RPM mit den Tracks "Driving Sideways" (von Freddie King und Sonny Thompson geschrieben) und "Other Side Of Love" (von Doyle Bramhall, Sr. geschrieben). Die Single wurde von Clint Birdwell produziert und von Charley Wirz und Kubek co-produziert. Die beiden Tracks wurden 2012 auf Kubek´s Album "Let That Right Hand Go..." wieder veröffentlicht. Das Album ist eine Sammlung von meist unveröffentlichtem Material, aufgezeichnet seit den 1980er Jahren.
Im Jahr 1991 veröffentlichte Kubek sein erstes komplettes Album mit dem Titel "Steppin 'Out Texas Style" (Bullseye Blues Records) und hat seit dem mehr als ein Dutzend Alben auf verschiedenen Labels veröffentlicht.
übersetzt von https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokin'_Joe_Kubek
Smokin' Joe Kubek (born November 30, 1956, died October 10, 2015) is an American Texas blues electric guitarist, songwriter, and performer.[1]
Biography
Born in Grove City, Pennsylvania, Kubek grew up in the Dallas, Texas area.[2] In the 1970s during his teen years, he played with the likes of Freddie King and in the 1980s began performing with Louisiana-born singer, Bnois King.[3]
In 1985, Kubek released his first record on Bird Records, a 45 RPM single with the tracks "Driving Sideways" (written by Freddie King and Sonny Thompson) and "Other Side Of Love" (written by Doyle Bramhall, Sr.). The single was executively produced by Clint Birdwell and co-produced by Charley Wirz and Kubek. The two tracks reappeared on Kubek's 2012 album, Let That Right Hand Go, produced by Clint Birdwell and issued on Birdwell's label, Bird Records Texas. The album is a collection of mostly unreleased material recorded since the 1980s (with the 1985 single's track, "Other Side Of Love", entitled "The Other Side Of Love").
In 1991, Kubek released his first full-length album entitled Steppin' Out Texas Style (Bullseye Blues Records) and has since released over a dozen albums on various labels.
Biography
Born in Grove City, Pennsylvania, Kubek grew up in the Dallas, Texas area.[2] In the 1970s during his teen years, he played with the likes of Freddie King and in the 1980s began performing with Louisiana-born singer, Bnois King.[3]
In 1985, Kubek released his first record on Bird Records, a 45 RPM single with the tracks "Driving Sideways" (written by Freddie King and Sonny Thompson) and "Other Side Of Love" (written by Doyle Bramhall, Sr.). The single was executively produced by Clint Birdwell and co-produced by Charley Wirz and Kubek. The two tracks reappeared on Kubek's 2012 album, Let That Right Hand Go, produced by Clint Birdwell and issued on Birdwell's label, Bird Records Texas. The album is a collection of mostly unreleased material recorded since the 1980s (with the 1985 single's track, "Other Side Of Love", entitled "The Other Side Of Love").
In 1991, Kubek released his first full-length album entitled Steppin' Out Texas Style (Bullseye Blues Records) and has since released over a dozen albums on various labels.
Smokin' Joe Kubek And Bnois King 2006 - Completo
Smokin Joe Kubek & Bnois King @ Lucerne Blues Fest
Osee Anderson +10.10.2016
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