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Mittwoch, 28. September 2016

28.09.,Houston Stackhouse, Koko Taylor, Ben E. King, Norton Buffalo, Harry Garner, C. J. (Clayton Joseph) Chenier * Lucky Millinder, Laughing Charley Lincoln, Guitar Slim Green +











1910 Houston Stackhouse*

1928 Koko Taylor*

1938 Ben E. King*

1951 Norton Buffalo*

1957 C. J. (Clayton Joseph) Chenier*

1963 Laughing Charley Lincoln+

1966 Lucky Millinder+

1975 Guitar Slim Green+

Harry Garner*








Happy Birthday 

 

Houston Stackhouse   *28.09.1910

 

 


Houston Stackhouse (* 28. September 1910 in Wesson, Mississippi; † 23. September 1980 in Helena, Arkansas) war ein US-amerikanischer Bluesgitarrist und Mundharmonikaspieler. Er hatte nie den großen musikalischen und kommerziellen Erfolg anderer Bluesmusiker aus dem Süden, doch war er eine zentrale Figur der Bluesszene, auch als Mentor vieler später erfolgreicher Künstler.
Houston Stackhouse wurde als Houston Goff in Wesson geboren. Seine Herkunft lernte Stackhouse erst kennen, als er in den 1970er Jahren einen Pass beantragte. Aufgewachsen ist er auf der Randall Ford Plantation, wo er den Namen seines Ziehvaters James Wade Stackhouse annahm. Um 1925 zog die Familie etwas weiter nach Norden nach Crystal Springs, wo seine musikalische Entwicklung begann. Neben lokalen Musikern beeinflussten ihn die Aufnahmen von Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lonnie Johnson und Blind Blake. Das erste Instrument, das er erlernte, war die Harmonika.[3]Seine musikalische Karriere begann Mitte der 1930er-Jahre mi Auftritten gemeinsam mit den Mississippi Sheiks,Robert Johnson, Charlie McCoy, Walter Vinson und anderen in Mississippi, Arkansas und Louisiana . Die andauernsten Zusammenarbeiten waren die mit Carey “Ditty” Mason und seinem Cousin Robert McCollum, besser bekannt als Robert Nighthawk, dem er das Gitarrespielen beibrachte.
1946 zog er nach Helena, Arkansas, wo er ein Jahr in Robert Nighthawks Band spielte, der ihm auch das Gitarrespiel beibrachte. Von dieser Zeit an spielte er nur mehr Gitarre[4] Nach ihrer Trennung spielte er gemeinsam mit dem Schlagzeuger James “Peck” Curtis, dem Gitarristen Joe Willie Wilkins und den Pianisten Robert Traylor und Pinetop Perkins. 1948 kam der Mundharmonikaspieler Sonny Boy Williamson II. dazu, die Band trat im ganzen Delta auf. Stackhouse trat auch mit den meisten Bluesmusikern auf, die auf ihren Tourneen durch Helena kamen (z. B. Jimmy Rogers, Sammy Lawhorn-beide unterrichtete er an der Gitarre-, Elmore James, Earl Hooker, Willie Love, Ernest Lane und Roosevelt Sykes). Zwischen 1948 und 1954 arbeitete er tagsüber als Automobilarbeiter im Chrysler-Werk in West-Memphis (Crittenden County).
Im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Musikern blieb Stackhouse im Süden und arbeitete tagsüber und spielte nachts. Die ganzen 1950er und 1960er Jahre trat er immer wieder mit durchreisenden Musikern auf (Boyd Gilmore, Houston Boines, Frank Frost, Baby Face Turner u. a.). 1965 kehrte Sonny Boy Williamson II. nach Helena zurück und nahm Stackhouse in seine Band auf, die in der King Biscuit Time-Radiosendung von KFFA auftrat, im Mai nahm Chris Strachwitz von Arhoolie Records die Gruppe auf und veröffentlichte die Aufnahmen unter Williamson’s Namen als „King Biscuit Time“. 1967 nahmen zwei Fieldrecorder Stackhouse auf, einmal unter dem Namen Blues Rhythm Boys (mit Peck Curtis und Robert Nighthawk) und einmal mit seinem langjährigen Weggefährten Carey “Ditty” Mason. Nach dessen Tod zog er nach Memphis. In den 1970ern wurde er Teil des Bluesrevivals, spielte auf Festivals und tourte mit den King Biscuit Boys. 1976 reiste er sogar nach Wien, wo er für Wolf Records aufnahm. Ende der 1970er Jahre zog er sich aus dem Musikgeschäft zurück und übersiedelte nach Helena zurück. Hier starb er am 23. September 1980 im Helena Hospital.
Um ihn zu ehren ist eine der fünf Bühnen beim Arkansas Blues and Heritagefestival nach ihm benannt (Houston Stackhouse Acoustic Stage).

Houston Stackhouse (September 28, 1910 – September 23, 1980) was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer. He is best known for his association and work with Robert Nighthawk.[1] Although Stackhouse was not especially noted as a guitarist nor singer, Nighthawk showed gratitude to his guitar teacher Stackhouse, by backing him on a number of recordings in the late 1960s. Apart from a tour to Europe, Stackhouse confined his performing around the Mississippi Delta.[1]

Biography

Stackhouse was born Houston Goff, in Wesson, Mississippi, and was the son of Garfield Goff. He was raised by James Wade Stackhouse on the Randall Ford Plantation, and Stackhouse only learned the details of his parentage when he applied for a passport in later life.[2]

Relocating in his teenage years with his family to Crystal Springs, Mississippi, he became inspired listening to records by Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lonnie Johnson, and by local musicians. By the late 1930s, Stackhouse had played guitar around the Delta states and worked with members of the Mississippi Sheiks, plus Robert Johnson, Charlie McCoy and Walter Vinson.[2] He also teamed up with his distant cousin, Robert Nighthawk,[3] whom he taught how to play guitar.[4] Originally a fan of Tommy Johnson, Stackhouse often covered his songs.[1] In 1946, Stackhouse moved to Helena, Arkansas to live near to Nighthawk, and for a time was a member of Nighthawk’s band, playing on KFFA radio.[2]

He split from Nighthawk in 1947 and alongside the drummer James "Peck" Curtis, appeared on KFFA's "King Biscuit Time" programme, with the guitar player Joe Willie Wilkins plus pianists Pinetop Perkins and Robert Traylor. Sonny Boy Williamson II then rejoined the show, and that combo performed across the Delta, using their radio presence to advertise their concert performances.[2]

Stackhouse tutored both Jimmy Rogers and Sammy Lawhorn on guitar techniques. Between 1948 and 1954, Stackhouse worked during the day at the Chrysler plant in West Helena, Arkansas, and played the blues in his leisure time. He did not move from the South, unlike many of his contemporaries, and continued to perform locally into the 1960s with Frank Frost, Boyd Gilmore and Baby Face Turner. In May 1965, Sonny Boy Williamson II, who was by then back on "King Biscuit Time", utilised Stackhouse when he was recorded in concert by Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records. The recording was issued under Williamson's name, titled King Biscuit Time. Shortly afterwards, Williamson died, but Stackhouse continued briefly on the radio program, back in tandem with Nighthawk.[2]

In 1967, George Mitchell recorded Stackhouse in Dundee, Mississippi. Named the Blues Rhythm Boys, Stackhouse was joined by both Curtis and Nighthawk, although the latter died shortly after the recording was made. Another field researcher, David Evans, recorded Stackhouse in Crystal Springs, but by 1970 following the deaths of both Curtis and Mason, Stackhouse had moved on to Memphis, Tennessee. There he resided with his old friend Joe Willie Wilkins and his wife Carrie. At the height of the blues revival Stackhouse toured with Wilkins, and the Memphis Blues Caravan, and appeared at various music festivals.

Earlier in February 1972, Stackhouse recorded an album titled Cryin' Won't Help You. It was released on CD in 1994.[5] His lone trip overseas saw Stackhouse play in 1976 in Vienna, Austria.[2]

Stackhouse returned to Helena, where he died in September 1980, at the age of 69. A son, Houston Stackhouse Jr., survived him.[2]

The acoustic stage at the annual Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival is named after Stackhouse.

Houston Stackhouse - Cool Drink Of Water - Memphis (1976) 


 

 

Koko Taylor Geb. 28.9.1928

 


Koko Taylor (gebürtig: Cora Walton; * 28. September 1928 bei Memphis, Tennessee; † 3. Juni 2009 in Chicago, Illinois) war eine US-amerikanische Blues-Sängerin.
Geboren und aufgewachsen bei Memphis, Tennessee, zog Koko Taylor 1954 mit ihrem Mann, dem LKW-Fahrer Robert Pops Taylor, nach Chicago. Sie begann, in den Chicagoer Blues-Clubs zu singen, wo sie Willie Dixon 1962 entdeckte. Ab 1965 hatte sie einen Plattenvertrag mit Chess Records. Ihre Single Wang Dang Doodle, geschrieben von Dixon, wurde ein Hit.
Ende der 1960er- und Anfang der 1970er-Jahre trat Taylor überall in den Vereinigten Staaten auf. 1975 unterzeichnete sie einen Vertrag mit Alligator Records, unter dem sie eine beachtliche Anzahl von Alben veröffentlichte. 1980 erhielt sie den W. C. Handy Award als beste weibliche Blueskünstlerin, die Auszeichnung erhielt sie auch im Jahr darauf in derselben Sparte. 1985 erhielt sie einen Grammy für das beste Album des traditionellen Blues.
In den 1990er-Jahren hatte Koko Taylor Auftritte in verschiedenen Filmen, etwa Blues Brothers 2000. Sie eröffnete 1994 einen Blues-Club in Chicago, der allerdings 1999 wieder schloss. Sie starb aufgrund von Komplikationen nach einer Operation.
Koko Taylor beeinflusste viele Blues-Musiker, darunter Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland, Janis Joplin, Shannon Curfman und Susan Tedeschi.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koko_Taylor 

Koko Taylor, sometimes spelled KoKo Taylor (September 28, 1928 – June 3, 2009),[2] was an American Chicago blues singer, whose style also encompassed many genres including electric blues, rhythm and blues and blues and soul blues popularly she was known as the "Queen of the Blues."[1] She was known primarily for her rough, powerful vocals and traditional blues stylings.

Life and career

Born Cora Walton in Shelby County, Tennessee, Taylor was the daughter of a sharecropper.[3] She left Memphis for Chicago, Illinois, in 1952 with her husband, truck driver Robert "Pops" Taylor.[2] In the late 1950s she began singing in Chicago blues clubs. She was spotted by Willie Dixon in 1962, and this led to wider performances and her first recording contract. In 1965, Taylor was signed by Chess Records subsidiary Checker Records where she recorded "Wang Dang Doodle", a song written by Dixon and recorded by Howlin' Wolf five years earlier. The record became a hit, reaching number four on the R&B charts and number 58 on the pop charts[4] in 1966, and selling a million copies.[2] Taylor recorded several versions of "Wang Dang Doodle" over the years, including a live version at the 1967 American Folk Blues Festival with harmonica player Little Walter and guitarist Hound Dog Taylor. Taylor subsequently recorded more material, both original and covers, but never repeated that initial chart success.

National touring in the late 1960s and early 1970s improved her fan base, and she became accessible to a wider record-buying public when she signed with Alligator Records in 1975. She recorded nine albums for Alligator, 8 of which were Grammy-nominated, and came to dominate the female blues singer ranks, winning twenty five W. C. Handy Awards (more than any other artist). After her recovery from a near-fatal car crash in 1989, the 1990s found Taylor in films such as Blues Brothers 2000 and Wild at Heart, and she opened a blues club on Division Street in Chicago in 1994, which relocated to Wabash Ave in Chicago's South Loop in 2000. (The club is now closed.)

Taylor influenced musicians such as Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland, Janis Joplin, Shannon Curfman, and Susan Tedeschi. In the years prior to her death, she performed over 70 concerts a year and resided just south of Chicago in Country Club Hills, Illinois.

In 2008, the Internal Revenue Service said that Taylor owed $400,000 in back taxes, penalties and interest. Her tax problems concerned 1998, 2000 and 2001; for those years combined, her adjusted gross income was $949,000.[5]

Taylor's final performance was at the Blues Music Awards, on May 7, 2009. She suffered complications from surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding on May 19, 2009, and died on June 3 of that year.[6]

Awards

    Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album – 1985
    Howlin' Wolf Award – 1996
    Blues Hall of Fame – Inducted 1997
    Blues Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award – 1999
    NEA National Heritage Fellowship – 2004
    Blues Music Award (formerly the W. C. Handy Award) – 24 times, including the following
    categories:
        Contemporary Blues Female Artist
        Entertainer of the Year
        Female Artist
        Traditional Blues Female Artist
        Vocalist of the Year
    At age 75 in 2003, she appeared as a special guest with Taj Mahal on an episode of
    Arthur.
    At age 80 in 2009, she appeared as a special guest with Umphrey's McGee at their New
    Year's Eve performance at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago.
    Taylor won for Best Blues Album in The 7th Annual Independent Music Awards 

KOKO TAYLOR, WILLIE DIXON & BUDDY GUY 







Koko Taylor - I' m a Woman 



 

 

 

 

Ben E. King   *28.09.1938

 

 

Ben E. King (* 28. September 1938 als Benjamin Earl Nelson in Henderson/North Carolina) ist ein US-amerikanischer Rhythm & Blues- und Soulsänger, der als Leadtenor der Vokalgruppe Drifters im Jahr 1959 bekannt wurde und danach seine Karriere als Solist fortsetzte.
Werdegang
Ben E. King begann als Sänger bei den Five Crowns Ende des Jahres 1955, als diese Vokalgruppe bereits seit Oktober 1952 Platten herausbrachte. Als King für James Clark zur Gruppe stieß, wurde Ende 1955 I Can’t Pretend aufgenommen. Zu hören ist Ben E. King auch bei der nächsten Single Kiss And Make Up (RnB #6901), die im Februar 1958 erschienen war und die Gruppe lediglich als Crowns aufführt. Das RnB-Label vom Erfolgskomponisten Doc Pomus hatte übrigens lediglich diese eine Single veröffentlicht, bevor es liquidiert wurde[1]. Diese solide Aufnahme aus der Feder von Pomus brachte den Crowns einen Auftritt im Apollo-Theater in New York ein, wo sie ab 30. Mai 1958 im Vorprogramm der Drifters auftreten durften. Deren Manager George Treadwell, unzufrieden über die abnehmende Erfolgskurve seiner Drifters, war derart begeistert vom Auftritt der Crowns, dass er seine Drifters kurzerhand feuerte. Da Treadwell der Name Drifters gehörte, wurden die Crowns in Drifters umbenannt und damit King der Leadsänger der Drifters.
Seine erste Aufnahmesession unter dem neuen Namen fand am 6. März 1959 statt, als There Goes My Baby / Oh My Love und zwei weitere Titel eingespielt wurden. Mit dem von Leiber/Stoller produzierten There Goes My Baby feierten die Drifters ein erfolgreiches Comeback mit einem ersten Rang in den R&B-Charts und einem zweiten Platz in der Pophitparade. Zusammen mit ihm sangen noch Charlie Thomas (Tenor), Doc Green (Bariton) und Elsbeary Hobbs (Bass), allesamt aus den Crowns hervorgegangen. In der zweiten Session vom 9. Juli 1959 entstanden die Titel Dance With Me / True Love, True Love, die mit einem Rang zwei in der R&B-Hitparade ebenfalls gut rezeptiert wurden.
Solokarriere
Nach weniger als einem Jahr verließ Ben E. King die Drifters zugunsten einer Solokarriere. Bereits am 17. Dezember 1959 stand er als Solist vor dem Mikrofon und sang die Otis Blackwell-Komposition Brace Yourself, die jedoch nach Veröffentlichung im Mai 1960 die Charts verfehlte. Kurz danach nahm er am 23. Dezember 1959 noch einmal drei Titel mit den Drifters auf, darunter This Magic Moment, das einen Rang vier in den R&B-Charts erreichte. Am 19. Mai 1960 war er mit den Drifters bei den Aufnahmen zu Save The Last Dance For Me / Nobody But Me am Mikrofon, mit jeweils dem ersten Platz in beiden Hitparaden dem größten Hit der Gruppe. Auch dieser Millionenseller konnte King nicht von seinen Soloplänen abbringen. Sein endgültige Trennung im September 1960 verschärfte die Besetzungsprobleme der ohnehin durch starke personelle Fluktuationen getroffenen Gruppe. Durch die kurze Verweildauer war King lediglich auf 11 der 124 Drifters-Titel als Leadsänger zu hören, das sind knapp 9 % der veröffentlichten Titel der Drifters[2].
Die für den 27. Oktober 1960 anberaumte Aufnahmesession listet Ben E. King nunmehr endgültig als Solisten, begleitet durch das Orchester des Atlantic-Arrangeurs Stan Applebaum. Es entstanden Spanish Harlem / First Taste of Love, der Young Boy Blues und Stand By Me. Zuerst wurde Spanish Harlem veröffentlicht, das in der Pophitparade einen Rang zehn belegte. Größter Hit für King als Solist war das aus der gleichen Session stammende Stand By Me, das in den R&B-Charts für vier Wochen den ersten Rang belegte. Bis zum Ende der 1960er Jahre feierte er etliche weitere Hits. Nach einer Hitpause von rund fünf Jahren gelang ihm 1975 mit Supernatural ein Comeback (USA Platz 5, R&B Platz 1). Bis 1980 folgten weitere kleinere Single-Erfolge in den R&B-Charts, doch Kings große Zeit war vorbei.[3]
Coverversionen
Der Song Stand by Me wurde in dem gleichnamigen Film Stand by Me 1986 benutzt und 25 Jahre nach der Erstveröffentlichung erneut ein Hit.
Von Stand by Me gibt es zahlreiche Coverversionen, darunter von 4 the Cause, dem deutschen Musikprojekt Lemon Ice (Geeno & JayLow), John Lennon, Otis Redding, Willy DeVille, der Punk-Rock-Band NOFX und Pennywise. Auch sein I (Who Have Nothing) wurde oft, u. a. von Tom Jones, John Lennon und Shirley Bassey gecovert.

Benjamin Earl King[1] (September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015), known as Ben E. King, was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He was perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later in 1986 (when it was used as the theme to the film of the same name), a number one hit in the UK in 1987, and no. 25 on the RIAA's list of Songs of the Century—and as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group the Drifters.[2]

Early life

King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson on September 28, 1938, in Henderson, North Carolina,[2] and moved to Harlem, New York, at the age of nine in 1947.[3] King began singing in church choirs, and in high school formed the Four B’s, a doo-wop group that occasionally performed at the Apollo.[4]

Career
The Drifters

In 1958, King (still using his birth name) joined a doo-wop group called the Five Crowns.[4] Later that year, the Drifters' manager George Treadwell fired the members of the original Drifters, and replaced them with the members of the Five Crowns.[5] King had a string of R&B hits with the group on Atlantic Records. He co-wrote and sang lead on the first Atlantic hit by the new version of the Drifters, "There Goes My Baby" (1959). He also sang lead on a succession of hits by the team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, including "Save the Last Dance for Me", "This Magic Moment", and "I Count the Tears".[2] King only recorded thirteen songs with the Drifters—two backing other lead singers and eleven lead vocal performances—including a non-single called "Temptation" (later redone by Drifters vocalist Johnny Moore). The last of the King-led Drifters singles to be released was "Sometimes I Wonder", which was recorded May 19, 1960, but not issued until June 1962.[6]

Due to contract disputes with Treadwell in which King and his manager, Lover Patterson, demanded greater compensation, King rarely performed with the Drifters on tour or on television. On television, fellow Drifters member Charlie Thomas usually lip-synched the songs that King had recorded with the Drifters.[7]

Solo career

In May 1960, King left the Drifters,[2] assuming the stage name Ben E. King in preparation for a solo career. Remaining with Atlantic Records on its Atco imprint, King scored his first solo hit with the ballad "Spanish Harlem" (1961).[2] His next single, "Stand by Me", written with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, ultimately would be voted as one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. King cited singers Brook Benton, Roy Hamilton and Sam Cooke as influences for his vocals of the song.[8] "Stand by Me", "There Goes My Baby", "Spanish Harlem", and "Save the Last Dance For Me" were all named in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll;[9] and each of those records has earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.[10] King's other well-known songs include "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", "Amor", "Seven Letters", "How Can I Forget", "On the Horizon", "Young Boy Blues", "First Taste of Love", "Here Comes the Night", "Ecstasy", and "That's When It Hurts". In the summer of 1963, King had a Top 30 hit with "I (Who Have Nothing)", which reached the Top 10 on New York's radio station, WMCA.[11]

King's records continued to place well on the Billboard Hot 100 chart until 1965. British pop bands began to dominate the pop music scene, but King still continued to make R&B hits, including "What is Soul?" (1966), "Tears, Tears, Tears" (1967), and "Supernatural Thing" (1975).[4] A 1986 re-issue of "Stand by Me" followed the song's use as the theme song to the movie Stand By Me and re-entered the Billboard Top Ten after a 25-year absence.[4]

In 1990, King and Bo Diddley, along with Doug Lazy, recorded a revamped hip hop version of the Monotones' 1958 hit song "Book of Love" for the soundtrack of the movie Book of Love. He also recorded a children's album, I Have Songs In My Pocket, written and produced by children's music artist Bobby Susser in 1998, which won the Early Childhood News Directors' Choice Award and Dr. Toy's/the Institute for Childhood Resources Award. King performed "Stand by Me" on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2007. Ahmet Ertegun said, "King is one of the greatest singers in the history of rock and roll and rhythm and blues."[12]

As a Drifter and as a solo artist, King had achieved five number one hits: "There Goes My Baby", "Save The Last Dance For Me", "Stand By Me", "Supernatural Thing", and the 1986 re-issue of "Stand By Me". He also earned 12 Top 10 hits and 26 Top 40 hits from 1959 to 1986. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a Drifter;[13] he was also nominated as a solo artist.[14]

King's "I (Who Have Nothing)" was selected for the Sopranos Peppers and Eggs Soundtrack CD (2001).[15]

King was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009.[16]

On March 27, 2012, the Songwriters Hall of Fame announced that "Stand By Me" would receive its 2012 Towering Song Award and that King would be honored with the 2012 Towering Performance Award for his recording of the song.[17]

Later life

King was active in his charitable foundation, the Stand By Me Foundation, which helps to provide education to deserving youths.[8][18] He was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, from the late 1960s.[19]

King performed "Stand By Me" during a televised tribute to late comedian George Carlin, as he was one of Carlin's favorite artists.[20]

On November 11, 2010, he performed "Stand By Me" on the Latin Grammys with Prince Royce.[21]

King toured the United Kingdom in 2013 and played concerts in the United States as late as 2014, despite reported health problems.[22]

Death

It was announced on May 1, 2015, that King had died at the Hackensack University Medical Center on April 30, 2015, at the age of 76.[22][23] His agent said he had suffered from "coronary problems" at the time of his death.[3] King was survived by his wife of 51 years, Betty, three children and six grandchildren.[21]

Legacy

King has been covered by acts from several genres. "So Much Loved" was recorded by Dusty Springfield in 1969.[24] "I (Who Have Nothing)" was performed by Shirley Bassey in 1963 and also by Tom Jones in 1970, as well as a 1979 recording by Sylvester. "Till I Can't Get It Anymore" was revisited by peer Ray Charles in 1970 and "Spanish Harlem" was sung by Aretha Franklin in 1971. "Stand by Me" was covered by Otis Redding, John Lennon and Mickey Gilley. King also inspired several rock bands: Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded "Supernatural Thing" in 1981 and Led Zeppelin did a cover version of "Groovin'", more known under the title of "We're Gonna Groove".

Stand By Me- Ben E King, Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass, Chuck Jackson, Brian McKnight 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZgONJ5aqhM 






Norton Buffalo   *28.09.1951

 



 Norton Buffalo (* 28. September 1951 in Oakland, Kalifornien als Phillip Jackson; † 30. Oktober 2009 in Paradise, Kalifornien) war ein amerikanischer Harmonikaspieler, der in den verschiedensten Stilrichtungen (Rock, R&B, Blues , Country und Jazz) zu Hause war. Auch als Produzent, Schauspieler und Sessionmusiker trat er in Erscheinung.
Buffalo wurde 1951 als Sohn eines Harmonikaspielers in Oakland geboren, wuchs aber in Richmond auf. Schon auf der Highschool spielte er bei verschiedenen Bands. Zu Beginn der 1970er-Jahre war er in verschiedenen Gruppen aus der Bay Area tätig, so z. B. Clover, The Moonlighters und Elvin Bishop.
Seine größten Erfolge feierte er als Mitglied der Steve Miller Band, der er 32 Jahre angehörte. Als Sessionmusiker trat er bei beinahe zweihundert Alben in Erscheinung, darunter bei Aufnahmen von The Doobie Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash und Elvin Bishop[2]. Eine Coverversion seines Songs „Ain't No Bread in the Breadbox“ wurde von der Jerry Garcia Band oft gespielt und befindet sich auch auf dem Livealbum „Shining Star“. Auch als Produzent trat er in Erscheinung (Wheatfield). Am 30. Oktober 2009 starb Buffalo im Alter von 58 Jahren an einem Bronchialkarzinom.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Buffalo 

Phillip Jackson (September 28, 1951[1] – October 30, 2009),[2] best known as Norton Buffalo, was an American singer-songwriter, country and blues harmonica player, record producer, bandleader and recording artist who was a versatile exponent of the harmonica, including chromatic[3] and diatonic.[4]

Career

Buffalo, the son of a harmonica player, was born in Oakland, California and raised in Richmond, California. At John F. Kennedy High School he performed in a series of bands. By the early 1970s he gained renown as a San Francisco Bay Area musician, playing with such Bay Area groups as Clover, The Moonlighters led by Bill Kirchen, and Elvin Bishop.

In early 1976 Buffalo joined the "farewell" European tour of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, and was recorded on the band's final live album We've Got A Live One Here!,[5] which included Buffalo's song Eighteen Wheels. After the tour, Buffalo returned to California, briefly played with a number of local bands, and later in 1976 he joined the Steve Miller Band's Fly Like an Eagle national tour. He also played harmonica on the band's hit follow-up album Book of Dreams, released in May 1977. Buffalo appeared on the tracks Winter Time and The Stake.

By the late 1970s Buffalo had formed his own band, The Stampede, and recorded two Capitol Records albums: Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon and Desert Horizon. In 1977 his harmonica work appeared on Bonnie Raitt's Sweet Forgiveness and The Doobie Brothers' Livin' On The Fault Line albums. Not long after the release of his second album in 1979, Buffalo and his band were featured on the PBS music television program Austin City Limits.[6] In 1981 he produced an album for the popular Northwest band Wheatfield. He was a member of the Mickey Hart band High Noon in the late 70s and early 80s with Merl Saunders, Mike Hinton, Jim McPhearson, Vicki Randle, and Bobby Vega, and played with Saunders on the Rainforest Band album It's in the Air in 1993.

Buffalo is legendary among harpists (harmonicists) for his solo on Bonnie Raitt's treatment of Del Shannon's "Runaway", in which he switches quickly between four different harps (F, E♭, D♭, and C) to play across the chord changes in the song (Cm, B♭, A♭, G).

Buffalo also appeared in and worked on several films. He did a cameo appearance in the rock movie, The Rose starring Bette Midler, where he was a member of the band (on harmonica and trombone) and spoke a line or two. He had another cameo in Michael Cimino's 1979 film Heaven's Gate starring Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Sam Waterston and Jeff Bridges. He also co-wrote the music for the films Stacy's Knights and Eddie Macon's Run with guitarist Mike Hinton.

Norton performed and recorded as a member of The Steve Miller Band for over 32 years. He often performed and recorded music as a session musician, and appeared on 180 albums. A cover of Buffalo's song Ain't No Bread In The Breadbox was in heavy rotation at Jerry Garcia Band concerts from 1991 until Jerry Garcia's death in 1995, and appeared on the live release Shining Star.

On September 2, 2009 Buffalo was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the lower right lobe of the lung. The next day, he found out that it had spread to his brain. Norton retired to his home in Paradise, California, where he sought treatment at Feather River Hospital.[7] He died on October 30, 2009 in Feather River Hospital.[2]

As a benefit for the Buffalo family, friends of Buffalo threw "A Celebration of Life: Tribute To Norton Buffalo" at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. Headlined by the Steve Miller Band, which Buffalo was a member of for 33 years, the event honored his life and career (over 180 album appearances). Other acts and performers included The Doobie Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Huey Lewis, George Thorogood, Elvin Bishop, and Carlos Reyes.

Norton Buffalo & Roy Rogers 'Long Hard Road' 











Harry Garner  *28.09.








I grew up in Philadelphia Pa. during the 1960’s. It was here that I was first introduced to the harmonica and influenced by the music of the times. After a tour in the Marines, I drifted throughout the United States finally settling in Chicago some 25 years ago. Here I discovered the essence of true Chicago Blues: McKinley Morganfield, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Otis Spann, Shakey Horton, Charlie Musselwhite and other blues greats. All became part of my musical education, as well as, the Maxwell Street Market. My blues are born from hard times, juke joints, fast livin’, pain and redemption . I have a passion for live, the blues and everything in between. My rousing vocals and harmonica will have you out of your seat and stompin’ your feet.

Take the rock and psychedelia of 1960s Philadelphia, mix in the working-class country music influences of Cleveland, top it off with good old-fashioned Chicago blues and you'll get Harry Garner. Oh, and don't forget to sprinkle in some hard times throughout.

"I want to mix psychedelic, country and blues, a little bit of rock and put it all together and make it just something newer," Garner, who lives in La Grange, said in a recent interview. "You have to make each song your own."

The leader of The Harry Garner Band, one of the three headliners at the first annual La Grange Park Jazz and Blues Festival on July 24 at Memorial Park in La Grange Park, brings his classic Seydel harmonica and powerful vocals to the table, but it's never been all about him.

In fact, getting the musician to talk about himself can be difficult, because as Garner says, "I don't want to hog the spotlight."

He loves highlighting the abilities of his band mates: Mark Wydra and his son J.R. Wydra on guitar, John Brumbach on tenor sax, Mike Scharf on bass and Jon Hiller on drums.

"I've got some of the best musicians in Chicago playing with me. So I try to keep the focus on the band and not me," Garner said in a recent interview. "The band's named after me because I do all the work. But I try to keep the emphasis on the quality of musicians."

Of course, it can't be all that easy talking about his life.

Growing up during the firebomb-laden race riots in Philly meant his family kept a fire extinguisher handy in the middle of the living room. Bricks were thrown through his family's windows; a building across from their street was burned down one night; chalk outlines, visible on Garner's way to school, betrayed murderous happenings from the night before.

But, his father would play old campfire songs on his guitar and harmonica after dinner, and eventually it was young Garner's turn to step up.

"He put me in guitar lessons, and gave me a harmonica. Didn't show me a damn thing on it, but he gave me a harmonica," Garner said, then laughed.

Garner found the guitar awkward; it did nothing for him, he said.

"But the harmonica was so mysterious. It was interesting. You can't see what you're doing on it. You just got this thing in your mouth," he said. "It's like a blind man trying to find his way down the street."

Garner's father later took his own life, succumbing to depression. For Garner, music was a way to deal with such feelings without letting them become destructive.

"I think that's part of what the blues is really about. The blues is about surviving depression," Garner said. "Country, blues–people associate that with crying-in-your-beer songs... but that's only a part of it. The other part of it is perseverance, helping to survive those hard times, looking for a way to express yourself and let out these feelings in a positive way."

Of course, hard times wouldn't be complete without heartbreak.

He laughed hard when asked what brought him to Chicago in the first place—a telltale sign that it must have been for a lady.

He laughed. "It was! That's where the blues comes in."

Garner, a former Marine and Vietnam veteran who helped organize the Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club in Cleveland, met the woman when he visited Chicago to attend the funeral of the president of the Chicago chapter. And, the two began a long-distance relationship between the two Midwest cities.

"We spent that summer bouncing back and forth between here and Cleveland. Well, she just hated Cleveland. Hated Cleveland. So I came up here," Garner said. "In the course of that relationship I settled down, sold the motorcycle and bought a wedding ring, a house, raised two kids. And then tragically went through the divorce, lost the house. You know—really discovered what the blues was about."

The divorce put Garner in dire financial straights. He was kicked out of his little urban apartment, and didn't know where to turn.

He soon found himself in La Grange—"paradise," as he calls it.

"I was broke. I had no money. And I saw an ad in the newspaper and it was for these people down here in La Grange, renting out the upstairs of their place," Garner said. "On my word, they rented me the place and I've lived there 15 years, never had a lease, never had a raise in rent, pay no utilities. And these people are like surrogate relatives to me. They watched my boy grow up from 6 years old, to he's now 22."

It's not just the kindness of strangers that won Garner over regarding La Grange.

In addition headlining La Grange Park's Jazz and Blues Festival this month, The Harry Garner Band frequents local haunts such as Tavern on La Grange and the Harlem Avenue Lounge in nearby Berwyn, which Garner calls "one of the best blues bars in all of Chicagoland."

There's a "real nice music scene" developing in La Grange, he said.

"People are friendly here, and it's a real comfortable, safe atmosphere to be in. It's the nicest place I've ever lived, coming from the inner cities and seeing the real rough side of life," he said.

But even in La Grange, Garner hadn't seen the end of tough times. Always having worked at mills throughout his life, the industrial downturn hit him hard. After lay-offs at several different mills, he had to switch vocations, taking a job as a truck driver for a small plumbing company. Six years later, he developed cancer and was laid off in the middle of chemotherapy.

"I lost my health coverage, lost my chemo," Garner said. "At that point I was forced to seek help from the Veterans Administration at Hines Veterans Hospital. I had two surgeries there. I'm on the mend. I'm doing great; I'm a cancer survivor."

And Garner hasn't lagged in his commitment to veterans' issues. He temporarily moved to Washington D.C. to volunteer to guard the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall as it was being built.  He helps raise money for veterans injured in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq through the Wounded Warrior Project and The Harry Garner Band will be playing all three days of the Salute the Armed Forces Festival at the Hawthorne Racecourse in Stickney, IL, during the second weekend in August.

All the rough moments in his life culminated in The Harry Garner Band's studio album, Hard Times. The album is an achievement Garner is fiercely proud of, but he never forgets all the people who helped him get this far.

"I think Chicago blues people—both retro and today—are always kind to people that they think have talent and are up-and-coming. I was invited up to play with so many greats as I was learning how to play, and welcomed with open arms. That gave me confidence and made me feel accepted. And as time goes on and I make my own way, I don't forget the people that helped me," Garner said. "You don't see that so much in other genres as you do in the blues."

It's a tradition Garner tries to carry on.

"I do the same thing. We'll bring guests up to play with us," he said. "As long as we see that they have some talent, we bring 'em up. It's like giving back once again."



The Harry Garner Band - Blues Makers Soundstage - VORTV Studios 
Harry Garner - harmonica / vocal, JR Wydra - guitar / vocal, Mark Wydra - bass, Willie Hayes - drums
Filmed on 7/27/14 at VORTV Studios, Romeoville, IL. USA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmQSczDc8Fg 





C. J. (Clayton Joseph) Chenier  *28.09.1957

 



C. J. (Clayton Joseph) Chenier (* 28. September 1957 in Port Arthur, Texas) ist ein US-amerikanischer Zydeco-Musiker. Er wurde als „Kronprinz des Zydeco“ bezeichnet, die Krone gehörte seinem Vater, der verstorbenen Zydecolegende Clifton Chenier. Nach dessen Tod übernahm er seine Band, die „Red Hot Louisiana Band“, und setzte mit ihr die Tradition seines Vaters fort, ging aber auch über die Tradition hinaus.[1]
Leben

Seine Jugend verbrachte er in Port Arthur, weit weg von seinem Vater, und so dauerte es lange, bis er mit der Zydecomusik in Kontakt kam. Chenier begann mit dem Klavierspielen, wechselte aber zum Saxophon. Er erhielt ein Stipendium und studierte Musik an der Texas Southern University. Sein Hauptinteresse galt aber dem Rhythm and Blues und dem Modern Jazz.[1]

1978 lud ihn sein Vater ein, in der Red Hot Louisiana Band Saxophon zu spielen. Als sein Vater 1985 erkrankte, stieg er auf das Akkordeon um und übernahm eine größere Rolle in der Band. Nach dem Tod seines Vaters übernahm er dessen Band. Daneben engagierte er sich aber auch in anderen musikalischen Projekten. So spielte er auf dem Album The Rhythm of the Saints und auf der folgenden „Born At The Right Time“-Tournee.

1992 trat Chenier beim vom Sender PBS verbreiteten Programm Austin City Limits auf und 1996 beim New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. 1995 wurde das Album Too Much Fun vom Magazin Living Blues als bestes Zydecoalbum des Jahres nominiert, und in den großen Zeitungen standen Artikel über C. J. Chenier, so zum Beispiel in der Los Angeles Times, der Chicago Tribune, Billboard und der Blues Revue.[2] Chenier gewann 1997 den Living Blues Award und einen AFIM Indie Award für The Big Squeeze als bestes Zydecoalbum. Zu Auftritten bei verschiedenen Festivals kam es ebenso, wie zum Beispiel beim Chicago Blues Festival vor 60.000 Zuhörern.[2] 2004 war er Gastmusiker auf James Cottons Baby, Don't You Tear My Clothes, und 2006 erschien das bisher letzte Album The Desperate Kingdom of Love.

C. J. Chenier (born Clayton Joseph Thompson, September 28, 1957, Port Arthur, Texas) is the Creole son of the Grammy Award-winning "King of Zydeco", Louisiana musician, Clifton Chenier. In 1987, Chenier followed in his father's footsteps, and led his father's band as an accordion performer and singer of zydeco, a blend of cajun and creole music. With five previous albums to his credit, by 1994, Chenier began to record for Chicago-based Alligator Records.

Career

Chenier grew up in the 1960s, in the housing projects of his native Port Arthur, Texas.[1] There, Chenier was aware of, but not exposed to his father's music as a young child, and had not heard the word Zydeco until later in his youth. Instead, Chenier developed tastes in the 1970s soul, funk and jazz music of James Brown, Funkadelic, John Coltrane and Miles Davis.

Upon first listening to his father's music, Chenier thought all the songs sounded the same. But he eventually began to appreciate and master the zydeco style, as he later joined and then took over his father's band and career. The first instrument Chenier learned to play was the saxophone. As a teenager in the early 1970s he played in black Top 40 bands in Port Arthur. By the mid 1970s Chenier went to college to study music.

In 1978 his father invited Chenier to play his saxophone with the Red Hot Louisiana Band, whose members also included his Uncle, Cleveland Chenier, on washboard.[2] By 1985, as his father was growing ill from diabetes, he invited Chenier to start playing the accordion in a larger role with the band, and to open the shows.

In 1987, the year his father died, Chenier continued his own musical career where his father left off. He has since played such venues as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, San Diego's Street Scene and Milwaukee's Summerfest.

Paul Simon first heard Chenier in 1990, and featured him on the The Rhythm of the Saints album, and that year's 'Born At The Right Time' tour. In 1992 Chenier played accordion on "Cajun Song", a track on the Gin Blossoms' album, New Miserable Experience.

1992 saw Chenier featured with the Red Hot Louisiana Band on the PBS music television program Austin City Limits.[3]

By October 1994 Chenier was signed by Alligator. His debut release there was Too Much Fun, named the next year as best zydeco album of 1995 by Living Blues magazine. In 1995, Chenier gained his widest audience to date with television appearances on the Jon Stewart Show and CNN. His 1996 appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was featured in a segment by the VH1 cable music television network, as well as by Entertainment Weekly.

Chenier and the band also appeared that year at the Austin, Texas, 1996 SxSW Music Conference, a special event for Alligator Records' 25th anniversary.

Chenier won the 1997 Living Blues' Critics' Poll Award and also an AFIM Indie Award for best zydeco album, for his next release, The Big Squeeze. In 2001, Chenier played in front of 60,000 fans at the Chicago Blues Festival.

2004 saw his latest release, Step It Up!, recorded at Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana.


Rhythm&Roots_2010_C.J. Chenier 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpxLJdWCZXU#t=21 












R.I.P. 


Lucky Millinder   +28.9.1966

 





Lucky Millinder (* 8. August 1900 in Anniston, Alabama; † 28. September 1966 in New York City), eigentlich Lucius Venable Millinder, war ein US-amerikanischer R&B- und Swing-Bandleader und Sänger. Geboren in Alabama, aufgewachsen in Chicago, arbeitete Millinder in den späten 1920er Jahren als Tänzer, Sänger und Bandleader. Er konnte weder Noten lesen noch spielte er ein Instrument, dennoch war er mit seiner Musik erfolgreich.
Im Juni 1930 tourte er mit einer Band in Europa, zu der auch der Sänger Freddy Taylor gehörte, mit Auftritten in Monte Carlo und Paris, im Oktober 1933 kam er erst nach New York zurück. Nach seiner Rückkehr wurde er Ende 1933 Leiter der Mills Blue Rhythm Band, wo er bis 1938 blieb. Am 4. Dezember 1933 machte Millinder erste Aufnahmen mit der Mills Blue Rhythm Band, und zwar Drop Me Off In Harlem und Love Is The Thing. Im Januar 1936 brachte die Mills Blue Rhythm Band die Single Broken Dreams of You / Yes! Yes! unter seiner Leitung heraus, es folgte im Juli 1937 The Image of You / Lucky Swing. Bereits ab Dezember 1934 komponierte Millinder auch Stücke für die Mills Blue Rhythm Band, so etwa den Hit Ride Red Ride oder St. Louis Wiggle Rhythm (Mai 1936).
Ab 1938 übernahm er die Band von Bill Doggett, weil dieser temporär zahlungsunfähig war und seine Bandmitglieder nicht mehr bezahlen konnte. Später allerdings erholte sich Doggett finanziell wieder und lieferte große Hits ab.
Im September 1940 stellte er seine eigene Band zusammen; darunter waren Buster Bailey (Klarinette), Bill Doggett (Piano), der Schlagzeuger „Panama“ Francis; später spielten auch Sir Charles Thompson und Eddie „Lockjaw“ Davis (beide Saxophon) mit. Als Sänger wurden Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Wynonie Harris oder „Big“ John Greer eingesetzt. Einen ersten Hit konnte er mit Big Fat Mama (mit Trevor Bacon als Sänger) landen; sein früher Hitparadenerfolg When The Lights Go On Again / That’s All wurde gleich zur Nummer 1 der Rhythm & Blues-Hitparade. Auch Apollo Jump und Sweet Slumber gelangten bis zur Spitzenposition. Ab 1944 rekrutierte er als Sänger Wynonie Harris, der zu Millinders größtem Hit Who Threw The Wiskey in the Well? den Gesang beisteuerte. Nun war Millinders Band mit vier aufeinander folgenden Top-Platzierungen in der Hitparade einer der erfolgreichsten Interpreten des Decca-Labels.
Bei King Records war er bereits als Komponist zusammen mit Henry Glover bei Love Me Tonight für Bull Moose Jackson, aufgenommen am 5. Januar 1949, und weiteren Aufnahmen aufgetaucht. Der offizielle Wechsel zu King Records wurde im Juli 1950 vollzogen. Hier half er auch bei anderen Bands aus, so etwa bei Bull Moose Jacksons Big Fat Mamas Are Back In Style Again (King 4412), das am 4. Mai 1951 entstand. King Records brachten jedoch sieben Singles heraus, bis endlich mit Bongo Boogie / I’m Waiting Just for You Millinder mit einem zweiten Platz wieder die R&B-Hitparade erreichen konnte. Bei BMI sind für Millinder insgesamt 49 Kompositionen registriert,[1] wovon drei einen BMI-Award erhielten.
Im Jahre 1952 löste er seine Band auf. In späteren Jahren schlug er sich als Verkäufer und Diskjockey durch. Millinder rekrutierte für sein Orchester talentiertes Personal, von dem später viele Einzelinterpreten Karriere machen konnten. Er war ein exzellenter Organisator, entwickelte ein Gehör für komplizierte Sounds und verstand die Tiefen des Musikgeschäfts.[2]


Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder (August 8, 1910[1] – September 28, 1966[2]) was an American rhythm and blues and swing bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang, his showmanship and musical taste made his bands successful. His group was said to have been the greatest big band to play rhythm and blues,[3] and gave a break to a number of influential musicians at the dawn of the rock and roll era. He is a 1986 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

Early career

Millinder was born in Anniston, Alabama, United States,[2] and was raised in Chicago, Illinois. In the 1920s he worked in clubs, ballrooms, and theatres in Chicago as a master of ceremonies and dancer. He first fronted a band in 1931 for an RKO theater tour, and in 1932 took over leadership of Doc Crawford's orchestra in Harlem, New York City, as well as freelancing elsewhere.

In 1933, he took a band to Europe, playing residencies in Monte Carlo and Paris. He returned to New York to take over leadership of the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, which included Henry "Red" Allen, Charlie Shavers, Harry "Sweets" Edison and J. C. Higginbotham, and which had a regular slot at The Cotton Club. Around this time he also discovered singer and guitarist Rosetta Tharpe, with whom he performed for many years and first recorded with on "Trouble In Mind" in 1941.

With his own orchestra

In 1938 he teamed up with pianist Bill Doggett's group, and by 1940 had formed a completely new orchestra, which included Doggett and drummer "Panama" Francis. He established a residency at New York's Savoy Ballroom, and won a contract with Decca Records. Dizzy Gillespie was the band's trumpeter for a while, and featured on Millinder's first charted hit, "When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World)", which reached No. 1 on the R&B chart and No. 14 on the pop chart in 1942. The follow-up records "Apollo Jump" and "Sweet Slumber" were also big hits, with vocals by Trevor Bacon.

By the mid-1940s the band was drifting towards what would be known as rhythm and blues. Other band members around this time included saxophonists Bull Moose Jackson, Tab Smith and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and pianist "Sir" Charles Thompson. In 1944 Millinder recruited singer Wynonie Harris, and their recording together of "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well" became the group's biggest hit in 1945, staying at No. 1 on the R&B chart for eight weeks and also crossing over to reach No. 7 on the US pop chart. After Harris left for a solo career, Millinder followed up with another hit, "Shorty's Got to Go", on which he took lead vocals. Soon afterwards, Ruth Brown became the band's singer for a short period before her own solo career took off.

In the late 1940s the band continued to remain popular and toured around all the large R&B auditoriums, although it had few chart hits for several years. In 1949 the band left Decca Records and joined first RCA Victor and then King Records, recording with singers Big John Greer and Annisteen Allen. The band's last big hit was "I'm Waiting Just for You" with Allen in 1951, which reached No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 19 pop.

Later years

By 1952 Millinder was working as a radio DJ as well as continuing to tour with his band, but his style was beginning to fall out of favor and the band went through many personnel changes. In 1954 he took over the leadership of the house band at the Apollo Theater for a while. He effectively retired from performing around 1955, although his final recordings were in 1960.

He became active in music publishing, and in public relations for a whiskey distillery, before dying from a liver ailment in New York City in September 1966.



Bongo Boogie [10 inch] - Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra (feat. Annisteen Allen) 












Laughing Charley Lincoln   +28.09.1963

 




Laughing Charley Lincoln (eigentlich Charley Hicks; * 11. März 1900 in Lithonia, Georgia; † 28. September 1963) war ein US-amerikanischer Blues-Gitarrist und Sänger. Mit seinem jüngeren Bruder Barbecue Bob (Robert Hicks) war er einer der Hauptvertreter des Atlanta Blues.
Die beiden Brüder Charley (manchmal auch "Charlie" geschrieben) und Robert Hicks lernten wahrscheinlich zusammen mit Curley Weaver von dessen Mutter Savannah "Dip" Shepard das Gitarrespielen. Sie traten zusammen in ihrer Heimatgegend auf.
1923 ging Charley nach Atlanta und begann dort, auf einer 12-saitigen Gitarre zu spielen. Im Jahr darauf folgte ihm sein Bruder Robert, um 1925 kam auch Weaver.
1927 wurden ein Talentscout auf Robert Hicks aufmerksam und machte Aufnahmen mit ihm, die sich unter dem Künstlernamen "Barbecue Bob" recht erfolgreich verkauften. Auf Barbecue Bobs Empfehlung hin konnte auch sein Bruder als "Laughing Charley Lincoln" Aufnahmen machen.
Charleys erste Aufnahme It Won't Be Long Now war noch mit Barbecue Bob zusammen, die nächste Nummer Hard Luck Blues wurde auch ohne die Unterstützung seines Bruders ein Hit. Allerdings konnte Laughing Charley nie an den Erfolg seines Bruders heranreichen.
1931 starb Barbecue Bob, und Laughing Charley verfiel dem Alkohol. Er sollte keine weiteren Aufnahmen machen. Er kam mit dem Gesetz in Konflikt und wurde für einen Mord im Jahr 1955 zu 20 Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt. Laughing Charley Lincoln starb im September 1963 im Gefängnis.

Charley Lincoln (also known as Charley Hicks or Laughing Charley) (March 11, 1900 – September 28, 1963),[1] was an early American country blues musician.[2] He often recorded with his brother Robert Hicks (who was billed as Barbecue Bob).

He was born Charley Hicks in Lithonia, Georgia, United States.[3] In his teens he was taught guitar by Savannah Weaver, the mother of Curley Weaver, and performed in the Lithonia area until 1920.[4] He moved to Atlanta, Georgia and worked outside the field of music, while also performing occasionally with his brother.[3] He recorded with his brother for the Columbia label 1927–30.[4] An example is the two part duet with crosstalk, "It Won't Be Long Now" that the brothers recorded in Atlanta on November 5, 1927.

After Robert's early death in 1931, Charley Lincoln continued to perform into the 1950s. From 1955–63 he was imprisoned for murder in Cairo, Georgia, where he became a prisoner trustee. He died there of a cerebral hemorrhage on September 28, 1963.

Laughing Charley Lincoln ((Hard Luck Blues)) Nov 4 1927 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz1HI6Z4e60 








Guitar Slim Green  +28.09.1975

 





Norman G. Green was born in Bryant, Texas on July 25, 1920. His family moved to Oklahoma when he was in youth where he learned guitar and started playing at local functions. In 1947 he moved to Los Angeles. He made his first records in 1948 backing J.D. Nicholson. He made his debut recordings as R. Green & Turner for a label owned by J.R. Fulbright. Fulbright claimed to have found Green in Christian, Oklahoma "him and a crossed-eyed woman who played harp, came here together. I discovered him playing at an old country supper." Green recalled meeting Fullbright at his Los Angeles club, the Jungle Room. "Alla Blues" was a retread of "Tin Pan Alley" first recorded by Curtis Jones in 1941. Green said that he and Turner wrote it and that Robert Geddins stole it from him. Green & Turner's version would become some kind of West Coast national anthem:
I said fifth street alley, it's a dangerous place
They'll catch you down there, throw dirt all in your face
Fith street alley, blues just won't let me be
The song was soon revived under the original title by West Coast artists Jimmy Wilson and Rage Agee and by Johnny Fuller and James Reed as "Roughest Place In Town." The same year he waxed the excellent "Baby I Love You b/w Tricky Woman Blues" for Murray with the latter sung by drummer Junior Hampton. After his late 1940's recordings Green didn't record again for a nearly a decade waxing 45's for small labels such as Dig, Canton and in the 60's for Geenote, Solid Soul & Universal up until 1968. In the 50's he also backed Louis Jackson & Junior Hampton and Sidney Maiden. In 1970 he teamed up with Johnny Otis & his son son Shuggie to record a only full length album for Kent titled Stone Down Blues. The Kent recordings would be his last under his name. He died in Los Angeles on September 28, 1975.


Guitar Slim Green 5th Street Alley Blues (1970) 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdoG3wh-TF4 







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Freitag, 23. September 2016

23.09. Teil 1 Albert Ammons, Ray Charles, Tiny Bradshaw, Roy Buchanan, Charles Elam, Fenton Robinson * Etta Baker, Gary Primich, Houston Stackhouse, Booker T. Laury +



1907 Tiny Bradshaw*
1907 Albert Ammons*
1921 Joe Hill Louis*
1927 Mighty Joe Young*
1930 Ray Charles*
1934 Little Joe Blue*
1935 Fenton Robinson*
1937 Larry "Big Twist" Nolan*
1939 Roy Buchanan*
1946 Duster Bennett*
1957 Charles Elam*
1968 Bjørn Berge*
1970 Peter Levin*
1972 Calvin Frazier+
1980 Houston Stackhouse+
1995 Booker T. Laury+
2006 Etta Baker+
2007 Gary Primich+
Heinz-Udo Weinert*



Happy Birthday



Albert Ammons   *23.09.1907

 

 

Albert Ammons (* 23. September 1907 in Chicago, Illinois; † 2. Dezember 1949 ebenda) war ein US-amerikanischer Pianist, der hauptsächlich durch seine Boogie-Woogie-Interpretationen und Kompositionen bekannt wurde.
Ammons, der Sohn eines Pianistenehepaars, lernte bereits mit zehn Jahren Klavier. Sein Interesse für Blues wurde durch Aufnahmen von Hersal Thomas und Jimmy Yancey geweckt. Ursprünglich Taxifahrer, gründete Ammons nach ersten musikalischen Erfahrungen 1929 bei François Moseley, Anfang der 1930er Jahre in Chicagoer Clubs. 1934 hatte er seine eigene Band, die Rhythm Kings, mit denen er 1936 erste Aufnahmen für das Label Decca vorlegte, an denen der Trompeter Guy Kelly und der Bassist Israel Crosby mitwirkten. Ihre Coverversion des Swanee River Boogie verkaufte sich über eine Million Mal. Aufnahmen entstanden für Decca auch mit dem Sänger Sam Theard als Oscar's Chicago Swingers.
Trotz dieses Erfolges verließ er Chicago und ging nach New York. 1938 trat er zusammen mit den Pianisten Meade Lux Lewis (mit dem er seit seiner Taxifahrerzeit eng befreundet war) und Pete Johnson in der New Yorker Carnegie Hall bei John Hammonds berühmtem Spirituals to Swing-Konzert auf. Regelmäßige Auftritte hatte er im New Yorker Cafe Society. Ammons war am damaligen Boogie-Woogie-Fieber beteiligt, das die drei (Ammons, Johnson, Lewis) zu den bekanntesten Pianisten ihrer Zeit machte.
In den 1940er Jahren lebte er zeitweise in New York, wo er unter anderem mit Benny Goodman und Harry James auftrat, 1949 nahm Ammons mit der Band von Lionel Hampton auf und spielte bei der Amtseinführung von Präsident Harry S. Truman. Mit Israel Crosby entstanden noch letzte Aufnahmen für Mercury Records.
Zusammen mit Meade „Lux“ Lewis gebührt ihm das Verdienst, Musiker der ersten, 1939 entstandenen Schallplatten des jungen Jazzlabels Blue Note Records zu sein. Viele Boogie-Pianisten bezeichnen ihn als ihren größten Einfluss (z. B. Dave Alexander, Dr. John, Hadda Brooks, Johnnie Johnson, Ray Bryant, Erroll Garner, Frank Muschalle, Katie Webster, Axel Zwingenberger). Der deutsche Boogiepianist Jörg Hegemann veröffentlichte 2007, anlässlich des 100. Geburtstags von Ammons das Album A Tribute To Albert Ammons.
Albert Ammons ist der Vater des Tenorsaxophonisten Gene Ammons und Großvater der Sängerin Lila Ammons.

Albert Ammons (September 23, 1907 – December 2, 1949)[1] was an American pianist and player of boogie-woogie, a bluesy jazz style popular from the late 1930s into the mid-1940s.

Life and career

Born Albert C. Ammons in Chicago, Illinois, his parents were pianists, and he had learned to play by the age of ten. His interest in boogie-woogie is attributed to his close friendship with Meade Lux Lewis and also his father's interest in the style. Both Albert and Meade would practice together on the piano in the Ammons household. From the age of ten, Ammons learned about chords by marking the depressed keys on the family pianola (player piano) with a pencil and repeated the process until he had mastered it.[2] He also played percussion in the drum and bugle corps as a teenager and was soon performing with bands on the Chicago club scene. After World War I he became interested in the blues, learning by listening to Chicago pianists Hersal Thomas and the brothers Alonzo and Jimmy Yancey.[3]

In the early to mid-1920s Ammons worked as a cab driver for the Silver Taxicab Company. In 1924 he met back up with boyhood friend and fellow taxi driver Meade Lux Lewis. Soon the two players began working as a team, performing at club parties. Ammons started his own band at the Club DeLisa in 1934 and remained at the club for the next two years.[4] During that time he played with a five piece unit that included Guy Kelly, Dalbert Bright, Jimmy Hoskins, and Israel Crosby. Ammons also recorded as Albert Ammons's Rhythm Kings for Decca Records in 1936. The Rhythm Kings' version of "Swanee River Boogie" sold a million copies.

Ammons moved from Chicago to New York, where he teamed up with another pianist, Pete Johnson.[4] The two performed regularly at the Café Society,[4] occasionally joined by Lewis, and performed with other jazz musicians such as Benny Goodman and Harry James.

In 1938 Ammons appeared at Carnegie Hall with Johnson and Lewis at From Spirituals to Swing, an event that helped launch the boogie-woogie craze.[4] Two weeks later, record producer Alfred Lion, who had attended John H. Hammond's From Spirituals to Swing concert on December 23, 1938, which had introduced Ammons and Lewis, started Blue Note Records, recording nine Ammons solos including "The Blues" and "Boogie Woogie Stomp", eight by Lewis and a pair of duets in a one-day session in a rented studio.[5]

In 1941, Ammons' boogie music was accompanied by drawn-on-film animation in the short film Boogie-Doodle by Norman McLaren.[6] Ammons played himself in the movie Boogie-Woogie Dream (1944), with Lena Horne and Johnson.[7] As a sideman with Sippie Wallace in the 1940s Ammons recorded a session with his son, the tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons.[4] Although the boogie-woogie fad began to die down in 1945, Ammons had no difficulty securing work. He continued to tour as a solo artist, and between 1946 and 1949 recorded his last sides for Mercury Records, with bassist Israel Crosby, and took on the position of staff pianist with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. In 1949 he played at President Harry S. Truman's inauguration.[8] During the last few years of his life Ammons played mainly in Chicago's Beehive Club and the Tailspin Club, and just four days before he died he had been at the Yancey apartment listening to Don Ewell and Jimmy Yancey play. Albert himself could only play one song, having just regained the use of his hands after a temporary paralysis.[9][10] Albert Ammons died on December 2, 1949, in Chicago[1] and was interred at the Lincoln Cemetery, at Kedzie Avenue in Blue Island, Worth Township, Cook County, Illinois.

Legacy

Ammons has had wide influence on countless pianists, such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Dave Alexander, Dr. John, Hadda Brooks, Johnnie Johnson, Ray Bryant, Erroll Garner, Katie Webster, Axel Zwingenberger, Henri Herbert, and the German pianist Joerg Hegemann. The last honoured Ammons, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Ammons's birth in 2007, with his album A Tribute To Albert Ammons.








Ray Charles   *23.09.1930

 


Ray Charles (* 23. September 1930 als Raymond Charles Robinson in Albany, Georgia; † 10. Juni 2004 in Beverly Hills, Kalifornien) war ein US-amerikanischer Musiker (Gesang, Piano, E-Piano). Sein Einfluss war stilprägend für die Entwicklung von Rhythm and Blues, Blues, Country und Soul. Insgesamt hat er ca. 90 Millionen Tonträger verkauft.

Leben
Kindheit

Ray Charles Robinson, der zur Zeit der Rassentrennung in Armut aufwuchs, erblindete im Alter von sieben Jahren an einem Glaukom. Neun Monate zuvor hatte er mit ansehen müssen, wie sein Bruder in einem Waschzuber ertrank. In einem Hinterhof in der Nähe seiner Wohnsiedlung erlernte er das Klavierspielen. Er besuchte die St.-Augustine-Schule für Gehörlose und Blinde. Seine Mutter, die ihn alleine großgezogen hatte, starb im Mai 1945, als Ray Charles 14 Jahre alt war.

Karriere

Ray Charles begann als Musiker in Florida und zog 1947 nach Seattle. Dort nahm er im November 1948 als Mitglied des Maxin Trios mit Gosady D. McKee, Gitarre, und Milton S. Garred, Bass, seine ersten Schallplatten auf. Die erste Single Confession Blues / I Love You I Love You erschien im Februar 1949 bei dem kleinen Label Down Beat Records in Los Angeles. Der Titel erzielte mit Platz 2 der Rhythm & Blues-Hitparade einen beachtlichen Erstlingserfolg. Seine frühen Aufnahmen gehörten zum Rhythm & Blues und adaptierten Charles Brown oder Nat King Cole. Im selben Jahr wurde die Band in Ray Charles Trio umbenannt, Mitglieder waren außer ihm (Gesang/Piano) nun Gosady McKee (Gitarre), Mitchell „Tiny“ Webb (Gitarre) und Ralph Hamilton (Bass). Mittlerweile hatte sich Down Beat Records in SwingTime Records umbenannt, wo die Single How Long Blues/Blues Before Sunrise (#178) noch im Jahr 1949 veröffentlicht wurde. Nach insgesamt sechs Singles hatte Charles ein größeres Orchester um sich versammelt, bestehend aus Teddy Buckner (Trompete), Marshall Royal (Altsaxophon), Jack McVea (Tenorsaxophon), Charles Waller (Baritonsaxophon), Louis Speiginer (Gitarre), Billy Hadnott (Bass) und Clifton „Rudy“ Pitts (Schlagzeug). Unter dem Namen Ray Charles Orchestra entstanden am 25. Mai 1950 vier Aufnahmen, die auf zwei SwingTime-Singles verteilt wurden. Bei jenem Label blieb er bis September 1952 und wurde für eine Ablösesumme von $ 5000 vom großen Rhythm & Blues-Label Atlantic Records unter Vertrag genommen.[4]

Erst bei Atlantic Records (1952–1959) wurde seine Musik in mehrfacher Hinsicht (Gesang, Instrumentalstil, Komposition, Arrangement) unverwechselbar, da er Gospel- und Jazzeinflüsse betonte. Mit der Verbindung von Rhythm & Blues und Gospel wurde Charles zu einem der wichtigsten Wegbereiter und Musiker des Soul, unterstützt durch seinen Produzenten Jerry Wexler. Sein erster Erfolg war Mess Around, das auf C. C. Davenports Cow Cow Blues zurückgeht und dessen Text auf dem Boogie-Klassiker Pinetop's Boogie Woogie (1929) von Clarence ‚Pinetop‘ Smith basiert. Es dauerte bis zum 17. Mai 1953, dass aus sieben Titeln dieser Aufnahmesession It Should Have Been Me ausgewählt wurde, das den fünften Rang der R&B-Charts erreichte. Mit seiner sechsten Atlantic-Single I’ve Got a Woman, aufgenommen am 18. November 1954 in Atlanta, gelang ihm sein erster Nummer-eins-Hit in den R&B-Charts. Die Top-Platzierung schaffte er noch dreimal, wobei die am 27. Juni 1959 veröffentlichte Single What’d I Say zu seinem größten Hit bei Atlantic Records wurde. Nach insgesamt 28 Singles, von denen 13 die Top-10 der R&B-Charts erreichten, wechselte Ray Charles am 1. November 1959 zu ABC-Paramount.

Während Charles die Hitparaden stürmte, verfiel er dem Heroin, das seine Karriere mehrmals an einen kritischen Punkt brachte. 1965 wurde er wegen Heroinbesitzes zu fünf Jahren Gefängnis auf Bewährung verurteilt, woraufhin er sich einer Entziehungskur unterzog. Ende der 1970er Jahre begab sich Ray Charles erneut in Behandlung und verbrachte nach deren Abschluss den Rest seines Lebens ohne Drogen.

Beim neuen Label ABC-Paramount feierte er unter dem Produzenten Sid Feller auch kommerzielle Erfolge. Mit Georgia on My Mind (veröffentlicht am 19. August 1960) griff er einen Jazzstandard auf und landete damit den zweiten Millionenseller. Erstmals konnte er sogar die Spitzenposition auch in den Pop-Charts belegen. Die Blues-intensiven Sounds bei Atlantic Records waren bei ABC Records von Geigen untermalten Pop-Arrangements gewichen. Hit the Road, Jack kam am 21. August 1961 auf den Markt und setzte ebenfalls über eine Million Exemplare um. Sein größter Hit erschien am 23. April 1962 mit I Can’t Stop Loving You, einem Country-Klassiker, der über zwei Millionen Mal verkauft wurde.[5] Als Hintergrundchor diente weiterhin die Girlgroup The Raelettes, die seine Karriere bis in die 70er Jahre begleitete.

Der zuletzt genannte Titel stammte aus dem im April 1962 veröffentlichten epochalen, in über 500.000 Exemplaren abgesetzten Album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. Aus diesem wurden zudem Born to Lose, You Don't Know Me und Careless Love ausgekoppelt. Danach folgten Hits wie Crying Time, Busted und Take These Chains From My Heart. 1966 produzierte er Lets Go Get Stoned von Ashford & Simpson. Einen weiteren Erfolg hatte er mit seiner Version von America the Beautiful im Juni 1972.

Ray Charles hatte auch zahlreiche Duettpartner. So sang er unter anderem mit George Jones, Hank Williams Jr., Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson und Merle Haggard. Auch wenn seine Chart-Erfolge schwanden, war die Begeisterung über seine intensiven Live-Auftritte ungebrochen. Der auch finanziell erfolgreichste schwarze Entertainer seiner Generation wird von zahlreichen Musikern als wichtige Einflussquelle genannt.

Privatleben und Tod

Charles war zweimal verheiratet: zunächst mit Eileen Williams (1951–1952), später mit Della Beatrice Howard (1955–1977), mit der er drei Kinder hatte. Außerdem hatte er einige Beziehungen neben und nach seinen Ehen, aus denen weitere neun Kinder hervorgingen.[6][7] Seine Langzeitfreundin bis zum Zeitpunkt seines Todes war Norma Pinella.

Ray Charles' Kinder:

    Evelyn Robinson (* 1950) (Tochter von Louise Mitchell)
    Ray Charles Robinson, Jr. (* 1955) (Sohn von Della Robinson)
    David Robinson (* 1958) (Sohn von Della Robinson)
    Charles Wayne Hendricks (* 1959) (Sohn von Margie Hendrix — eine der Raelettes)
    Reverend Robert Robinson (* 1960) (Sohn von Della Robinson)
    Raenee Robinson (* 1961) (Tochter von Mae Mosely Lyles)
    Sheila Robinson aka Sheila Raye Charles (* 1963) (Tochter von Sandra Jean Betts)
    Reatha Butler
    Alexandria Bertrand (Tochter von Chantelle Bertrand)
    Jean Bettincent Kotchounian (* 1977) (Sohn von Arlette Kotchounian — arbeitete mit ihm als Fotograf am Album Would You Believe)
    Robyn Moffett (* 1978) (Tochter von Gloria Moffett)
    Ryan Corey Robinson den Bok (* 1987) (Sohn von Mary Anne den Bok)[8]

Ray Charles starb am 10. Juni 2004 im Alter von 73 Jahren an Leberkrebs. Er wurde auf dem Inglewood Park Cemetery im Los Angeles County beigesetzt.[9]

Auszeichnungen

Ray Charles wurde mit zahlreichen Musikpreisen ausgezeichnet, darunter auch zahlreiche Grammy Awards. Den Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance erhielt er fünfmal und ist damit der Künstler, der den Preis am Häufigsten erhalten hat, weitere viermal bekam er den Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Er zählt zur Rock and Roll Hall of Fame und ist Mitglied der Blues Hall of Fame, der Songwriters Hall of Fame, der Grammy Hall of Fame, der Jazz Hall of Fame, der Georgia Music Hall of Fame und der Florida Artists Hall of Fame. Im Jahr 1993 erhielt er den National Medal of Arts des US-Kongresses. 1998 erhielt er den begehrten Polar Music Prize gemeinsam mit Ravi Shankar. Nach seinem Tod wurde ihm 2005 die Grammy-Award-Show gewidmet. „The Spirit of Christmas“ wurde in die Wireliste The Wire’s “100 Records That Set The World On Fire (While No One Was Listening)” aufgenommen. Das Magazin Rolling Stone wählte ihn auf Platz 2 der 100 besten Sänger aller Zeiten.[10]

Ray Charles in Film, Musik und Fernsehen

Charles hatte Gastauftritte in den Filmen Blues Brothers und Agent 00 – Mit der Lizenz zum Totlachen, in der Kindersendung Sesamstraße,[11] sowie in den US-Sitcoms Wer ist hier der Boss?, Die Nanny, Das Model und der Schnüffler und der Bill Cosby Show. 1965 spielte er die Hauptrolle in dem Film Halt die Tasten heiß, ein Spielfilm, der ausgehend von einer Rahmenhandlung der Freundschaft von Charles mit einem blinden Jungen, Ausschnitte aus seinen Konzerten zeigte.[12]

Charles' erste Lebenshälfte wurde 2004 unter dem Titel Ray verfilmt. Der Film des Regisseurs Taylor Hackford (Drehbuch: James L. White) schildert Teile der Lebensgeschichte von Ray Charles – beginnend mit seiner Reise nach Seattle bis zur Ernennung von Georgia On My Mind zum Staatstitel Georgias und der Aufhebung der Verbannung und mit Rückblenden in seine Kindheit. Der Hauptdarsteller Jamie Foxx erhielt für seine Darstellung von Ray Charles den Oscar als bester Hauptdarsteller.

Alexis Spraic drehte 2010 eine zweistündige Dokumentation, in der David Duchovny Ray Charles’ America präsentiert.[13]

Des Weiteren erschien 2011 die Single „Ray Charles“ der amerikanischen Band Chiddy Bang und ist eine Hommage an den verstorbenen Sänger.



Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), professionally known as Ray Charles, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and composer, who is sometimes referred to as "The Genius".[2][3] and was nicknamed "The High Priest of Soul"

He pioneered the genre of soul music during the 1950s by combining rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic Records.[4][5][6] He also contributed to the racial integration of country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his two Modern Sounds albums.[7][8][9] While he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.[5]

Charles was blind from the age of seven. Charles cited Nat King Cole as a primary influence, but his music was also influenced by jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and country artists of the day, including Art Tatum, Louis Jordan, Charles Brown and Louis Armstrong.[10] Charles' playing reflected influences from country blues, barrelhouse and stride piano styles. He had strong ties to Quincy Jones, who often cared for him and showed him the ropes of the "music club industry."

Frank Sinatra called him "the only true genius in show business", although Charles downplayed this notion.[11]

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Charles at number ten on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time",[2] and number two on their November 2008 list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".[12] Billy Joel observed: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley".[13]

Life and career
Early years (1930–45)

Ray Charles Robinson was the son of Aretha (née William) Robinson,[14] a sharecropper, and Bailey Robinson, a railroad repair man, mechanic, and handyman.[15] When Charles was an infant, his family moved from his birthplace in Albany, Georgia back to his mother's hometown of Greenville, Florida.

Charles did not see much of his father growing up, and it is unclear whether his mother and father were ever married. Charles was raised by his biological mother Aretha, as well as his father’s first wife, a woman named Mary Jane. Growing up, he referred to Aretha as "Mama", and Mary Jane as "mother".[10] Aretha was a devout Christian, and the family attended the New Shiloh Baptist Church.[14]

In his early years, Charles showed a curiosity for mechanical objects, and would often watch his neighbors working on their cars and farm machinery. His musical curiosity was sparked at Mr. Wylie Pitman's Red Wing Cafe, when Pitman played boogie woogie on an old upright piano; Pitman subsequently taught Charles how to play piano himself. Charles and his mother were always welcome at the Red Wing Cafe, and even lived there when they were experiencing financial difficulties.[10] Pitman would also care for Ray's brother George, to take the burden off Aretha. George drowned in Aretha's laundry tub when he was four years old, and Ray was five.[10][15] Charles started to lose his sight at the age of four[3] or five,[16] and was completely blind by the age of seven, apparently as a result of glaucoma.[17] Broke, uneducated and still mourning the loss of Charles' brother George, Aretha used her connections in the local community to find a school that would accept blind African American students. Despite his initial protest, Charles would attend school at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine from 1937 to 1945.[18]

Charles began to develop his musical talent at school,[17] and was taught to play the classical piano music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. His teacher Mrs. Lawrence taught him how to read music using braille, a difficult process that requires learning the left hand movements by reading braille with the right hand and learning the right hand movements by reading braille with the left hand, and then synthesizing the two parts. While Charles was happy to play the piano, he was more interested in the jazz and blues music he heard on the family radio than classical music.[18] On Fridays, the South Campus Literary Society held assemblies where Charles would play piano and sing popular songs. On Halloween and Washington's birthday, the black Department of the school had socials where Charles would play. It was here he established "RC Robinson and the Shop Boys" and sang his own arrangement of "Jingle Bell Boogie". During this time, he performed on WFOY radio in St. Augustine.[18]

Aretha died in the spring of 1945, when Charles was 14 years old. Her death came as a shock to Ray, who would later consider the deaths of his brother and mother to be "the two great tragedies" of his life. Charles returned to school after the funeral, but was then expelled in October for playing a prank on his teacher.[18]

Life in Florida, Los Angeles, Seattle and first hits (1945–52)

After leaving school, Charles moved to Jacksonville with a couple who were friends of his mother. He played the piano for bands at the Ritz Theatre in LaVilla for over a year, earning $4 a night. He also joined the musicians’ union in the hope that it would help him get work. He befriended many union members, but others were less kind to him because he would monopolize the union hall’s piano, since he did not have one at home. He started to build a reputation as a talented musician in Jacksonville, but the jobs did not come fast enough for him to construct a strong identity. He decided to leave Jacksonville and move to a bigger city with more opportunities.[19]

At age 16, Charles moved to Orlando, where he lived in borderline poverty and went without food for days. It was an extremely difficult time for musicians to find work, as since World War II had ended there were no “G.I. Joes” left to entertain. Charles eventually started to write arrangements for a pop music band, and in the summer of 1947 he unsuccessfully auditioned to play piano for Lucky Millinder and his sixteen-piece band.[18]

In 1947, Charles moved to Tampa, where he had two jobs: one as a pianist for Charlie Brantley's Honeydippers, a seven-piece band; and another as a member of a white country band called The Florida Playboys (though there is no historical trace of Charles' involvement in The Florida Playboys besides Charles' own testimony). This is where he began his habit of always wearing sunglasses, made by designer Billy Stickles. In his early career, he modeled himself on Nat "King" Cole. His first four recordings—"Wondering and Wondering", "Walking and Talking", "Why Did You Go?" and "I Found My Baby There"—were supposedly made in Tampa, although some discographies also claim he recorded them in Miami in 1951, or Los Angeles in 1952.[18]

Charles had always played piano for other people, but he was keen to have his own band. He decided to leave Florida for a large city, and, considering Chicago and New York City too big, followed his friend Gossie McKee to Seattle, Washington in March 1948, knowing that the biggest radio hits came from northern cities.[17][20] Here he met and befriended, under the tutelage of Robert Blackwell, a 15-year-old Quincy Jones.[21]

He started playing the one-to-five A.M. shift at the Rocking Chair with his band McSon Trio, which featured McKee on guitar and Milton Garrett on bass. Publicity photos of the trio are some of the earliest recorded photographs of Ray Charles. In April 1949, Charles and his band recorded "Confession Blues", which became his first national hit, soaring to the second spot on the Billboard R&B chart.[20] While still working at the Rocking Chair, he also arranged songs for other artists, including Cole Porter's "Ghost of a Chance" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Emanon".[19] After the success of his first two singles, Charles moved to Los Angeles in 1950, and spent the next few years touring with blues artist Lowell Fulson as his musical director.[3]

In 1950, his performance in a Miami hotel would impress Henry Stone, who went on to record a Ray Charles Rockin' record (which never became particularly popular). During his stay in Miami, Charles was required to stay in the segregated but thriving black community of Overtown. Stone later helped Jerry Wexler find Charles in St. Petersburg.[22]

After joining Swing Time Records, he recorded two more R&B hits under the name "Ray Charles": "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" (1951), which reached number five; and "Kissa Me Baby"(1952), which reached number eight. Swing Time folded the following year, and Ahmet Ertegün signed him to Atlantic Records.[17]

Signing with Atlantic Records (1952–59)

Charles' first recording session with Atlantic ("The Midnight Hour"/"Roll With my Baby") took place in September 1952, although his last Swingtime release ("Misery in my Heart"/"The Snow is Falling") would not appear until February 1953. He began recording jump blues and boogie-woogie style recordings as well as slower blues ballads, where he continued to show the vocal influences of Nat "King" Cole and Charles Brown. "Mess Around" became Charles' first Atlantic hit in 1953; the following year he had hits with "It Should Have Been Me" and "Don't You Know". He also recorded the songs "Midnight Hour" and "Sinner's Prayer". Some elements of his own vocal style were evident in "Sinner's Prayer", "Mess Around" and "Don't You Know".

Late in 1954, Charles recorded his own composition "I Got a Woman"; the song became Charles' first number-one R&B hit in 1955, bringing him to national prominence.[23] "I Got a Woman" included a mixture of gospel, jazz and blues elements that would later prove to be seminal in the development of rock 'n' roll and soul music. He continued through to 1958 with records such as "This Little Girl of Mine", "Drown in My Own Tears", "Lonely Avenue", "A Fool For You" and "The Night Time (Is the Right Time)".

Parallel to his R&B career, Charles also recorded instrumental jazz albums such as 1957's The Great Ray Charles. During this time, Charles also worked with jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson, releasing Soul Brothers in 1958 and Soul Meeting in 1961. By 1958, Charles was not only headlining black venues such as The Apollo Theater and The Uptown Theater, but also bigger venues such as The Newport Jazz Festival (where he would cut his first live album). In 1956, Charles recruited a young all-female singing group named the Cookies, and reshaped them as The Raelettes. Up to this point, Charles had used his wife and other musicians to back him on recordings such as "This Little Girl of Mine" and "Drown In My Own Tears". The Raelettes' first recording session with Charles was on the bluesy-gospel inflected "Leave My Woman Alone".

Crossover success (1959–67)

Charles reached the pinnacle of his success at Atlantic with the release of "What'd I Say", a complex song that combined gospel, jazz, blues and Latin music, which Charles would later claim he had composed spontaneously as he was performing in clubs and dances with his small band. Despite some radio stations banning the song because of its sexually suggestive lyrics, the song became Charles' first ever crossover top ten pop record.[24] Later in 1959, he released his first country song (a cover of Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On"), as well as recording three more albums for the label: a jazz record (later released in 1961 as The Genius After Hours); a blues record (released in 1961 as The Genius Sings the Blues); and a traditional pop/big band record (The Genius of Ray Charles). The Genius of Ray Charles provided his first top 40 album entry, where it peaked at No. 17, and was later held as a landmark record in Charles' career.

Charles' Atlantic contract expired in the fall of 1959, with several big labels offered him record deals; choosing not to renegotiate his contract with Atlantic, Ray Charles signed with ABC-Paramount Records in November 1959.[25] He obtained a much more liberal contract than other artists had at the time, with ABC offering him a $50,000 annual advance, higher royalties than before and eventual ownership of his masters—a very valuable and lucrative deal at the time.[26] During his Atlantic years, Charles had been heralded for his own inventive compositions, but by the time of the release of the instrumental jazz LP Genius + Soul = Jazz (1960) for ABC's subsidiary label Impulse!, he had virtually given up on writing original material, instead following his eclectic impulses as an interpreter.[24]

With "Georgia on My Mind", his first hit single for ABC-Paramount in 1960, Charles received national acclaim and a Grammy Award. Originally written by composers Stuart Gorrell and Hoagy Carmichael, the song was Charles' first work with Sid Feller, who produced, arranged and conducted the recording.[24][27] Charles earned another Grammy for the follow-up "Hit the Road Jack", written by R&B singer Percy Mayfield.[28]

By late 1961, Charles had expanded his small road ensemble to a full-scale big band, partly as a response to increasing royalties and touring fees, becoming one of the few black artists to crossover into mainstream pop with such a level of creative control.[24][29] This success, however, came to a momentary halt during a concert tour in November 1961, when a police search of Charles' hotel room in Indianapolis, Indiana, led to the discovery of heroin in his medicine cabinet. The case was eventually dropped, as the search lacked a proper warrant by the police, and Charles soon returned to music.[29]

In the early 1960s, whilst on the way from Louisiana to Oklahoma City, Charles faced a near-death experience when the pilot of his plane lost visibility, as snow and his failure to use defroster caused the windshield of the plane to become completely covered in ice. The pilot made a few circles in the air before he was finally able to see through a small part of the windshield and land the plane. Charles placed a spiritual interpretation on the event, claiming that "something or someone which instruments cannot detect" was responsible for creating the small opening in the ice on the windshield which enabled the pilot to land the plane safely.[10]

The 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, and its sequel Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 2, helped to bring country into the musical mainstream. Charles' version of the Don Gibson song I Can't Stop Loving You topped the Pop chart for five weeks, stayed at No. 1 in the R&B chart for ten weeks, and also gave him his only number one record in the UK. In 1962, he founded his own record label, Tangerine Records, which ABC-Paramount promoted and distributed.[30][31] He had major pop hits in 1963 with "Busted" (US No. 4) and Take These Chains From My Heart (US No. 8).

In 1965, Charles' career was halted once more after being arrested for a third time for heroin use. He agreed to go to rehab to avoid jail time, and eventually kicked his habit at a clinic in Los Angeles. After spending a year on parole, Charles reappeared in the charts in 1966 with a series of hits composed with the fledgling team of Ashford & Simpson, including the dance number "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Let's Go Get Stoned", which became his first No. 1 R&B hit in several years. His cover of country artist Buck Owens' "Crying Time" reached No. 6 on the pop chart and helped Charles win a Grammy Award the following March. In 1967, he had a top twenty hit with another ballad, "Here We Go Again".[32]

Commercial decline (1967–81)

Charles' renewed chart success, however, proved to be short lived, and by the late 1960s his music was rarely played on radio stations. The rise of psychedelic rock and harder forms of rock and R&B music had reduced Charles' radio appeal, as did his choosing to record pop standards and covers of contemporary rock and soul hits, since his earnings from owning his own masters had taken away the motivation to write new material. Charles nonetheless continued to have an active recording career, although most of his recordings between 1968 and 1973 evoked strong reactions: people either liked them a lot, or strongly disliked them.[17] His 1972 album, A Message from the People, included his unique gospel-influenced version of "America the Beautiful", as well as a number of protest songs about poverty and civil rights. Charles was often criticized for his version of "America the Beautiful" because it was very drastically changed from the song's original version. The common argument against this is that the words are scattered and changed, but the music in the background remains beautiful and untouched. Many people believed that this was a perfect representation of the freedom Americans are given, free to do what they want, so long as they follow the laws (music) that we are given.[33]

In 1974, Charles left ABC Records and recorded several albums on his own Crossover Records label. A 1975 recording of Stevie Wonder's hit "Living for the City" later helped Charles win another Grammy. In 1977, he reunited with Ahmet Ertegün and re-signed to Atlantic Records, where he recorded the album True to Life, remaining with his old label until 1980. However, the label had now begun to focus on rock acts, and some of their prominent soul artists such as Aretha Franklin were starting to be neglected. In November 1977 he appeared as the host of NBC's Saturday Night Live.[34] In April 1979, Charles' version of "Georgia On My Mind" was proclaimed the state song of Georgia, and an emotional Charles performed the song on the floor of the state legislature.[17] Although he had notably supported the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s, in 1981 Charles was criticized for performing at South Africa's Sun City resort during an international boycott of its apartheid policy.[17]

Later years (1983–2004)

In 1983, Charles signed a contract with Columbia Records. He recorded a string of country albums, as well as having single hits with duet singers such as George Jones, Chet Atkins, B.J. Thomas, Mickey Gilley, Hank Williams, Jr., Dee Dee Bridgewater ("Precious Thing") and lifelong friend Willie Nelson, with whom he recorded the No. 1 country duet "Seven Spanish Angels".[citation needed]

Prior to the release of his first Warner release, Would You Believe, Charles made a return to the R&B charts with a cover of The Brothers Johnson's "I'll Be Good to You", a duet with his lifelong friend Quincy Jones and singer Chaka Khan which hit number-one on the R&B charts in 1990 and won Charles and Khan a Grammy for their dual work. Prior to this, Charles returned to the pop charts in another duet, with singer Billy Joel on the song "Baby Grand". In 1989, he recorded a cover of the Southern All Stars' "Itoshi no Ellie" for a Japanese TV advert for the Suntory brand, releasing it in Japan as "Ellie My Love" where it reached No. 3 on its Oricon chart.[35]

Charles' 1993 album, My World, became his first album in some time to reach the Billboard 200, whilst his cover of Leon Russell's "A Song for You" would give him a hit on the adult contemporary chart as well as his twelfth and final Grammy. By the beginning of the 1980s, Charles was reaching younger audiences with appearances in various films and TV shows. In 1980, he appeared in the film The Blues Brothers. Charles' version of "Night Time is the Right Time" was played during the popular Cosby Show episode "Happy Anniversary", although he never appeared on the show in person. In 1985, he appeared alongside a slew of other popular musicians in the USA for Africa charity recording "We Are the World". Charles' popularity increased among younger audiences in 1991 after he appeared in a series of Diet Pepsi commercials, where he popularized the catchphrase "You Got the Right One, Baby".

In the late 1980s/early 1990s, he made appearances on the Super Dave Osbourne television show, featuring in a series of vignettes where he was somehow driving a car, often as Super Dave's chauffeur. During the sixth season of Designing Women, Charles himself sang "Georgia on My Mind" in place of the instrumental cover version which had featured in the previous five seasons. He also appeared in 4 episodes of the popular TV comedy The Nanny, playing Sammy in Seasons 4 & 5 during 1997–98. From 2001–02, Charles appeared in commercials for the New Jersey Lottery to promote its "For every dream, there's a jackpot" campaign.

Charles appeared at two separate Presidential inaugurations, performing for Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985, and for Bill Clinton's first in 1993.[36] On October 28, 2001, several weeks after the terrorist attacks of September 11, Charles appeared during Game 2 of the World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees and performed "America the Beautiful". In 2003, Charles headlined the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, DC, attended by the President, First Lady, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.

Also in 2003, Charles presented one of his greatest admirers, Van Morrison, with his award upon being inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the two sang Morrison's song "Crazy Love" (the performance appears on Morrison's 2007 album The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3). In 2003, Charles performed "Georgia On My Mind" and "America the Beautiful" at a televised annual electronic media journalist banquet held in Washington, D.C. His final public appearance came on April 30, 2004, at the dedication of his music studio as a historic landmark in Los Angeles.[17]

Personal life
Marriages and children

Ray Charles was married twice, and had twelve children with ten different women. Charles' first child Evelyn was born in 1950 to his significant other, Louise Mitchell. Charles' first marriage was to Eileen Williams Robinson and lasted from July 31, 1951 to 1952.

Charles' second marriage to Della Beatrice Howard Robinson (called "B" by Charles) began on April 5, 1955, and lasted 12 or 13 years. Their first child together, Ray Jr., was born in 1955. Charles was not in town for the birth as he was playing a show in Texas; at first, he was afraid to hold his son because he was so small, but he got over his fear after a few months. The couple had two further children, David (1958) and Robert (1960). During their marriage, Charles felt that his heroin addiction took a toll on Della.[10]

Charles had a six-year-long affair with Margie Hendricks, one of the original Raelettes, and in 1959 the pair had a son together, Charles Wayne. His affair with Mae Mosely Lyles resulted in another daughter, Raenee, born in 1961. In 1963, Charles had a daughter, Sheila Jean Robinson, with Sandra Jean Betts. In 1966, Charles' daughter Aretha was born to a woman who remains unidentified, and another daughter, Alexandra, was also born to Chantal Bertrand. Charles divorced from Della Howard in 1977, and later that year Charles had a son, Vincent, with Arlette Kotchounian. A daughter, Robyn, was born a year later to Gloria Moffett. Charles' youngest child, son Ryan Corey den Bok, born in 1987 to Mary Anne den Bok. Charles' long-term girlfriend and partner at the time of his death was Norma Pinella.

Substance abuse and legal issues

Charles first tried drugs when he played in McSon Trio, and was eager to try them as he thought they helped musicians create music and tap into their creativity. He experimented first with marijuana, and later became addicted to heroin, which he struggled with for sixteen years. He was first arrested in the 1950s, when he and his bandmates were caught backstage with loose marijuana and drug paraphernalia, including a burnt spoon, syringe and needle. The arrest did not deter Charles' drug use, which only escalated as he became more successful and made more money.[20]

Charles was arrested again on a narcotics charge on November 14, 1961, whilst waiting in an Indiana hotel room before a performance. The detectives seized heroin, marijuana and other items. Charles, then 31, stated that he had been a drug addict since the age of 16. The case was dismissed because of the manner in which the evidence was obtained,[37] but Charles's situation did not improve until a few years later. Individuals such as Quincy Jones and Reverend Henry Griffin felt that those around Charles were responsible for his drug use.[citation needed]

In 1964, Charles was arrested for possession of marijuana and heroin.[20] Following a self-imposed stay[37] at St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood, California, Charles received five years' probation. Charles responded to the saga of his drug use and reform with the songs "I Don't Need No Doctor", "Let's Go Get Stoned", and the release of Crying Time, his first album since having kicked his heroin addiction in 1966.[38][39]

Other interests

Charles liked to play chess, using a special board with raised squares and holes for the pieces.[40] In a 1991 concert, he referred to Willie Nelson as "my chess partner".[41] In 2002, he played and lost to American Grandmaster and former U.S. Champion Larry Evans.[42]

In 2001, Morehouse College honored Charles with the Candle Award for Lifetime Achievement in Arts and Entertainment, and later that same year granted him an honorary doctor of humane letters. Charles and his longtime business manager, Joe Adams, also gave a gift of $1 million to Morehouse, where Charles had approved plans for the building of the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center.[43]

Death

In 2003, Charles had successful hip replacement surgery and was originally planning to go back on tour, until he began suffering from other ailments. Charles died at his home in Beverly Hills, California on June 10, 2004, surrounded by family and friends,[44][45] as a result of acute liver disease.[3] He was 73 years old. His funeral took place on June 18, 2004, at the First AME Church in Los Angeles, with musical peers such as Little Richard in attendance.[46] B.B. King, Glen Campbell, Stevie Wonder and Wynton Marsalis each played a tribute at Charles' funeral.[47] Charles was interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery.
Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6777 Hollywood Blvd

His final album, Genius Loves Company, was released two months after his death, and consists of duets with various admirers and contemporaries: B.B. King, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, James Taylor, Gladys Knight, Michael McDonald, Natalie Cole, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Diana Krall, Norah Jones and Johnny Mathis. The album won eight Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album, Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Here We Go Again" with Norah Jones, and Best Gospel Performance for "Heaven Help Us All" with Gladys Knight; he also received nods for his duets with Elton John and B.B. King. The album included a version of Harold Arlen's "Over the Rainbow" sung as a duet with Johnny Mathis, which was played at Charles' memorial service.[47]

Two more posthumous albums were released: Genius & Friends (2005), a selection of duets recorded from 1997 to 2004 with artists of Charles' choice, including "Big Bad Love" with Diana Ross; and Ray Sings, Basie Swings (2006), which combined archive Ray Charles live vocal performances from the mid-1970s recorded from the concert mixing board with new instrumental tracks specially recorded by the contemporary Count Basie Orchestra and other musicians, to create a "fantasy concert" recording.

Legacy

Charles possessed one of the most recognizable voices in American music. In the words of musicologist Henry Pleasants (music critic):

    Sinatra, and Bing Crosby before him, had been masters of words. Ray Charles is a master of sounds. His records disclose an extraordinary assortment of slurs, glides, turns, shrieks, wails, breaks, shouts, screams and hollers, all wonderfully controlled, disciplined by inspired musicianship, and harnessed to ingenious subtleties of harmony, dynamics and rhythm... It is either the singing of a man whose vocabulary is inadequate to express what is in his heart and mind or of one whose feelings are too intense for satisfactory verbal or conventionally melodic articulation. He can’t tell it to you. He can’t even sing it to you. He has to cry out to you, or shout to you, in tones eloquent of despair—or exaltation. The voice alone, with little assistance from the text or the notated music, conveys the message.[48]

His style and success in the genres of rhythm and blues and jazz had an influence on a number of highly successful artists, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison and Billy Joel. According to Joe Levy, a music editor for Rolling Stone, "The hit records he made for Atlantic in the mid-50's mapped out everything that would happen to rock 'n' roll and soul music in the years that followed".[49] Charles was also an inspiration to former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters, who told the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet: "I was about 15. In the middle of the night with friends, we were listening to jazz. It was "Georgia on My Mind", Ray Charles's version. Then I thought 'One day, if I make some people feel only one twentieth of what I am feeling now, it will be quite enough for me.'"[50]

Ray, a biopic portraying his life and career between 1930 and 1979, was released in October 2004, starring Jamie Foxx as Charles. Foxx won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Actor for the role. On December 7, 2007, the Ray Charles Plaza was opened in his hometown of Albany, Georgia, featuring a revolving, lighted bronze sculpture of Charles seated at a piano. The plaza's dedication was attended by his daughter Sheila Raye Charles.

Awards and honors

In 1979, Charles was one of the first musicians born in the state to be inducted into the Georgia State Music Hall of Fame.[51] Charles' version of "Georgia On My Mind" was also made the official state song for Georgia.[52]

In 1981 he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was one of the first inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at its inaugural ceremony in 1986.[53] He also received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986.[54] In 1987, he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1991, he was inducted to the Rhythm & Blues Foundation, and was presented with the George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement during the 1991 UCLA Spring Sing.[55]

In 1993, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.[56] In 1998 he was awarded the Polar Music Prize together with Ravi Shankar in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2004 he was inducted to the National Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame.[57] The Grammy Awards of 2005 were dedicated to Charles.

In 2003, Charles was awarded an honorary degree by Dillard University, and upon his death he endowed a professorship of African-American culinary history at the school, the first such chair in the nation.[58] A $20 million performing arts center at Morehouse College was named after Charles and was dedicated in September 2010.[59]

The United States Postal Service issued a forever stamp honoring Ray Charles as part of it Musical Icons series on September 23, 2013.

Contributions to civil rights movement

On March 15, 1961, shortly after the release of the hit song "Georgia on My Mind" (1960), Charles (who was born in Albany, Georgia) was scheduled to perform at a dance at Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Georgia, but cancelled the show after learning from students of Paine College that the larger auditorium dance floor would be restricted to whites, while blacks would be obligated to sit in the Music Hall balcony. Charles left town immediately after letting the public know why he wouldn't be performing, but the promoter went on to sue Charles for breach of contract, and Charles was fined $757 in Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on June 14, 1962. The following year, Charles did perform at a desegregated Bell Auditorium concert together with his backup group the Raelettes on October 23, 1963,[60][61][62] and was not banned from performing thereafter in Georgia as depicted in the 2004 film, Ray.[63] On December 7, 2007, Ray Charles Plaza was opened in Albany, Georgia, with a revolving, lighted bronze sculpture of Charles seated at a piano.[55]

The Ray Charles Foundation

Founded in 1986, the Ray Charles Foundation maintains the mission statement of financially supporting institutions and organizations in the research of hearing disorders.[64] Originally known as "The Robinson Foundation for Hearing Disorders", it was renamed in 2006, and has since provided financial donations to numerous institutions involved in hearing loss research and education.[65] Specifically, the purpose of the Foundation has been "to administer funds for scientific, educational and charitable purposes; to encourage, promote and educate, through grants to institutions and organizations, as to the causes and cures for diseases and disabilities of the hearing impaired and to assist organizations and institutions in their social educational and academic advancement of programs for the youth, and carry on other charitable and educational activities associated with these goals as allowed by law".[66] The organization's philanthropic views stem from Charles' own views on giving, as the musician often contributed cochlear implant donations to those who could not afford the procedure. Charles was recorded as saying that the reason he has given so much more time and money to the hearing impaired, rather than the visually impaired, was that music saved his life, and he wouldn't know what to do if he couldn't experience it.

Recipients of donations include Benedict College, Morehouse College and numerous other universities.[67] The foundation has previously taken action against donation recipients who do not use funds in accordance to its mission statement, such as the Albany State University which was made to return its $3 Million donation after not using its funds for over a decade.[68] The foundation currently houses its executive offices at the historic RPM International Building, originally the home of Ray Charles Enterprises, Inc, and now also home to the Ray Charles Memorial Library on the first floor, which was founded on September 23, 2010 (what would have been Charles' 80th birthday). The library was founded to "provide an avenue for young children to experience music and art in a way that will inspire their creativity and imagination", and is not open to the public without reservation, as the main goal is to educate mass groups of underprivileged youth and provide art and history to those without access to such documents.

Ray Charles - I got a Woman 









Tiny Bradshaw   *23.09.1907

 



Myron „Tiny“ Bradshaw (* 23. September 1905 in Youngstown, Ohio; † 26. November 1958 in Cincinnati) war ein US-amerikanischer Bandleader, Sänger, Arrangeur und Produzent (sowie Schlagzeuger und Pianist) des Jazz und Rhythm and Blues.
Bradshaw studierte zunächst Psychologie an der Wilberforce University und sang dann mit Horace Hendersons „Collegians“ bei College-Auftritten in Ohio. 1932 zog er nach New York City, wo er Schlagzeuger bei den „Alabamians“ von Marion Hardy, den „Charleston Bearcats“ (später „Savoy Bearcats“) und der „Mills Blue Rhythm Band“ war und 1932 für Luis Russell sang. 1934 gründete er sein eigenes Swing-Orchester, das er nach dem Vorbild von Cab Calloway. Hits waren u. a. „Darktown Strutters Ball“ und „Shout Sister Shout“.
Bekannt wurde er vor allem mit seiner Rhythm-and Blues Band ab 1945, als Fortsetzung einer Band, die er im Zweiten Weltkrieg bei der US-Armee leitete. Hits waren z. B. „Well Oh Well“ (1950, King), mit denen sie auch beim weißen Publikum großen Erfolg hatten, „Breaking up the house“ (1950), „Train-Kept-a-Rollin“ von 1952 (das mit Johnny Burnette 1955 und den Yardbirds 1965 bekannt wurde) und „Soft“ (1952). Sänger der Band war ab 1952 u. a. Tiny Kennedy. 1954 tourte er mit Dinah Washington. In seinen letzten Lebensjahren hatte er zunehmend Gesundheitsprobleme, er erlitt mehrere Schlaganfälle. In seiner Band spielten zeitweise Jimmy Coe, Gigi Gryce, Sonny Stitt, Russell Procope, Red Prysock, Shadow Wilson, Charlie Shavers, Billy Kyle, Shad Collins, Gil Fuller, Charlie Fowlkes, Sil Austin und Billy Ford.

Myron Carlton Bradshaw (September 23, 1907 – November 26, 1958),[4] known as Tiny Bradshaw, was an American jazz and rhythm and blues bandleader, singer, composer, pianist, and drummer.[5] His biggest hit was "Well Oh Well" in 1950, and the following year he recorded "The Train Kept A-Rollin'", important to the later development of rock and roll; he co-wrote and sang on both records.

Early years

He was born in Youngstown, Ohio, the son of Cicero P. Bradshaw and his wife Lillian Boggess. Bradshaw graduated from high school in Youngstown.[6] After graduating from Wilberforce University with a degree in psychology, Bradshaw turned to music for a living.[7] In Ohio, he sang and played drums with Horace Henderson's campus oriented Collegians.[7][8] Then, in 1932, Bradshaw relocated to New York City, where he drummed for Marion Hardy's Alabamians, the Charleston Bearcats (later the Savoy Bearcats), and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, and sang for Luis Russell.[5]

Bandleader

In 1934, Bradshaw formed his own swing orchestra, which recorded eight sides in two separate sessions for Decca Records that year in New York City.[6] The band's next recording date was in 1944 for Manor Records,[6] at which point its music was closer to rhythm and blues. He recorded in 1947 for Savoy Records.[6]

The band recorded extensively for the rhythm and blues market with King Records between late 1949 and early 1955,[5][6] and had five hits on the Billboard R&B chart. His most successful record at the time was "Well Oh Well", which reached no.2 on the R&B chart in 1950 and stayed on the chart for 21 weeks. Two follow-ups, "I'm Going To Have Myself A Ball" (no.5, 1950) and "Walkin' The Chalk Line" (no.10, 1951) also made the chart before a break of almost two years.[9]

What is now Bradshaw's best known recording was "The Train Kept A-Rollin'" (1951) — not a chart hit at the time — which passed from rhythm and blues history into rock's legacy.[5] The song was recorded by Johnny Burnette & The Rock 'N' Roll Trio in 1956 and by The Yardbirds with Jeff Beck in 1965. It was covered again by Aerosmith in 1974 and by Motörhead in 1978.

Bradshaw returned to the R&B chart in 1953 with "Soft" (no.3), an instrumental later recorded by Bill Doggett, and "Heavy Juice" (no.9). Both of these 1953 hits featured Red Prysock on tenor saxophone.[9]

Bradshaw's later career was hampered by severe health problems, including two strokes, the first in 1954, that left him partially paralyzed. He made a return to touring in 1958.[8] His last session that year resulted in two recordings, "Short Shorts" and "Bushes" (King 5114),[6] which proved an unsuccessful attempt to reach out to the emerging teenage record market.

Weakened by the successive strokes as well as the rigors of his profession, Bradshaw died in his adopted hometown of Cincinnati from another stroke in 1958.[4] He was either 53 or (more likely) 51 years old.[5]

Legacy

Bradshaw is remembered for a string of rhythm and blues hits. As a bandleader, he was an invaluable mentor to important musicians and arrangers including Sil Austin, Happy Caldwell, Shad Collins, Wild Bill Davis, Talib Dawud, Gil Fuller, Gigi Gryce, George "Big Nick" Nicholas, Russell Procope, Red Prysock, Curly Russell, Calvin "Eagle Eye" Shields, Sonny Stitt, Noble "Thin Man" Watts, and Shadow Wilson.


TINY BRADSHAW ~ I`M GOING TO HAVE MYSELF A BALL ~ 1950 . 


 

 

 

 

Roy Buchanan   *23.09.1939

 

   
Roy Buchanan (eigentlich Leroy Buchanan, * 22. Oktober 1936 oder 23. September 1939[1] in Ozark, Arkansas; † 14. August 1988 in Fairfax, Virginia), war ein bedeutender Bluesrock-Gitarrist, der zahlreiche namhafte Gitarristen beeinflusst hat.
Als Buchanan zwei Jahre alt war, zog seine Familie nach Pixley in Kalifornien, wo sein Vater Arbeit auf einer Farm gefunden hatte. Mit neun bekam er von seinen Eltern seine erste Gitarre. Trotz mehrerer Jahre Unterricht lernte Buchanan nie, Noten zu lesen, sondern spielte nach Gehör. „Seine“ Gitarre war die Fender Telecaster.
Im Alter von zwölf Jahren bekam Buchanan sein erstes Engagement in einer örtlichen Band, den Waw Keen Valley Boys. Mit 16 zog er zu seinen älteren Geschwistern nach Los Angeles, wo er bei den Heartbeats spielte, zusammen mit Spencer Dryden, der später bei Jefferson Airplane und The New Riders of the Purple Sage Schlagzeuger war. Höhepunkt der Heartbeats war der Auftritt in dem Film Rock Pretty Baby. Seine nächste Band war Oklahoma Bandstand in Tulsa, bevor er drei Jahre mit Dale Hawkins spielte, der 1958 mit „My Babe“ einen Hit gehabt hatte.[2]. Danach war er unter anderem für Ronnie Hawkins, The Coasters, Frankie Avalon und Eddie Cochran tätig.
1961 heiratete Buchanan Judy Owens und wohnte mit ihr zunächst in der Nähe von Washington, D.C. In den folgenden Jahren war Buchanan nicht im Musikgeschäft aktiv. Ab 1969 trat er wieder in kleineren Clubs im Großraum Philadelphia/Washington auf. 1970 fand er in verschiedenen Zeitungen und schließlich im Magazin Rolling Stone Erwähnung, nicht zuletzt da er 1969 angeblich als Nachfolgemusiker für den Rolling Stones-Gitarristen Brian Jones gehandelt wurde – ein Angebot, das er allerdings ablehnte. 1971 machte ihn eine Fernsehsendung mit dem Titel „Introducing Roy Buchanan“ einer breiteren Öffentlichkeit bekannt.
In den 1970er Jahren erschien eine Reihe von Alben, die teilweise recht erfolgreich waren, überzeugen konnte er aber nur als Gitarrist, nicht als Sänger. Er galt bei manchen als der „beste unbekannte Bluesgitarrist“. Es folgten zahlreiche Tourneen und Konzerte, bis Buchanan sich in der zweiten Hälfte der 1970er aus dem Plattengeschäft zurückzog. 1981 kam er zurück, auf dem Album My Babe war als Schlagzeuger Danny Brubeck, der Sohn von Dave Brubeck zu hören. Erst 1985 erschien ein neues Album, „When a Guitar Plays the Blues“, das sich 13 Wochen in den Billboard-Charts hielt und für einen Grammy nominiert wurde.
Er kam des Öfteren mit dem Gesetz in Konflikt und hatte Alkoholprobleme. Am 14. August 1988 wurde Roy Buchanan nach einem schweren Streit mit seiner Frau wegen Trunkenheit festgenommen. Später wurde er tot in seiner Zelle aufgefunden – laut offiziellem Bericht mit dem eigenen Hemd erhängt.

Roy Buchanan (September 23, 1939 – August 14, 1988) was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound,[1] Buchanan worked as both a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career,[2] and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still considered a highly influential guitar player.[3] Guitar Player praised him as having one of the "50 Greatest Tones of all Time."[1]

Early career

Leroy Buchanan was born in Ozark, Arkansas and was raised there and in Pixley, California, a farming area near Bakersfield. His father was a sharecropper in Arkansas and a farm laborer in California.[4] Buchanan told interviewers that his father was also a Pentecostal preacher, a note repeated in Guitar Player magazine but refuted by his older brother J.D.[4][5] Buchanan told how his first musical memories were of racially mixed revival meetings he attended with his mother Minnie. "Gospel," he recalled, "that's how I first got into black music." He in fact drew upon many disparate influences while learning to play his instrument (though he later claimed his aptitude derived from being "half-wolf"). He initially showed talent on steel guitar before switching to guitar in the early 50s, and started his professional career at age 15, in Johnny Otis's rhythm and blues revue.[3]

In 1958, Buchanan made his recording debut with Dale Hawkins, including playing the solo on "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records.[4] Two years later, during a tour through Toronto, Buchanan left Dale Hawkins to play for his cousin Ronnie Hawkins and tutor Ronnie's guitar player, Robbie Robertson. Buchanan plays bass on the Ronnie Hawkins single, "Who Do You Love?"[citation needed]. Buchanan soon returned to the U.S. and Ronnie Hawkins' group later gained fame as The Band.[6]

In the early '60s, Buchanan performed numerous gigs as a sideman with various rock bands, and played guitar in a number of sessions with Freddy Cannon, Merle Kilgore, and others. At the end of the 1960s, with a growing family, Buchanan left the music industry for a while to learn a trade, and trained as a hairdresser (barber).[4] In the early '70s, Roy Buchanan performed extensively in the Washington D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area with the Danny Denver Band, which had a large following in the area.[citation needed] He was widely appreciated as a solo act in the DC area at this time.

Recording career and death

In 1961 he released 'Mule Train Stomp', his first single for Swan, featuring rich guitar tones years ahead of their time. Buchanan's 1962 recording with drummer Bobby Gregg, nicknamed "Potato Peeler," first introduced the trademark Buchanan "pinch" harmonic. An effort to cash in on the British Invasion caught Buchanan with the British Walkers. In the mid-'60s, Buchanan settled down in the Washington, D.C., area, playing for Danny Denver's band for many years while acquiring a reputation as "...one of the very finest rock guitarists around. Jimi Hendrix would not take up the challenge of a 'pick-off' with Roy."[7] The facts behind that claim are that in March 1968 a photographer friend, John Gossage gave Buchanan tickets to a concert by the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Washington Hilton. "Buchanan was dismayed to find his own trademark sounds, like the wah-wah that he'd painstakingly produced with his hands and his Telecaster, created by electronic pedals. He could never attempt Hendrix's stage show, and this realization refocused him on his own quintessentially American roots-style guitar picking."[8]

Gossage recalls how Roy was very impressed by the Hendrix 1967 debut album Are You Experienced?, which was why he made sure to give Roy a ticket to the early show at the Hilton. Gossage went backstage to take photos and tried to convince Jimi to go and see Roy at the Silver Dollar that night after the show, but Jimi seemed more interested in hanging out with the young lady who was backstage with him. Gossage confirms Hendrix never showed up at the Silver Dollar, but he did talk to Roy about seeing the Hilton show. That same night (as the Hilton show) Roy did several Hendrix numbers and "from that point on, had nothing but good things to say about Hendrix".[9] He later released recordings of the Hendrix composition "If 6 Was 9" and the Hendrix hit "Hey Joe" (written by Billy Roberts).

Buchanan's life changed in 1971, when he gained national notice as the result of an hour-long PBS television documentary. Entitled Introducing Roy Buchanan, and sometimes mistakenly called The Best Unknown Guitarist in the World, it earned a record deal with Polydor Records and praise from John Lennon and Merle Haggard, besides an alleged invitation to join the Rolling Stones (which he turned down and which gave him the nickname "the man who tumbled the stones down").[10] He recorded five albums for Polydor, one of which, Second Album, went gold,[11] and after that another three for Atlantic Records, one of which, 1977's Loading Zone, also went gold.[2][12] Buchanan quit recording in 1981, vowing never to enter a studio again unless he could record his own music his own way.[10] Four years later, Alligator Records coaxed Buchanan back into the studio.[10] His first album for Alligator, When a Guitar Plays the Blues, was released in the spring of 1985. It was the first time he had total artistic freedom in the studio.[13] His second Alligator LP, Dancing on the Edge (with vocals on three tracks by Delbert McClinton), was released in the fall of 1986. He released the twelfth and last album of his career, Hot Wires, in 1987.

According to his agent and others, Buchanan was doing well, having gained control of his drinking habit and playing again, when he was arrested for public intoxication after a domestic dispute.[2][5] He was found hanged from his own shirt in a jail cell on August 14, 1988 in the Fairfax County, Virginia, Jail. According to Jerry Hentman, who was in a cell nearby Buchanan's, the Deputy Sheriff opened the door early in the morning and found Buchanan with the shirt around his neck.[6][12] Buchanan's last show was on August 7, 1988 in Guilford, CT. His cause of death was officially recorded as suicide, a finding disputed by Buchanan's friends and family. One of his friends, Marc Fisher, reported seeing Roy's body with bruises on the head.[6]

After his death, compilation and other albums continue to be released, including in 2004 the never-released first album he recorded for Polydor, The Prophet.

Guitars, tone, and technique
Guitars

Buchanan used a number of guitars in his career, although he was most often associated with a 1953 Fender Telecaster, serial number 2324, nicknamed "Nancy."[14] There are two very different stories explaining how Buchanan got the guitar. He himself said that, while enrolled in 1969 in a school to learn to be a hairdresser, he ran after a guy walking down the street with that guitar, and bought him a purple Telecaster to trade. A friend of Buchanan's, however, said that Buchanan was playing a Gibson Les Paul at the time, and traded it for the '53 Tele.[4] One of Buchanan's Telecasters was later owned by Danny Gatton and Mike Stern, who lost it in a robbery.[15]

Tone

Buchanan achieved his sound through minimum means. He played the Telecaster through a Fender Vibrolux amplifier with the volume and tone "full out," and used the guitar's volume and tone controls to control volume and sound[16] (he achieved a wah wah effect using the tone control).[5][14] To achieve his desired distorted sounds, Buchanan at one point used a razor blade to slit the paper cones of the speakers in his amp, an approach also employed by the Kinks' Dave Davies. Buchanan rarely used effects pedals, though he started using an Echoplex on A Street Called Straight (1976).[5] In his later career he played with a Boss DD-2 delay.[14]

Technique

Buchanan taught himself various playing techniques, including "chicken picking". He sometimes used his thumb nail rather than a plectrum, and also employed it to augment his index finger and pick. Holding the pick between his thumb and forefinger, Buchanan also plucked the string and simultaneously touched it lightly with the lower edge of his thumb at one of the harmonic nodes, thus suppressing lower overtones and emphasising the harmonic, sometimes referred to as pinch harmonics,[14] though Buchanan called it an "overtone."[5] Buchanan could play harmonics at will, and could mute individual strings with free right-hand fingers while picking or pinching others. He was famous as well for his oblique bends.[17]

Having first played lap steel guitar, Buchanan often imitated its effect and bent strings to the required pitch, rather than starting on the desired note.[5][14] This was particularly notable in his approach to using double and triple stops.

Legacy

Buchanan has influenced many guitarists, including Gary Moore,[18] Danny Gatton, and Jeff Beck;[19] Beck dedicated his version of "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" from Blow by Blow to him.[20] His work is said to "stretch the limits of the electric guitar,"[11] and he is praised for "his subtlety of tone and the breadth of his knowledge, from the blackest of blues to moaning R&B and clean, concise, bone-deep rock 'n' roll."[21] In 2004, Guitar Player listed his version of "Sweet Dreams," from his debut album on Polydor, Roy Buchanan, as having one of the "50 Greatest Tones of All Time."[1] In the same year, the readers of Guitar Player voted Buchanan #46 in a top 50 readers' poll.[22] Roy is the subject of Freddy Blohm's song "King of a Small Room."

Roy Buchanan is interred at Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
 
roy buchanan - live - blues 



 

 

 

 

 

Charles Elam   *23.09.1957 

 


Charles Elam III, a/k/a Chucky C, is the kind of journeyman saxophonist who can easily take the lead role in a back-up band for a headlining artist or MC an opening set and leave listeners wondering, “Just who IS that saxophone cat? He’s pretty darn good all on his own.” And it’s true, whether backing a well-known recording artist or fronting his own combo, as he does here, Chucky C is truly a standout.

Just the list of his performing and recording credits is pretty amazing: Percy Mayfield, O.V. Wright, and Syl Johnson; Edie Brickell, Maria Muldaur, and Bo Diddley; Irma Thomas, Marva Wright, Marcia Ball, Tracy Nelson, and Aaron Neville.

And the résumés of his band members in Clearly Blue are equally impressive (including gigs with Gatemouth Brown, The Neville Brothers, Boz Scaggs, Percy Sledge, Allen Toussaint, and Buddy Miles, just to name a few).

Together, they create a seamless blend of smoothly rendered, nightclub R&B with distinctive jazz and blues touches, occasionally mounting musical forays into the straight blues (with Willie Dixon’s “Hoochie Coochie Man”), slinky R&B jazz (Van Morrison’s “Moondance,” with Chucky C on lead flute), and full-bore R&B (“Untouchable Glide,” Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me”).

In all cases, what Chucky C and Clearly Blue offer are expertly played ensemble arrangements with smokin’ solos and locked-in back-up grooves, the kind of flawless funk that goes perfectly with a smoke filled room, beautiful women dressed to the nines, and a full glass of top-shelf libation sitting in front of you..

 

Charles Elam Feat. Benson Walker on keys 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WywNHYUD2vw  



MOJO BUDDHA, with special guest Mr. Charles Elam 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lvf5d046cg 

 

 

 

Fenton Robinson   *23.09.1935 

 

 
http://www.mtv.com/artists/fenton-robinson/photos/p16086lop63/


Fenton Robinson (September 23, 1935 — November 25, 1997[1]) was an American blues singer and exponent of the Chicago blues guitar.
Born in Greenwood, Mississippi, United States, Robinson left his home at the age of 18 to move to Memphis, Tennessee where he recorded his first single "Tennessee Woman" in 1957.[2] He settled in Chicago in 1962.[2] He recorded his signature song, "Somebody Loan Me a Dime", in 1967 on the Palos label, the nationwide distribution of which was aborted by a freak snow storm hitting the Windy City. Covered by Boz Scaggs in 1969, the song was misattributed, resulting in legal battles. It has since become a blues standard, being "part of the repertoire of one out of every two blues artists", according to 1997's Encyclopedia of Blues.[3]

Robinson re-recorded the song for the critically acclaimed album Somebody Loan Me a Dime in 1974, the first of three he would produce under the Alligator Records label.[4][5] Robinson was nominated for a Grammy Award for the second, 1977's I Hear Some Blues Downstairs.[4]

In the 1970s he was arrested and imprisoned for involuntary manslaughter in connection with a car accident. Paroled after nine months, he continued playing in Chicago clubs and later taught guitar.
Robinson died of complications from brain cancer,[1] in Rockford, Illinois.


FENTON ROBINSON / SOMEBODY LOAN ME A DIME


 

 

 

 R.I.P.



Etta Baker   +23.09.2006




Etta Baker (* 31. März 1913 in Caldwell County, North Carolina; † 23. September 2006 in Fairfax, Virginia), geboren als Etta Lucille Reid, war eine US-amerikanische Blues-Sängerin und Gitarristin.
Sie spielte sowohl sechssaitige Akustikgitarren als auch 12-Saiten-Gitarren und fünfsaitige Banjos.
Baker erhielt verschiedene Auszeichnungen, u. a.

    Folk Heritage Award, North Carolina Arts Council (1989)
    National Endowment for the Arts, National Heritage Fellowship (1991)
    North Carolina Award (2003)

Zusammen mit ihrer Schwester Cora Phillips erhielt sie durch die North Carolina Folklore Society im Jahre 1982 den Brown-Hudson Folklore Award.
Baker lebte zuletzt in Morganton, North Carolina, und starb im Alter von 93 Jahren während des Besuches bei einer Tochter, die einen Schlaganfall erlitten hatte.

Etta Baker (March 31, 1913 – September 23, 2006) was an American Piedmont blues guitarist and singer from North Carolina, United States.

Biography

She was born Etta Lucille Reid in Caldwell County, North Carolina, of African American, Native American, and European American heritage.[1] She played both the 6-string and 12-string forms of the acoustic guitar, as well as the five-string banjo. Baker played the Piedmont Blues for ninety years, starting at the age of three when she could not even hold the guitar properly. She was taught by her father, Boone Reid, who was also a longtime player of the Piedmont Blues on several instruments. Etta Baker was first recorded in the summer of 1956 when she and her father happened across folk singer Paul Clayton while visiting Cone Mansion in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, near their home in Morganton, NC. Baker's father asked Clayton to listen to his daughter playing her signature "One Dime Blues". Clayton was impressed and arrived at the Baker house with his tape recorder the next day, recording several songs.[2]

Over the years, Baker has shared her knowledge with many well known musical artists including Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Baker received the North Carolina Folk Heritage Award from the North Carolina Arts Council in 1989, the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship in 1991, and the North Carolina Award in 2003. Along with her sister, Cora Phillips, Baker received the North Carolina Folklore Society's Brown-Hudson Folklore Award in 1982.[3]

Baker had nine children, one of whom was killed in the Vietnam War in 1967, the same year her husband died. She last lived in Morganton, North Carolina, and died at the age of 93 in Fairfax, Virginia, while visiting a daughter who had suffered a stroke.

Etta Baker Teaches On The Other Hand Baby 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c9VVB7BDr4 





 

 Gary Primich   +23.09.2007

 



Gary Primich (* 20. April 1958 in Chicago, Illinois; † 23. September 2007 in Austin, Texas) war ein US-amerikanischer Bluesharmonika- und Gitarrespieler.
Er wurde zwar in Chicago geboren, wuchs aber in Gary, Indiana auf. Mundharmonika lernte er als Teenager auf dem Maxwell Street Market. Er erhielt dort eine erstklassige Bluesausbildung, wie sie nie in einem Klassenzimmer gelehrt werden könnte.[1][2] 1984, nachdem er an der Indiana University graduiert hatte, zog er nach Austin, Texas um. 1987 gründete er mit Jimmy Carl, dem ehemaligen Drummer der Mothers of Invention, eine Band namens The Mannish Boys, die auch ein Album aufnahmen. Nachdem Carl die Band verließ, hielt Primich sie zusammen und nahmen ein zweites Album auf. Beide Alben erregten so viel Aufmerksamkeit, dass er unter eigenem Namen ein Album aufnehmen konnte, dem noch einige andere folgten.
Durch Tourneen konnte Primich seine Fanbasis stetig erweitern. Seine Qualitäten ließen ihn auch als Sessionmusiker begehrt werden. So nahm er mit Omar & The Howlers, Tish Hinojosa, Steve James, Libbi Bosworth, Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster, Mike Morgan and the Crawl, Nick Curran, Doyle Bramhall und Jimmie Vaughan auf.
1985 veröffentlichte er eine Doppel-CD "Blues Harmonica: The Blues and Beyond", wo er die Grundlagen des Bluesharmonikaspiels unterrichtete.[3]
Gary Primich starb, erst 49-jährig, an Heroinvergiftung in seinem Heim in Austin.

Gary Primich (April 20, 1958 – September 23, 2007)[1] was an American blues harmonica player, singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is best known for his 1995 album, Mr. Freeze.

Biography

Gary Alan Primich was born in Chicago, Illinois, but grew up in nearby Hobart, Indiana, where he attended Hobart High School. In 1984, after he graduated with a Bachelor's degree from Indiana University, Primich relocated to Austin, Texas.[2]

While working at the University of Texas, he started playing along with other musicians in local clubs. In 1987, he met Jimmy Carl Black, and they formed the Mannish Boys. Their debut album, A L'il Dab'll Do Ya was issued on the Amazing Records label, and although Black then left the band, Primich stayed with the Mannish Boys for another album, Satellite Rock. In 1991 Primich released his eponymous solo debut album, and My Pleasure followed the next year. Amazing Records then folded, and Primich was contracted to the Flying Fish Records label releasing Travelin' Mood (1994) and Mr. Freeze (1995).[2] Mr. Freeze was named as one of the twenty best blues albums of the 1990s by the Chicago newspaper, New City.[3]

Constant touring allowed Primich to expand his fan base, and by 2000, he had a recording contract with the Texas Music Group. He issued Dog House Music (2002) and then Ridin' the Darkhorse (2006).[2] Primich also recorded with Steve James, Omar & the Howlers, John "Juke" Logan, Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster, Mike Morgan and the Crawl, Nick Curran, Doyle Bramhall and Jimmie Vaughan.[1]

In addition to his performance albums, in 1985 Primich released an instructional double CD, Blues Harmonica: The Blues And Beyond.[4] In June 1999, at the Montgomery Theater in San Jose, California, Primich undertook a performance and series of workshops with Howard Levy, Magic Dick, Gary Smith, Lee Oskar, Jerry Portnoy, and Andy Santana.[5] He was inducted in the Austin Music Hall of Fame.[1]

In September 2007, Primich died at his home in Austin, at the age of 49,[2] of acute heroin intoxication.

Gary Primich (Fantastic harmonica solo) & The Wildcards - Goodbye Little Girl - Part 2 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8gONvOb0N4 








Houston Stackhouse   +23.09.1980

 


Houston Stackhouse (* 28. September 1910 in Wesson, Mississippi; † 23. September 1980 in Helena, Arkansas) war ein US-amerikanischer Bluesgitarrist und Mundharmonikaspieler. Er hatte nie den großen musikalischen und kommerziellen Erfolg anderer Bluesmusiker aus dem Süden, doch war er eine zentrale Figur der Bluesszene, auch als Mentor vieler später erfolgreicher Künstler.
Houston Stackhouse wurde als Houston Goff in Wesson geboren. Seine Herkunft lernte Stackhouse erst kennen, als er in den 1970er Jahren einen Pass beantragte. Aufgewachsen ist er auf der Randall Ford Plantation, wo er den Namen seines Ziehvaters James Wade Stackhouse annahm. Um 1925 zog die Familie etwas weiter nach Norden nach Crystal Springs, wo seine musikalische Entwicklung begann. Neben lokalen Musikern beeinflussten ihn die Aufnahmen von Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lonnie Johnson und Blind Blake. Das erste Instrument, das er erlernte, war die Harmonika.[3]Seine musikalische Karriere begann Mitte der 1930er-Jahre mi Auftritten gemeinsam mit den Mississippi Sheiks,Robert Johnson, Charlie McCoy, Walter Vinson und anderen in Mississippi, Arkansas und Louisiana . Die andauernsten Zusammenarbeiten waren die mit Carey “Ditty” Mason und seinem Cousin Robert McCollum, besser bekannt als Robert Nighthawk, dem er das Gitarrespielen beibrachte.
1946 zog er nach Helena, Arkansas, wo er ein Jahr in Robert Nighthawks Band spielte, der ihm auch das Gitarrespiel beibrachte. Von dieser Zeit an spielte er nur mehr Gitarre[4] Nach ihrer Trennung spielte er gemeinsam mit dem Schlagzeuger James “Peck” Curtis, dem Gitarristen Joe Willie Wilkins und den Pianisten Robert Traylor und Pinetop Perkins. 1948 kam der Mundharmonikaspieler Sonny Boy Williamson II. dazu, die Band trat im ganzen Delta auf. Stackhouse trat auch mit den meisten Bluesmusikern auf, die auf ihren Tourneen durch Helena kamen (z. B. Jimmy Rogers, Sammy Lawhorn-beide unterrichtete er an der Gitarre-, Elmore James, Earl Hooker, Willie Love, Ernest Lane und Roosevelt Sykes). Zwischen 1948 und 1954 arbeitete er tagsüber als Automobilarbeiter im Chrysler-Werk in West-Memphis (Crittenden County).
Im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Musikern blieb Stackhouse im Süden und arbeitete tagsüber und spielte nachts. Die ganzen 1950er und 1960er Jahre trat er immer wieder mit durchreisenden Musikern auf (Boyd Gilmore, Houston Boines, Frank Frost, Baby Face Turner u. a.). 1965 kehrte Sonny Boy Williamson II. nach Helena zurück und nahm Stackhouse in seine Band auf, die in der King Biscuit Time-Radiosendung von KFFA auftrat, im Mai nahm Chris Strachwitz von Arhoolie Records die Gruppe auf und veröffentlichte die Aufnahmen unter Williamson’s Namen als „King Biscuit Time“. 1967 nahmen zwei Fieldrecorder Stackhouse auf, einmal unter dem Namen Blues Rhythm Boys (mit Peck Curtis und Robert Nighthawk) und einmal mit seinem langjährigen Weggefährten Carey “Ditty” Mason. Nach dessen Tod zog er nach Memphis. In den 1970ern wurde er Teil des Bluesrevivals, spielte auf Festivals und tourte mit den King Biscuit Boys. 1976 reiste er sogar nach Wien, wo er für Wolf Records aufnahm. Ende der 1970er Jahre zog er sich aus dem Musikgeschäft zurück und übersiedelte nach Helena zurück. Hier starb er am 23. September 1980 im Helena Hospital.
Um ihn zu ehren ist eine der fünf Bühnen beim Arkansas Blues and Heritagefestival nach ihm benannt (Houston Stackhouse Acoustic Stage).

Houston Stackhouse (September 28, 1910 – September 23, 1980) was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer. He is best known for his association and work with Robert Nighthawk.[1] Although Stackhouse was not especially noted as a guitarist nor singer, Nighthawk showed gratitude to his guitar teacher Stackhouse, by backing him on a number of recordings in the late 1960s. Apart from a tour to Europe, Stackhouse confined his performing around the Mississippi Delta.[1]

Biography

Stackhouse was born Houston Goff, in Wesson, Mississippi, and was the son of Garfield Goff. He was raised by James Wade Stackhouse on the Randall Ford Plantation, and Stackhouse only learned the details of his parentage when he applied for a passport in later life.[2]

Relocating in his teenage years with his family to Crystal Springs, Mississippi, he became inspired listening to records by Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lonnie Johnson, and by local musicians. By the late 1930s, Stackhouse had played guitar around the Delta states and worked with members of the Mississippi Sheiks, plus Robert Johnson, Charlie McCoy and Walter Vinson.[2] He also teamed up with his distant cousin, Robert Nighthawk,[3] whom he taught how to play guitar.[4] Originally a fan of Tommy Johnson, Stackhouse often covered his songs.[1] In 1946, Stackhouse moved to Helena, Arkansas to live near to Nighthawk, and for a time was a member of Nighthawk’s band, playing on KFFA radio.[2]

He split from Nighthawk in 1947 and alongside the drummer James "Peck" Curtis, appeared on KFFA's "King Biscuit Time" programme, with the guitar player Joe Willie Wilkins plus pianists Pinetop Perkins and Robert Traylor. Sonny Boy Williamson II then rejoined the show, and that combo performed across the Delta, using their radio presence to advertise their concert performances.[2]

Stackhouse tutored both Jimmy Rogers and Sammy Lawhorn on guitar techniques. Between 1948 and 1954, Stackhouse worked during the day at the Chrysler plant in West Helena, Arkansas, and played the blues in his leisure time. He did not move from the South, unlike many of his contemporaries, and continued to perform locally into the 1960s with Frank Frost, Boyd Gilmore and Baby Face Turner. In May 1965, Sonny Boy Williamson II, who was by then back on "King Biscuit Time", utilised Stackhouse when he was recorded in concert by Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records. The recording was issued under Williamson's name, titled King Biscuit Time. Shortly afterwards, Williamson died, but Stackhouse continued briefly on the radio program, back in tandem with Nighthawk.[2]

In 1967, George Mitchell recorded Stackhouse in Dundee, Mississippi. Named the Blues Rhythm Boys, Stackhouse was joined by both Curtis and Nighthawk, although the latter died shortly after the recording was made. Another field researcher, David Evans, recorded Stackhouse in Crystal Springs, but by 1970 following the deaths of both Curtis and Mason, Stackhouse had moved on to Memphis, Tennessee. There he resided with his old friend Joe Willie Wilkins and his wife Carrie. At the height of the blues revival Stackhouse toured with Wilkins, and the Memphis Blues Caravan, and appeared at various music festivals.

Earlier in February 1972, Stackhouse recorded an album titled Cryin' Won't Help You. It was released on CD in 1994.[5] His lone trip overseas saw Stackhouse play in 1976 in Vienna, Austria.[2]

Stackhouse returned to Helena, where he died in September 1980, at the age of 69. A son, Houston Stackhouse Jr., survived him.[2]

The acoustic stage at the annual Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival is named after Stackhouse.

Houston Stackhouse - Cool Drink Of Water - Memphis (1976) 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pthoBuj1tqo 








Booker T. Laury   +23.09.1995




http://rockbluescountryclasicos.es.tl/BOOKER-T-.--LAURY-.htm

Booker T. Laury (September 2, 1914 – September 23, 1995) was an American boogie-woogie, blues, gospel and jazz pianist and singer.[1] Over his lengthy career, Laury worked with various musicians including Memphis Slim and Mose Vinson. He appeared in two films, but did not record his debut album until he was almost eighty years of age.
Lawrence Laury was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up with his lifelong friend, Memphis Slim.[1] At the age of six, after helping his mother play the family's pump organ, Laury learned to play the keyboards. His barrelhouse playing style, which he developed alongside Slim, was based on the influence gained from regular Memphis performers Roosevelt Sykes, Sunnyland Slim, and Speckled Red. In the early 1930s, and in the company of the younger Mose Vinson, Slim and Laury began playing in local clubs.[2]
In 1935, Sykes suggested to Laury and Slim that they relocated to Chicago, with a view of obtaining a recording contract. Slim took up the advice, but Laury decided to remain in Memphis, where he played in gambling houses and clubs for decades. Laury had a large hand-width, which enabled him to span ten keys. His playing dexterity was such that, after losing one finger on his left hand following an accident with a circular saw in the 1950s, he was still able to play well. Based around Memphis' Beale Street, as that area started to degenerate, Laury traveled around Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri. Despite differing fortunes, the friendship with Slim did not diminish over the years, up to Slim's death in 1988.[2]
In the 1989 Dennis Quaid film, Great Balls of Fire!, the plot had a young Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart, look into a juke joint to see Laury playing "Big Legged Woman". This attention led to Laury having the opportunity to record later in his life.[2]
Laury appeared in the 1991 documentary film, Deep Blues: A Musical Pilgrimage to the Crossroads.[3] In the film, Laury played "Memphis Blues" in his own living room.[4]
Laury finally recorded his debut album in his late seventies.[2] In 1993, Bullseye Blues Records issued Nothin' But the Blues, which simply incorporated Laury's voice and piano playing his own compositions.[1] The following year, Wolf Records released a live album, containing concert recordings made in 1987.[5]
Booker T. Laury died of cancer, in September 1995 in Memphis, at the age of 81.[2][4] He has a brass note on Beale's Walk of Fame.



Booker T. Laury - Big Legged Woman 




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