The Front Porch Blues Show
JD Esquire
Rich Blackmarr will host the Front Porch Blues Show this week. Galen Gart's book First Pressings - The History of Rhythm & Blues:1954, which compiled weekly R&B record releases as published by Billboard Magazine, is the information source for the program playlist. This features blues and bluesy R&B recordings that were issued by record companies during the fourth quarter of 1954 (Oct., Nov., Dec.)
Genre
Blues
Missed the Show?
Sunday 2/04/2018 @ 8:00PM - 10:00PM
| Artist | Song | Album | Label | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightnin' Hopkins | Nothin' But The Blues | Lightnin' Hopkins - Remember Me: The Complete Herald Singles | Ember | April 1954 Houston rec. for Herald Records by Hopkins (voc/gtr) with Donald Cooks (b), Ben Turner (d) |
| John Lee Hooker | Bad Boy | John Lee Hooker - The Legendary Modern 1948-1954 | Virgin/Flair | 1953 Detroit rec. for Modern by Hooker (voc/gtr) |
| Junior Wells | So All Alone | Junior Wells - Blues Hit Big Town | Delmark/United | April 1954 Chicago rec. for States by Wells (voc/hca) with Otis Spann (p), Muddy Waters & Louis Myers (gtrs), Willie Dixon (b), Fred Below (d) |
| Elmore James | Sunny Land | The Best Of Elmore James - The Early Years: The Legendary Modern Recordings | Ace(UK) | Aug. 1954 Los Angeles rec. for Flair by Elmore (voc/gtr) with band led by Maxwell Davis (ts) |
| Nappy Brown | Is It True, Is It True | Nappy Brown - The Complete Savoy Singles As & Bs 1954-1962 | Jasmine 2 cd set | March 1954 New York rec. for Savoy by Brown (voc) with Howard Biggs Orch. with Sam Taylor, Al Sears, Mickey Baker, others |
| Johnny Otis | I Won't Be Your Fool No More | Johnny Otis - Rock Me Baby: The Mercury And Peacock Sides 1951-55 | Rev-Ola | Feb. 1954 Los Angeles for Peacock by Otis (voc/vib) with Devonia Williams (p), Pete Lewis (gtr/hca), others |
| Airbreak | ||||
| The Pelicans | Ain't Gonna Do It | VA - Lost Dreams: The New Orleans Vocal Groups | EMI/Imperial LP | 1954 Imperial release by group which got its start at the Pelican Club on Rampart Street in New Orleans |
| Fats Domino | I Know | Antoine 'Fats' Domino - They Call Me The Fat Man: The Legendary Imperial Recordings | EMI/Imperial 3 cd set | July 1954 New Orleans rec. for Imperial by Domino (voc/p) with saxes, Walter Nelson (gtr), others |
| Earl King | Eating and Sleeping | VA - Rip It Up: The Specialty Story | One Day Music 2 cd set | New Orleans rec. for Specialty by King (voc/gtr) with Lee Allen, Red Tyler, Huey Smith, Frank Fields, Earl Palmer |
| Lula Reed | Sick and Tired | Lula Reed - I'm Gone, Yes I'm Gone | Official/Sing LP | Sept. 1954 Cincinnati rec. for King by singer Reed with backing by sonny Thompson (p), Clarence Kenner (gtr), others |
| Roy Brown | Black Diamond | Roy Brown - Good Rocking Tonight: Legendary Recordings, Vol. 2 (1947-1954) | Mr. R&B/Route 66 LP | Sept. 1954 New Orleans rec. for King by Brown (voc) with band incl. Salvador Doucette (p0, Melvin Lastie (tpt) |
| Memphis Slim | Memphis Slim USA | Memphis Slim - Rockin' The House: The Best Of The R&B Years | Fantastic Voyage 2 cd set | Sept. 1954 Chicago rec. for United by Slim (voc/p) with band incl. Matt Murphy (gtr) |
| Lowell Fulson | Reconsider Baby | Lowell Fulson - Trouble, Trouble: The Definitive Early Years Collection | Fantastic Voyage 3 cd set | Sept. 1954 Dallas rec. for Checker by Fulson (voc/gtr) with band incl. David 'Fathead' Newman (tpt), Paul Drake (p); release was an R&B hit (#3/eleven weeks) |
| Airbreak | ||||
| Faye Adams | I Owe My Heart To You | Faye Adams - Shake A Hand: 1953-1957 | Acrobat | New York rec. for Herald by Adams (voc) with the Joe Morris Orch. |
| The Flamingos | Blues In A Letter | The Flamingos Meet The Moonglows - On The Dusty Road Of Hits | Vee-Jay | Chicago rec. for Art Sheridan's Chance label; group had a long career on several labels with I Only Have Eyes For You (1959) best known hit |
| Little Walter | Last Night | Little Walter - Boom Boom: The Singles As & Bs 1952-1960 | Jasmine 2 cd set | July 1954 Chicago rec. for Checker by Walter (voc/hca) with Otis Spann, Robert Lockwood Jr, Dave Myers, Willie Dixon, Fred Below |
| Guitar Slim | Sufferin' Mind | Guitar Slim - Sufferin' Mind: The Legends Of Specialty Series | Specialty | Sept. 1954 Los Angeles rec. for Specialty by singer/guitarist Slim (Eddie Jones) and his band |
| T-Bone Walker | Love Is Just A Gamble | T-Bone Walker - The Complete Imperial Recordings, 1950-1954 | EMI/Imperial 2 cd set | 1952 Los Angeles rec. for Imperial by T-Bone (voc/gtr) acc. by group led by Maxwell Davis |
| Percy Mayfield & His Band with the Maytones | My Heart Is Cryin' | Percy Mayfield - Lost Love: The Singles As & Bs 1947-1962 | Jasmine 2 cd set | Oct. 1954 Los Angeles rec. for Specialty by Mayfield (voc) with band led by Maxwell Davis plus vocal group (The Meadowlarks) |
| Big Maybelle | My Big Mistake | Big Maybelle - The Complete OKeh Sessions 1952-55 | Epic/OKeh/Legacy | Jan. 1954 New York rec. for OKeh by singer Maybelle with Danny Mendelsohn's Orch. incl. Mickey Baker (gtr), Sam Taylor (ts) |
| The Five Royales | Devil With The Rest | The Five Royales - The Complete Singles 1952-1962 | Real Gone Music 4 cd box set | North Carolina vocal group led by Lowman Pauling; this was their second King label release after leaving Apollo Records |
| Airbreak | ||||
| Muddy Waters | I Don't Know Why | Muddy Waters - The Complete Aristocrat & Chess Singles As & Bs 1947-62 | Aristocrat 4 cd box set | Sept. 1954 Chicago rec. for Chess by Waters (voc/gtr) with Little Walter, Otis Spann, Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, Fred Below; song is flip side of I'm Ready (#5 R&B/6 weeks) |
| Pee Wee Crayton | You Know Yeah | Pee Wee Crayton - Blues Before Dawn | Pathe Marconi/EMI/Imperial LP | Oct. 1954 New Orleans rec. for Imperial by singer/guitarist Crayton with session musicians |
| Smiley Lewis | Ooh La La | Smiley Lewis - Rocks | Bear Family | Sept. 1954 New Orleans rec. for Imperial by Lewis (voc/gtr) backed by musicians incl. Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino |
| The Bees | Toy Bell | VA - Spirit Of New Orleans: The Genius Of Dave Bartholomew | EMI/Imperial 2 cd set | New Orleans rec. of Dave Bartholomew composition for Imperial by New York vocal group, the Bees led by tenor Billy Bland; one of the early versions of the song better known as My Ding-A-Ling |
| Arthur Gunter | Baby Let's Play House | Arthur Gunter - Baby Let's Play House: The Best Of Arthur Gunter | AVI/Excello | 1954 Nashville rec. for Excello by singer/guitarist Gunter with Skippy Brooks (p), Al Gunter (b), Kid King (d); Elvis's cover version on Sun brought this song more recognition |
| The Flairs | I'll Never Let you Go | The Best Of The Flairs | Flair LP | Los Angeles rec. for Flair by group incl. Cornell Gunter and Richard Berry; song has great bebop instrumental opening and bridge |
| Airbreak | ||||
| Tommy Ridgley and his Band | Jam Up | VA - History Of Rhythm & Blues: The Golden Years 1953-55 | Atlantic LP | Aug. 1954 New Orleans rec. for Atlantic by singer Ridgley backed by group Lee Allen, Red Tyler, Earl Palmer |
| Joe Houston | All Night Long | Joe Houston - Cornbread And Cabbage Greens | Specialty | Los Angeles rec. for Money by Houston (ts) and band |
| Chuck Higgins and his Band with Daddy Cleanhead | Broke | Chuck Higgins - Pachuko Hop | Specialty | Aug. 1954 Los Angeles rec. for Specialty by band leader/saxist Higgins with Cleanhead (voc) |
| Louis Jordan | Fat Back And Corn Liquor | Louis Jordan And His Tympany 5 - Go Blow Your Horn | Pathe Marconi/EMI/Score LP | Jan. 1954 New York rec. for Aladdin by Jordan (voc/as) with group incl. Count Hastings (ts), Bert Payne (gtr) |