Don’t ask my opinion, don’t ask me to lie, then beg for forgiveness for making you cry. Rag’n’Bone Man does heavy duty soul.
Live from Budapest, Sonny and his Wild Cows rock it. A popular band in Hungary (and across Europe) they cover 40s & 50s American blues, R&B, rock & roll, rockabilly, swing and country. Free music download at their awesome website, too.
Well looky here. It’s the weekend. Have a great one, and we’ll see y’all back here tomorrow, rain or shine.
“This is really a monster song; no matter which dial you punch on that radio, you’ll hear this one.”
I don’t know about punching dials, but The Ides of March helped bring the horns back into rock with Vehicle (1970).
The Closer You Are, The Channels (1956)Despite numerous recordings, The Channels never had a nationwide hit due to lack of promotion, but they were popular on the east coast. The Closer You Are was a regional hit in New York and was covered by Frank Zappa in 1984.
Valerie June began recording and performing in 2000 (at the age of 19) and plays a combination of blues, gospel and Appalachian folk that she calls “organic moonshine roots music.”
Self-proclaimed “Bourbon-Fueled Bayou-Rock” band from Nashville, The Delta Saints lay down some serious heavy worry. They opened for Blackberry Smoke in 2014.
I think that’ll do for now. Have a great weekend (enjoy it while weekends are still legal) and we’ll see you back here tomorrow.
Right Around The Corner, The “5” Royales (1956)The Royal Sons Quintet, aka The Royals, aka The “5” Royales were a gospel group that made the crossover to R&B and laid the foundation for what would later be called Soul Music. Active during the years 1951 through 1965, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.
Labor Day Parade March Composer: H. C. Verner Published By S. Brainard’s Sons Co. Chicago, 1896.
CHORUS Proud-ly we march– on “La-bor Day,”
With hearts so true, to guide the way;
Steps light and free, our ban-ner’s dis-played,
On “La-bor Day Par-ade.”
Click on images to enlarge & copy piano sheet music, or download in .pdf format here.
Background story of the 1894 Pullman Riots and aftermath here. More Labor Day stuff here.
Funny,Joe Hinton (1964)First recorded by country singer Billy Walker in 1961, Joe Hinton’s version made No. 13 on Billboard’s Top 100, No. 1 on Cash Box Magazine’s R&B list, and was one of Willie Nelson’s first hits as songwriter. The title Funny How Time Slips Away was shortened on the record label. Hinton succumbed to skin cancer in 1968 at the age of 38.
Guitar Wolf mixes The Ramones, Link Wray, rockabilly & 1977 punk and they call it “jet rock ‘n’ roll.” Don’t know how I missed these guys – they make some great noise.
Wesseh Freeman from Monrovia, Liberia, was almost completely blind. He built his guitar from an oil can, a neck shaped with a machete, and strings from bicycle cables. Amazing story despite a sad ending: he was 41 when he was struck by a car and died in 2018. [h/t Octopus]
That’ll do it for this episode. Have a great 3-day weekend, don’t drive through the deep water, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow.
I Can See Everybody’s Baby, Ruth Brown & Her Rhythmakers (1955)Ruth Brown was known as “Miss Rhythm” and “The Queen of R&B,” while Atlantic Records was called “The House That Ruth Built.” The Rhythmakers [sic] provided backup vocals and were better known as The Drifters.
Brown recorded many hits from 1949-1955, and faded from public view in the ’60s to become a housewife and mother. She returned to music in 1975 at the urging of Redd Foxx.
“I LOVE the slushy groove of 85 year old Colin Bowden, who lays down Dixieland drumming like no other!”
Definitely Slushy and Groovy.
Bowden passed away on August 1, 2021. [h/t Corinne L.]
“By capitalizing the “S” in the middle of BeauSoleil, the Cajun band’s name becomes beautiful sun, but the truth is the band is named for an Acadian resistance fighter. Joseph Broussard Beausoleil fought the English in the mid-1700s.”
Ida Mae is husband/wife team Christopher and Stephanie Jean Turpin, roots rock musicians from Norfolk, UK, who met after joining a soul band while attending Bath Spa University. Now they’re recording in Nashville Tennessee.
Don’t try your love on sexy Ida… She not only wants your love, she wants your life after that. Don’t do it. Ike & Tina Turner, Soul Train, 1975.
Hope all y’all in Ida’s path have either bugged out by now or are at least hunkered down in a safe place. She ain’t worth the risk just for bragging rights.
While you’re at it, toss in a prayer for our citizens and military still stranded in Afghanistan. I fear that worse horrors are coming…