Big Al's R&B, 1956-1959
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The R & B Book S7 The greatest single event affecting the integration of rhythm and blues music Alone)," the top single of 195S, with crossovers "(YouVe Got! The Magic Touch" with the pop field occurred on November 2, 1355. On that date. Billboard (No. 4), "The Great Pretender" and "My Prayer" (both No. It. and "You'll Never magazine expanded its pop singles chart from thirty to a hundred positions, Never Know" b/w "It Isn't Bight" (No. 14). Their first album "The Platters" naming it "The Top 100." In a business that operates on hype and jive, a chart reached No. 7 on Billboard's album chart. position is "proof of a record's strength. Consequently, a chart appearance, by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, another of the year's consistent crossover itself, can be a promotional tool With Billboard's expansion to an extra seventy artists, tasted success on their first record "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" (No. 71, positions, seventy extra records each week were documented as "bonifide" hits, then followed with "I Want You To Be My Girl" (No. 17). "I Promise To and 8 & B issues helped fill up a lot of those extra spaces. Remember" (No. 57), and "ABCs Of Love" (No. 77). (Joy & Cee-BMI) Time: 2:14 NOT FOR S»U 45—K8592 If Um.*III WIlhORtnln A» Unl» SIM meant tea M. bibUnfmcl him a> a ronng Bnc«rtal««r to ant alonic la *n«l«y •t*r p«rjform«r. HI* » T«»r. Utcfo WIIII* Araraa ()•• 2m«B alnft-ng Th« WorM** S* AtUX prafautonaiiQ/ for on manr bit p«» throoghoQC ih« ib« SaiMt fonr Tun Faaturing coont^T and he •llhan«h 6.. b SIMR •eeljtimittl by «»«ry 17 T<MT» old. mm II. Cray - M. ERNIE FREEMAN COMBO {Willis John) IRYIN ASHBY. Guitor JOE COMFORT, 8«> LITRE WILLIE JOHN R. MARTINEZ, Omni 4841 1017-AA-45 An ironic twist was that many R &. 8 items were able to make the pop survey. Note the contrast between Frankie Lvmon/Teenagers and the Platters, the two but no; the R & B chart, which remained at a mere fifteen positions. Moreover, top R & B vocal.groups of 1956. The Platters were sort of a modern-day Ink Spots the means of determining sales of rhythm and blues records led to the inaccurate (lead Tony Williams compares favorably with the ink Spots' Bill Kenny) to the inclusion of many non-rhythm and blues records on the R & B chart. The non-R extent that they even recorded a number of songs previously associated with the &. B artist who appeared most often on the R & B charts in 1956 was Elvis Ink Spots like "My Prayer" and 'To Each His Own." While the Platters were H &. Presley- Those Presley crossovers are often pointed to as proof of his strong B's "class act," ready to take on Las Vegas and other bastions of "big-time" show black support, but there's little chance that Elvis sold well in the ghetto, lust as biz, the Teenagers were the ultimate representatives of the street there's little likelihood that fellow rock 'n' rollers like Frankie Avalon, Duane corner/practice in the school gym scene. Unlike the Platters, their musical roots Eddy, Connie Francis, and the Everly Brothers did either, even though their late- went back no further than the Crows, the Wrens, and a multitude of other fifties hits also placed significantly on the R&.B charts. recent New York vintage doo-wop groups. Frankie's falsetto became the sound of The cause of rhythm and blues was furthered by the emergence of a number East Coast vocal group harmony and fostered a seemingly endless stream of of R & B artists as "official" stars, those who were able to cross-over to the pop youthful doo-wop, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers got to play the London charts with reasonable consistency. From the closing months of 1355, when Palladium. Billboard expanded its chart, to the end of 1956, artists like Fats Domino, the The overnight success of thirteen-year old Frankie Lymon was a signal to Platters, and Little Richard had hit after hit. Fats Domino, a solid R & B favorite many other teenagers that the field was not restricted to experienced adults, and since 1950, had his first pop-hit in 1955 with "Ain't it A Shame," although it came served to lure these other inexperienced vocal groups into the recording studio. in second to Pat Boone's version. In 1956, all of Fats' hits crossed over, starting Record companies were impressed by Lymon's success and they opened their with "Bo Weevil" which reached No. 35. His first top ten item 'I'm In Love Again" doors wide for these teenage acts. That rhythm and blues was becoming teen- b/w "My Blue Heaven" hit No. 5 on Billboard's "Tap 100," and "When My oriented was a natural development, since teens were its major audience. Still, Dreamboat Comes Home" b/w "So-Long" hit No. 22. Fats' coup was his revival of only a handful of blatant attempts to identify with the teenage consumer became "Blueberry Hill," which reached No. 4 and remained on the chart for over half a big hits, notably the Teen Queens' "Eddie My Love" and the Six Teens' "A Casual year. Few would recall Glenn Miller's (1941) and Louis Armstrong's 11949) Look." versions after Fats got through with it. While Fats Domino, Little Richard, the Platters, and Frankie Lymon and the Little Richard had been around since the early fifties, recording without much Teenagers were the most consistent crossover artists of the year, there were success, first for HCA Victor, then for Peacock with a back-up group called the many others who went pop with at least one classic smash. Jazz/R & B veteran Tempo Toppers. Finally, in 1955 he signed with Specialty. With instrumental Bill Doggeit rocketed to the No. Z spot on Billboard's "Top 100" with "Honky support from a cohesive group of N.O.L.A. musicians, and sporting a voice that Tank." and sold over a million copies in the process. One classic crossover was a had gone from a moderate wail to a genuine scream, Little Richard found his release that originated on Standord (not Standard), a small Connecticut label, unique place in musical history. "Tutti FrutU" charted late in 1955 and peaked called "in The Still Of The Nite" by the Five Satins. It took about six months to early in 1956, reaching No. 21 on Billboard's "Top 100" (beaten by Pat Boonel. His chart after Ember Records picked it up for national distribution, and never second Specialty release "Long Tail Sally" stands as one of the most frantic hit placed higher than No. 29, but it is without a doubt one of the most beloved of all records of all time. It was cut in New Orleans, but it could just as easily have been fifties records. cut on Venus. It hit lucky No. 13 on the "Top 100" (and this time beat Pat Boone's In ail, fifty B &. B hits crossed over to the pop charts in 1956, representing a cover version, which peaked at No. 18). Before the year was out, he scored again giant increase over 1955. Of the R & B singles that finished in the top 30 of the ':•.. with "Rip It Up" b/w "Ready Teddy" which made it to No. 27. Hot Chart's top 100, all but three managed to crass over, ("Oh What A Nite'-Cells, The Platters continued their winning ways, following "Only You (And You "Drown In My Own Tears"-Ray Charles, and "Please, Please. Please'-James 58 The R & B Book Brown and the Famous Flames). In the case of the latter two, it was because they his voice...Some lucky members of Robins became Coasters. The rest retained failed to reach a substantial white teenage audience. Robins' name and signed with Whippet Records—Little Richard's "Slippin' And Both "Drown In My Own Tears" and "Please, Please, Please" were actually Slidin' (Peepin' And Hidin1)" was a remake of Eddie Bo's "I'm Wise'.-.There were prototypes of what would be known as "soul music." Ray Charles' disc, a revival many R &, B revivals of pop favorites this year, including "Blueberry Hill." "My of Sonny Tnompson/Lula Read's 1952 hit "I'll Drown In My Tears," was the latest Blue Heaven," "When My Dreamboat Comes Home," "How Soon," "Blue Moon," in a series of smashes which changed Ray Charles' status from marginal "The Glory Of Love." "Hold Me," "My Prayer." "April In Paris," "Candy," "Yes Sir. performer to superstar. He had been experimenting ever since the forties, when That's My Baby," "Mean To Me." "Off Shore," "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," he tried to sound like his idol Nat "King" Cole, with only mixed results. He and 'The Way You Look Tonight." Meanwhile, there were lots of energetic rock I CANT QUIT YOU BABY. t (Dhon) IN THE STILL OF THE NITE OTIS RUSH f. Pitrit 5000 eventually signed with Atlantic and began to develop the Ray Charles sound - an and roll revivals of R & B classics like "Hound Dog." "I Almost Lost My Mind." articulate, sophisticated, arranged jazz/blues, which borrowed elements from "Love Me" (Willie & Ruth's), "Money Honey," "Lawdy Miss Clawdy." "Chains Of gospel. This combination was a powerful brew and soon Ray Charles was a Love," and "Forty Cups Of Coffee".