LEFTY BATES DISCOGPart TwoRAPHY The Lefty Bates band courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society. Probably Chicago. Date and photographer unknown. From the Scotty Piper Collection (ICHi23794). In the second part of this extensive discography of Chicago guitar legend Lefty Bates, we cover Lefty’s highly productive years from 1957 through to 1969. During this period he supported Vee Jay artists such as The El Dorados, The Dells, Pee Wee Crayton, Billy ‘The Kid’ Emerson etc. He also provided support on sides for Chess, States, United and other small labels including Tommy Jones’ Mad label. The discography stops at an album cut for Bluesway in 1968 and a final session with Willie Mabon in 1969. With such an extensive discography there are bound to be corrections, additions and amendments - they are all welcome. Send them via email as it makes our job easier! Thanks to all those involved in compiling this discography - especially Dan Kochakian for unsurpassed detective work. AL SMITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA Chicago, February 5, 1957 Al Smith, ldr; Lucius Washington, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Harlan ‘Booby’ Floyd, I Found My Peace of Mind*/** Vee Jay 252 trb*; unk. hca*; Horace Palm, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; poss. Quinn Wilson, bass; Al You Don’t Love Me Anymore*/** Vee Jay Unissued Duncan, dms I Don’t Care*/**/*** Vee Jay 252 Chicago, January 11, 1957 Blues Daze Vee Jay Unissued One Two Cha Cha Falcon 1001, Abner 1020 Get Up and Go* Falcon 1001 THE DELegates (THE KOOL GENTS) Road House Falcon 1007 Vcl; Al Smith, ldr; Red Holloway, ts; Lucius Washington, ts; Horace Palm, pno; Lefty Soft and Easy Falcon Unissued Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms Universal Recording, Chicago, February 19, 1957 THE DELLS Mother’s Son Vee Jay 243 Vcl, with Al Smith and His Orchestra: inc Lefty Bates, gtr; omit trb and hca Gloria Falcon 1002 Same date and personnel as above June Falcon Unissued Why Do you Have To Go Vee Jay 236 Kangaroo Hop Falcon 1002 A Distant Love Vee Jay 251 Dance Dance Dance Vee Jay 236 LEFTY Bates AND HIS BAND Pain In My Heart Vee Jay 258 Horace Palm, vcl*; Lefty Bates,gtr; Personnel Unknown You Know Vee Jay Unissued Chicago, February 26,1957 LITTLE JUNIOR PARKER Chicago Cha Cha United 206 Vcl; Al Smith, ldr; unk. tpt; Red Holloway, ts; unk. sax; Lefty Bates, gtr; Quinn Somebody Will Understand* United 206 Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms THE SpanIELS Chicago, January (?) 24, 1957 Vcl; Al Smith and His Orchestra: Al Smith, ldr; Lucius Washignton, ts; McKinley Peaches Duke 177 Easton, bs (except*); Horace Palm, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Pretty Little Doll Duke 177 Al Duncan, dms/Latin perc) PEE WEE CRAYton Chicago, March 12, 1957 Vcl*/gtr; Red Holloway, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Horace Palm, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; Everyone’s Laughing Vee Jay 246 Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms; The El Dorados, vcl grp**; omit brass*** I Lost You Vee Jay 264 4 >> B&R >> 184 I.O.U. (I Love You) Vee Jay 246 This Is A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening Vee Jay VJLP 1002 SARAH McLawLER Vcl/org; Richard Otto, vln; Lefty Bates, gtr; Quinn Wilson, bass; Thomas Hunter, dms Chicago, March 14, 1957 Alone Vee Jay Unissued September Song Vee Jay Unissued Over The Rainbow Vee Jay Unissued Stella By Starlight Vee Jay LP 1003 Sarah McLawler, vcl; same personnel as above Chicago, March 15, 1957 Babe In The Woods Vee Jay LP 1003 Laura Vee Jay LP 1003 My Funny Valentine Vee Jay Unissued Flamingo Vee Jay Unissued Love For Sale Vee Jay LP 1003 Temptation Vee Jay LP 1003 BILLY EMERSON Vcl/pno; Hobart Dotson, tpt; John Calvin, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Lefty Bates, gtr; Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms Lefty Bates, courtesy Bob Sunenblick Chicago, March 27, 1957 Chicago, July 12 1957 Somebody Show Me Vee Jay 247 Look Me Straight In The Eye (alt. take) Delmark CD 717 The Pleasure Is All Mine Vee Jay 247, LP 1084 Look Me Straight In The Eye (master) States 164 (Do The) Chicken Charly (E) LP 602 I Stayed Away Too Long (alt. take) Delmark CD 717 Don’t Be Careless Charly (E) LP 602 I Stayed Away Too Long (2nd alt. take) Delmark CD 717 I Stayed Away Too Long (master) States 164 THE ANSWERS THE SpanIELS Vcl; Red Holloway, ts; McKinley Easton, bar; Horace Palm, p; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Vcl, with Al Smith and His Orchestra: Al Smith, ldr; Lucius Washington, ts; Marcus Quinn Wilson, sbs; Paul Gusman, dms. Johnson, bs; James Crag, pno; Ace Lambert, el gtr; Lefty Bates, el gtr; prob. Quinn Chicago, April 5, 1957 Have No Fear United U-212 Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms Keeps Me Worried All The Time United U-212 Universal Recording, Chicago, July 30, 1957 I Like It Like That Vee Jay 310 THE EL DORADOS You’re Gonna Cry Vee Jay 257 Vcl; with Al Smith Orchestra: Al Smith, ldr; Lucius Washington, ts; McKinley Easton, Lucinda Charly CD 222 bs; Horace Palm, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Vernel Fournier, dms PEE WEE CRAYton Universal Recording, Chicago, April 18, 1957 Vcl*/gtr; Red Holloway, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Horace Palm, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; Trouble Trouble Charly LP 1022 Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms; The El Dorados, vcl grp** Tears On My Pillow Vee Jay 250 Chicago, August 2, 1957 A Rose For My Darling Vee Jay 250 Is This The Price I Pay* Vee Jay 266 Language for Love Vee Jay CD 715 Second Hand Love*/** Charly (E) LP 601 I Love Her Still*/** Charly (E) LP 601 ARBEE STIDHAM Blues After Hours*/** Charly (E) LP 601 Vcl with poss. Red Holloway, Harold Ashby, ts; Horace M. Palm, p; prob. Earl Hooker, gtr; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, sbs; Leon Hooper or Al Duncan, PRISCILLA BOWMAN dms. Vcl (except*); Al Smith, ldr; Lucius ‘Little Wash’ Washington, ts; Marcus Johnson, ts (except*); McKinley Easton, bs (except*); Horace Palm, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms Universal Recording, Chicago, August 13, 1957 Yes, I’m Glad Falcon 1004 A Spare Man Falcon 1004 Sugar Daddy Falcon 1008 Don’t Come In Here Falcon 1008 Jammin’ For Diggy* Top Rank (Fr) RLP 111 BILLY EMERSON Vcl, with Al Smith’s Orchestra: Sonny Cohn, tpt; Lucius Washington, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Earl Washington, pno; Matt Murphy, Lefty Bates, gtrs; Al Smith, bass; Al Duncan, dms Chicago, August 23, 1957 Do Yourself A Favor Vee Jay 261 You Never Miss Your Water Vee Jay 261 Lucinda Vee Jay Unissued When It Rains It Pours Vee Jay Unissued FIVE BLIND BOYS OF MISSISSIPPI Vcl grp; Maceo Woods, organ; Lefty Bates, gtr; Ronald Hall, pno*; Al Duncan, dms Chicago, August 27, 1957 I’m A Rolling* Vee Jay 855 My Robe Will Fit Me Vee Jay 855 DEE CLARK Vcl*, acc. by Al Smith’s Orchestra: Al Smith, ldr; Lucius Washington, ts; McKinley Easton, bs**?); Earl Washington, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms Universal Recording, Chicago, September 13, 1957 Seven Nights* Falcon 1005 Why Don’t You Come Home* Charly LP 1113 Label shots courtesy of 24 Boy Friends* Falcon 1005 Dan Kochakian Collection. Emma Jean* Charly LP 1010 Quarter Party** Falcon 1007 5 >> B&R >> 184 Great Googly Moo* Vee Jay 278 (?) THE PALMS Vcl; with the Lefty Bates Band: possibly same session and personnel Chicago, 1957 Edna United 208 Teardrops United 208 LEFTY Bates AND HIS BAND Personnel unknown Chicago, 1957 Look Me Straight In The Eye States 164 I Stayed Away Too Long States 164 THE EL DORADOS Vcl, acc. by Al Smith Orchestra; Al Smith, ldr; Sonny Cohn, tpt; Lucious Washington, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Earl Washington, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms Universal Recording, Chicago, January 11, 1958 Boom Diddle Boom Vee Jay 263 Three Reasons Why Vee Jay 263 Lord Knows I Tried Solid Smoke LP 8025 LARRY BIRDSONG Vcl; Al Smith, ldr; Lucius Washington, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Earl Washington, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms Universal Recording, Chicago, January 30, 1958 Fannie’s Place Vee Jay 277 Nothing But A Fool Charly CRB 1106 Goodbye Goodbye Vee Jay 277 I’ll Run My Business Charly CRB 1106 THE DELLS Vcl, acc. by Al Smith and His Orchestra: Al Smith, ldr; Lucius Washington, ts; Kirk Davis, prob. ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Earl Washington, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan, dms Universal Recording, Chicago, February 5, 1958 Baby Open Up Your Heart Vee Jay 324 What You Say Baby Vee Jay 274 Someone To Call Me Darling Solid Smoke LP 8029 GENE ALLISON Vcl; Lucius Washington, ts; McKinley Easton,bs; Maceo Woods, organ; Sonny Thompson, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; Quinn Wilson, bass; Al Duncan,dms Chicago, February 6, 1958 My Heart Remembers Vee Jay 273 Have Faith Vee Jay 273 Tell The Truth Vee Jay Unissued GENE ALLISON Vcl; Al Smith, ldr; prob. Riley Hampton, as/arr; Lucius Washington, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Maceo Woods, organ; Clarence ‘Sleepy’ Anderson, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; prob. Quinn Wilson, bass; Vernel Fournier, dms Top: Advert from The Chicago Defender, 21st December, 1957. From the Universal Recording, Chicago, May 19, 1958 I Don’t Know Why Vee Jay 286 Franz Hoffmann Collection (nice menu!). Lower: from The Chicago Defender, Without You Vee Jay Unissued 20th February, 1957. From the Franz Hoffmann Collection AL SMITH AND HIS ORCHESTRA TOMMY DEAN Al Smith, bass/ldr; Leon Washington, ts; McKinley Easton, bs; Earl Washington, Organ; Charles Williams, as; Fred Lee, ts; Hattuch Alexander, pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; pno; Lefty Bates, gtr; Al Duncan, dms Milton Wilson, dms/bgos; Don Porter, dms Chicago, September 13, 1957 Chicago, May 27, 1958 Party After Dark Falcon 1007 Odds and Ends Vee Jay Unissued THE FALCONS Recession Vee Jay Unissued Vcl, acc.