Aug 14th

more stuff...


Eddie & The Starlites - Pretty Little Girl

To follow up with last week's record by Al Browne, I'm adding a 45 by Eddie and The Starlites, which Browne's Orchestra backed (and wrote?) for Scepter records. The record was put out in '58 and was the only 45 for

The Starlites on Scepter (though they released 3 more 45s on other labels in '63, '72 and '73). "Pretty Little Girl" is actually the
B-side, and the A, "To make a long story short", made the Billboard top 10. Eddie and the Starlites still live in the NY area, and gig frequently, doing 50's and 60's doo-wop and soul standards.



Chris Kenner - Cinderella

Upon researching this record, i stumbled upon the soulgeneration.co.uk site (one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES!, great Eddie Bo discography too!). His blurb for this record just about says it all, so here it is, in Martin's words:

"Cinderella" is outrageously good! A wild shotgun inspired Rn'B wailer with more balls than a randy bull!!!! Chris Kenner was a popular male singer in New Orleans who recorded for a variety of local labels froim 1955 onwards such as BATON RECORDS, IMPERIAL and RON before moving on to INSTANT where he really made an impression, working with Allen Toussaint he penned "I Like It Like That" which reached the national top ten in 1961 and was later made famous by the Dave Clark Five in 1965. He also penned "Something You Got" - a big hit that was later covered by a whole host of artists such as Alvin Robinson, Barbara George, The Ramsey Lewis Trio, Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown, and Bobby Womack. His signature tune however was to be 1962's "The Land of 1,000 Dances" which subsequently became a huge hit for Wilson Pickett. The two 45's he cut for Eddie Bo on INSTANT and his Bo colaboration released under the pseudenym "'Candy' Phillips" for ATLANTIC are in my opinion his only truly brilliant records but alas none are considered masterpieces yet, perhaps as they were never as successful as that early sixties body of work. Kenner fell from grace in 1968 when a girl he was with turned out to be underage and he was charged with statutory rape, he never quite got his popularity back after this and combined with the serious alcohol problems that had grown worse throughout the sixties his career really did slip. He died in 1976 of a heart attack.

*PLEASE note that I did not write this, I am merely referencing another persons work. Please show him love by GOING TO HIS SITE and supporting his work.



The Coasters - Sweet Georgia Brown

Poison Ivy, Little Egypt, Yakety Yak, Searchin', Charlie Brown, and the list goes on. The Coasters had more hits (and more members) and a longer career than damn-near anyone in the biz. Here they mangle the standard "Sweet Georgia Brown", originally written in the 20's (and popularized as the intro music to the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team). Somehow, they get to a swank groover from the upbeat, jazzy instrumental original.







Big Mama Thornton - Yes I Cried

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton did a number of recordings for different labels through the years. Her famous Peacock sessions birthed her claim-to-fame hit, Hound Dog (yes... that hound dog). She also went on to record for Mercury, Vanguard, and two of my personal favorites, Arhoolie and Backbeat. I can't seem to find any history for Carolyn Records, but have discovered that the record was released around 1963. As an early twenty-something, I remember saying (only slightly in jest), "I wish i could sing like a big, black woman." Now that I have aged a bit, I have been given the wisdom to be more articulate and specific. I wish i could sing like Big Mama.