Ladies Sing The Blues Volume 2 (Roots of Rock N' Roll Vol. 12)

Side A:
01) Fine And Mellow - Albinia Jones
02) Silver Dollar Blues - Albinia Jones
03) What's The Matter With Me (Don't You Wear No Black) - Albinia Jones
04) Ee Baba Leba - Helen Humes
05) If I Could Be With You - Helen Humes
06) Take Out Some Time - ‎Little Miss Sharecropper
07) I'll Try (I've Tried) - Little Miss Sharecropper
08) I Want To Rock - ‎Little Miss Sharecropper

Side B:
01) Alley Cat - Dolly Cooper
02) I Need Romance - Dolly Cooper
03) I Wanna Know (What'cha Doin' Down There) - Dolly Cooper
04) Me And My Baby - Dolly Cooper
05) You Promised Love - Annie Laurie
06) I Can't Stop Being A Fool - Annie Laurie
07) Stop, Don't Go - Annie Laurie
08) Rockin' And Rollin' - Annie Laurie

Side C:
01) No Kinda Good No How - Varetta Dillard
02) Johnny Has Gone - Varetta Dillard
03) So Many Ways (To Love You) - Varetta Dillard
04) Hurry Up - Varetta Dillard
05) Please Tell Me Why - Varetta Dillard
06) Love That Man - Varetta Dillard
07) I Cried And Cried - Varetta Dillard
08) A Letter In Blues - Varetta Dillard

Side D:
01) All Of Me - Big Maybelle
02) Baby Won't You Please Come Home - Big Maybelle
03) Rockhouse - Big Maybelle
04) Jim - Big Maybelle
05) It's A Sin To Tell a Lie - Big Maybelle
06) I Could Make You Care - Big Maybelle
07) I Don't Want To Cry - Big Maybelle
08) Stay As Sweet As You Are - Big Maybelle

Ladies Sing The Blues Volume 2 (Mega)

Ladies Sing The Blues Volume 2 (Zippy)

Thank you once more to Steve Barrow as we feature his donation of Volume 2 of "Ladies Sing The Blues" which was also Volume 12 of the great Savoy series "Roots Of Rock 'N' Roll." The tale of how these LPs were transferred from vinyl to CD-R and then once they'd come to me by mail to mp3 is told in the previous post.

Let's get down to a brief resume of what's hot on these discs. The Albinia Jones tracks are from her first session in 1944 for National which remained unreleased in its entirety. Included is an early version of "Don't You Wear No Black" (aka "What's The Matter With Me") which she recorded again for release the following year.

Helen Humes was of course a big name act. Her disc featured here consists of live recordings from a 1950 "Blues Jubilee" concert promoted by Frank Bull and Gene Norman. Included is a short reprise of her big 1945 hit on Philo / Aladdin, "Be Baba Leba." Backing is probably by Roy Milton's Solid Senders.

"Little Miss Sharecropper" (or "Miss Sharecropper" as she is billed on the original single releases on National of these tracks) is Dolores Baker, better known as LaVern Baker, the big, big R&B star of Atlantic Records from 1953 into the early 1960s. The story not only of her time at Atlantic, but also how she found herself being billed as a Little Miss Cornshucks ripoff is told in this post - 

https://bebopwinorip.blogspot.com/2018/01/lavern-baker-real-gone-gal.html

-And while you're there pick up an LP of LaVern's Atlantic sides -

Of Dolly Cooper I know but little - but here she is backed by bands led by Hal Singer and Leroy Kirkland. "I Wanna Know" is a cover of the hit disc on RCA by The Du Droppers.

I compared and I'm not convinced

Annie Laurie is in rip roaring blues belting form on her tracks here. She is of course always associated with the New Orleans based outfit led by Paul Gayten with whom she enjoyed considerable chart success in the late 1940s and early 1950s on DeLuxe and Regal. On these 1956 sides for Savoy she is backed by some of New York's finest session players including Hal Singer, Buddy Lucas, Budd Johnson and Mickey Baker. For the Paul Gayten and Annie Laurie story see this post -

https://bebopwinorip.blogspot.com/2018/06/paul-gayten-annie-laurie-creole-gal.html

And of course while you're perusing the fascinating info over there, pick up this Paul Gayten / Annie Laurie LP -

Varetta Dillard - a bloozy chantoozy to match the best of 'em. She was with Savoy from 1951 to 1956 when she decamped to the Groove subsidiary of RCA. Her biggest hits on Savoy were "Mercy Mr. Percy," "Easy, Easy Baby" and included here "Johnny Has Gone," the exploitative tribute to the recently deceased Johnny Ace in January 1955.

For more info, more Savoy sides, plus Groove and other platters by Varetta, go to this post -

https://bebopwinorip.blogspot.com/2011/12/varetta-dillard-double-crossing-daddy.html

Here's the LP you can pick up there. It is most definitely all killer and no filler -

Side D and it's Big Maybelle time again but with a change of style from the R&B tracks of "Ladies Sing The Blues." The 8 tracks here were all included on a 1957 ten track LP "Big Maybelle Sings" (Savoy MG 14005). This consisted almost entirely of standards recorded in a soft pop-jazz style with backing by Ernie Wilkins. The one exception, which is included here on "Ladies Sing The Blues Volume 2,"  is "I Don't Want To Cry" which was recorded in 1956 with an R&B backing which included Warren Lucky, Buddy Lucas and Mickey "Guitar" Baker. Some of the tracks were also released on singles. For details see below.

Billboard 7th October 1957

Original Release Details

Albinia Jones:

Fine And Mellow; Silver Dollar Blues; What's The Matter with Me - unissued National session, December 1944.

Helen Humes:

Ee-Baba-Le-Ba / If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight - Helen Humes with Orchestra - Discovery 530 - released in December 1950.

Little Miss Sharecropper:

I've Tried / How Long - Miss Sharecropper - National 9151 - released in April 1951.

Take Out Some Time / I Want To Rock - Miss Sharecropper - National 9153 - released in June 1951.

Dolly Cooper:

Me And My Baby - unissued

I Wanna' Know / I'd Climb The Highest Mountain - Dolly Cooper with Hal Singer's Orch. - Savoy 891 - released in April 1953.

Alley Cat / I Need Romance - Dolly Cooper with Orchestra - Savoy 898 - released in June 1953.

Annie Laurie:

I Can't Stop Being A Fool; Stop, Don't Go - unissued

Rockin' And Rollin' Again / You Promised Love - Annie Laurie - Savoy 1197 - released in August 1956

Varetta Dillard:

Love That Man - unissued

Please Tell Me Why / Hurry Up - Varetta Dillard - Savoy 839 - released in February 1952.

Easy, Easy Baby / A Letter In Blues - Varetta Dillard - Savoy 847, released in May 1952.

I Cried And Cried / Double Crossing Daddy - Varetta Dillard - Savoy 871 - released in November 1952.

Mercy, Mr. Percy / No Kinda Good, No How - Varetta Dillard - Savoy 897 - released in May 1953.

Johnny Has Gone / So Many Ways - Varetta Dillard - Savoy 1153 - released in January 1955.

Big Maybelle:

All of the Big Maybelle tracks on this LP were included on the LP Savoy MG 14005 - "Big Maybelle Sings" - released in October 1957.

Some of the tracks were also released on singles as follows -

All Of Me / I Don't Want To Cry - Big Maybelle with Ernie Wilkins' Orch. - Savoy 1512 - released in April 1957.

Rock House / Jim - Big Maybelle with Ernie Wilkins' Orch. - Savoy 1519 - released in August 1957

Baby Won't You Please Come Home / Say It Isn't So - Big Maybelle - Savoy 1558 - released in January 1959.

It's A Sin To Tell A Lie; I Could Make You Care; Stay As Sweet As You Are - not released on single.

Of the ten tracks on "Big Maybelle Sings," the following are not included on "Ladies Sing The Blues Volume 2" - "Say It Isn't So" and "If I Could Be With You."

With many thanks to Steve Barrow who kindly supplied the sounds and cover art for "Ladies Sing The Blues" and "Ladies Sing The Blues Volume 2."

LaVern Baker - Real Gone Gal

Side 1:

01. How Can You Leave A Man Like This?

02. Jim Dandy

03. My Happiness Forever

04. Fee Fi Fo Fum

05. Jim Dandy Got Married

06. Substitute

07. Whipper Snapper

08. Voodoo Voodoo

Side 2:

01. I Cried A Tear

02. He's A Real Gone Guy

03. I Waited Too Long

04. Tiny Tim

05. Shake A Hand

06. Bumble Bee

07. Hey Memphis

08. See See Rider

Real Gone Gal (Mega)

Real Gone Gal (Zippy)

Born in Chicago in 1929, Dolores Baker did not have to look beyond her family for musical inspiration. Her aunt was Merline Johnson (The Yas Yas Girl) who recorded many blues sides in Chicago in the late 1930's and early '40's for labels such as Bluebird, Vocalion and the original OKeh. A more distant relative was major blues singer Memphis Minnie. 

Dolores' first musical experience was singing in her Baptist church choir but as early as the age of ten she was appearing in amateur nights in Chicago clubs. Upon reaching the age of seventeen she was able to sign a professional contract at one of the major clubs, the Club DeLisa where she appeared regularly in reviews.

Back in the early 1940's one of the most popular acts to appear at the DeLisa had been Little Miss Cornshucks (real name Mildred Jorman) who would take to the stage dressed as a little bitty country gal straight off the farm, barefooted, in braids and ribbons and carrying a basket. She would then wow audiences with ballads like "So Long," "Try A Little Tenderness" and "For Old Time's Sake." When Dolores arrived at the DeLisa, Little Miss Cornshucks had already left the Chicago scene and was touring nationally. The future Lavern Baker was seen as a suitable replacement and thus she became "Little Miss Sharecropper," a Cornshucks look alike.

Dolores was saddled with the "Sharecropper" image for a number of years, not only at the DeLisa, but around other Chicago venues like the Miramont Ballroom, Ralph's Place and the Crown Propeller Lounge. Her earliest recordings were made under the name of "Little Miss Sharecropper" - a couple of sides with the Eddie Penigar Orchestra for RCA in early 1949, and a session for National in late 1950 or early 1951.

In March and April 1951 she recorded some sides with Maurice King & His Wolverines, the first of which "Good Daddy" appeared on Columbia while the next two, "I Want A Lavender Cadillac" and "Make It Good" came out on the Columbia R&B subsidiary OKeh. Dolores was billed as Bea Baker on these records. The Wolverines were the house band at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit which became Dolores' base. Another regular act at the Flame was Johnnie Ray whom she befriended.

In the spring of 1952 she joined another Detroit band, that of Todd Rhodes, as vocalist and in July and October of that year she and the Rhodes band recorded sides for King - "Trying," "Pig Latin Blues," "Lost Child" and "Must I Cry Again" which were issued between September 1952 and February 1953. Dolores was now "LaVern Baker" and was billed thus on the King discs, none of which made any noise on the national charts although there was some success on the regional charts. "Trying" was number seven in the Cash Box New Orleans chart on 18th October 1952, number six in Savannah, number seven in Dallas and number ten in San Francisco. At the end of November "Trying" was number one in San Francisco.

When LaVern started recording for Atlantic in June 1953, her career entered a new phase with not only hits on the national R&B charts, but also appearances in the national pop charts. I like to think of LaVern Baker as being part of the "Third Wave" of Atlantic artists. The first wave, if you like, would be Tiny Grimes, Joe Morris and Frank Culley, whose jazzy jump helped give the label a solid start in the late 1940's. In the first half of the 1950's a "second wave" including Ruth Brown, The Clovers, Joe Turner and The Drifters established Atlantic as the top selling R&B label in the USA. The third wave of artists including Ray Charles, The Coasters, LaVern Baker, Chuck Willis and Clyde McPhatter, not only kept Atlantic as the pre-eminent R&B label in the second half of the 1950's they also made serious inroads into the much more lucrative pop market.

As  you can hear on this collection Atlantic started using more pop oriented material and arrangements on many of their records in a conscious attempt to break into the top forty. LaVern's first big pop hit was "Tweedlee Dee" which reached number 14 in early 1955 but which was outsold by a cover version by Georgia Gibbs which reached number two.

In October 1956 "I Can't Love You Enough" made it to number 22 in the Billboard pop chart. Two months later LaVern was back in the top twenty with a rock and roll / R&B classic - "Jim Dandy" which was originally the B Side of "Tra La La," a trite pop confection in the vein of "Tweedlee Dee." In December 1958 LaVern had her biggest hit with a big beat ballad (in waltz time!) - "I Cried A Tear" which reached number six. Another big production weepie "I Waited Too Long" reached number thirty-three in January 1959. LaVern had two more records which scraped into the top forty in the early sixties - "Saved" (number thirty-seven in January 1961) and "See See Rider" (number thirty-four in May 1963.)

Above: LaVern in the Alan Freed film "Rock, Rock, Rock!"

This collection is not a "greatest hits" or even "best of" collection. Missing are "Tweedlee Dee," "Bop-Ting-A-Ling," "Play It Fair" and the classic R&B torch song "Soul On Fire." As I've indicated already there are lots of pop type numbers, from the juvenile "Tweedlee Dee" type (as in "Fee Fee Fi Fo Fum") to big beat ballads such as "My Happiness Forever" and "I Cried a Tear" with a few hard rockers thrown in with the two "Jim Dandy" numbers and the raucous-in-the-extreme "Voodoo Voodoo." The revivals of "Shake A Hand" and "See See Rider" are also very listenable, so all in all this is an LP that has grown on me over the years despite my initial disappointment at the "poppiness" of many of the tracks.

Many years after these recordings were made Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler wrote to author Charlie Gillett on the subject of the use of vocal group choruses on records by Chuck Willis, Clyde McPhatter and LaVern Baker - "I could kick my ass every time I hear those tunes; attribute it to insecurity and fright, trying to survive in the land of the Hilltoppers and Pat Boone." (Making Tracks: The Story of Atlantic Records by Charlie Gillett). 

Way, way back Joan K sent in some cover scans and label shots of LaVern Baker records. Here are some of the big records that aren't on this collection!

There are more of Joan's scans in the "The Story Behind The Tracks" section below.

LaVern's last Atlantic session was in April 1964. From 1965 through to 1969 she recorded for Brunswick. In 1970 LaVern toured US bases in Vietnam where she contracted a heart and lung condition which required medication for the rest of her life. The condition reached critical point while LaVern was performing in Hong Kong where she was hospitalised. Taking the advice of one of the doctors, she went to the warmer climate of the Philippines to recuperate and take up performing again. She stayed for 20 years, performing in US forces clubs and becoming entertainment director at the Marine Staff NCO Club for the Seventh Fleet. Visits to the US were rare but in 1990 she returned to take over from Ruth Brown in the hit musical "Black And Blue" in New York.

Once back in the USA she started recording again, bringing out a live album titled "Live In Hollywood" and a studio album "Woke Up This Morning." However, her health problems became worse, necessitating the amputation of both legs in 1994 (she kept on performing) and in 1997 she succumbed to the effects of her long standing cardiovascular disease, passing away on March 10th.

The story behind the tracks on "Real Gone Gal"

How Can You Leave A Man Like This? - recorded in New York on June 19th 1953. Personnel: Lavern Baker (vocal) with Freddie Mitchell (tenor sax); Ernest "Pinky" Williams (baritone sax); Hank Jones (piano); Jimmy Lewis (guitar); Lloyd Trotman (bass;) Sylvester Payne (drums); Gene Redd (arranger).

Released on Atlantic 1004, B-Side of "Soul On Fire" in August 1953.

Jim Dandy, My Happiness Forever, Fee Fee Fi Fo Fum, were recorded in New York on December 21st 1955. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with unknown band and The Gliders (vocal group).

My Happiness Forever released on Atlantic 1087, B-Side of "Get Up Get Up (You Sleepy Head)" in February 1956.

Fee Fee Fi Fo Fum released on Atlantic 1093, b/w "I'll Do The Same For You" in May 1956.

Jim Dandy released on Atlantic 1116, b/w "Tra La La" in November 1956.

Jim Dandy Got Married - recorded in Los Angeles (?) on March 15th 1957. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with Ernie Freeman's Orchestra - Harry "Sweets" Edison, John Anderson (trumpets); Billy Johnson (alto sax); Plas Johnson (tenor sax); Ernie Freeman (piano); Irving Ashby (guitar); Joe Comfort (bass); Ray Martinez (drums); unknown vocal group.

Released on Atlantic 1136, b/w "The Game Of Love (A-One and A-Two)" in April 1957.

Substitute and Whipper Snapper recorded in New York on December 18th 1957. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with Howard Biggs' Orchestra - Taft Jordan, Melvin "Red" Solomon (trumpets); Sam "The Man" Taylor (tenor sax); Harry Breuer (xylophone); Mike Stoller, Moe Wechsler (piano); Allen Hanlon (guitar); Wendell Marshall (bass); Joe Marshall (drums); The Cookies (vocal group); Howard Biggs (arranger, director).

Substitute released on Atlantic 1176, b/w "Learning To Love" in February 1958.

Whipper Snapper released on Atlantic 1189, B-Side of "Harbor Lights" in June 1958.

Voodoo Voodoo and I Cried A Tear recorded in New York on September 11th 1958. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with Reggie Obrecht's Orchestra -Urbie Green (trombone); Leon Cohen (alto sax); King Curtis (tenor sax); unknown (vibes); Ernie Hayes (piano); Everett Barksdale, Al Caiola (guitars); Milt Hinton (bass); Panama Francis (drums); Bill Marine, Marcia Neil, Jerry Parker, Mike Stewart (choir); Reggie Obrecht (arranger, director).

I Cried A Tear released on Atlantic 2007, b/w "Dix-A-Billy" in November 1958.

Voodoo Voodoo released on Atlantic 2119, B-Side of Hey Memphis in September 1961.

He's A Real Gone Guy recorded in New York on December 18th 1958. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with King Curtis (tenor sax); Ernie Hayes (piano); Everett Barksdale, Billy Mure (guitars); Wendell Marshall (bass); Belton Evans (drums); unknown (vocal group); Phil Moore (arranger, director).

Released on Atlantic LP 8071 "See See Rider" in March 1963.

I Waited Too Long recorded in New York on March 12th 1959. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with Budd Johnson (alto sax); King Curtis (tenor sax); Phil Kraus (xylophone); Howard Biggs (piano); Mickey Baker, Wally Richardson, Neil Sedaka (guitars); Wendell Marshall (bass); Sticks Evans (drums); Elise Bretton, Gene Cowell, Leon Hurst, Marylin Palmer, Maria-Neil Patterson, Gene Steck, Dick Williams (chorus); Chuck Sagle (arranger, director).

Released on Atlantic 2021, b/w "You're Teasing Me" in March 1959.

Tiny Tim recorded in New York on May 14th 1959. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with 2 unknown (trumpets); Budd Johnson (tenor, baritone sax); unknown (piano); Mickey Baker, Bill Suyker (guitars); Milt Hinton (bass); Sticks Evans (drums); unknown (vocal group); Chuck Sagle (arranger, director).

Released on Atlantic 2041, b/w "For Love Of You"  in October 1959.

Shake a Hand recorded in New York, December 11th, 1959. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with Doc Severinsen (trumpet); Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque (reeds); Moe Wechsler (piano); Mundell Lowe, Bucky Pizzarelli (guitars); Abie Baker (bass); Sticks Evans (drums); Jose Martinez (congas); Stephen Berrios (percussion); Elise Bretton, Jerome Graff, Don McLeod, Gretchen Rhodes, Alan Sokoloff, David Vogel (choir); Richard Wess (arranger, director).

Released on Atlantic 2048, b/w "Manana" in January 1960.

Bumble Bee recorded in New York on August 17th 1960. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with Haywood Henry (baritone sax); Al Sears (tenor sax); Bert Keyes (piano); Ernie Hayes (organ); Mickey Baker, Carl Lynch (guitars); Abie Baker (bass); Shep Shepherd (drums); Ed Barnes, Malcolm Dodds, Winfield Scott, Nat Smith (vocal group); Jesse Stone (arranger, director).

Released on Atlantic 2077, b/w "My Time Will Come" in October 1960.

Hey Memphis recorded in New York on September 1st 1961. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with Joe Venuto (vibes); Mike Spencer (piano); Mickey Baker, Bucky Pizzarelli, Richard Ziegler (guitars); Leonard Gaskin (bass); Gary Chester (drums); unknown (vocal chorus); Fred Norman (arranger, director).

Released on Atlantic 2119, b/w Voodoo Voodoo in September 1961.

See See Rider recorded in New York on September 26th 1962. Personnel: LaVern Baker (vocals) with Buddy Lucas (tenor sax); Paul Griffin (piano); Ernie Hayes (organ); Everett Barksdale, Carl Lynch, Joe Richardson (guitars); Russ Saunders (bass); Sticks Evans (drums); unknown (washboard); unknown (vocal group); Ray Ellis (arranger, director).

Released on Atlantic 2167, b/w "The Story Of My Love (I Had A Dream)" in November 1962.

Above: Atlantic LP 8007 from July 1957

Sources

Online sources: Billboard (via Google Books) and Cash Box provide original release information, reviews and chart data. More issue information can be found on www.45worlds.com and www.discogs.com - these two websites have thousands of original label shots and LP cover scans. Session information for certain artists and labels (including Savoy and Atlantic) is available on www.jazzdisco.org.

Marv Goldberg has a short article on LaVern Baker which includes an excellent discography here:

http://www.uncamarvy.com/LavernBaker/lavernbaker.html

Printed scources; session and release information is on the Bruyninckx discography.

R&B sales information can be found in "Big Al Pavlow's The R & B Book." My copy is disintegrating through repeated use.

Pop chart information is from "The Billboard Book of USA Top 40 Hits" by Joel Whitburn.

I also consulted "Making Tracks: The Story Of Atlantic Records" by Charlie Gillett (Souvenir Press 1988).

The best account I found of LaVern Baker's life was in "Blue Rhythms: Six Lives In Rhythm And Blues" by Chip Deffa (Da Capo Press, 2000).

"Blue Rhythms" has profiles of six R&B artists interviewed by Chip Deffaa in the late 1980's and 1990's - Ruth Brown, LaVern Baker, Little Jimmy Scott, Charles Brown, Floyd Dixon and Jimmy Witherspoon. At the time of publication 5 out of the 6 were still performing. Sadly all are now deceased. A highly recommended book, R&B fans.

As for recommended listening, well, there's a multiplicity of compilations of LaVern Baker's work. A quick look at a certain website named after a South American river and you're spoiled for choice. I must confess to being intrigued by the Avid R&B issue "LaVern Baker - Four Classic Albums" which contains her four 1950's Atlantic LP's on 2 CD's.: "La Vern," "Rock & Roll," "Sings Bessie Smith" and "Blues Ballads." It's available at a budget price and looks like one to watch out for. Jasmine Records have one of their usual "Complete Singles A's & B's" issues - "It's So Fine" covers 1953 - 1959, so not quite the complete Atlantic oeuvre. There are plenty of other compilations of her Atlantic tracks around, so happy hunting!

All Star Rock And Roll (Atlantic EP 575)

Thanks to Joan for sending this 1950s Atlantic EP. There are three storming rockers by LaVern Baker, Ruth Brown and Clyde McPhatter, and one ballad by Ivory Joe Hunter. The front cover was adapted by Ace (UK) for their 1999 CD compilation of Atlantic sides, “Let The Boogie Woogie Rock And Roll” (CDCHD 718) which is one of the best R&B compilations currently available.

Ripped from vinyl at 128 kbps. Password = greaseyspoon

Download from here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/160383784/All_Star_Rock_And_Roll.rar

Or here:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Q5AH36HS

1. You Better Stop / LaVern Baker
2. All My Life / Ivory Joe Hunter
3. Let The Boogie Woogie Roll / Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters
4. Too Many Men / Ruth Brown