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."

Joan's 78s Volume 1 - Stop Rockin' That Train

Record 1 - King 4443

01. Stop Rockin' That Train - Ivory Joe Hunter
02. She's Gone Blues - Ivory Joe Hunter

Record 2 - Savoy 750

03. Just Can't Get Free - Little Esther
04. Cupid's Boogie - Little Esther

Record 3 - Rainbow 184

05. Who Can Be True - The Five Crowns
06. $19.50 Bus - The Five Crowns

Record 4 - Aladdin 3178

07. Broken Hearted - Lynn Hope
08. Morocco - Lynn Hope

Record 5 - United 129

09. Security Blues - Roosevelt Sykes
10. Walkin' This Boogie - Roosevelt Sykes

Record 6 - Aladdin 3214

11. My Saddest Hour - The Five Keys
12. Oh! Babe! - The Five Keys

Record 7 - Savoy 859

13. Them There Eyes - Varetta Dillard
14. You Are Gone - Varetta Dillard

Joan's 78s Volume 1 (Mega)

Joan's 78s Volume 1 (Zippy)

Perhaps the first of a new series? Back in the 1970s Joan came across a massive stash of unplayed 78 rpm records in the back room of a music shop in Hudson NY. For sale at one penny US each. Like something out of "American Pickers." Car filled and then a return visit for a second load. Third visit - some NYC collector had been in and emptied the joint. Never mind, loads of 1950s R&B, vocal groups, blues and country platters already in the hands of Joan. Fast forward to California in the 1980s and Joan archives the records on CD. Fast forward again and the music is transferred to digital files on computer, in low bitrates for this is in the days before you could buy 4Tb external hard discs.

The collection was subsequently sold and all that remains is a bunch of low bitrate (128 kbps or less) M4A and MP3 files. A few weeks ago Joan asked if I would be interested in hearing these files. "Och aye," I replied and received 20 folders of 'em. Going on for 550 tracks. The M4As were pretty low volume while the MP3s were considerably louder with a bit of "presence" about them. All the files featured pretty heavy hiss and some crackling, but I was knocked out by the sheer accumulation of music. I found myself listening to some familiar sides, but there were dozens and dozens I'd never heard before.

I've started putting them through the Magix Audio Cleaner software I use to rip vinyl and I think I've come up with a listenable selection. Please bear in mind these were all MP3s of around 128 kbps. After putting them through Audio Cleaner to get rid of the hiss I re-ripped at 320 kbps, but that doesn't improve the sound quality.

The files are presented as a 78 rpm album from before the days of LPs. These were "albums" in the sense that they had thick card or board outer covers and inside, contained in individual sleeves, were 78 rpm singles. I've cheated slightly, as from what I've read most such albums contained only 4 or 5 discs.

So here we go. Let the virtual needle fall on the virtual shellac, sit back and enjoy a lo-fi selection, courtesy of Joan.

 
Big Ten Inch Facts:

King 4443 - Ivory Joe Hunter - Stop Rockin' That Train / She's Gone Blues: released April 1951.

Savoy 750 - Little Esther - Just Can't Get Free / Cupid's Boogie: released June 1950.

Rainbow 184 - The Five Crowns - Who Can Be True / $19.50 Bus: released November 1952.

Aladdin 3178 - Lynn Hope - Broken Hearted / Morocco: released April 1953.

United 129 - Roosevelt Sykes - Walkin' This Boogie / Security Blues: released October 1952.

Aladdin 3214 - The Five Keys - My Saddest Hour / Oh! Babe!: released December 1953.

Savoy 859 - Varetta Dillard - Them There Eyes / You Are Gone: released July 1952.

On the front cover: Varetta Dillard, Ivory Joe Hunter, Lynn Hope.

Labels adapted from discogs.com and various record sales websites.

Varetta Dillard - Double Crossing Daddy

Side 1
1. Them There Eyes
2. Please Come Back To Me
3. Love And Wine
4. Double Crossing Daddy
5. I Love You Just The Same
6. Getting Ready For My Daddy
7. Love
8. (That's The Way) My Mind Is Working

Side 2
1. Send Me Some Money
2. You're The Answer To My Prayer
3. I Can't Stop Now
4. Got You On My Mind
5. Skinny Jimmy
6. One More Time
7. I Don't Know What It Is But I Like It
8. Scorched

There’s just time to squeeze in a last post for the year 2011. So here’s a 1984 Mr R&B compilation of Varetta Dillard sides: a mix of blues, ballads and the big beat!

In the early 1950s, a number of big voiced female R&B chanteuses followed in the wake of the great Dinah Washington. There was Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle, Marie Adams, Lavern Baker, Faye Adams and the subject of this post, Varetta Dillard. She was born in Harlem, New York, in 1933. A congenital bone disease left her with a disfigured leg and a lifelong limp but she dealt with these difficulties by throwing herself into a showbiz career, starting by entering local singing contests. She went on to win the prestigious Amateur Hour contest at the famed Apollo Theatre where she was spotted by Lee Magid who signed her to Savoy Records in 1951.

Her biggest hits for Savoy were “Easy, Easy Baby” (#8 R&B in 1952), “Mercy, Mr Percy” (#6 R&B in 1953) and a tribute to the late, great Johnny Ace – “Johnny Has Gone” (#6 R&B in early 1955). In 1956 she signed for the RCA subsidiary Groove, moving over to the main RCA label in 1957. Her contract was not renewed in 1958, and thereafter she had a few releases on Triumph and Cub, with her recording career ending in 1961.

Varetta’s forte was the big beat ballad, and there are some good examples on this excellent LP. “Love” is perhaps the pick of the bunch, with yours truly reaching for the whisky bottle (again!) when it blasts forth from the be bop wino music machine. “Double Crossing Daddy” is a more bluesy performance and just about worth the price of admission alone. “I Love You Just The Same” is another good weepy performance and “Getting Ready For My Daddy Tonight” (with the T.J. Fowler band) is a great sassy “let the good times roll” blaster. A lot of the Savoy material was recorded under the supervision of Leroy Kirkland and features top notch NYC session musicians.

I would go so far as to say there isn’t a weak track on the album. You can hear some of the tracks on the playlist featured below which also includes a couple of tracks not on the LP. The download includes good biographical notes by Glenn Slade. Varetta Dillard died in 1993.


Ripped from vinyl at 320 kbps.

Download from here:


Double Crossing Daddy (Mega)


1. Them There Eyes
Recorded in New York on July 18th, 1952
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by unknown ts, bar, p, prob. Mickey Baker (g) unknown b and d
Released on Savoy 859

2. Please Come Back To Me
Recorded in New York on September 18th, 1951.
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by Leroy Kirkland Orchestra: Nathaniel Allen, Emile De Villia (tb) George Kelly (ts) Sol Moore (bar) Fletcher Smith (p) Wally Richardson (g) Prince Babbs (b) Bobby Donaldson (d)
Released on Savoy 822

3. Love And Wine
Recorded in New York on September 18th, 1951.
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by Leroy Kirkland Orchestra: Nathaniel Allen, Emile De Villia (tb) George Kelly (ts) Sol Moore (bar) Fletcher Smith (p) Wally Richardson (g) Prince Babbs (b) Bobby Donaldson (d)
Released on Savoy 822

4. Double Crossing Daddy
Recorded in New York on July 18th, 1952
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by unknown ts, bar, p, prob. Mickey Baker (g) unknown b and d
Released on Savoy 871

5. I Love You Just The Same
Recorded in New York on July 1st, 1953
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by Buddy Tate's Orchestra: Bobby Johnson (tp) Buddy Tate (ts) Haywood Henry (bar) Skip Hall (p) unknown g, Carl Wilson (b) Billy Smith (d)
Released on Savoy 1107

6. Getting Ready For My Daddy
Recorded in Detroit on January 16th, 1953
Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by T.J. Fowler & his Orchestra: Dezie McCullers (tp) Frank Taylor (as) Walter Cox (ts) T.J. Fowler (p) Henry Ivory (b) Clarence Stamps (d)
Released on Savoy 884

7. Love
Recorded in New York on August 20th, 1954
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by Leroy Kirkland Orchestra: unknown ts, bar, p, Mickey Baker (g) unknown b, prob. Bobby Donaldson (d)
Released on Savoy 1137

8. (That's The Way) My Mind Is Working
Recorded in New York on November 4th, 1953
Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by Sam Taylor (ts) Haywood Henry (bar) Mal Waldron (p) Wally Richardson (g) John Williams Sr. (b) Bobby Donaldson (d) Leroy Kirkland (arr)
Released on Savoy 1118

9. Send Me Some Money
Recorded in New York on August 20th, 1954
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by Leroy Kirkland Orchestra: unknown ts, bar, p, Mickey Baker (g) unknown b, prob. Bobby Donaldson (d)
Released on Savoy 1137

10. You're The Answer To My Prayer
Recorded in New York on May 3rd, 1955
Personnel: Varetta Dillard with The Roamers: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by Jerome Richardson, Sam Taylor (ts) Budd Johnson (bar) Ernie Hayes (p) Mickey Baker (g) Milt Hinton (b) Dave Bailey (d) The Roamers (vcl group) Leroy Kirkland, Kelly Owens (arr)
Released on Savoy 1160

11. I Can't Stop Now
Recorded in New York on May 3rd, 1955
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by Jerome Richardson, Sam Taylor (ts) Budd Johnson (bar) Ernie Hayes (p) Mickey Baker (g) Milt Hinton (b) Dave Bailey (d) Leroy Kirkland, Kelly Owens (arr)
Released on Savoy 1166

12. Got You On My Mind
Recorded in New York on June 26th, 1956
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by King Curtis (ts) Haywood Henry (bar) George Berg (bassax) George Rhodes (p) Mickey Baker (g) Lloyd Trotman (b) Panama Francis (d) unknown (vcl group) Leroy Kirkland (arr)
Released on Groove 4G-0159

13. Skinny Jimmy
Recorded in New York on June 26th, 1956
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by King Curtis (ts) Haywood Henry (bar) George Berg (bassax) George Rhodes (p) Mickey Baker (g) Lloyd Trotman (b) Panama Francis (d) unknown (vcl group) Leroy Kirkland (arr)
Released on Groove 4G-0159

14. One More Time
Recorded in New York on October 23rd, 1956
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) acc. by King Curtis (ts) Belford Hendricks (p) Eddie Thomas (g) Russ Saunders (b) Panama Francis (d) The Nightcaps (vcl group) Ray Ellis (arr)
Released on Groove 4G-0177

15. I Don't Know What It Is But I Like It
Recorded in New York on March 7th, 1961
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) with unknown acc. incl. vcl chorus
Released on Cub 9091

16. Scorched
Recorded in New York on February 24th, 1959
Personnel: Varetta Dillard (vcl) with unknown acc.
Released on Triumph 608