Hello again. Here is another edition of a newsletter setting out all the blues news for South East Queensland.
There is not much true “News’ to report, but plenty of great local music. This weekend there are choices to be made (unfortunately) between the Brisbane Blues Festival and another great Palmwoods Got the Blues lineup at the Palmwoods Hotel. Details on both are below.
But there’s more……..Next weekend we have the Lifeline Blues Cruise, here in Brisbane, followed the weekend after by Blues on Broadbeach, and Wintersun, both on the Gold Coast. The weekend after that (5-7 June) we have Greenfest at the Botanic Gardens, with an excellent blues lineup.
I was in Melbourne last weekend and went along to the Patti Boyd photo exhibition at the Silver K Gallery, in High St Armadale. It’s free and runs till late June and well worth a visit if you are down that way.
Finally, an interesting item from Fasterlouder.com.au yesterday:
When Splendour In The Grass went on sale yesterday, 75,000 hopefuls dashed to get their hands on the hottest ticket in town. The 17,500 tickets available sold out in a record one hour and 17 minutes - that is a staggering 3.78 tickets a second. What recession?
Indeed!
And don’t forget, you can see this newsletter on the net. Click here
Cheers
Mark Hipgrave
0418 556048
NEWS
RADIO/TV
FESTIVALS
REGULAR STUFF AND GIG GUIDES
NEWS
Well none really ……….
Press Articles – Various
Bob Dylan’s New Album All About Mexican Pig-Flu Pandemic Plague, from Wonkette
Seasick Steve, from Time Off Media
Asa Broomhall, also from TOM
Stephen Bruton, Guitarist-Writer, Dies at 60, from NY Times
Eugene Smith, a Sparkplug of Gospel Music, Dies at 88, also from the NY Times
WC Handy – Book Review, also from the NY Times
30th Blues Music Award Winners Announced, from The Blues Foundation
From the valleys to Venice – John Cale, from The Guardian
Too old to rock? Summer concert scene dominated by sixtysomethings, from Pop Matters
Happy birthday to Pete Seeger, also from Pop Matters
Dylan Live In London, from New Statesman
Struggling birthplace seeks government aid to build museum for Man in Black, from Chicago Sun Times
Singers want cut of revenue radio stations collect when playing their songs, also from Chicago Sun Times
BB King - Still King of the blues, from the Telegraph
Como's Mississippi Fred McDowell from Birthplaceofamericanmusic blog
Did Robert Johnson Exist? – Part 1 and Part 2 and Poison Didn’t Kill Him, all from the Delta Blues blog
RADIO/TV/YOU TUBE
Arthur Elliot reports on his upcoming Sidestream shows– for Brisbane listeners 99.7 FM, Wed 7pm to 9pm.
In the 20 May edition, there’s music from a range of artists including Buddy Miller, Cloudstreet, Alison Brown, Lucie Thorne, Heidi Talbot, Si Kahn, Donovan and more.
The blues hour features acoustic blues from Phil Minissale, plus music from Johnny Copeland, Walter Trout, Watermelon Slim, the Insomniacs, Ash Grunwald, Dutch Tilders and others.
The Daily Planet, Weekend Planet and Music Deli (ABC Radio National)
The Daily Planet website, the Weekend Planet website and The Music Deli website all have links to shows broadcast over the past few weeks.
Listen especially to Eilen Jewell’s great new album on the Weekend Planet site and performances from the recent Port Fairy festival on the Music Deli site
Video Selections
D.L. Menard sings The Back Door with L'Angelus
Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup - So Glad You're Mine (Live 1973) – courtesy Bob Corritore
FESTIVALS
Brisbane Blues Festival
Festival promoter Rob Hudson writes:
The final act is confirmed for the 17th Annual Brisbane Blues Festival happening Saturday, May 16 at The Jubilee Hotel in Fortitude Valley. Texas guitar slinger Steve Lott and his new band LittleWolf (with Paul Cheesman) have been added to the bill. Steve has spent the last few years back in Texas but on his last extended stay in Australia, won Best New Artist and Male Artist of the Year at the Australian Blues Awards for his album, West Texas Refugee. The complete line up is now LittleWolf along with Mama Voodoo, Coojee Timms, Big Kitty & the Scaredy Cats, Johnny Hucker, Natural Ball, Blind Lemon, The Asa Broomhall Band and Mojo Webb and Band. More information at www.brisbanebluesfestival.com/ or 3252- 4508
Wintersun 2009
Australia's Leading Rock & Roll Nostalgia Retro Event....
Wintersun 2009 starts on Friday 29th May and ends with the huge Best of Wintersun Concert on Monday 8th June. Wintersun is Australia's leading annual Retro Nostalgia Festival. Featuring almost 1500 Hot Rods, Custom and Classic Cars, more than 100 bands and performers, dancing, movies, and competitions.
The festival is held in the border coastal towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads on the New South Wales & Queensland border. Many events are free, some are in the streets while others are in the local clubs and shopping centres.
The lineup is now available here.
International headliners include Sonny Burgess and the Legendry Pacers, The Vargas Bros and pinup model and burlesque star Sabrina Kelley.
Blues on Broadbeach
The lineup for this festival, at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast from Wed 27 May to Sun 31 May has been announced
The Dreaming – 5 – 8 June at Woodford
‘The Dreaming is a vibrant, exciting and a valuable destination where local, national and international audiences look forward to their annual ceremony time along with the most comprehensive showcase of Indigenous arts from across the country and around the world.
This three day and four night festival will have performing arts venues, bars, Ceremony grounds, traditional healing, galleries, rituals, campfire story circles and a mass of stalls, workshop avenue and food outlets.
Presented by the QFF, and under the artistic direction of Rhoda Roberts, the program will also feature film & literature components, performing arts, New media and Digital technologies, food & wine fare, comedy, ceremony, exhibitions, performance artists, physical theatre, Visual arts, craft workshops, music program, street performers, musicals and a youth program.’
The program is now available here…
Noosa Long Weekend
The Noosa Longweekend will be held over two weekends, from 19-28 June (about two weeks earlier than 2008). The programme is available here.
The main blues interest will be a gig from Kevin Borich on Tues 23 June.
If you missed Sam Cutler’s book launch at the State Library last year, you can also catch him talking about his life with The Stones on Mon 22 June.
Greenfest
Greenfest (5-7 June Brisbane Botanic Gardens) presented by Brisbane City Council, is Australia's largest free green festival and place for fresh energy! Commencing on World Environment Day Friday 5th June 2009 to Sunday 7th June.
The full music lineup is here and is as good as you will ever get at a free festival. It includes Ash Grunwald, Jeff Lang, Marshall & The Fro, Kevin Borich, Mason Rack Band, 8 Ball Aitken, Ange Takats, Mark Easton, Jimmy Watts, Banawurun, Laneous & The Family Yah, Kate Meehan & Skip Landy, Tijuana Cartel, Ryan Murphy, Sunshine Reggae Band and Neil Murray.
REGULAR STUFF AND GIG GUIDES
Palmwoods Got The Blues – Sat 16 May at the Palmwoods Hotel
Unfortunately, on the same evening as the Brisbane Blues Festival, at the Jubilee ….
Opening the show from 5.30pm and playing the first of two shows at Palmwoods is the multi award winning, multi talented Tom Richardson. Tom’s new release “Evolution” has just hit the stands and the esteem with which he is held across the country is just recognition of his outstanding talent. Since hitting the southern festival stages in 2007, Tom has been acknowledged as one of Australia’s brightest new artists. And as an added bonus Tom will be joined by another outstanding young talent Luke Watt
www.myspace.com/tomrichardsonmusic
www.myspace.com/wattluke
Taking the stage right after Tom and Luke, Anni Piper has been wowing audiences across Australia and more recently, the US. A recent signing to the US based Blues Leaf records, Anni’s a knockout performer, a rock solid bass player and a sultry, reach down deep in your soul singer with talent, looks, commitment and attitude to burn. Her last show at Palmwoods was one of the gigs of the year in 2008 and its highly likely that this gig will shake the joint to its foundations
www.myspace.com/annipiper
Seems like it might be hard to top that but the best is yet to come. Mason Rack has been a featured artist at Palmwoods since 2006 and in that time, he has become one of the most sought after festival performers in the country. Disappointed fans have been ringing the phone off the hook since the cancellation of the recent Dingo Creek festival and with Mason set to tour Canada in July and Europe in September, opportunities to see the Mason Rack band up close and personal are becoming few and far between.
www.myspace.com/masonrackband
On Sunday, it’s Peregian Originals again
What: Peregian Originals (Free Open-Air Community Concert)
Who: Jig Zag (Sydney), David Flower Band, Brian Martin and Friends, Noosa Community Radio ('Sound Waves' Vol. 2 Album Launch) artist t.b.a.
Where: Peregian Beach Surf Club
When: Sunday May 17th, 1:15-5:00 pm
The Lifeline Blues Cruise is back again on Sun 24 May
The Port of Brisbane Lifeline Blues Cruise is back and ready to cruise with some new Blues bands coming on board to show their support of depression and to entertain you – our guest!
Lift your spirits and the spirits of the Brisbane community by being part of a grand fleet that will cruise the river, drawing much-needed attention to the issue of depression and how Lifeline helps the community combat this debilitating illness.
Enjoy the sunset beauty of the Brisbane River – take in a splash of blues music, food, drink and camaraderie. What better thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?
The Fleet…6 Cruise Boats and 6 Brisbane Bands coming together to battle the Blues…
1.
BOAT: Kookaburra River Queen 1
BAND: Angela Fabian
2.
BOAT: Brisbane Cruises (Lady Brisbane)
BAND: Blonde On Blue
3.
BOAT: Brisbane Star Cruises
BAND: Black Cat Band
4.
BOAT: MV James Cavill
BAND: Panga and the True Blues
5.
BOAT: MV Mirimar
BAND: MamaVoodoo
6.
BOAT: Aquarius Charters
BAND: Jimmy Beavis and the 385’s
At Joes Waterhole, Eumundi
Look out for:
· Fri 22 May Reggie Watts
· Fri 5 June Bob Evans
· Thurs 11 June Renee Geyer
· Sat 13 June Ash Grunwald
(Renee Geyer is also appearing on Friday June 12 at Full Moon Café, Sandgate; and Saturday June 13 at The Carindale Tavern)
At the Cooly Hotel
· Sat 23 May The Black Sorrows
· Fri 12 June Ash Grunwald
And at The Judy.
There’s not much of interest until 30 July, when diesel plays.
However (and I forgot to mention this last issue) the Judy is hosting a lot of gigs as part of the Valley Jazz Festival – see details here.
At The Soundlounge, Currumbin
· 29 May: Black Market Rhythm Co. & Cool Calm Collective
· 12 Jun: Mick Thomas & The Sure Thing & The Killjoys
· 19 Jun: Afro Moses
At the Powerhouse …..Women in Docs
Our favourite venue in the whole of the world! If you enjoy a nice glass of wine, a comfy chair and a bit of music and a laugh, join women in docs at the Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre on Sat 16 May.
We have special guests, local folkies 'Little Creatures' joining us to open the night. www.myspace.com/littlecreaturesduo
Leah & Pearly @ The Brisbane Jazz Club – 23 May
After 20 years of long, leisurely conversations about their love of songs and singing, Leah Cotterell and Pearly Black are ready to present their distillation of what they find beautiful in the magical combination of words and music.
The songs they’ve chosen come from all the wonderful musical landscapes they have explored: classic blues and jazz vocalise, passionate Latin and traditional ballads. And right alongside their favourite songwriters, Cole Porter and Jimmy Van Heusen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and Lou Reed, they will present their own recent originals.
But this is no post-modern pastiche. Leah and Pearly never waste their breath on
meaningless melisma. The glue that holds this concert together is a vision of beauty – plain and simple.
The outstanding quality of their piano trio led by Marc Hannaford (Melbourne) is an attraction all of its own - with Sam Vincent on bass and Will Eager on drums. Please join us at the Brisbane Jazz Club on Sat 23rd May 7.30 – 11.00pm.
Book tickets through bookings@brisbanejazzclub.com.au
Mark Easton is back in SEQ in May:
· May 16 2009 8:00 PM
Miami, QLD, AU
Shark Bar Miami Tavern
· May 23 2009 1:00 PM
Goodna, QLD, AU
Royal Mail Hotel
· May 24 2009 1:00 PM
Goodna, QLD, AU
Royal Mail Hotel
· May 30 2009 11:00 AM
Broadbeach, QLD, AU
Brannigans Tavern
· May 30 2009 6:00 PM
Broadbeach, QLD, AU
Blues on Broadbeach Festival
· Jun 5 2009 1:00 PM
Southbank, QLD, AU
Greenfest
· Jun 6 2009 1:00 PM
Southbank, QLD, AU
Greenfest
· Jun 7 2009 1:00 PM
Southbank, QLD, AU
Greenfest
8 Ball Aitken
Upcoming SEQ gigs:
· May 22 - Beach Hotel, Byron Bay, NSW
· May 23 - Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna, QLD, 1:30pm
· May 24 - Harrigans, Calypso Bay, Gold Coast, QLD, 1:00pm
· May 28 - Blues On Broadbeach - Brannigans Tavern Lounge Bar, 7pm - 9pm
· May 29 - Blues On Broadbeach, Sails Stage Broadbeach Mall, 6pm - 7.40pm
· June 5 - Greenfest, Brisbane City Botanical Gardens, Brisbane, QLD
· June 6 - Greenfest, Brisbane City Botanical Gardens, Brisbane, QLD
And look out for Lori Lee’s next outings:
Rockabilly Bop #2 – Fri June 26 at the Holland Park Bowls Club, with a great lineup:
· Ezra Lee - New CD Launch
· Pat Capocci Combo
· The Sugarshakers
More details here
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Bo Diddley
We got a chance to see Bo Diddley live when he visited a few years ago, and I honestly thought we would never see him pass this way again. But I am pleased to say that wewill – for he returns in two weeks to play the ECBRF and four other gigs around Australia. And so this provides a good opportunity to cover his life and work today.
Although his hits occurred only in the very short period from mid 1950s to early '60s, Bo Diddley produced greater and more influential music than all but a handful of the best early rockers. The Bo Diddley beat — bomp, ba-bomp-bomp, bomp-bomp sometimes referred to as “shave and a haircut – four bits”— is one of rock & roll's basic rhythms, showing up in the work of hundreds of subsequent artists. One commentator has written “Diddley's hypnotic rhythmic attack and declamatory, boasting vocals stretched back as far as Africa for their roots, and looked as far into the future as rap. His trademark otherworldly vibrating, fuzzy guitar style did much to expand the instrument's power and range”.
Launch straight into his first release on Checker label, from 1955
1. Bo Diddley – 1955 – Hey Bo Diddley – Tk 1 – 2.11
Bo was born Ellas Bates on Sunday December 30th 1928 on a small farm near the town of McComb, Mississippi, close to the Louisiana border. He was adopted by his mother's cousin, and took her surname. In the mid-1930's the family moved to the south side of Chicago. Soon after, he began to take violin lessons at the local Baptist church. He studied the violin for twelve years, even composing two concertos for the instrument. For Christmas in 1940, his sister Lucille bought him his first guitar, a cheap Harmony acoustic. It was at this time that he acquired the nickname "Bo Diddley" from his fellow pupils at his high school in Chicago. He had long been fascinated by the rhythms that he heard coming from church. A frustrated drummer, he tried to translate the sounds that he heard into his own style. Gradually he began to duplicate what he did with his violin bow by rapidly flicking his plectrum across his guitar strings. "I play the guitar as if I'm playing the drums”, he once said....I play drum licks on the guitar."
He continued to practice the guitar through his early teens. Shortly before leaving school he formed his first group, a trio named The Hipsters. Upon graduation he pursued a variety of low paid occupations including truck driving, building site work and boxing, playing locally with his group to supplement his income.
In 1950 maracas player Jerome Green joined the group, followed a year later by harmonica player Billy Boy Arnold. After more than a decade of playing on street corners and in clubs around Chicago, Bo finally got the chance to cut a demo of two songs that he had written; called "Uncle John" and "I'm A Man". After various rejections from local record labels, (most notably Vee-Jay), in early 1955 he took the recordings to brothers Leonard and Phil Chess.. They suggested that he change the title and the lyrics of "Uncle John" to more reflect his own unique personality and the two songs were re-recorded on March 2nd 1955, and released as "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man." The single went straight to the top of the R&B charts, establishing Bo Diddley as one of the most exciting and original new talents in American music. We just played one side of this release – here is the other.
2. I’m a Man – 1955 - Hey Bo Diddley – Tk 2 – 2.58
The record is now universally acknowledged as one of the cornerstones of rock music and one of the most influential singles in history.
In that same year he appeared on Ed Sullivan's "Toast of The Town" TV show; an appearance now also regarded as the very first rock & roll performance on TV. Story re Merle Travis - 16 Tons …..
As a sideline, to give you an idea of what else was being played in mid 1955, here are the chart entry dates for a few contemporary hits:
BO DIDDLEY "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" (May 4th 1955)
Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around The Clock" (May 14th 1955)
Fats Domino "Ain't That A Shame" (July 1955)
Chuck Berry "Maybellene" (August 1955)
Continue with hat has become George Thorogood’s signature tune:
3. Who Do You Love – 1956 – The Story of Disc 1 – Tk 8 – 2.29
Diddley was never a top seller of the order of his Chess rival Chuck Berry, but over the next half-dozen or so years, he'd produce a catalog of classics that rival Berry's in quality. "You Don't Love Me," "Diddley Daddy," "Pretty Thing," "Diddy Wah Diddy," "Who Do You Love?," "Mona," "Road Runner," "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover" — all are standards of early, riff-driven rock & roll at its best.
4. Mona – 1957 – The Story Of – Disc 2 – Tk 2 - 2.22
Bo has also claimed he invented Rap music back in the late 50’s – and this claim is based on the success of this next track - "Say Man," that came about almost by accident as he and Jerome Green were fooling around in the studio. This became his only Top 20 pop hit, from 1958.
5. Say Man – 1958 – The Story Of – Disc 1 – Tk 12 – 3.12
In 1958, Bo moved from Chicago to Washington DC and set up a recording studio at his home, where he recorded most of his subsequent material, including his 1960 album Gunslinger. This album has a great cover with Bo dressed up in western gear, ready to draw a set of 6 guns, guitar at his feet. First two tracks from this album ……
6. Gun Slinger – 1960 Gun Slinger – Tk 1 – 1.54
7. Ride on Josephine – 1960 Gun Slinger – Tk 2 – 3.03
While all this was going on, he was virtually unknown in UK – but by the early 60s someone in the Chess export department noticed an upsurge in Diddley orders from UK. By this time, Bo’s records weren’t selling too well in USA, so the Chess people organized a UK tour in late 1963, and the release of two albums – in April and Sept of his mid – late 50s USA releases. The 5 week tour of UK, commencing in Sept, was a huge success, Bo playing 2 shows a night, up and down the country. Words can’t adequately describe his impact – Pye records released 3 singles, 4 EPs and 4 LPs in the UK during 1964, and all his old material enjoyed a new life. For example this next track, recorded in July 1955, made the UK Top 40 Pop Charts eight years later - in late 1963
8. Pretty Thing – 1955 – The Story Of – Disc 1 – Tk 5 – 2.50
His music influenced a whole generation of British bands and in Great Britain, he was revered as a giant on the order of Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters. The Rolling Stones in particular borrowed a lot from Bo's rhythms and attitude in their early days, although they only officially covered a couple of his tunes, "Mona" and "I'm Alright." Other British R&B groups like the Yardbirds, Animals, and Pretty Things also covered Diddley standards in their early days. Buddy Holly covered the "Bo Diddley" track and used a modified Bo Diddley beat on "Not Fade Away"; and the Rolling Stones then gave the song the full-on Bo treatment (complete with shaking maracas), the result was their first big British hit.
9. Mr Kruschev – 1962 – The Story Of – Disc 2 – Tk 24 – 3.01
By the end of 1965, Bo was making a conscious effort to recapture both the Black listenership who had to some extent deserted him, and the white audience that was buying all of those soul records. Unfortunately, neither he nor Chess knew exactly how to go about it, and the result was a good album but one largely unheard by the public. The album was called 500% More Man in USA and Let Me Pass in UK. Jerome Greene had left his band a few months previously and the Bo Diddley sound while still recognizable, lacked the Greene maracas. Track from it ….
10. Let Me Pass – 1965 – Let Me Pass – Tk 1 -2.35
Unfortunately Bo’s popularity in UK was short lived – a second tour in 1965 was plagued by equipment breakdowns and financial disputes, and by the time of his third UK tour in 1967, he was relegated to the status of a minority artist. After 1963, he'd never write or record any original material on par with his early classics. His career as a recording artist — in commercial and artistic terms — was pretty much over.
The late 60’s – flower power/psychedelic era kept him in the background, and it wasn’t until the late 70s when his status as a ‘living legend’ developed that he again began to draw crowds to his live shows.
Track from a very successful European tour of 1984, where his old standards get a good workout ………The sax player on this track is Deick Heckstall Smith who had earlier played a big part in the success of early British blues bands led by Alexis Korner and John Mayall. Track written by Willie Dixon, first released in 1962.
11. You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover – 1984 – Vamp – Tk 5 – 3.55
In 1995 he joined up with famed British producer Mike Vernon for what was to be his ‘comeback’ album – a sort of ‘Bo Diddley and guests’ – this one with Ron Wood on slide, Billy Boy Arnold on harp and Debby Hastings on bass. The album got a Grammy nomination but was not a great commercial success. Title track …
12. A Man Amongst Men – 1995 – A Man Amongst Men – Tk 6 – 3.59
Interestingly this album also contains a pretty good ‘anti drugs’ rap number – Kids Don’t Do It
In recent years, Bo has received numerous accolades in recognition of his role as one of the founding fathers of rock 'n' roll. His 1958 Chess debut LP "Bo Diddley" regularly appears on various "Top 100 Greatest Albums of All-Time" lists, and he has been inducted into virtually every Hall of Fame that exists.
Mojo magazine includes him as one of its "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All-Time".
In 2004 in a special issue to mark 50 years of rock & roll, Rolling Stone magazine named him as one of "The Immortals - The 50 Greatest Artists of All-Time".
And as recently as this year, Bo was invited to ring the Opening Bell and is welcomed by the members and employees of the American Stock Exchange in New York in a ceremony held in his honor.
Nevertheless, despite the huge contribution he has made to popular music, Bo has made it clear in a number of interviews that he thinks he has been treated poorly by music historians, and this is perhaps partly due to his truly creative period being relatively short – only 7 years, and over 50 years ago. His feelings can best be summed up in this quote: "I Opened The Door For A Lot Of People, And They Just Ran Through And Left Me Holding The Knob..."
We will go out with a pertinent novelty track from 1996 by Nashville based blues – rock band Mike Henderson & Bluebloods, which asks the very important question “what ever happened to Bo Diddley’s money?”
13. Pay Bo Diddley – 1996 – First Blood – Tk 6 – 5.05 (fade out …)
Bo’s live show at ECBRF a few years ago was memorable, and even though the then 77 yo Bo played sitting down, it was a wonderful experience hearing that Bo Diddley beat being belted out by the man himself. And if you do get to see him live this time round, look out for his band leader and bass guitarist Debby Hastings. Debby is a white, grey haired grandmotherly type, and the third female that Bo has had playing a key role in his band – and has been with him for over 20 years.
Although his hits occurred only in the very short period from mid 1950s to early '60s, Bo Diddley produced greater and more influential music than all but a handful of the best early rockers. The Bo Diddley beat — bomp, ba-bomp-bomp, bomp-bomp sometimes referred to as “shave and a haircut – four bits”— is one of rock & roll's basic rhythms, showing up in the work of hundreds of subsequent artists. One commentator has written “Diddley's hypnotic rhythmic attack and declamatory, boasting vocals stretched back as far as Africa for their roots, and looked as far into the future as rap. His trademark otherworldly vibrating, fuzzy guitar style did much to expand the instrument's power and range”.
Launch straight into his first release on Checker label, from 1955
1. Bo Diddley – 1955 – Hey Bo Diddley – Tk 1 – 2.11
Bo was born Ellas Bates on Sunday December 30th 1928 on a small farm near the town of McComb, Mississippi, close to the Louisiana border. He was adopted by his mother's cousin, and took her surname. In the mid-1930's the family moved to the south side of Chicago. Soon after, he began to take violin lessons at the local Baptist church. He studied the violin for twelve years, even composing two concertos for the instrument. For Christmas in 1940, his sister Lucille bought him his first guitar, a cheap Harmony acoustic. It was at this time that he acquired the nickname "Bo Diddley" from his fellow pupils at his high school in Chicago. He had long been fascinated by the rhythms that he heard coming from church. A frustrated drummer, he tried to translate the sounds that he heard into his own style. Gradually he began to duplicate what he did with his violin bow by rapidly flicking his plectrum across his guitar strings. "I play the guitar as if I'm playing the drums”, he once said....I play drum licks on the guitar."
He continued to practice the guitar through his early teens. Shortly before leaving school he formed his first group, a trio named The Hipsters. Upon graduation he pursued a variety of low paid occupations including truck driving, building site work and boxing, playing locally with his group to supplement his income.
In 1950 maracas player Jerome Green joined the group, followed a year later by harmonica player Billy Boy Arnold. After more than a decade of playing on street corners and in clubs around Chicago, Bo finally got the chance to cut a demo of two songs that he had written; called "Uncle John" and "I'm A Man". After various rejections from local record labels, (most notably Vee-Jay), in early 1955 he took the recordings to brothers Leonard and Phil Chess.. They suggested that he change the title and the lyrics of "Uncle John" to more reflect his own unique personality and the two songs were re-recorded on March 2nd 1955, and released as "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man." The single went straight to the top of the R&B charts, establishing Bo Diddley as one of the most exciting and original new talents in American music. We just played one side of this release – here is the other.
2. I’m a Man – 1955 - Hey Bo Diddley – Tk 2 – 2.58
The record is now universally acknowledged as one of the cornerstones of rock music and one of the most influential singles in history.
In that same year he appeared on Ed Sullivan's "Toast of The Town" TV show; an appearance now also regarded as the very first rock & roll performance on TV. Story re Merle Travis - 16 Tons …..
As a sideline, to give you an idea of what else was being played in mid 1955, here are the chart entry dates for a few contemporary hits:
BO DIDDLEY "Bo Diddley"/"I'm A Man" (May 4th 1955)
Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around The Clock" (May 14th 1955)
Fats Domino "Ain't That A Shame" (July 1955)
Chuck Berry "Maybellene" (August 1955)
Continue with hat has become George Thorogood’s signature tune:
3. Who Do You Love – 1956 – The Story of Disc 1 – Tk 8 – 2.29
Diddley was never a top seller of the order of his Chess rival Chuck Berry, but over the next half-dozen or so years, he'd produce a catalog of classics that rival Berry's in quality. "You Don't Love Me," "Diddley Daddy," "Pretty Thing," "Diddy Wah Diddy," "Who Do You Love?," "Mona," "Road Runner," "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover" — all are standards of early, riff-driven rock & roll at its best.
4. Mona – 1957 – The Story Of – Disc 2 – Tk 2 - 2.22
Bo has also claimed he invented Rap music back in the late 50’s – and this claim is based on the success of this next track - "Say Man," that came about almost by accident as he and Jerome Green were fooling around in the studio. This became his only Top 20 pop hit, from 1958.
5. Say Man – 1958 – The Story Of – Disc 1 – Tk 12 – 3.12
In 1958, Bo moved from Chicago to Washington DC and set up a recording studio at his home, where he recorded most of his subsequent material, including his 1960 album Gunslinger. This album has a great cover with Bo dressed up in western gear, ready to draw a set of 6 guns, guitar at his feet. First two tracks from this album ……
6. Gun Slinger – 1960 Gun Slinger – Tk 1 – 1.54
7. Ride on Josephine – 1960 Gun Slinger – Tk 2 – 3.03
While all this was going on, he was virtually unknown in UK – but by the early 60s someone in the Chess export department noticed an upsurge in Diddley orders from UK. By this time, Bo’s records weren’t selling too well in USA, so the Chess people organized a UK tour in late 1963, and the release of two albums – in April and Sept of his mid – late 50s USA releases. The 5 week tour of UK, commencing in Sept, was a huge success, Bo playing 2 shows a night, up and down the country. Words can’t adequately describe his impact – Pye records released 3 singles, 4 EPs and 4 LPs in the UK during 1964, and all his old material enjoyed a new life. For example this next track, recorded in July 1955, made the UK Top 40 Pop Charts eight years later - in late 1963
8. Pretty Thing – 1955 – The Story Of – Disc 1 – Tk 5 – 2.50
His music influenced a whole generation of British bands and in Great Britain, he was revered as a giant on the order of Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters. The Rolling Stones in particular borrowed a lot from Bo's rhythms and attitude in their early days, although they only officially covered a couple of his tunes, "Mona" and "I'm Alright." Other British R&B groups like the Yardbirds, Animals, and Pretty Things also covered Diddley standards in their early days. Buddy Holly covered the "Bo Diddley" track and used a modified Bo Diddley beat on "Not Fade Away"; and the Rolling Stones then gave the song the full-on Bo treatment (complete with shaking maracas), the result was their first big British hit.
9. Mr Kruschev – 1962 – The Story Of – Disc 2 – Tk 24 – 3.01
By the end of 1965, Bo was making a conscious effort to recapture both the Black listenership who had to some extent deserted him, and the white audience that was buying all of those soul records. Unfortunately, neither he nor Chess knew exactly how to go about it, and the result was a good album but one largely unheard by the public. The album was called 500% More Man in USA and Let Me Pass in UK. Jerome Greene had left his band a few months previously and the Bo Diddley sound while still recognizable, lacked the Greene maracas. Track from it ….
10. Let Me Pass – 1965 – Let Me Pass – Tk 1 -2.35
Unfortunately Bo’s popularity in UK was short lived – a second tour in 1965 was plagued by equipment breakdowns and financial disputes, and by the time of his third UK tour in 1967, he was relegated to the status of a minority artist. After 1963, he'd never write or record any original material on par with his early classics. His career as a recording artist — in commercial and artistic terms — was pretty much over.
The late 60’s – flower power/psychedelic era kept him in the background, and it wasn’t until the late 70s when his status as a ‘living legend’ developed that he again began to draw crowds to his live shows.
Track from a very successful European tour of 1984, where his old standards get a good workout ………The sax player on this track is Deick Heckstall Smith who had earlier played a big part in the success of early British blues bands led by Alexis Korner and John Mayall. Track written by Willie Dixon, first released in 1962.
11. You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover – 1984 – Vamp – Tk 5 – 3.55
In 1995 he joined up with famed British producer Mike Vernon for what was to be his ‘comeback’ album – a sort of ‘Bo Diddley and guests’ – this one with Ron Wood on slide, Billy Boy Arnold on harp and Debby Hastings on bass. The album got a Grammy nomination but was not a great commercial success. Title track …
12. A Man Amongst Men – 1995 – A Man Amongst Men – Tk 6 – 3.59
Interestingly this album also contains a pretty good ‘anti drugs’ rap number – Kids Don’t Do It
In recent years, Bo has received numerous accolades in recognition of his role as one of the founding fathers of rock 'n' roll. His 1958 Chess debut LP "Bo Diddley" regularly appears on various "Top 100 Greatest Albums of All-Time" lists, and he has been inducted into virtually every Hall of Fame that exists.
Mojo magazine includes him as one of its "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All-Time".
In 2004 in a special issue to mark 50 years of rock & roll, Rolling Stone magazine named him as one of "The Immortals - The 50 Greatest Artists of All-Time".
And as recently as this year, Bo was invited to ring the Opening Bell and is welcomed by the members and employees of the American Stock Exchange in New York in a ceremony held in his honor.
Nevertheless, despite the huge contribution he has made to popular music, Bo has made it clear in a number of interviews that he thinks he has been treated poorly by music historians, and this is perhaps partly due to his truly creative period being relatively short – only 7 years, and over 50 years ago. His feelings can best be summed up in this quote: "I Opened The Door For A Lot Of People, And They Just Ran Through And Left Me Holding The Knob..."
We will go out with a pertinent novelty track from 1996 by Nashville based blues – rock band Mike Henderson & Bluebloods, which asks the very important question “what ever happened to Bo Diddley’s money?”
13. Pay Bo Diddley – 1996 – First Blood – Tk 6 – 5.05 (fade out …)
Bo’s live show at ECBRF a few years ago was memorable, and even though the then 77 yo Bo played sitting down, it was a wonderful experience hearing that Bo Diddley beat being belted out by the man himself. And if you do get to see him live this time round, look out for his band leader and bass guitarist Debby Hastings. Debby is a white, grey haired grandmotherly type, and the third female that Bo has had playing a key role in his band – and has been with him for over 20 years.
Guitar Slim
In the last session we covered Bo Diddley who commenced his 50 yr career in the late 1950s
Today, we cover another blues artist from the 1950s but one whose career was unfortunately far too short, lasting only 6 years from 1952 to 1959 when he died of complications brought on by alcoholism. The man was born Eddie Jones but better known as Guitar Slim.
A young Buddy Guy was one of many influenced by Slim to make the Blues his living. Guy would state in his autobiography, "Damn Right I've Got The Blues", "When I saw him, I'd made up my mind. I wanted to play like B.B. (King) but act like Guitar Slim." Lead in with:
1. Quicksand – April 1955 – Speciality Sessions – Tk 18 – 2.20
Guitar Slim was born Eddie Jones in Greenwood, Mississippi on December 10, 1926. His father didn’t stay around and his mother died when Eddie was just five. He was sent to live with his grandmother on a plantation. Living there, he worked in the cotton fields, ploughing behind a mule.
At a young age, Eddie would spend his free time at the local juke joints in Hollandale. He began to sit in with traveling and local bands as a singer and dancer. In fact, his adept skills as a dancer earned him the nickname "Limber Legs." At the age of 18, he got married, but the marriage didn’t last long – for half of its duration, Eddie was away in the army, including wartime service in the Pacific.
After the war bandleader Willie Warren introduced Jones to the guitar and he took his inspiration from the sounds he heard coming out of Texas, in particular, T-Bone Walker and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
By 1950, Jones had relocated to New Orleans. He took up the name Guitar Slim and began to experiment with newer guitar sounds that included distorted overtones a full decade before the likes of Jimi Hendrix did the same. He recorded four songs for the Imperial label in 1951, but they were unsuccessful. Next, he tried the Nashville-based Bullet label and enjoyed a mild regional hit with the single, "Feeling Sad". This brought attention from both the Atlantic and Specialty labels in 1953, who each tried to sign him, with Speciality, being successful.
Slim repaid Speciality’s confidence in him with his first recording:
2. The Things I used to Do – Oct 1953 – Speciality Sessions – Tk 1 – 2.58
This track was engineered by the New Orleans legend Cosimo Matassa and featured special guest 23 yo Ray Charles as arranger and pianist.
The song was an instant hit, in the R&B charts for 21 weeks, six at Number One, and would sell over a million copies. It also placed Guitar Slim on the road for a national tour, where he sold out major venues like the Howard in Washington, D.C. and the Apollo New York.
At the end of his tour, Slim decided to settle into a milder atmosphere and moved to Thibodeaux, Louisiana, in the heart of the Cajun country.
Another track, widely covered, from the same 1953 session.
3. Well I Done Got Over It – Oct 1953 – Speciality Sessions – Tk 2 – 2.22
By this stage, he had become well known for his wild stage act. He wore bright-colored suits and dyed his hair to match, and had an assistant follow him around the audience with up to 350 feet of cord. He would occasionally get up on his assistant's shoulders, or even take his guitar outside the club and bring traffic to a stop.
4. Sufferin Mind – Sept 1954 – Speciality Sessions – Tk 9 – 2.26
Despite strong singles like Sufferin' Mind and Quicksand, sales could not match the success Of "The Things That I Used To Do" and in 1956 Speciality boss Art Rupe decided to release Slim from his contract.
He quickly signed with the Atco label, a subsidiary of Atlantic, who had tried unsuccessfully to sign him in 1953. His writing skills had not diminished and over the next two years, he charted four more times, including the song, "It Hurts To Love Someone" and "Down Through The Years". Track from March 1956
5. Down Through The Years –– March 1956 - Atco Sessions – Tk 1 – 2.20
A couple of rockin’ tracks from this March 1956 session:
6. Oh Yeah – March 1956 – Atco Sessions – Tk 2 – 2.16
7. Pretty Good Room – March 1956 – Atco Sessions – Tk 12 – 1.59
B side from his second Atco single, Feb 57 ….
8. It Hurts to Love Someone – Feb 1957 – Atco Sessions – Tk 4 – 2.38
Last two sessions (Oct 57 and Jan 58) were recorded in NYC
The producer of these sessions recounted “Slim was a pretty easy going country boy. I remember he brought this girl into the studio and sang every song to her. This woman was beautiful, I think she might have been an exotic dancer, but the poor girl had to weigh 300lb (just under 150kg) I never encountered anyone quite like Guitar Slim”
9. I Won’t Mind At All – Oct 1957 – Atco Sessions – Tk 5 – 2.39
Throughout his career, Guitar Slim had led a hard life that was marred by heavy drinking and lots of female companions and it was this hard living that wrecked his health.
Two tracks from his very last session – a novelty track called The Cackle with his guitar doing chicken impersonations, followed by a Gatemouth Brown number,
10. The Cackle – Jan 1958 – Atco Sessions – Tk 13 – 2.15
11. My Time is Expensive – Jan 1958 – Atco Sessions – Tk 14 – 3.00
In early 1959, the band set out for an East Coast tour, despite the problems that his alcohol problem was causing. And it was as a result of these problems that Slim died, in NYC of bronchial pneumonia, on Feb 7. He was just 32 years old. His body was returned to Thibodeaux, Louisiana where he was buried in an unmarked grave with his guitar.
He was survived by a number of children from his various female companions. One of those children is Rodney Armstrong, born in 1951, who has followed in his father's footsteps, performing in New Orleans under the name Guitar Slim, Jr.
"The Things I Used To Do" still remains a strong Blues standard and has been honored by The Blues Foundation as a Classic of Blues Recording. One commentator wrote “Due to his unfortunate early demise, the world will never know how great Guitar Slim may have been. Those who knew him have no doubt of his greatness. Earl King places him on the same scale as B.B. King and Ray Charles. You need look no further than those who have named him as a major influence to see the truth: Albert Collins, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons are only a handful of this countless number.”
Today, we cover another blues artist from the 1950s but one whose career was unfortunately far too short, lasting only 6 years from 1952 to 1959 when he died of complications brought on by alcoholism. The man was born Eddie Jones but better known as Guitar Slim.
A young Buddy Guy was one of many influenced by Slim to make the Blues his living. Guy would state in his autobiography, "Damn Right I've Got The Blues", "When I saw him, I'd made up my mind. I wanted to play like B.B. (King) but act like Guitar Slim." Lead in with:
1. Quicksand – April 1955 – Speciality Sessions – Tk 18 – 2.20
Guitar Slim was born Eddie Jones in Greenwood, Mississippi on December 10, 1926. His father didn’t stay around and his mother died when Eddie was just five. He was sent to live with his grandmother on a plantation. Living there, he worked in the cotton fields, ploughing behind a mule.
At a young age, Eddie would spend his free time at the local juke joints in Hollandale. He began to sit in with traveling and local bands as a singer and dancer. In fact, his adept skills as a dancer earned him the nickname "Limber Legs." At the age of 18, he got married, but the marriage didn’t last long – for half of its duration, Eddie was away in the army, including wartime service in the Pacific.
After the war bandleader Willie Warren introduced Jones to the guitar and he took his inspiration from the sounds he heard coming out of Texas, in particular, T-Bone Walker and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
By 1950, Jones had relocated to New Orleans. He took up the name Guitar Slim and began to experiment with newer guitar sounds that included distorted overtones a full decade before the likes of Jimi Hendrix did the same. He recorded four songs for the Imperial label in 1951, but they were unsuccessful. Next, he tried the Nashville-based Bullet label and enjoyed a mild regional hit with the single, "Feeling Sad". This brought attention from both the Atlantic and Specialty labels in 1953, who each tried to sign him, with Speciality, being successful.
Slim repaid Speciality’s confidence in him with his first recording:
2. The Things I used to Do – Oct 1953 – Speciality Sessions – Tk 1 – 2.58
This track was engineered by the New Orleans legend Cosimo Matassa and featured special guest 23 yo Ray Charles as arranger and pianist.
The song was an instant hit, in the R&B charts for 21 weeks, six at Number One, and would sell over a million copies. It also placed Guitar Slim on the road for a national tour, where he sold out major venues like the Howard in Washington, D.C. and the Apollo New York.
At the end of his tour, Slim decided to settle into a milder atmosphere and moved to Thibodeaux, Louisiana, in the heart of the Cajun country.
Another track, widely covered, from the same 1953 session.
3. Well I Done Got Over It – Oct 1953 – Speciality Sessions – Tk 2 – 2.22
By this stage, he had become well known for his wild stage act. He wore bright-colored suits and dyed his hair to match, and had an assistant follow him around the audience with up to 350 feet of cord. He would occasionally get up on his assistant's shoulders, or even take his guitar outside the club and bring traffic to a stop.
4. Sufferin Mind – Sept 1954 – Speciality Sessions – Tk 9 – 2.26
Despite strong singles like Sufferin' Mind and Quicksand, sales could not match the success Of "The Things That I Used To Do" and in 1956 Speciality boss Art Rupe decided to release Slim from his contract.
He quickly signed with the Atco label, a subsidiary of Atlantic, who had tried unsuccessfully to sign him in 1953. His writing skills had not diminished and over the next two years, he charted four more times, including the song, "It Hurts To Love Someone" and "Down Through The Years". Track from March 1956
5. Down Through The Years –– March 1956 - Atco Sessions – Tk 1 – 2.20
A couple of rockin’ tracks from this March 1956 session:
6. Oh Yeah – March 1956 – Atco Sessions – Tk 2 – 2.16
7. Pretty Good Room – March 1956 – Atco Sessions – Tk 12 – 1.59
B side from his second Atco single, Feb 57 ….
8. It Hurts to Love Someone – Feb 1957 – Atco Sessions – Tk 4 – 2.38
Last two sessions (Oct 57 and Jan 58) were recorded in NYC
The producer of these sessions recounted “Slim was a pretty easy going country boy. I remember he brought this girl into the studio and sang every song to her. This woman was beautiful, I think she might have been an exotic dancer, but the poor girl had to weigh 300lb (just under 150kg) I never encountered anyone quite like Guitar Slim”
9. I Won’t Mind At All – Oct 1957 – Atco Sessions – Tk 5 – 2.39
Throughout his career, Guitar Slim had led a hard life that was marred by heavy drinking and lots of female companions and it was this hard living that wrecked his health.
Two tracks from his very last session – a novelty track called The Cackle with his guitar doing chicken impersonations, followed by a Gatemouth Brown number,
10. The Cackle – Jan 1958 – Atco Sessions – Tk 13 – 2.15
11. My Time is Expensive – Jan 1958 – Atco Sessions – Tk 14 – 3.00
In early 1959, the band set out for an East Coast tour, despite the problems that his alcohol problem was causing. And it was as a result of these problems that Slim died, in NYC of bronchial pneumonia, on Feb 7. He was just 32 years old. His body was returned to Thibodeaux, Louisiana where he was buried in an unmarked grave with his guitar.
He was survived by a number of children from his various female companions. One of those children is Rodney Armstrong, born in 1951, who has followed in his father's footsteps, performing in New Orleans under the name Guitar Slim, Jr.
"The Things I Used To Do" still remains a strong Blues standard and has been honored by The Blues Foundation as a Classic of Blues Recording. One commentator wrote “Due to his unfortunate early demise, the world will never know how great Guitar Slim may have been. Those who knew him have no doubt of his greatness. Earl King places him on the same scale as B.B. King and Ray Charles. You need look no further than those who have named him as a major influence to see the truth: Albert Collins, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons are only a handful of this countless number.”
D L Menard
Affectionately known as "the Cajun Hank Williams,"D L. (Doris Leon) Menard was born April 14, 1932 in Erath, Louisiana, where he still lives. The only child of Acadian farmers, Menard worked in the cane fields and the cotton fields of south Louisiana as a young child. At night, he tuned in to country stations from Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana, home of the then famous "Louisiana Hayride."
He learned to sing country tunes in English long before he sang in French. His father was a popular harmonica player and his uncle played guitar. Menard purchased his first guitar from a Sears Roebuck catalogue when he was 16 years old and asked a member of his uncle's band to teach him how to play basic chords.
A year later, he played his first Cajun dance for pay at a night club and has been playing music and writing songs ever since.
In 1951, the 19-year-old Menard had the opportunity to meet and talk to his long-time idol, Hank Williams Sr., at a club in New Iberia when Williams performed there.
Williams encouraged Menard to be proud of his heritage and play his own type of music. Hank told Menard, "All music is good if it's yours.".
He joined a band called the Louisiana Aces, and shortly after, in 1952, he took over the band's leadership. They cut their first single in July 1961 – with this track on the flip side:
1. Louisiana Aces Special – July 1961 – The Back Door & Other Classics – Tk 1 – 1.55
DL continued to balance his music career with a variety of jobs. He composed his most famous song, "La Porte en Arriere" while working at a gas station. The story goes that when the Louisiana Aces were on their way to the studio to record their second single a year later, they argued about whether or not to record a particular track that DL had written. In the end they agreed to put this next number on the B side:
2. La Porte en Arriere – July 1962 – The Back Door & Other Classics – Tk 2 – 2.15
When the song – which is all about the perils of approaching life through the back door rather than the front, was released it went on to sell more than 500,000 copies and has become a Cajun classic right up there with Jolie Blon.
The first two tracks we have played today come from a compilation CD of all DLs early years called The Back Door and other Cajun Classics. The songs are all in Cajun French and translations are not given, but the titles are in English and give you the theme of a lot of these Cajun numbers – with song titles like ‘She Didn’t Know I was Married’ then ‘It’s Too Late You’re Divorced‘ and finally ‘I Can Live a Better Life’.
3. It’s Too Late Your Divorced – Nov 1975 – The Back Door & Other Classics – Tk 11 – 2.32
In 1985 Menard released his first album sung in English. It was his ‘least Cajun’ styled album, but most commercially successful and featured a number of Hank Williams tracks including a tearjerker called My Son Calls Another Man Daddy, and a similar styled number written by Menard titled The Judge Did Not Believe my Story. Here is the title track:
4. Cajun Saturday Night – 1985 – Cajun Saturday Night – Tk 1 – 2.22
5. The Bachelors Life – 1985 – Cajun Saturday Night – Tk 9 – 1.40
Continue with another from the same album – this is an old Hank Williams number
6. On The Banks of the Old Ponchartrain – 1985 – Cajun Saturday Night – Tk 10 – 3.39
Three years later, in 1988 he released another album, this with a set list of more traditional two-steps and waltzes. This one is called No Matter Where You At, There You Are.
Track from this album with echoes of the Hank Williams track in the opening bars
7. Big Texas – 1988 –No Matter Where You At – Tk 5 – 2.55
Another from this album:
8. Lafayette Two Step – 1988 –No Matter Where You At – Tk 11 – 2.38
In 1993, an album he recorded with Eddy Le Jeune and Ken Smith called Le Trio Cadien was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Folk Album category
Two years later in 1995, DL released another very traditional Cajun album for the Swallow Records, the local label he had started out with in 1961.
And we will have a little diversion here. Swallow Records was founded by one James Floyd Soileau, a Cajun who was six years younger than DL who grew up in a Cajun community around Ville Platte, in central La. Young Floyd grew up speaking Cajun French and did not speak English until attending school at the age of 6 years.
In high school, Floyd he did an afternoon Cajun music show on a local radio station, and after graduating he opened a small record store, Floyd's Record Shop and discovered that although people were still interested in them, Cajun French records were no longer being produced.
With the financial help of a juke box operator friend who wanted new French records for his juke boxes, he launched his own label, in 1957 at age 19, and since then, Swallow Records has released literally hundreds of singles and albums of Cajun French music, and his Swallow Publications publishes two books on the Cajun French language. And you can get all these books albums and a host of other interesting stuff from Floyds Record Store which is still going strong, with a great website and mail order facility.
Anyhow, back to DL Menard with two tracks from the Cajun Memories album. Although all the material on the album was new, it was recorded within in what were called the ‘traditional guidelines’ so the songs sound as though they have been around for many years
9. Listen to Me When I am Talking to You – 1995 – Cajun Memories – Tk 1 – 2.59
A couple more tracks from the same album – the first celebrating the old man who can still dance all night long, and the second praising the virtues of a wife who stays home to raise the family while the husband is away earning an income as a musician
10. Snow on the Roof – 1995 – Cajun Memories – Tk 9 – 3.07
11. The Good Woman – 1995 – Cajun Memories – Tk 14 – 2.55
Over the years, DL has toured extensively, although never to Australia, and has received many awards for his contribution to Cajun life and culture. He is in the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and the Cajun Music Hall of Fame.
Menard continues to supplement his income as a musician by building rocking chairs in the factory that he owns with his wife, Louella. Interestingly his webpage on the the website of the Louisiana Folklife Centre lists him as DL Menard - Chairmaker and Cajun Musician, in that order, and goes on to say:
Louella's kitchen is open to anyone wanting to enjoy Cajun coffee and food. The furnishing her kitchen are products of the D. L. Menard chair factory, a rambling one-man shop located next door. DL makes most of the chair parts from the finest ash wood obtained from the local sawmill. Louella weaves the chair seats.
At age 75 DL is still performing, and early last month, in April 2009,he was featured at a tribute show ‘The Life & Times of DL Menard’ in Eunice, La’s self styled Prairie Cajun Capital.
Joining DL Menard on stage was the Jambalaya Cajun Band, Hugh Harris, entrepreneur and the record store founder Floyd Soileau, DL’s son Larry Menard and daughter Becky Moreland. The publicity said that the show, hosted in Cajun French, ‘was a family-oriented program and dancing is encouraged.’ The show closed out with a version of this track released on his 1988 album No Matter Where You At, There You Are
12. Lets Gallop to Mamou – 1988 –No Matter Where You At – Tk 3 – 2.34
We will go out with a version of DLs song The Back Door, sung in French by Emmylou Harris who was guesting on a 1998 an album called The McGarrigle Hour, put out by Canadian singer songwriter sisters Kate and Anna McGarrigle. (Kate was once married to Louden Wainwright)
13. Porte En Arriere – 1998 –The McGarrigle Hour – Tk 5 – 3.05
He learned to sing country tunes in English long before he sang in French. His father was a popular harmonica player and his uncle played guitar. Menard purchased his first guitar from a Sears Roebuck catalogue when he was 16 years old and asked a member of his uncle's band to teach him how to play basic chords.
A year later, he played his first Cajun dance for pay at a night club and has been playing music and writing songs ever since.
In 1951, the 19-year-old Menard had the opportunity to meet and talk to his long-time idol, Hank Williams Sr., at a club in New Iberia when Williams performed there.
Williams encouraged Menard to be proud of his heritage and play his own type of music. Hank told Menard, "All music is good if it's yours.".
He joined a band called the Louisiana Aces, and shortly after, in 1952, he took over the band's leadership. They cut their first single in July 1961 – with this track on the flip side:
1. Louisiana Aces Special – July 1961 – The Back Door & Other Classics – Tk 1 – 1.55
DL continued to balance his music career with a variety of jobs. He composed his most famous song, "La Porte en Arriere" while working at a gas station. The story goes that when the Louisiana Aces were on their way to the studio to record their second single a year later, they argued about whether or not to record a particular track that DL had written. In the end they agreed to put this next number on the B side:
2. La Porte en Arriere – July 1962 – The Back Door & Other Classics – Tk 2 – 2.15
When the song – which is all about the perils of approaching life through the back door rather than the front, was released it went on to sell more than 500,000 copies and has become a Cajun classic right up there with Jolie Blon.
The first two tracks we have played today come from a compilation CD of all DLs early years called The Back Door and other Cajun Classics. The songs are all in Cajun French and translations are not given, but the titles are in English and give you the theme of a lot of these Cajun numbers – with song titles like ‘She Didn’t Know I was Married’ then ‘It’s Too Late You’re Divorced‘ and finally ‘I Can Live a Better Life’.
3. It’s Too Late Your Divorced – Nov 1975 – The Back Door & Other Classics – Tk 11 – 2.32
In 1985 Menard released his first album sung in English. It was his ‘least Cajun’ styled album, but most commercially successful and featured a number of Hank Williams tracks including a tearjerker called My Son Calls Another Man Daddy, and a similar styled number written by Menard titled The Judge Did Not Believe my Story. Here is the title track:
4. Cajun Saturday Night – 1985 – Cajun Saturday Night – Tk 1 – 2.22
5. The Bachelors Life – 1985 – Cajun Saturday Night – Tk 9 – 1.40
Continue with another from the same album – this is an old Hank Williams number
6. On The Banks of the Old Ponchartrain – 1985 – Cajun Saturday Night – Tk 10 – 3.39
Three years later, in 1988 he released another album, this with a set list of more traditional two-steps and waltzes. This one is called No Matter Where You At, There You Are.
Track from this album with echoes of the Hank Williams track in the opening bars
7. Big Texas – 1988 –No Matter Where You At – Tk 5 – 2.55
Another from this album:
8. Lafayette Two Step – 1988 –No Matter Where You At – Tk 11 – 2.38
In 1993, an album he recorded with Eddy Le Jeune and Ken Smith called Le Trio Cadien was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Folk Album category
Two years later in 1995, DL released another very traditional Cajun album for the Swallow Records, the local label he had started out with in 1961.
And we will have a little diversion here. Swallow Records was founded by one James Floyd Soileau, a Cajun who was six years younger than DL who grew up in a Cajun community around Ville Platte, in central La. Young Floyd grew up speaking Cajun French and did not speak English until attending school at the age of 6 years.
In high school, Floyd he did an afternoon Cajun music show on a local radio station, and after graduating he opened a small record store, Floyd's Record Shop and discovered that although people were still interested in them, Cajun French records were no longer being produced.
With the financial help of a juke box operator friend who wanted new French records for his juke boxes, he launched his own label, in 1957 at age 19, and since then, Swallow Records has released literally hundreds of singles and albums of Cajun French music, and his Swallow Publications publishes two books on the Cajun French language. And you can get all these books albums and a host of other interesting stuff from Floyds Record Store which is still going strong, with a great website and mail order facility.
Anyhow, back to DL Menard with two tracks from the Cajun Memories album. Although all the material on the album was new, it was recorded within in what were called the ‘traditional guidelines’ so the songs sound as though they have been around for many years
9. Listen to Me When I am Talking to You – 1995 – Cajun Memories – Tk 1 – 2.59
A couple more tracks from the same album – the first celebrating the old man who can still dance all night long, and the second praising the virtues of a wife who stays home to raise the family while the husband is away earning an income as a musician
10. Snow on the Roof – 1995 – Cajun Memories – Tk 9 – 3.07
11. The Good Woman – 1995 – Cajun Memories – Tk 14 – 2.55
Over the years, DL has toured extensively, although never to Australia, and has received many awards for his contribution to Cajun life and culture. He is in the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and the Cajun Music Hall of Fame.
Menard continues to supplement his income as a musician by building rocking chairs in the factory that he owns with his wife, Louella. Interestingly his webpage on the the website of the Louisiana Folklife Centre lists him as DL Menard - Chairmaker and Cajun Musician, in that order, and goes on to say:
Louella's kitchen is open to anyone wanting to enjoy Cajun coffee and food. The furnishing her kitchen are products of the D. L. Menard chair factory, a rambling one-man shop located next door. DL makes most of the chair parts from the finest ash wood obtained from the local sawmill. Louella weaves the chair seats.
At age 75 DL is still performing, and early last month, in April 2009,he was featured at a tribute show ‘The Life & Times of DL Menard’ in Eunice, La’s self styled Prairie Cajun Capital.
Joining DL Menard on stage was the Jambalaya Cajun Band, Hugh Harris, entrepreneur and the record store founder Floyd Soileau, DL’s son Larry Menard and daughter Becky Moreland. The publicity said that the show, hosted in Cajun French, ‘was a family-oriented program and dancing is encouraged.’ The show closed out with a version of this track released on his 1988 album No Matter Where You At, There You Are
12. Lets Gallop to Mamou – 1988 –No Matter Where You At – Tk 3 – 2.34
We will go out with a version of DLs song The Back Door, sung in French by Emmylou Harris who was guesting on a 1998 an album called The McGarrigle Hour, put out by Canadian singer songwriter sisters Kate and Anna McGarrigle. (Kate was once married to Louden Wainwright)
13. Porte En Arriere – 1998 –The McGarrigle Hour – Tk 5 – 3.05
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)