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lanalovesdoowop liked a video
(6 days ago)
He was one bad dude, strutting across the stage like a harp-toting gangs...
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He was one bad dude, strutting across the stage like a harp-toting gangster, mesmerizing the crowd with his tough-guy antics and rib-sticking Chicago blues attack. Amazingly, Junior Wells kept at precisely this sort of thing for over 40 years -- he was an active performer from the dawn of the 1950s to his death in the late '90s.
Born in Memphis, Wells learned his earliest harp licks from another future legend, Little Junior Parker, before he came to Chicago at age 12. In 1950, the teenager passed an impromptu audition for guitarists Louis and David Myers at a house party on the South side, and the Deuces were born. When drummer Fred Below came aboard, they changed their name to the Aces.
Little Walter left Muddy Waters in 1952 (in the wake of his hit instrumental, "Juke"), and Wells jumped ship to take his place with Waters. That didn't stop the Aces (who joined forces with Little Walter) from backing Wells on his initial sessions for States Records, though -- his debut date produced some seminal Chicago blues efforts, including his first reading of "Hoodoo Man," a rollicking "Cut That Out," and the blazing instrumentals "Eagle Rock" and "Junior's Wail."
More fireworks ensued the next year when he encored for States with a mournful "So All Alone" and the jumping "Lawdy! Lawdy!" (Muddy Waters moonlighted on guitar for the session). Already Wells was exhibiting his tempestuous side -- he was allegedly AWOL from the Army at the time.
In 1957, Wells hooked up with producer Mel London, who owned the Chief and Profile logos. The association resulted in many of Wells's most enduring sides, including "I Could Cry" and the rock & rolling "Lovey Dovey Lovely One" in 1957; the grinding national R&B hit "Little by Little" (with Willie Dixon providing vocal harmony) in 1959, and the R&B-laced classic "Messin' with the Kid" in 1960 (sporting Earl Hooker's immaculate guitar work). Wells's harp was de-emphasized during this period on record in favor of his animated vocals.
With Bob Koester producing, the harpist cut an all-time classic LP for Delmark in 1965. Hoodoo Man Blues vividly captured the feel of a typical Wells set at Theresa's Lounge, even though it was cut in a studio. With Buddy Guy (initially billed as "Friendly Chap" due to his contract with Chess) providing concise lead guitar, Wells laid down definitive versions of "Snatch It Back and Hold It," "You Don't Love Me," and "Chittlin' Con Carne."
The harpist made his second appearance on the national R&B lists in 1968 with a funky James Brown-tinged piece, "You're Tuff Enough," for Mercury's feisty Blue Rock logo. Wells had been working in this bag for some time, alarming the purists but delighting R&B fans; his brass-powered 1966 single for Bright Star, "Up in Heah," had previously made a lot of local noise.
After a fine mid-'70s set for Delmark (On Tap), little was heard from Wells on vinyl for an extended spell, though he continued to enjoy massive appeal at home (Theresa's was his principal haunt for many a moon) and abroad (whether on his own or in partnership with Guy; they opened for the Rolling Stones on one memorable tour and cut an inconsistent but interesting album for Atco in the early '70s).
Toward the end of his career, Wells just didn't seem to be into recording anymore; a pair of sets for Telarc in the early '90s were major disappointments, but his last studio session, 1997's Come on in This House, found him on the rebound and the critics noticed -- the album won the W.C. Handy Blues Award for Traditional Blues Album in 1997. Even when he came up short in the studio, Wells remained a potent live attraction, cutting a familiar swaggering figure, commanding the attention of everyone in the room with one menacing yelp or a punctuating blast from his amplified harmonica. He continued performing until he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in the summer of 1997. That fall, he suffered a heart attack while undergoing treatment, sending him into a coma. Wells stayed in the coma until he passed away on January 15, 1998. A handful of compilations were released shortly after his death, as was the film Blues Brothers 2000, which featured a cameo by Wells.
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DISCLAIMER: All rights reserved to the production companies and music la...
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DISCLAIMER: All rights reserved to the production companies and music labels that distributed and produced the music and performance respectively. I've only added the footage as a tribute for historical, entertainment, and creative purposes with no financial gain. Copyright infringement not intended.
The Dells "Why Do You Have To Go" Vee-Jay 204 A 1957
The Dells started singing in 1953 in Harvey, Ill. They would soon got a contract with Checker. Originally called the El Rays, they released "Darling I Know" soon afterwards. Later, they moved to Vee Jay records of Chicago, and their fantastic career really took off. In a matter of years, they were the top group. Their smash hit, "Oh What A Nite" is now one of the all-time hits of R&B history. The group is composed of Jerry Funches, Michael McGIll, Verne Allison, Chas. Barksdale, and Marvin Junior. One of the most beloved of all the 50s groups is the Dells.
They practiced where they could: in school, in hallways, in a local ice cream parlor, on street corners (where, on one occasion, some music lover on high dumped a pail of water on them). Mickey McGill decided that the "El Rays" was a neat-sounding name; after all, it meant "the kings" in Spanish. In late 1953 or early 1954, they journeyed to Chicago to try out for Chess Records (Leonard Chess himself conducted the audition). Chess was impressed enough to set up a session.
On February 17, 1954, the El Rays recorded four sides: "Christine," "Darling, I Know," "Whing Ding All Night," and "So Long." On at least "So Long" (and possibly "Whing Ding All Night"), they're backing up Willie Dixon.
When nothing happened with the disc, Lucius McGill, who decided that he wasn't all that interested in show business, quit to get a "real" job. The five remaining El Rays crossed South Cottage Grove Avenue to see what Vee-Jay could do for them. (In those days, Chess was at #4750; Vee-Jay was at 4747.) Not only did Vivian and Jimmy Bracken's Vee-Jay Records welcome them with open arms, but also got them to give up on that clunky (and, did I mention, incorrect) El Rays name. Now they were the "Dells."
The Dells Almost a year to the day after their Checker session (February 19, 1955), the Dells recorded "Tell The World" and "Goodbye" for Vee-Jay. While "Tell The World" was a great way to start things off, I imagine that "Goodbye" was somewhat less than perfect, since it has still to see the light of day. When it came time for Vee-Jay to release "Tell The World" (April 1955), they backed it with "Blues At Three," a Count Morris instrumental that had been sitting in the can since December 20, 1953.
By the late summer of 1956, Chuck Barksdale had returned to the Dells, in time for their September 5 session. That day they recorded "It Takes Time," "I Wanna Go Home," "When You Kiss Me," and "Movin' On."
The Dells' next session was held on January 11, 1957, when they recorded: "Why Do You Have To Go," "A Distant Love," "Dance, Dance, Dance," "Pain In My Heart," and "You're Still In My Heart."
The next week (January 18), they were back at the Apollo, this time with a Hal Jackson show. Also on the bill were Bill Doggett, the 3 Friends, Gene & Eunice, Big Jay McNeely, Vickie Nelson, and Baby Lawrence.
Vee-Jay issued "Why Do You Have To Go," backed with "Dance, Dance, Dance." These were reviewed (both "excellent") on March 9, along with Bob ("The Wanderer") Kornegay's "The Man In The Phone Booth," the Moonglows' "Don't Say Goodbye," the Jivers' "Ray Pearl," the Colts' "Sheik Of Araby," Johnnie & Joe's "Over The Mountain, Across The Sea," the Crystals' "I Love My Baby," and Dale (Sam Cooke) Cook's "Forever." On April 13, "Why Do You Have To Go" was a Tip in Los Angeles.
Turntable used: Audio Technica AT-LP120 USB Direct Drive inputted straight into the sound card using the built-in pre-amp from the turntable.
Cartridge used: SHURE M78S using 78 3 mil needle..
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