TEXAS BLUES/ Volume 09
After our Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown post, let's stay in
Texaswith a 9
th volume of our popular series about "
Texas blues"... yesterday of course and as usual in this blog!
Bassist and bandleader Milton Willis (12 December 1929 inHouston, † 13 September 2005 inHouston) played quite frequently around Houstonduring the late 1940's before embarking in a long career in radio and broadcast programmes. He was general manager of the KODA radio station in the 1970's. Willis recorded only six tracks with his excellent Texas band comprising saxophonists like R.P. Rogers, Popeye Whitehead, Elmore Nixon on the 88s and featuring Hubert Robinson or Popeye Whitehead as vocalists. Here are four of his quite rare tracks. If anyone has his last (elusive) single and would like to share, it would be greatly appreciated.
Singer and pianist Lonnie Lyons (born 29 September 1926 inGalveston, † 12 August 1953 inHouston) also played regularly in and around Houstonwith his own and various other bands during the immediate post-war years. Strongly influenced by fellow Texans Amos Milburn and Charles Brown, Lyons recorded 13 great tracks for Freedom and Gold Star with a tough band featuring excellent guitarist Goree Carter. Some of his numbers had been widely reissued through the years but other are much hard to find. I have managed to gather all his recordings minus 4 titles. Again, if anyone would want to share those rarities, it would be great.
Singer
Mabel Franklin (born 24 August
1919 inNew Orleans - † 21 April
1997 inHouston) gained some reputation thanks to a handful of down home blues records she made with guitarist D.C. Bender between 1965 and 1967. She stopped singing the blues in the 1970's to become a Minister of God and waxed some Gospel records later on, even a whole and very rare album with her Franklin Singers
I came to Jesus.
Clarence "Candy" Green (Clarence Wilbert Green) is another two fisted Texaspianist and singer (born in Galveston 15 March 1929 - † 3 April 1988 inHouston). He recorded three 78s between 1948 and 1952, played in New York and Mexicobefore relocating in Scandinavia, playing all over Europe in night clubs and venues and alongside the Leo Wright's band, entertaining American soldiers in West Germany. He also recorded a LP for the Supraphon label, reissued on JSP. Clarence "Candy" Green must not be confused with fellow Texas guitarist Clarence Green.
Gérard HERZHAFT
MILTON WILLIS,bs; Leon"Popeye" Whitehead, a-sax; R.P. Rogers, t-sax; Joe Jones, pno; Johnnie Jackson, dms. Houston, Tx. décembre 1948
01. Five ace boogie
02. You know I love you baby (vcl: Leon Whitehead)
Milton Willis, bs; Elmore Nixon, pno; R.P. Rogers, t-sax; Johnnie Jackson, dms. Houston, Tx. février 1949
03. Little Joe's boogie
04. Three o'clock blues (vcl: Hubert Robinson)
Lost you
Take me back again
LONNIE LYONS, vcl/pno; band. Houston, Tx. 10 septembre 1947
Never trust a woman
10 o'clock jump
Lonnie Lyons, vcl/pno; Nelson Mills, tpt; Conrad Johnson, a-sax; Sam Williams, t-sax; Goree Carter, g; Louis Pitts, bs; Allison Tucker, dms. Houston, Tx. juin 1949
05. Far away blues
06. Fly chick bounce
Lonely heart blues
Barrelhouse nightcap
Lonnie Lyons, vcl/pno; Nelson Mills, tpt; Conrad Johnson, a-sax; Sam Williams, t-sax; Goree Carter, g; Louis Pitts, bs; Allison Tucker, dms. Houston, Tx. septembre 1949
07. Neat and sweet I & II
08. Helpless
09. Down in the groovy
10. Betrayed
11. Sneaky Joe
Lonnie Lyons, vcl/pno; Henry Hayes, a-sax; Goree Carter, g; Don Cooks, bs; Ben Turner, dms. Houston, Tx. 1950
12. I need romance
13. I'm waiting baby
MABEL FRANKLIN, vcl; D.C. Bender, g; C.W. Thornton, dms. Houston, Tx. 1965
14. Let's do the wiggle
15. Dream I had last night
Mabel Franklin, vcl; band. Houston, Tx. 1965
16. Come on and go
Mabel Franklin, vcl; D.C. Bender, g; Bob Goodwill, pno; Big H. Williams, g; Oscar Adams, bs; Ivory Lee Semien, dms. Houston, Tx. 11 juillet 1967
17. Lucille leave my man alone
18. Unhappy woman
19. I'm going home to rest
20. Make up your mind
Mabel Franklin, vcl; D.C. Bender, g; Big Houston Williams, bs; Ivory Lee Semien, dms. Houston, Tx. 16 juillet 1967
21. Wiggle wiggle
CLARENCE "CANDY" GREEN, vcl/pno; Johnny Fontenette, t-sax; Horace Richmond, bs; Rigs Bolden, dms. Houston, Tx. 1948
22. Galveston blues
23. Green's bounce
Clarence "Candy" Green, vcl/pno; Bill Harvey, t-sax; tpt; a-sax; Fred Ford, b-sax; Johnny Parker, bs; dms. Houston, Tx. 1950
24. Hard headed woman
25. Until the end
Clarence "Candy" Green, vcl/pno; Rathe Lee, t-sax; Kinroy Bailey, bs; Lawrence Harris, dms. Houston, Tx. 1952
26. My time is your time
27. Bye baby bye
