Cat. No. BCD 17749: ROY BROWN ~ ROCKS. BEAR FAMILY BCD 17749.
THE NAME ROY BROWN IS MAINLY SYNONYMOUS WITH BLUES, JUMP BLUES AND RHYTHM & BLUES, HOWEVER, IN THE LATE 1950s HE MADE A BRIEF SOJOURN INTO ROCKABILLY AND ROCK'N'ROLL. ROY BROWN WAS BORN IN EITHER NEW ORLEANS OR KINDER 0N SEPTEMBER 10, 1920 (BIOS USUALLY REPORT THE YEARS AS 1925, BUT HIS GRAVESTONE CITES 1920). ROY HAILED FROM A MUSICAL FAMILY, HIS MOTHER, TRUE LOVE BROWN, WAS A CHOIR DIRECTOR AND ORGANIST, ACCOUNTING FOR HIS ENDURING GOSPEL INFLUENCES. ROY FORMED A SANCTIFIED QUARTET AT AGE 13. TOILING IN THE SUGARCANE FIELDS OUTSIDE OF EUNICE, LA, HE ABSORBED THE WORK SONGS HIS FELLOW FIELD HANDS SANG AS THEY CUT CANE. TRUE LOVE DIED WHEN ROY WAS 14. AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN HOUSTON, ROY EVENTUALLY HEADED WEST TO LOS ANGELES IN 1945 WHERE AT L.A.'S MILLION DOLLAR THEATER HE CROONED A COUPLE OF BING CROSBY NUMBERS AT AN AMATEUR CONTEST TO COP FIRST PRIZE. AFTER A FEW MORE TRIUMPHS AROUND THE CITY OF ANGELS, BROWN RETURNED TO HOUSTON. HIS UNUSUAL REPERTOIRE, THEN CONSISTING SOLEY OF POP SONGS WAS SOMETHING OF A NOVELTY FOR A BLACK SINGER. THAT ATTRACTED THE INTEREST OF THE SHREVEPORT, LA NIGHTCLUB BILLY RILEY'S PALACE PARK WHICH HIRED HIM AS A VOCALIST AND EMCEE. BROWN PERFORMED THERE FOR NINE MONTHS AND BEGAN TO ADD BLUES MATERIAL TO HIS SET LIST BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE TIPS WERE.
FROM THERE, ROY MOVED TO GALVESTON, TEXAS, ONCE AGAIN AVOIDING BLUES ALTOGETHER IN FAVOUR OF NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH FRANK SINATRA AND OTHER MAINSTREAM CROONERS. ROY PUT TOGETHER HIS OWN BAND, THE MELODEERS, WHEN HE SETTLED INTO ANOTHER GALVESTON NIGHTSPOT, THE CLUB GRENADA. HE STARRED ON A PROGRAM ON GALVESTON'S KGBC RADIO ON THE SIDE. BUT ROY WROTE SOMETHING SPECIAL DURING HIS STINT THAT CROSBY WOULD NEVER POSSESS THE LUNGPOWER TO TACKLE. THINKING HIMSELF UNSUITED TO SING HIS NEW CREATION GOOD ROCKING TONIGHT AS A BALLADEER, HE INSTRUCTED HIS TRUMPET PLAYER, WILBERT BROWN, TO SING IT. DURING ONE BROADCAST, WILBERT WAS STRICKEN WITH A DEBILITATING CASE OF INDIGESTION, FORCING ROY TO BELT OUT THE ROMPING THEME HIMSELF. ROY'S THRILLING HIGH-PITCHED SHOUTING GENERATED PLENTY OF PHONE CALLS TO THE STATION INQUIRING AS TO WHO THE NEW SINGER WAS. THAT NIGHT AT THE CLUB, PATRONS REQUESTED ROY TO PERFORM HIS NEW ANTHEM AND AS THEY SAY THE REST IS HISTORY, ROY BROWN'S CAREER WAS OFF AND RUNNING. THIS ALBUM FEATURES 30 OF SOME OF THE GREATEST ROCKIN' BLUES EVER PUT DOWN WAX GLEANED FROM ROY'S INCREDIBLE CAREER. ABSOLUTELY SUPERB ******
TRACK LISTING: Saturday Nite / Butcher Pete (Part 1) / Rocking All The Time / I've Got The Last Laugh Now / I'm Ready To Play / Good Rockin' Man / Train Time Blues / Good Rocking Tonight / Gal From Kokomo / Mr. Hound Dog's In Town / Riding High / Rockin' At Midnight / Let The Four Winds Blow / Good Man Blues / Cadillac Baby / Hip Shakin' Baby / Hurry Hurry Baby (alt. take) / Rock-A-Bye Baby / Shake 'em Up Baby / Love Don't Love Nobody / Boogie At Midnight / Black Diamond / We're Goin' Rockin' Tonight / Bar Room Blues / Ain't Gonna Do It / Beautician Blues / New Rebecca / Letter From Home / Butcher Pete (Part 2) / Ain't No Rocking No More.
CD DIGI-PAK (ECO-PAK) NEW
