Ever since Johnny Otis died recently, I've been thinking about all the great musicians and singers who he surrounded himself with, including Ivory Joe Hunter, Esther Phillips, Big Joe Turner, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, and Johnny's son, Shuggie. Otis seemed to have a special affinity for Texas and Texan musicians. One of the first labels Otis recorded for was Houston's Peacock Records. And one of Otis' longtime sidemen was Texas guitarist Pee Wee Crayton. Here's Crayton celebrating his roots.
Despite knowing she was gravely ill, it was still a shock to hear this morning that Etta James had died. And what kind of cosmic energy was at hand for her to pass just days after Johnny Otis--the man who discovered 16-year-old Jamesetta Hawkins in 1954, re-named her Etta James, and recorded her first songs. Her hard-knock story is now well known, but if you want to know the details, read her appropriately-titled autobiography: "Rage to Survive."
Etta was raw. The one time I saw her live, in 1986, she waddled out on stage, turned her back to the audience, leaned over a stool, and shook her then-considerable ass at the crowd. Another time, I boarded an airplane and there she was in the front row. I expressed my admiration for her music and she seemed surprised to be recognized. Uh, Etta, you were hard to miss.
I first heard this song on the jukebox at my dad's bar when I was about six. It's always been my favorite of hers. (This version is actually from an album of Chess label remixes.) Etta's early hero was Billie Holiday. Thank goodness that Etta's rage to survive kept her from Lady Day's fate.
Etta James was 73.
Download 09 My Dearest Darling (remix)
I decided to add the original version of "My Dearest Darling" because the string arrangement by a Chicago bandleader named Riley Hampton is so fantastic. The combination of those swirling strings with the baritone sax is what makes this song so great. Found this in the Chicago Sun-Times obit:
Saxophonist Riley Hampton had been recruited to create the lush arrangements with string sections that had never been used at Chess. The label hit the jackpot, counterpointing Hampton’s sweet pop strings with Mrs. James’ direct blues-jazz style.
Download 02 My Dearest Darling
I'm not sure where to start with Johnny Otis, who died this week at the age of 90. The word is tossed around too casually, but he really was a legend. He was a musician, band leader, producer, promoter, club owner, talent scout, DJ, TV show host, minister, activist, author. He discovered Etta James, among many other R&B greats. His son, pictured above, is the amazing guitarist Shuggie Otis. If you want to learn all about Otis and his time on L.A.'s Central Avenue, read this book. Oh, and in case you didn't know, Johnny Otis was white. He was born in Northern California to Greek immigrant parents. But he adopted black culture as his own and he was embraced by that community as one of their own. Johnny Otis produced this song (by Johnny Ace) and that's him playing the vibraphone. God bless him.
I was initially confused when I read the recent obituary of Bobby Purify, one-half of James & Bobby Purify, the duo that had a big hit in 1966 with Dan Penn's "I'm Your Puppet." First of all, there seemed to be two Bobby Purifys--one born Robert Dickey, the other born Ben Moore. Turned out that Dickey (right) was the original Bobby Purify. He took on the surname of his cousin James Purify when they teamed up. According to the obit: "Dickey abandoned his music career in 1972, and was replaced in the duo by Ben Moore, who became the new 'Bobby Purify.' Mr. Dickey returned to Tallahassee, where he became a city maintenance supervisor. But he continued to sing and play guitar with his church and as a member of the Bethlehem Male Singers."
But while the cousins were together, they had a nice little string of hits, though Dickey wasn't crazy about the song that brought them fame: “I hated it,” he said of "I'm Your Puppet," which he noted had originally been intended as a B-side. Recalling the grueling recording session, he explained, “I sang it for 23 hours straight; that’s why I hate it.”
So, as a tribute of sorts to Dickey, here's another one of their hits:
Download 09 Let Love Come Between Us
I recently came across this funky version of "Auld Lang Syne" by an outfit called Husky Team, who made a mash-up of sorts with Booker T & the MGs' "Green Onions." Here's to a safe, happy and sublime 2012 to all you readers of this humble blog. Hope your new year is filled with love, peace, and chicken grease.
When my daughter was a tyke, every year we'd curl up on the couch and watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Now she has a daughter of her own. That's Isabella Jewell Bowman, celebrating her first Christmas. I can't wait to watch "Charlie Brown Christmas" with her. Here's my favorite song from Vince Guaraldi's great soundtrack, this version by Shelby Lynne. Have a sublime Christmas everyone. Thanks for reading and listening.
Download 03 Christmas Time Is Here
Etta James is reportedly on her death bed so I'm reprising a song from a previous year's countdown. She had a hard knock life, but kept getting up and making strong and soulful music. There haven't been many voices like hers and there won't be many to come. Here's my favorite song from her 1998 Christmas album. God bless you, Miss Etta.
More from the small world file: back in the mid-'90s, my dear friend Davis Sprinkle (yes, that's really his name) introduced me to an old friend of his, a New Yorker named John Rynski. Turns out John had been part of the Kid Creole & the Coconuts circle back in the '80s. John is a brilliant photographer and he documented the band during its heyday. John dabbles in music himself (that's him holding the skeleton) and he put together this project, which involves many KC veterans. Enjoy!
I imagine Christmas at the McGarrigle household was quite the lively affair, especially when they gathered 'round the piano with Kate's kids, Martha and Rufus Wainwright. Here's a nice song featuring Rufus. Hard to believe it's been almost two years since Kate passed away.
Download 02 Spotlight On Christmas
My pal Rob Meurer (see previous post) is a fellow music hound and e-mails a daily song to whoever wants to be on his list. (It's called Tuna Day. Get it? Tune-a-Day. Yes, he's kind of corny.) He turned me on to this amazing song from 1929 by the Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers. As Rob put it, it's "some kind of wonderful hybrid of early jazz and country spiritual." (If you'd like to be on Rob's list, shoot me an e-mail and I'll forward your address to him.)
02 Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn
