OKeh, 1952
The OKeh '6800' series was the fifties revival of the subsidiary of Columbia, after having been being discontinued for quite some years. Many people remember OKeh as an important Rhythm & Blues and Soul label, and it's this series, that ran until 1970, that they remember.
The connection between the label and African American music is much older though. It dates from 1920, when Otto K.E. Heinemann, owner of the label, started to find new markets for his records and found them in specialty releases for ethnic groups, such as Yiddish, Polish, Irish and German. An experiment to record some sides of blues singer Mamie Smith led to a million-selling smash with her Crazy Blues. Soon, OKeh started a separate series for this newfound market and started recording blues singers all over the country in mobile studios.
Today music from the fifties series of the label. I did a show on the label over a year ago - and here is where I ended last time.
Playlist
- Wild Bill Davis - Chicken Gumbo (OKeh 6836)
- It's Too Late Baby - Chuck Willis (6841)
- Big Three Trio - Tell That Woman (6842)
- Ravens - That Old Gang Of Mine (6843)
- Titus Turner - Don't Take Everybody To Be Your Friend (6844)
- Paul Gayten - Lonesome For My Baby (6847)
- Larry Darnell - Left My Baby (6848)
- Chris Powell - That's Right (6850)
- Annie Laurie - Get Me Some Money (6852)
- Treniers - It Rocks! It Rolls! It Swings! (6853)
- Red Saunders - Hambone (6862)
- Big Three Trio - Blue Because Of You (6863)
- Hadda Brooks - Time Was When (6865)
- Bill Davis - Azure 'Te (6867)
- Larry Darnell - Boogie Oogie (6869)
- Arnett Cobb - Jumpin' the Blues (6872)
- Chuck Willis - Loud Mouth Lucy (6873)
Outtro:
- Wild Bill Moore Sextette - Bongo Bounce
- Kirk Kirkland - The Saxaphone Rag
- Arnett Cobb - Charmaine (OKeh 6851)
- Arnett Cobb - I'm in the Mood for Love (6851)
- Red Saunders - Boot 'Em Up (6862)
- Bill Davis - Rough Ridin' (6867)