This transcript of the radio show is an approximation of what I said in the show. The real spoken parts may differ slightly.
And today a mix of music that was too long to fit on one side of the record - and to avoid the technical limit of some 3 minute 20 for a 78, the music just continued on the flip. There's actually quite a few of these records to find. And let me start with an early one. Here is J.T. Funny Paper Smith in a duet with some Magnolia Harris. Now it's sometimes suggested the woman was Victoria Spivey but her voice sounds different. From 1930 on the Vocalion label here is Mama's Quittin' and Leavin'.
01 - J.T. 'Funny Paper' Smith and Magnolia Harris - Mama's Quittin' and Leavin'
02 - Victoria Spivey with Lonnie Johnson - You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now
And another blues duet, this were Lonnie Johnson and Victoria Spivey with You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now. Blues duets are a pretty rare phenomenon - I don't know of but a handful of good examples, most of them of Lonnie and Victoria. This one was from 1929 recorded for the OKeh label.
And more old-time blues with this 1935 recording for Vocalion of Blind Teddy Darby. Darby was a close friend of Peetie Wheatstraw and only escaped the deadly car accident that Wheatstraw got involved in because his wife objected him going for a ride with his friend. By then, he already had quit singing the blues and he'd devoted his time to the Lord as a deacon - until he was rediscovered in the sixties.
Here he is with the double-sider I'm Gonna Wreck Your Vee Eight Ford.
03 - Blind Teddy Darby - I'm Gonna Wreck Your Vee Eight
04 - Jimmie Gordon - Jacksonville
Jimmie Gordon - a pretty obscure bluesman - most that's known about him concerns his sessions for Decca. In this song, titled Jacksonville, he's just alone accompanying himself piano but on some of his Decca sides he is billed with his Vip Vop Band, and that were some studio musicians that backed up most of Decca's sessions for the Race series, like Charlie and Joe McCoy and Scrapper Blackwell. He did a last session for the King label in 1946 with a more modern sounding outfit called the Bip Bop Band, and nothing was ever heard of this man since.
Next from 1948 Pearl Taylor with the band of Howard McGhee with one of the many versions of Around the Clock - originally an invention of Trixie Smith who first recorded her song on 12 hours of lovemaking in 1922. Now most of the forties versions were double-siders so the song didn't have to be rushed - which fits the subject much better.
Here they are on the Modern Music label, with Around The Clock.
05 - Howard McGhee feat. Pearl Taylor - Around The Clock
06 - Detroit Count - Hastings Street Opera
Hastings Street Opera on the Detroit based JVB label - one of these indie record companies that worked out of a music store and the Detroit Count, as the singer bills himself, actually mentions this shop that was on Hastings Street. JVB was owned by a Black man, Joseph Battle, but on his business card it was Joe Von Battle - such a more European sounding name may well have helped him as there were a lot of people who refused doing business with African Americans.
Next from 1950 on the New Orleans based Imperial label, Leon T. Gross, on the label billed as Archibald, with the song he's known best for - his version of the blues classic Stack-a-Lee.
07 - Archibald - Stack A Lee
(jingle)
08 - Clarence Gatemouth Brown - Pale Dry Boogie
09 - Gene Ammons - Big Slam
And that was over fifteen minutes of great music without me moving my blabber mouth just once, well you don't get 'em like that that often. After the Stack A Lee blues that was the Pale Dry Boogie on the Peacock label from 1951 - and you heard Clarence Gatemouth Brown. And finally the Big Slam, that was a lot of saxophone noise of Gene Ammons from 1953 on the United label.
Well I had to sqeeze 18 sides in the hour and I succeeded by cutting short on my stories. Whatever was left well you can read it back on my website - and you can easiest get there by searching Google for the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman. This show was number 206 in that long list of shows that I done up to now. And if you liked the music, well there's always the chance to let me know, drop me a line on my e-mail address, that is rockingdutchman@rocketmail.com. Feedback is greatly appreciated and I'll always write you back.
Next week there will be more Rhythm & Blues from me. Don't get the blues waiting for that. See you next time, here on the Legends of the Rocking Dutchman!