“Let the Good Times Roll” - Performed by Ray Charles (1960)

Ray Charles - Let The Good Times Roll (1960)

The first “Let the Good Times Roll” was recorded in 1946 by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, and became a # 2 hit on the R&B chart. The song was written by “Lovin’” Sam Theard (1904-1982), a New Orleans born blues singer and songwriter, and was co-credited to Fleecie Moore. Moore was Louis Jordan’s wife, and was sometimes given credit on songs which Jordan himself had written, to get around music publishing restrictions. This “Let the Good Times Roll” was also recorded later by Ray Charles and B. B. King. (SOURCE)

The genius that was Ray Charles Robinson covered his idol’s (Louis Jordan) classic hit “Let The Good Times Roll” in 1960.  Ray’s single, released on Atlantic records was b/w “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin’” (another #3 R&B chart topper for Louis Jordan in 1946).  Charles sang his vocal over a lush orchestral backing just as Dinah Washington had done a year earlier on her Grammy award winning version of “What a Diff’rence A Day Makes.”

With his rendition of “Let the Good Times Roll,” Charles won the third Grammy ever in the R&B category –  The Best Rhythm and Blues Performance 1960.

Here is a 1973 live performance of the song for your viewing and listening pleasure.

So much has been written about Ray Charles that I have decided not to go into detail on his life. I am sure that if you are a music lover and are are reading this blog you have seen the wonderful, Academy Award winning  biopic on the Genius. To refresh yourself on the details of Charles’ life you may check out the wonderful Official Ray Charles Site.

I appreciate your visit.

Jacksons honored by BMI

Posted: Mon., Aug. 4, 2008, 9:57am PT
Michael and his brothers recognized
By DANA HARRIS

The Jacksons will be named BMI Icons at the organization’s eighth annual Urban Awards ceremony Sept. 4.
The Icon award will recognize the achievements of the six Jackson brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael and Randy. The first group to have their first four singles hit #1, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 as the Jackson 5.

The entire Variety mention  can be found here.

“What a Diff’rence a Day Makes” - Performed by Dinah Washington (1959)

Dinah Washington - What A Diff’rence a Day Makes (1959)

This fabulous rendition of the Spanish song, “Cuando Vuelva A Tu Lado”, written by Mexican composer Maria Grever in 1934, had the English lyrics written by  Stanley Adams.  How ironic that what started out as a Spanish bolero song ends up as an Americanized ballad winning the second ever R&B Grammy award — specifically the Best Rhythm and Blues Performance 1959.

This cover had previously been done by jazz vocalist Kay Starr, saxophonist Benny Carter and of course there was the original hit version  by The Dorsey Brothers Swing Band in 1934.  Some of you may even recall there was a  subsequent hit disco version remake by Ester Phillips in 1975:  I liked it very much and in fact whenever I think of the song I think of Ms. Phillips version.

Miss Washington’s award winning version appeared on her 1959 Mercury Records album of the same name.  The ballad “WADADM”, arranged by Belford Hendricks, finally made Miss Washington a  “crossover pop star” even though she had been in the business performing in clubs as a pianist and singer since 1942.

Born, Ruth Lee Jones,  Washington also  performed with Salle Martin ’s gospel choir as Ruth Jones as early as 1940.  And even as a youngster, she was raised in the church, played piano and directed her church choir.  So as you can see she had been paying her dues!

Ruth Jones became the vocalist for Lionel Hampton’s band in 1943 when she became Dinah Washington. My research turned up a few different scenarios as to how she came up with the name change. But under any name she was destined for solo stardom. She left Hampton in 1946 and began her solo career.

After her Grammy sucess she started singing only ballads but she could sing blues, jazz, gospel, pop — anything she wanted. Unfortunalty, she died an unexpected accidental death from a lethal combination of diet pills and alcohol in December 1963, so we will never know to what other heights  her career could have taken her.

Miss Washington was inducted in the the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993

R.I.P. Miss Washington - you deserved the title “The Queen of the Blues.’”

Thanks for checking in.

“Tequila” - Performed by The Champs (1958)

Let’s welcome in the last month of summer, August, on this bright and beautiful Friday morning.

I think I will stick with changing the musical theme monthly for a while longer on this blog, and this month I will be concentrating on “Grammy Gold” — specifically the R&B category since the last few months have been Pop oriented.

There are many, many music awards now in the 21st century, but the first was The Grammy! As defined at the Official Grammy.com web site:

“The recording industry’s most prestigious award, the GRAMMY, is presented annually by The Recording Academy. A GRAMMY is awarded by The Recording Academy’s voting membership to honor excellence in the recording arts and sciences. It is truly a peer honor, awarded by and to artists and technical professionals for artistic or technical achievement, not sales or chart positions (GRAMMY Awards Process). The annual GRAMMY Awards presentation brings together thousands of creative and technical professionals in the recording industry from all over the world.”

The first Grammy Awards were presented by The Recording Academy in 1958. There was only ONE category for R&B music and that was Best Rhythm and Blues Performance of 1958 with the Grammy going to the performing artist.  The first winner was “Tequila” as performed by The Champs. Yes I know you are saying the same thing I am — “Shouldn’t this have been in the instrumental pop category?” or “Isn’t this Mexican Rock and not R&B?”

Well no matter what we may think in 2008 — the Academy called it R&B fifty years ago in 1958. Guess they got off to a somewhat rocky start. Eh?

The Champs - Tequila  [1958]

The Champs were an instrumental Latin/R&B quintet formed in Los Angeles in 1957 made up of Challenge Records executive Dave Burgess on guitar and session players Buddy Bruce on guitar, Chuck Rio (born Daniel Flores) on saxophone, Cliff Hills on bass, and Gene Alden on drums.

Tequila was the B-site for The Champs single release “Train To Nowhere”  for the label Challenge Records.

Personally I never heard the A-side but we all know that the B-side went on to top both the Pop and R&B charts in 1958 at #1and stayed there for 19 weeks! This song was written in the studio, by Chuck Rio, after the A-side was recorded and the players realized they needed something to put on the other side of the record. Shouting “Tequila” was just to fill up the “gaps” in the musical sequences.

After 1958 the group had many personnel changes and never a hit as big as “Tequila”. You may read more detail about the group’s transitions over the years at “The Champs (1958-1965) Page” and “The History of Rock.com”

I appreciate your visit.

August Musical Birthdays

August Musical birthdays have been posted. Just click on the link in the right-hand sidebar to see the list of celebrants and a vintage performance of  Linda Ronstadt, Kermit D. Frog and The Muppet Chorus singing “When I Grow Too Old To Dream” (circa 1981) composed by Oscar Hammerstein and Sigmund Romberg.

August’s flower is the gladiolus or poppy, and its birthstone is the peridot.

Thanks for your time.