Marvin Rainwater RIP

It seems that not a day goes by at the moment without a singer or musician passing on. Today there are more to report, chief among them being Marvin Rainwater, who scored a number one UK hit in 1958 with Whole Lotta Woman.
Marvin was 25 per cent Cherokee and regularly wore Native American outfits on stage. Born in 1925 in Kansas, he began as a country singer and had a US hit on MGM with Gonna Find Me A Bluebird before heading toward rockabilly with Whole Lotta Woman, I Dig You Baby (also a top 20 UK hit), Nothin' Needs Nothin' (Like I Need You), Halfbreed and Boo Hoo. He developed throat cancer but recovered sufficiently to appear at rock and roll festivals in Europe, including the UK. He had four EPs and one ten inch LP released in the UK at the time. I bought the US 12 inch version (pictured below) of his classic LP earlier this year in the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. Here's his biggest hit.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI779PpIezg

I've heard of two other music deaths today, one of whom is Bobby Mansfield, lead singer of New York doowop group the Wrens. Here's their biggest hit, Come Back My Love.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sG2yI-9Pqw
The other is Willie 'Slim' Ayres, lead singer of gospel group the Morning Echoes of Detroit.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78UQYT_lIk0
On a happier note I picked up a couple of great London 45s which were gaps in my collection today at the car boot. First here's the great Solomon Burke with Cry To Me and its equally good B side I Almost Lost My Mind. Country soul at its very best.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEu8DrO9PbY    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0xv5Gts4e4

Finally, here's the last Johnny Cash Sun 45 to be released on London - Oh Lonesome Me, backed with Life Goes On. Another excellent double sider.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLA-F9gD38g    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1OWt7b0Xjg