Charlie Thomas of the Drifters RIP

Sad to hear that Charlie Thomas, a member of the Drifters during their golden age of the late fifties and sixties, has died aged 85. Originally from Lynchburg, Virginia, Charlie was the lead singer on 'Sweets For My Sweet' and 'When My Little Girl Is Smiling' and sang tenor on many other classic hits, including 'This Magic Moment', 'Save The Last Dance For Me, 'Up On The Roof', 'There Goes My Baby', 'On Broadway' and 'Under The Boardwalk'. He joined a group called the Five Crowns along with Ben E King which won an amateur show at the Apollo and he sang lead on the group's 'Kiss and Make Up', written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. This led to George Treadwell, the Drifters' manager, hiring the group as a new line up for the Drifters in 1958 and the start of their great run of hits. He left the group in 1967 but later led his own version of the group for many years, including at the Long Island Doowop Festival in 2014 (pictured above). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. RIP Charlie.

Barrett Strong RIP

In the winter of 1959/60 my interest in music was just developing and I was blown away by one record I heard on Radio Luxembourg, namely 'Money' by Barrett Strong. It wasn't a hit and I was not to know that it was the precursor of the Motown sound that was to become so successful in the 1960s and 70s. It became one of the most covered songs of the era, with both the Beatles and Stones (among others) making somewhat unconvincing attempts at the song. As for Barrett Strong, he recorded some singles for Atco ('Seven Sins') and VeeJay and went on to become one of Motown's most successful songwriters with a string of hits for the Temptations in combination with Norman Whitfield, including 'Cloud Nine', 'Psychedelic Shack', 'I Can't Get Next To You', 'Ball Of Confusion' and 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone'. Other big hits included 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' for Gladys Knight and the Pips and Marvin Gaye, 'War' for Edwin Starr and 'Wherever I Lay My Hat' for Marvin Gaye. When Motown moved away from Detroit Barrett resumed his recording career with the albums 'Stronghold' and 'Live and Love' for Capitol. I'm sorry to hear of his death at the age of 81. RIP.

Johnny Powers RIP - updated

Johnny Powers, the only man to record for both Sun and Motown, has died at the age of 84. Originally from Detroit, he recorded some rockabilly numbers for the local Fox and Fortune labels, including his best known record 'Long Blond Hair' before joining Sun, which released one single, 'With Your Love, With Your Kiss'. He became the first white male musician to joing Motown when he was signed by Berry Gordy in 1960 but focused on writing and producing. In recent years he was a regular on the rockabilly circuit and I saw him at Viva Las Vegas in 2018 (pictured above), when he sang 'Mean Mistreater' and 'With Your Kiss'.

There have been quite a few other deaths over recent weeks. These include Keith Beaton, who was a member of seventies soul group Blue Magic. Also Jeff Beck, widely regarded as one of the best British guitarists of the rock era, but who will sadly be remembered for 'Hi Ho Silver Lining', which is on a par with 'Sweet Caroline' as one of the most annoying sports anthems ever. Also Lisa-Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis, who also recorded (although nothing to compare with her dad). And Fred White, drummer with one of the most successful disco and funk bands of the seventies and eighties Earth, Wind and Fire.

Update March 20. Sorry to hear of the death, aged 81, of David Crosby, a key member of the Byrds in their earlier years and, of course, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Amazing to think that he lived as long as he did, given his history of drug taking. But he had a superb voice and was a political activist as well. Here are some of the Byrds albums that featured David.

Chicago Blues at the 100 Club

This year's London Blues Festival kicked off in great style last night with two Chicago legends - John Primer and Billy Branch - performing at the 100 Club, supported by rising guitar star Jamiah Rogers. Rearranged from this time last year because of Covid, the place was packed with blues lovers, many of whom had been holding on to their tickets for over 12 months. I noticed both Errol Linton and Little George Sueref among the audience members. Billed as a 'Chicago Blues Explosion' the show began with 27 year old Jamiah Rogers (pictured below), a guitarist in the Jimi Hendrix mould who is good to watch, with lively foot work and behind the head guitar playing, but a bit heavy for my taste at times. His set included the Rolling Stones' 'Miss You', 'What'd I Say' and 'The Sky Is Crying'.

A good start to the evening, but things stepped up a gear with the arrival on stage of John Primer (top photo), a very fine guitarist, who has played with everyone from Junior Wells to Muddy Waters, Magic Slim, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor and Syl Johnson. He was born in Mississippi and moved to Chicago at the age of 18 becoming a member of the house band at Theresa's on the South Side, before joining the Junior Wells band. Now 77, I first saw him at the 100 Club in 1994 and he doesn't look a great deal different. His guitar playing too is as solid as ever and at times exciting: I particularly enjoyed his storming version of 'Mannish Boy'. Well supported by the band, with Giles Robson on harmonica, his set also included an excellent version of 'Stick Close Together'. This was Chicago blues at its best and it was good to see him again at the 100 Club.

Final act of the evening was ace harmonica player Billy Branch (pictured above), who was joined on stage by John Primer and Jamiah Rogers. Billy is a regular at blues festivals around the world and is a superb harp player. He was a member of the Chicago Blues All Stars, led by Willie Dixon, before forming his own band the Sons of Blues. His set included enjoyable versions of 'Blues With A Feeling' and 'My Babe' and he credited the UK with 'saving the blues' back in the sixties. His final number, 'Who's Loving You Tonight', featured an extended walk through the audience. Another excellent performance and much appreciated by the crowd. The trio are due to play another show this evening and the festival continues over the next couple of weeks with shows by Big Boy Bloater, Sister Cookie, Nine Below Zero, Sarah Brown, the Animals, Chris Corcoran and Dr Feelgood. Photo below shows John Primer and Jamiah Rogers together.

Errol Dunkley at the Jazz Cafe

Jamaican rocksteady singer Errol Dunkley was just 14 when he recorded for the first time, his voice yet to break. He recorded with Prince Buster, Joe Gibbs, Coxsone Dodd and Jimmy Ranway among others in Jamaica before moving to the UK in the early seventies. He has said that he was one of the first people to bring a sound system out of Jamaica. Now 71 he continues to entertain and bring joy as his show at the Jazz Cafe last night demonstrated. Looking dapper in a brightly coloured jacket and wearing a hat Errol smiled throughout his one hour set, despite numerous false starts to his songs. Supported by an excellent band he started with 'Movie Star', a song he self produced for his own African Museum label (set up with Gregory Isaacs) in 1973. He continued with a trip down memory lane, as he said, with sings such as 'Darling Oh', 'Black Cinderella' (from 1972), 'Created By The Father', 'Betcha By Golly Wow' and 'Happiness Forgets' from 1981. The tightly packed audience swayed along to the rhythm as he continued with one of his best known songs 'Three In One', recorded in 1971, and one of his earliest numbers 'You're Gonna Need Me' from 1967. Next came 'Impossible', from 1973 and then his biggest hit, his cover of John Holt's 'OK Fred' which almost made the UK top ten in 1979, with audience members enthusiastically joining in the chorus. Errol showed some nice steps as he skipped across the stage during this one. His final number, 'Baby I Love You' also went down well and he was joined on stage briefly by Christopher Ellis, son of the King of Rock Steady Alton Ellis. This was a fun set which was highly enjoyable, despite a few ropey moments. Long may Errol continue.

Kingsize Taylor RIP

The new year has started in the same way as 2022 ended with the death of an artist who has appeared at Tales From The Woods shows in recent years. Ted 'Kingsize' Taylor. (83) was among the first Liverpool singer/guitarists to make his mark in the early sixties. A towering six foot five he enjoyed early success as Kingsize Taylor and the Dominos in his native Liverpool, with Cilla Black often singing with them. He played at the Star Club in Hamburg and it was there that he had his greatest success. He recorded for Polydor as the Shakers and for Ariola as Kingsize Taylor and the Dominos and had several records released in the UK, including 'Memphis Tennessee', 'Hippy Hippy Shake' and his biggest hit, a cover of Solomon Burke's 'Stupidity', plus an EP of live recordings at the Star Club (pictured below). After he left the music business Ted ran a butcher's shop for several years before returning to Germany to live. He starred at the Tales From The Woods show in 2012 and again at the Borderline in 2015 (top photo) where he showed that he continued to have a powerful voice and great stage presence. I wrote at the time 'Kingsize kicked off with a vibrant version of Bobby Parker's 'Watch Your Step' and his set included no fewer than four Larry Williams numbers ('Dizzy Miss Lizzie', 'Bad Boy', 'Bony Moronie' and, as an encore, 'Slow Down') plus a couple of Solomon Burke covers ('Down In The Valley' and his 'Stupidity' hit), Chuck Berry's 'Sweet Little Sixteen' and 'Mama Come Home', a track recorded by Ronnie Hawkins. So, nothing original, but with the Tales From The Woods band providing great support his was a set that really rocked and was a fitting climax to the evening.' Bear Family released a CD featuring 31 of his recordings. All were covers but they showed how Ted influenced other beat groups that followed their lead, including of course the Beatles. RIP Ted.

By coincidence another early Liverpool artist who led a beat group in the city and went on to play in Germany has died in the last few days. Brian Cassar led Cass and the Cassanovas and later Casey Jones and the Engineers (one of Eric Clapton's first bands) and Casey Jones and Governors, who also played at the Star Club and had success with 'Don't Ha Ha', a version of Huey Piano Smith's 'Don't You Just Know It'. Cassar opened a music club in Liverpool, the Cassanova, and legend has it that he advised the then Silver Beetles to change the spelling of their name from the earlier spelling of 'Beatals'.

Another death over the Christmas and New Year period is that of Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters at the age of 74. She was a founder member of the group and sang lead on 'Fairytale', 'Fire', 'Slow Hand' and 'I'm So Excited'. RIP to them all.