Dick Waterman RIP

I was sorry to hear of the death of Dick Waterman at the age of 88. Dick was a writer, photographer and manager of many blues artists and did much to draw attention to many of the great blues artists of the fifties and sixties. From the early sixties onwards he promoted shows by Mississippi John Hurt, Bukka White and Mississippi Fred McDowell and went on to rediscover Son House and represent other blues artists including Skip JamesEven more memorable was a visit to Dick's house in Oxford, Mississippi, in 2008. I was travelling through the South with my late girlfriend Maxine and had been to Tutwiler, famed as the place W C Handy found the blues. I was with a group of Woodies who were also visiting various blues locations. One of them, Alan Lloyd, had arranged a visit to Dick's house and Maxine and I set off to his house. The only problem was that we didn't have an address. By a complete fluke we came across the car containing the other Woodies on the outskirts of town which led us to his house. There we were made very welcome and were charmed by his stories and his many excellent photographs. I wrote at the time: 'From Tutwiler we went to Oxford, where one of the group, Alan, had arranged for us to visit the home of Dick Waterman, one of the pioneers of blues recording and management. We spent a fascinating couple of hours looking at his photographs of Son House, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt (who he managed for 20 years), the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and many more taken over the last 45 years. Dick is a great storyteller and seems a happy man, newly married as he is to Cindy at the age of 73. A fascinating man with so much to tell, and boy did he tell it.' RIP Dick. Top picture shows the Woodies group: L-R Paul Waring, Alan Lloyd, Brian 'Bunter' Clark, Bill Haynes, Ken Major, Maxine, Nick Cobban, Dick Waterman. Picture below shows Maxine with Dick and the second photo shows a few of his examples of blues art.

Another recent death is that of Melanie, an American singer/songwriter, at the age of 76. Melanie came to fame in 1970 with 'Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)' which was inspired by the Woodstock festival. She went on to have success with 'Brand New Key', 'Ruby Tuesday' and 'What Have They Done To My Song Ma'.

Mary Weiss RIP Updated

Mary Weiss, lead singer of girl group the Shangri-Las, has died aged 75. The group had a run of magnificently broody and sometimes downright gloomy records in the mid sixties which epiomised teenage angst and emotion. Mary and her sister Betty came from Queens and joined with twins Marge and Mary Ann Ganser in 1963 to form a group which they named the Shangri-Las after a local restaurant. They were discovered by Artie Ripp who arranged a record deal with Kama Sutra records. Their first recordings included 'Simon Says' and 'Wishing Well' and in January 1964, when Mary was just 15, they met up with George 'Shadow' Morton who played their demo of 'Remember (Walkin' In The Sand') to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, owners of Red Bird records. The record was a smash hit and was followed by any even bigger one with 'Leader Of The Pack', the archetypal 'death disc' which was a huge hit in the US, the UK and elsewhere. A succession of dramatic singles followed, including 'Give Him A Great Big Kiss', with its intro line 'When I say I'm in love you best believe I'm in love L-U-V', 'Give Us Your Blessings', the dramatic 'I Can Never Go Home Any More', 'Long Live Our Love', 'He Cried' and 'Past Present and Future', spoken over Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata'. Betty left the group for a while resulting in many photos showing just three members, but returned before the Ganser sisters eventually left and the group broke up in 1968. Mary retired from the music business and there was a final reunion of the Shangri-Las in 1989. She recorded an album for Norton Records in 2007 entitled 'Dangerous Game' and I saw Mary perform at the Ponderosa Stomp in 2008 (pictured above) where she sang several Shangri-Las songs including, of course, 'Leader Of The Pack'. RIP to Mary - and that's called Sad.

Another recent death is that of reggae singer Pluto Shervington. whose 1970s hits included 'Dat' and 'Ram Goat Liver'.

The bad start to the year has continued with the news that jazz, soul and blues singer Marlena Shaw has died at the age of 81. She began as a jazz singer but her career took off in the late sixties with her soul/funk version of 'California Soul'. She moved from the Cadet label to Blue Note and later to Columbia, Verve and Polydor as her career progressed, with her best known tracks including 'Mercy Mercy Mercy' and 'Go Away Little Boy'. I saw Marlena several times during the nineties, including one memorable night at the short-lived Rhythmic in Islington when she co-starred with Jean Carne. Photo below shows Marlena at the Jazz Factory in Camden in 1993.

Jo-El Sonnier and Bill Hayes RIP

I was rather shocked to hear of the death of Cajun singer/songwriter and accordionist Jo-El Sonnier at the age of 77 as it's only a few months since I saw him at the New Orleans Jazzfest, when he seemed in top form. Born in Rayne, Louisiana, he first recorded for the Lake Charles based Goldband label in 1967. Three albums were released at the time - 'Hurricane Andy', 'The Scene Today in Cajun Music' and 'The Cajun Valentino'. He recorded many tracks in the Cajun and country fields between 1980 and 2005 and had chart success with songs such as 'No More One More Time', 'Tear Stained Letter' and 'Rainin' In My Heart'. His final album was the Cajun French album 'The Legacy' in 2013 which earned him his fifth Grammy nomination. I first saw Jo-El at Jazzfest in 2013 when he guested with Michel Doucet, leader of the Cajun band Beausoleil (pictured below). When I saw him last year I wrote: 'Final act was the rocking Cajun accordion player Jo-El Sonnier. This was high quality and at times exciting stuff with songs including 'Knock Knock Knock', Fats Domino's 'You Hurt Me So', 'Tear Stained Letter', 'Raining In My Heart', 'Jole Blon', 'Louisiana 1927' and Cleveland Crochet's 'Sugar Bee'. A good way to close the day.' Top photo shows Jo-El at Jazzfest in May of 2023.

Another less surprising death was that of Bill Hayes at the age of 98. When I was at primary school I knew all the verses of his biggest hit 'The Ballad of Davy Crockett'. His version of the song, originally sung by Fess Parker, who played Crockett in the film 'Davy Crockett - King Of the Wild Frontier', was a major hit, outselling Fess's version and one by Tennessee Ernie Ford. Everyone my age knew that Davy was 'born on a mountain top in Tennessee', so when I visited the Davy Crockett State Park in 2019 I was disappointed that there wasn't a mountain anywhere in sight. Bill's hit sold over two million copies but he failed to replicate his chart success although 'The Legend of Wyatt Earp' did quite well. But he was successful as an actor, including a long running role in 'Days Of Our Lives'.

Larry Collins RIP and other recent deaths

It's time to catch up on some recent music deaths. The latest is rockabilly guitarist Larry Collins at the age of 79. Originally from Tulsa, he was just eight when he began playing with his older sister Lorrie as the Collins Kids, appearing on US TV programmes such as 'Town Hall Party' and 'Tex Ritter's Ranch Party'. Together they recorded numerous records including 'Hop Skip and Jump', 'Whistle Bait' and 'Beetle Bug Bop' way back in 1957 and 1958. Larry said: 'We were apprentice to the best. Bob Willis, Johnny Horton, Lefty Frizzell and Johnny Cash.' His mentor was guitarist Joe Maphis and like him Larry played a double neck guitar. 'Joe Maphis was 'king of the strings' and back-stage I learned to finger-pick watching Merle Travis', Larry said. The Collins Kids stopped playing together in the mid sixties but reunited in 1993 to play at the Hemsby festival in the UK. I saw them at the Ponderosa Stomp in 2008 (pictured below) and Larry appeared solo at Viva Las Vegas in 2017 where he was on stage with Deke Dickerson and Ashley Kingman, both of whom also played double neck guitars. I wrote at the time: 'Highlight of this segment was Larry Collins, once a child star in the Collins Kids, who came on stage with a double neck guitar, as did Deke Dickerson and the house band's Ashley Kingman. Larry showed that he's an excellent guitarist with dramatic flourishes which created a moody sound. Numbers included the death song '1955' and the Bo Diddley flavoured 'Hoy Hoy', when he was joined by Ruby Ann. He ended with 'Rockabilly Forever'. For a superb tribute to Larry I suggest you seek out Deke's recent Facebook item.

Here's a photo of Larry with Deke and Ashley, and another with Deke.

Another recent death is that of Red Paden, owner of Red's juke joint. Red's in something of an institution in the capital of the blues, Clarksdale, MS , and despite being frequented by many blues fans from out of town it remains a genuine juke joint, with great blues, basic facilities and twinkly Christmas lights. I first went there in 2005 when I drove down from Memphis with Alan Lloyd and Ken Major to catch Pinetop Perkins at the Hopson Plantation (he didn't perform as it was a Sunday!). In the evening we went to Red's where Bob Stroger was playing. I've been many times on subsequent visits and the photo shows local blues man Lucious Spiller in 2017. I can only hope that Red's survives and is still operating when I visit Clarksdale later this year. The second photo shows Red at a synmposium on juke joints at the King Biscuit Festival in 2015.

Another recent death at the age of 88 is soul/jazz pianist and vocalist Les McCann. Also David Soul, aged 80, who was one half of Starsky and Hutch and who had huge pop hits in 1977 with 'Don't Give Up On Us' and 'Silver Lady'. RIP to them all.

US package shows of the sixties

I have been to many superb music shows featuring American fifties and sixties artists over the last 40 years or so (although those days are now sadly over as most of them have now retired or passed on). But back in the early sixties, when I first became obsessed with music, it was a different matter. There was little pop music broadcast on mainstream TV or radio. Awareness of new records only came about via Radio Luxembourg or, later, the pirate stations. What TV shows there were, such as Oh Boy! and Boy Meets Girls, mostly featured the bland UK pop acts of the day. American artists struggled to get a look in and we often didn’t even know what they looked like. So when a US music package tour came to town I did my best to see it.

I was too young to see Buddy Holly live or Jerry Lee’s disastrous 1958 tour, and only saw Eddie Cochran on TV. The first genuine package tour that I became aware of was by Bobby Darin, Duane Eddy and Clyde McPhatter but I didn’t get to see it. After that I tried to ensure that I did, and from 1962 to the mid sixties I caught quite a few that have gone down in music history. Living near Croydon as I did, they tended to be around that area or a little further away at the Granada cinema in Tooting, which hosted some of the best. Here are a few that I remember going to. Most had UK acts on the bill as well, but with a few exceptions, they were of no interest to me, so I won’t mention them unless really necessary.

10/2/62 Tooting Granada - Bobby Vee, Tony Orlando, Clarence Henry. This was the first US package show that I went to I think, although there may have been others that I don’t recall. Bobby was flying high from ‘Take Good Care Of My Baby’, Tony from ‘Bless You’ and the Frogman from ‘But I Do’.

8/4/62 Tooting Granada - Gene Vincent, Brenda Lee. I saw Gene several times during the sixties, including one or two when he was past his best, but I didn’t see Brenda Lee live again until Viva Las Vegas in 2017.

6/5/62 Tooting Granada - Johnny Burnette , Gary US Bonds, Gene McDaniels. His rockabilly years well behind him, Johnny enjoyed great pop success with ‘Dreamin’’, ‘You’re Sixteen’ and ‘Little Boy Sad’ but sadly died young in a boat accident. Gene contributed one superb track recorded during this tour – ‘Another Tear Falls’ – to the otherwise dreadful album ‘It’s Trad Dad’. Gary is still going strong of course.

29/9/62 Tooting Granada – Dion, Del Shannon. Buzz Cliffford. Dion is still great today and I’ve seen him several times in recent years. Del committed suicide in 1990. Both were big favourities of mine. Buzz was a one hit wonder with ‘Baby Sittin’ Boogie’.

27/10/62 Tooting Granada - Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Jet Harris, backed by Sounds Incorporated. This was a real highlight. Sam Cooke, my favourite singer then and now, was great and Little Richard was the most exciting live performer I ever saw. What’s more I got to go back stage and get their autographs.

21/3/63 ABC Croydon - Chris Montez, Tommy Roe, The Beatles. Chris and Tommy had enjoyed big hits with ‘Let’s Dance’ and ‘Sheila’ respectively. The Beatles, bottom of the bill, were having a huge hit with ‘Please Please Me’ and were very popular with the audience it seemed. I wonder whatever happened to them.

28/5/63 Fairfield Hall, Croydon - Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, Heinz backed by the Outlaws. Jerry Lee, making his big comeback after his previous curtailed tour, was superb, as was Gene. Heinz was roundly booed by the predominantly rocker audience.

1/6/63 Tooting Granada - Roy Orbison, The Beatles. Those pesky Beatles again! I was there to see Roy Orbison.

1/10/63 Odeon Streatham - Bo Diddley, Everly Brothers, the Rolling Stones. Bo Diddley, along with The Duchess and Jerome was great, as were the Everly Brothers. Strangely though, many in the crowd seemed more interested in the support act, the Rolling Stones. Again, I wonder what happened to them.

8/10/63 Fairfield Hall, Croydon – ‘American Negro Blues Festival’ with Muddy Waters, Lonnie Johnson, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Joe Williams, Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim , Victoria Spivey, Matt Guitar Murphy and Otis Spann. The first of several superb blues shows to be held at the Fairfield Hall prompted by the blues boom in the UK.

October/November 1963 West Wickham – ‘Wickham Goes Pop’ festival with the Konrads. The Trubeats and other local groups. I only mention this because West Wickham is where I grew up and many of these local groups played at the weekly Justin Hall music gig. I only found out much later that David Bowie was a member of the Konrads and Peter Frampton was the leader of the Trubeats, later the Herd.

21/11/63 Fairfield Hall, Croydon - Duane Eddy, Gene Vincent, The Shirelles. Another chance to see Duane Eddy and Gene Vincent and the first time I saw the Shirelles.

10/5/64 ABC Croydon - Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Animals. Chuck was in the middle of his comeback and put on an excellent show. Carl Perkins was very good and the Animals weren’t bad either.

19/10/64 Fairfield Hall, Croydon – Lightnin’ Hopkins, Howlin’ Wolf, Sleepy John Estes, Hubert Sumlin, Sugar Pie Desanto, Sunnyland Slim, Sonny Boy Williamson, Willie Dixon. Another great folk blues show in the series that took place in Croydon in the sixties.

4/11/64 Fairfield Hall - Tommy Tucker, the Animals, Carl Perkins, Nashville Teens, Elkie Brooks.

29/1/65 Fairfield Hall - Chuck Berry, Long John Baldry, Moody Blues, Graham Bond Organisation.

11/10/65 Fairfield Hall - Big Mama Thornton, Roosevelt Sykes Buddy Guy, J B Lenoir, Dr Ross, Eddie Boyd, Mississippi Fred McDowell. Last of the great run of folk blues shows in Croydon as far as I know.

27/3/67 Fairfield Hall - Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Arthur Conley, Booker T and the MGs, the Mar-keys, Eddie Floyd. . This Stax concert was one of last great US package shows as stadium shows and open air festivals took over. Sam and Dave were the highlight of a brilliant show but Otis was excellent as well. I wrote a review for my paper the Croydon Advertiser (see The Vinyl Word, December 9, 2015).

Before the advent of MTV and Youtube these shows were just about the only way of seeing our music heroes performing live in the early sixties. They mostly stuck to their hits and in many cases only performed a couple of numbers. But what magical events they were. If only I had the photos to remind me!