Some June Blues Births:
- June 9th., 1926-- Calvin "Fuzz" Jones
- June 19th, 1930-- Jerry "Boogie" McCain
- June 24th.,1956-- Tad Robinson
Answer To The April & May Blues Question: The bluesman we were looking for was/ is Lowell Fulson, aka "Tulsa Red", born March 31, 1921, in Atoka, Oklahoma, a Choctaw Indian Reservation. He claimed that he was of Cherokee ancestry on his father's side, but also said he was part Choctaw. His father was killed when Lowell was just a youngster, and a few years after that, he and his brothers, moved with their mother, to Clarita, Oklahoma. At the age of 18, he moved to Ada, where he joined up with Alger "Texas" Alexander, but only for a few months in 1939 and 1940, touring in western Oklahoma and eastern Texas. He worked mostly as a field hand, but also performed with some local bands, groups, and by himself at parties and juke joints. He then moved to California, where he would remain throughout his life. He was drafted in '43 and served in the U.S. Navy until '45. After his discharge, he formed a touring band that included a young Ray Charles (Robinson Sr.), along with 17 year old Stanley Turrentine, a tenor sax player, who would later become great in the jazz genre. In the '40's he recorded on the Swing Time Records label, in the '50's for Chess Records (released on the Checker subsidiary label), in the '60's on Kent Records, and in the '70's and later on Rounder Records (released on the Bullseye subsidiary label). Those were his main contracts, but you can find his many recordings on other labels, under any one of his "assumed" names. Lowell was a good song writer: he wrote " Three O'Clock Blues" (B.B.King's first hit), "Reconsider Baby" ( a cover of it by Elvis Presley was a hit for Presley), and "Tramp", co- written with Jimmy McCracklin, which, when covered by Otis Redding with Carla Thomas (yes, Rufus' daughter), became a hit also. The songs that are now blues standards were, recorded in '48, "Three O'Clock Blues" on the Swing Time Records label- #2002; "Reconsider Baby", recorded in '54, released on Checker Records- #804; and "Tramp", in '67, on the Kent Records label- #456. You have to remember that he wrote and recorded many others, many of which have been covered by others, and that he also wrote for others. You must also realize that, as have many other artists, record under different spellings of his name or use other names, so they could record on different labels, without "breaching" their contracts with labels. Lowell was considered to be second only to Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker in his influence on the West Coast blues genre. I only got to meet and talk with Lowell, and his traveling companion, Tina Mayfield (yes, Percy's widow), once. Spoke with Tina a couple of times after Lowell had passed. He passed away on March 7, 1999, in Long Beach, California.
Blues Question For June 2023: This bluesman was from Tennessee, with his father being a preacher. He was one of at least 13 children. He started out musically, in a gospel group, a common happening with blues performers. He was basically a "side-man" in his early career, but did go on to write another "blues standard". Any idea who this bluesman might be ??
Blues Song(s) And Artist(s) For June 2023: The song is "Strange Angel", and the artist is (correct spelling on his first name) Admirl Amos Easton, aka Bumble Bee Slim. On this recording, done on August 15,1951, in Los Angeles, on the Specialty label, #SP410, on the A side, the musicians were Amos on vocals and lead guitar, Mithcell "Tiny" Webb on rhythm guitar, Maurice Simon on alto sax, Maxwell Davis and Jewell Grant on tenor saxes, Billy Hadnott on bass, and Oscar Lee Bailey Sr. on Drums.
Blues Trivia For June 2023: Most of the people listed in the above Song Of The Month, were session players for whatever label or studio needed them for backing of the main artist they were recording. Let's take a look at Oscar Lee Bailey Sr., the drummer listed there. He also recorded with a young Ray Charles, Hadda Brooks, Percy Mayfield, Jay McShann, and many others. The trivia is that one of the artists he recorded with in 1947 & 1948 (12 songs), two more songs in '49, and 1 in '59, was someone you should definitely know. The ones in '47 were on the Black & White label; the ones in '48 & '49 were on the Comet label; the one in'59 was a compilation album on the Atlantic label. All of these that I've referred to here featured as the main artist, the #1 influence in the West Coast blues: T-Bone Walker. One of those early songs he recorded on was and still is a blues standard: "They Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday's Just As Bad)". Bradley also recorded with many others in the blues, jazz, and R & B genres.
Some June Blues Passings:
- June 1st., 2011-- Rudy Williams
- June 24th., 1989-- Albennie or Albinia Jones
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