Blues Texas Blues Texas Blues – Volume 4
Texas Blues – Volume 4
Texas Blues – Volume 4
01. Please don't touch my bowl Gladys Hill - vocals Paul Monday - piano Joe Scott - trumpet Al Grey - trombone Johnny Board - tenor saxophone Ray Johnson - bass Ellis Bartee - drums Houston, Tx. 1953 02. I've been true 03. Get up off your knees Glady(as Janie Williams) - vcl Johnny Copeland - guitar + band. Houston, Tx. 1963 04. Grandma knows best 05. Just keep on scratching Gladys Hill (as Grandma Gee Gee) - vocals Clifton Chenier - accordion, vocals Elmore Nixon - piano Cleveland Keyes - guitar Joe Morris - bass Robert St Julien - drums. Houston, Tx. 1967 06. Gotta have you right now Gladys Hill - vocals + band. Houston, Tx. 07. Bad shape blues 08. I'll make it up to you Joe Ann Mitchell - vocals Onzie Horn Orchestra. Houston, Tx. 1956 09. I wanna weep 10. Resisting Ola V. Harper - vocals Johnny Copeland - guitar + band. Houston, Tx. 1968 11. It's been a long time Mildred Jones - vocals Bill Harvey - tenor saxophone Joe Scott - trumpet Frank Dominguez - alto saxophone Fred Ford - baritone saxophone Paul Ponday - piano Johnny Parker - bass Richie Goldberg - drums. Houston, Tx. 1951 12. I'm a business woman 13. Mr Thrill 14. Misused woman Mildred Jones - vocals Jimmy Vincent - trumpet Pluma Davis - trombone Bob Lasefield - tenor saxophone Allen Clark - baritone saxophone Bert Kendrick - piano Carl Lott - bass Duke Barker - drums. Houston, Tx. 25 may 1954 15. Business woman Mildred Jones - vocals + band Houston, Tx. march 1959 16. Betty Jean's blues 17. Why did you let me go Betty Jean Washington - vocals Pee Wee Crayton - guitar George Sanford's Orchestra. Houston, Tx. 1950 18. Baby 19. Lost in a dream 20. Fast Slow 21. Fannie Mae Joe Wilson - vocals, guitar, harmonica The Sabres San Antonio, Tx. 1960 22. Summertime 23. Tequila Joe Wilson - vocals, guitar The Sabres Dallas, Tx. 1963
The well known Houston character Gladys Hill (born De Quincy, La c. 1931 - † Houston, Tx 1976) opens this 4th Volume of our Texas blues series with the handful of 45s she recorded under several names (Gladys Hill, Jannie Williams, Grandma Gee Gee...). But her reputation lied mostly thanks to her numerous pioneering "black" radio programmes she hosted on many Texas radio stations like KZEY at Tyler or KYOK and KCOH at Houston under the DJ nicknames of Dizzy Lizzy, Hotsy Totsy, Zing Zang or Grandma Gee Gee. Gladys had started her musical career being the female singer of B.B. King's band in 1953-54, waxing then her first titles. She also was instrumental in launching the career of many jazz and R&B Houston acts like guitar ace Johnny Copeland who backs her on some of her recordings.
Mildred Jones (1933-2003) has also been the female singer of B.B. King's band for several years from 1958 to 1979 when she was part of B.B.'s Soviet Union tour. She also recorded only a few tracks under her name but was constantly singing at Houston's best jazz clubs. Mildred - like Gladys Hill - helped a lot of Houston young jazz and R&B talents like Louie Carrington, Sonny Freeman, John Browning, Leon Warren and many others.
Ola V. Harper, Betty Jean Washington and Joe Anne Mitchell still stand as just names despite the very good singles they have each recorded in Houston. Harper was in the studios in 1968 backed by Johnny Copeland for two titles produced by Peppermint Harris. Joe Ann Mitchell recorded in 1958 for Don Robey. And Betty Jean waxed her only issued single with Pee Wee Crayton. She moved to Los Angeles later and appears on one live track with Chuck Norris on a Route 66 LP. Any infos about them would be most appreciated!
And at last we have San Antonio's white R&B singer, guitarist, harp player and bandleader Joe Wilson (with The Sabres) who was extremely popular in Northern Texas and Oklahoma during the years 1958-65, touring constantly with his band and also with a lot of major R&B names. We have selected some of his most bluesy tracks. ---Gérard Herzhaft, jukegh.blogspot.com
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