Friday 21 December 2012

Billy The Kid Emerson born 21 December 1925



William Robert Emerson, known as Billy "The Kid" Emerson (born 21 December 1929), is an African-American R&B and rock and roll singer and songwriter best known for his 1955 song, "Red Hot". Slashing blues, infectious R&B, formulaic rock & roll, moving gospel -- keyboardist Billy "The Kid" Emerson played all those interrelated styles during a lengthy career that began in Florida and later transported him up to Memphis and Chicago.

He was born in Tarpon Springs, Florida and  had already learned his way around a piano when he entered the Navy in 1943. After the war, he began playing around Tarpon Springs, attending Florida A&M during the late '40s and early '50s. He picked up his nickname while playing a joint in St.
Petersburg; the club owner dressed the band up in cowboy duds that begged comparison with a certain murderous outlaw.

A 1952-53 stint in the Air Force found Emerson stationed in
Greenville, MS. That's where he met young bandleader Ike Turner, who whipped Emerson into shape as an entertainer while he sang with Turner's Kings of Rhythm. Turner also got Emerson through the door at Sun Records in 1954, playing guitar on the Kid's debut waxing "No Teasing Around" after which he left Turner's band and joined a group led by Phineas Newborn.

Emerson's songwriting skills made him a valuable commodity around Sun -- but more as a source for other performers' material later on. His bluesy 1955 outing "When It Rains It Pours" elicited a cover from Elvis a few years later at RCA, while Emerson's "Red Hot" (a takeoff on an old cheerleaders chant from Emerson's school days) became a savage rockabilly anthem revived by Billy Lee Riley for Sun and Bob Luman on Imperial.
 



                              


After his "Little Fine Healthy Thing" failed to sell, Emerson exited Sun to sign with Chicago's Vee-Jay Records in late 1955. Despite first-rate offerings such as the jumping "Every Woman I Know (Crazy 'Bout Automobiles)" and a sophisticated "Don't Start Me to Lying," national recognition eluded Emerson at Vee-Jay too.

It was on to Chess in 1958, recording "Holy Mackerel Baby" and the unusual novelty "Woodchuck" (a remake of an earlier Sun single) during his year or so there. 45s for Mad, USA, M-Pac! (where he waxed the dance workout "The Whip"), and Constellation preceded the formation of Emerson's own logo, Tarpon, in 1966. In addition to Emerson's own stuff, Tarpon issued Denise LaSalle's debut single.

A prolific writer, Emerson penned songs for Junior Wells, Willie Mabon, Wynonie Harris, and Buddy Guy during the early '60s, often in conjunction with Willie Dixon. When
recording opportunities slowed, Emerson played jazzy R&B in lounges and supper clubs (guitarist Lacy Gibson was a member of his trio for a while). Emerson took Europe by surprise with a dynamic segment on the American Blues Legends 1979 tour. More recently, he's rumored to have reverted to playing gospel in his native state of Florida. Emerson was inducted in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

In 2005 he was reported as having a church in Oak Park, Illinois, as Rev. William R. Emerson. (Info mainly All Music Guide)

6 comments:

boppinbob said...

For "Red Hot" The Sun Years - go here:

http://www.filefactory.com/file/b518dh6/n/btke.rar
Password: mississippimoan

Angelseven1 said...

I really enjoyed the commentary thanks so much.

Silvio said...

Hello,
Could you please make this one available for download again?
Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks very much,

boppinbob said...

Hello Silvio, sorry for the wait only It took me ages to find album...Am now looking for your other requests.

https://www.upload.ee/files/14021588/Billy_The_Kid_Emerson.rar.html

1 If Lovin' Is Believing
2 No Teasing Around
3 Hey Little Girl
4 When My Baby Quit Me
5 The Woodchuck
6 I'm Not Going Home
7 Move Baby Move
8 When It Rains It Pours
9 Shim Sham Shimmy
10 Red Hot
11 No Greater Love
12 Satisfied
13 Cherry Pie
14 Little Fine Healthy Thing
15 Something For Nothing
16 Don't Start Me To Lyin
17 If You Won't Stay Home
18 Every Woman I Know (Crazy 'Bout Automobiles)
19 Tomorrow Never Comes
20 Somebody Show Me
21 The Pleasure Is All Mine
22 Do The Chicken
23 Don't Be Careless
24 Do Yourself A Favour
25 You Never Miss Your Water
26 Give Me A Little Love
27 Woodchuck
28 Believe Me
29 Holy Mackerel Baby
30 I'll Get You Too
31 Um Hum My Baby
32 When It Rains It Pours
33 I Never Get Enough.

Silvio said...

Hello,
I have just downloaded it... thanks a lot!

D said...

Sadly he recently passed away, April 25, 2023.
Thanks for this BB.
You keep them alive. Bravo.
- D