Wednesday 29 January 2014

Ann Cole born 29 January 1934



Ann Cole (born Cynthia Coleman, 29 January 1934, Newark, New Jersey - November 1986, Newark, New Jersey) was an &B/former gospel singer who was the first artist signed to the popular 1950s label Baton Records.

Cynthia Coleman's father, Wallace, was a member of a famous spiritual group, the Coleman Brothers. Cynthia formed her own spiritual group in 1949, the Colemanaires (Cynthia Coleman, Joe Walker, Sam Walker and Wesley Johnson). This family group travelled throughout the USA and made appearances in a number of major cities, with Cynthia doing most of the group's lead singing. They released five gospel singles in 1953-54, four for the Timely label and one for Apollo. In 1954, Cynthia made her first (secular) solo recordings, credited to Ann Cole, for Timely Records. Sales and distribution were poor, but one person who was impressed by Ann's voice was Sol Rabinowitz of Baton Records in New York City. He spent an entire year trying to find the obscure singer and finally succeeded.

Ann's first release on Baton was "Are You Satisfied" (a cover of a country number by Sheb Wooley), featuring the immediately recognizable guitar work of Mickey Baker, who plays on most of her Baton recordings. It went to # 10 on Billboard's R&B charts in January 1956. The fourth Baton single, "In the Chapel" (1957), also charted (# 14). However, these two hits are not the recordings for which she will be remembered. Though the song is usually associated with Muddy Waters, it was Ann Cole who recorded the original version of "Got My Mojo Working" (Baton 237) on January 27, 1957. 


  
                              

On a month-long tour through the South together, Ann sang with Muddy's band. "Mojo" had not yet been released, but in spite of Sol Rabonowitz's warning not to sing unreleased material, Ann taught Muddy's band the song and performed it regularly during the tour. Muddy liked the song so much that he asked Leonard Chess to let him record it himself. Chess, who didn't know anything about the Ann Cole recording, gave the Waters record a rush release and both versions came out in the same week. The difference in the lyrics between the two versions resulted from Muddy's inability to remember the original words (written by Preston Foster). Waters claimed to have written the song. Eventually the matter went to court, where it was ruled that Foster was the composer. But the two versions are still separately copyrighted.

In 1956 she was voted the Most Promising Female R&B Artist. From 1956-1962 she scored 3 top 40 hits. Not long thereafter, Cole had a serious car accident, which confined her to a wheelchair. That was the premature ending of the musical career of a great R&B vocalist, who was ahead of her time.


According to the Social Security Death Index, she died in November 1986. Her birth date is given there as January 29, 1934, which is probably the correct date (all other sources say January 24, but they all copy each other as likely as not). (info mainly from blackcat.nl)

10 comments:

boppinbob said...

For Ann Cole - In The Chapel (30 Of Her Greatest Hits) go here:

http://www71.zippyshare.com/v/24200347/file.html

Password:008

1. In The Chapel (2:48)
2. Have Fun (2:48)
3. Got My Mojo Working (2:30)
4. I've Got Nothing Working Now (2:27)
5. Please Forgive Me (2:50)
6. You're Mine (2:09)
7. The Clock Of Love (2:42)
8. Danny Boy (2:56)
9. I Want To Be A Bad Girl (2:49)
10. Easy Easy Baby (2:34)
11. Don't Stop The Wedding (2:03)
12. Smilin' Through (2:52)
13. Down In The Valley (2:38)
14. The Love In My Heart (2:36)
15. Are You Satisfied (2:29)
16. Brand New Hearts (2:17)
17. Darling Don't Hurt Me (2:42)
18. So Proud Of You (2:36)
19. New Love (2:37)
20. My Tearful Heart (2:52)
21. I've Got A Little Boy (2:24)
22. Summer Nights (2:00)
23. Plain As The Nose On Your Face (1:53)
24. A Love Of My Own (2:33)
25. Each Day (2:18)
26. I'm Waiting For You (2:24)
27. Give Me Love Or Nothing (2:11)
28. No Star Is Lost (2:16)
29. In The Chapel (Alternate Version) (2:48)
30. Easy, Easy, Baby (Live) (3:12)

ProfessorCalculus said...

Many thanks friend

MichaelH said...

Is there any chance for a working link.Thanks

boppinbob said...

Hello Michael, here you are..

http://www61.zippyshare.com/v/uYbt3U1P/file.html

MichaelH said...

Thanks for the new link.Michael

Lindsay said...

Many thanks Bob for going to the effort. It is much appreciated. Cheers from down under.

john said...

Any chance of a re-upped for this link Ann Cole - In The Chapel
Thank you

boppinbob said...

Hello John ....here's the new link

https://www.upload.ee/files/14201749/Ann_Cole.rar.html

I originally found this CD on a now deleted blog called Rockabilly Ranch. It was a home compilation from 2005 released as a CDr by the German label Blue City @ 128 KBPS.
It then appeared as a digital download in 2010 by Master Classics Records titled "The Best Of Ann Cole" @ 320 KBPS but less the last two tracks. So I have used all the better quality remastered tracks and added the last two original "missing ones."
You'll find the original plus the remastered cover artwork.

john said...

Thank You

Lindsay said...

Thanks for the upload. Much appreciated.