Al (Doctor Horse) Pittman born 17 September 1917

Al  (“Dr. Horse”)  Pittman (17 September 1917 – 28 April 2003), an American rhythm and blues vocalist and entertainer who performed between the 1930s and 1960s.

I couldn’t find much information concerning Mr. Pittman but here’s all I could muster…also I found two uncredited photos of Al Pittman. One of which has now been replaced. (see postscript).

Dr. Horse was the stage name of Alvergous "Al" Pittman Al Pittman, son of Henry and Susan A. Pittman, was born in Vinnia, Georgia. He first performed in New York City in the 1930s as a dancer and a member of Doc Sausage's musical comedy group, the Five Pork Chops.

However, he did not record until 1961, when he released "I'm Tired Of It" on the Fire label owned by Bobby Robinson. His second record, "Jack, That Cat Was Clean", is the one for which he is best known. Produced by Robinson and Marshall Sehorn, Dr. Horse delivered a jive monologue about "a tall handsome guy", Bobo, who "really knows how to dress" and had "two $50,000 rings, and he wore one on each hand... The chicks used to scream when Bobo walked in the door".

                             

The backing musicians included Red Prysock (tenor saxophone) and Billy Butler (guitar). The track has been included on several compilation albums, including Early Rappers: Hipper Than Hop - The Ancestors of Rap. Sadly it would be his only side enumerating the acquisitions and exploits of “Bobo,” who comes across as a sort of moddish Stagger Lee figure. 

Dr. Horse also recorded a straight blues album, Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Good Man Feelin' Bad, with Sammy Price and His Bluesicians, recorded in New York in 1961 and released by Kapp Records in 1962.

He died after a fall on 28 April 2004 in new York City, at the age of 85.

(Info mainly Wikipedia) (Thanks to Wendy Oxenhorn for sending me a copy of the top photograph) 

Post script. Here's an edited copy of an email Wendy sent me, which I am sure she will not mind me publishing..... 

Wendy used to run an organization that helped many pioneers in jazz and blues by paying their rents, supplying them with groceries, and creating paid gigs so they could make their own rents.  Doc Pittman was one of her all time favorites. We were "family." He died from a fall in the street, hit his head and left us the day after. I was the one to clean out his apartment. I just wrote about it in a book I'm working on. What a great guy.

The last years he was working in small clubs and restaurants doing a four hour gig and not even getting a meal, only $60 a musician. But rest assured we took care of him like he was my Grandpa. He was also the first man to let me up on a stage with my harmonica.

In later years he played the brushes on a small tom. and sang "What a wonderful World" and brought the house down!

You will see immediately its him from the photo you have of his later years.

Thank you again for giving him his due. He deserves his real photo, he was so handsome.