Kenny Rogers born 21 August 1938

Kenny Rogers ( August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences, but also charted more than 120 hit singles across various genres, topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone. He sold more than 100 million records worldwide during his lifetime, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.  His fame and career spanned multiple genres - jazz, folk, pop, rock, and country. He remade his career and was one of the most successful cross-over artists of all time. 

Kenneth Donald Rogers grew up poor in a Houston housing project. In 1956, while in high school, he started his first band, the Scholars. He performed “That Crazy Feeling,” his first solo single (1957), on the hugely popular music television show American Bandstand. His talent was recognized immediately, and he was signed to a small local label, Carlton Records, in 1958. In 1966 he joined the New Christy Minstrels, a folk group started by Randy Sparks in 1961. After a year Rogers and a few other Minstrels left to form their own ensemble, the First Edition. Rogers found his way into the spotlight, and the band was soon referred to as Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. 

The band played a mix of country, pop, and psychedelic music and had a few hits, including “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In),” “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” (written by Mel Tillis), “Reuben James,” and “Something’s Burning.” The band also hosted Rollin’ on the River (1971–73), a variety show that took place on a Mississippi riverboat set and featured guests such as musicians Kris Kristofferson, B.B. King, and Al Green; actor Jason Robards; and comedians Cheech and Chong. 

                                   

In the late 1970s Rogers hit his stride. Going solo again, he had his first major hit with the ballad “Lucille,” which won him a Grammy Award for best male country vocal performance (1977). “Lucille” was named song of the year and single of the year by the Academy of Country Music and single of the year by the Country Music Association and also made its way up the pop music charts, proving that Rogers had enormous crossover appeal. In 1978 he released his album The Gambler, the title song of which won him another Grammy for best male country vocal performance. As many of his number-one hits did in the 1970s, “The Gambler” appeared on the pop music charts as well as on the country music charts. “The Gambler” told such a vivid story that it was turned into a made-for-television movie (1980) starring Rogers, who played an expert gambler teaching a young protégé the tricks of the trade. The movie led to four sequels, all of which featured Rogers. 

He collaborated with a number of other country singers, notably Dottie West on “Every Time Two Fools Collide” (1978), “All I Ever Need Is You” (1979), and “What Are We Doin’ in Love” (1981) and Dolly Parton on the number-one crossover hit “Islands in the Stream” (1983). He teamed up with Parton again for a duet of the title song on his 2013 album You Can’t Make Old Friends. He also recorded songs with pop musicians Kim Carnes (“Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer” [1980]) and Sheena Easton (“We’ve Got Tonight” [1983]). His collaboration with Ronnie Milsap on “Make No Mistake, She’s Mine” (1987) topped the country music charts. 

Rogers’s string of hits tapered off in the 1990s, though he continued to record and release albums regularly, almost yearly. In 1998 he started his own record label, Dreamcatcher Entertainment, which released his albums of the next decade. In 2011 Rogers branched out and recorded a gospel album, The Love of God (rereleased in 2012 as Amazing Grace). 

In addition to writing and performing a vast collection of music over several decades, in 1978 Rogers coauthored a self-help book, Making It with Music: Kenny Rogers’ Guide to the Music Business, with Len Epand. He also published an autobiography, Luck or Something Like It—A Memoir (2012). Among his numerous awards, Rogers received the 2013 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Country Music Association, and he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame the same year. Rogers embarked on a farewell world tour in 2016 that he intended to conclude with a final concert in August 2018, but poor health forced him to cut the tour short in April of that year. 

Rogers's seven-decade career wound down in 2017, as he encountered health problems that included a diagnosis of bladder cancer. On March 20, 2020, Rogers died March 20, 2020, at the age of 81, while under hospice care at his home in Sandy Springs, Georgia. He was interred in Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta. 

(Edited from Britannica & Wikipedia) 

 

Freddie Hughes born 20 August 1943

Freddie Hughes (August 20, 1943 – January 18, 2022) was an American gospel, soul, and R&B singer, perhaps best known for his 1968 song, "Send My Baby Back". 

Fred Willie Hughes Jr. was born in Berkeley, California. His parents came to the Bay Area from Dallas/Fort Worth Texas. His father Fred W Hughes Senior worked as a longshoreman and his mother Lola Mae Anderson was a singer and missionary at the Church of God In Christ in Oakland. It was in this church where Freddie's qualities as a singer were noticed for the first time when he was only five years old. At the age of 12, Fred sang in a choir, that included Betty Watson and Edwin Hawkins. It took him a few more years, though, to have his first hit single. 

The Four Rivers (Freddie top right)

In his early years Freddie played in quite a few outfits including the Holidays, Five Disciples, The Markeets, Casanova Two, Music City Soul Brothers and The Four Rivers. Subsequently he played with quite a lot of musicians (including Lonnie Hewitt, Wylie Trass, Johnny Talbot to name a few) and recorded several songs with them. Some of these were released as singles/albums and some never found a release. Freddie started to play on Oakland's club circuit around 1955 and in 1958 he released his first 45 with the Markeets with whom he released five more 45s and three albums on Melatone Records.

                                   

In 1968 he recorded his first hit single "Send My Baby Back" which was released nationally by San Francisco's Wee Records and internationally by Scepter-Wand Records. It was written by Lonnie Hewitt and Ernest Marbray, and issued as a single with "Where's My Baby" on the B-side. The single appeared on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, peaking at No. 20 that year. It also charted on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at No. 94.As a matter of fact many people still attribute “Send My Baby Back”  with the name of Fred Hughes who is a singer from L.A. and recorded the hit "Oo Wee Baby, I Love You" for the famous Vee-Jay label. 

The mix-up between Freddie Hughes and Fred Hughes is quite a problem if you want to find out which songs were really recorded by Freddie Hughes as many online discographies/biographies are a total mess because they cannot distinguish beween Freddie Hughes and Fred Hughes. Releases such as the bootleg CD "Fred Hughes And His Groups" only help to contribute to this confusion as both artist are mixed-up again. Nevertheless the CD includes tracks Freddie recorded with several bands mentioned above, e.g. the Four Rivers' "I Confess," four selections from his stint with the Music City Soul Brothers, and "We Got to Keep On" by Casanova Two. Solo tracks include "Send My Baby Back," "My Baby Came Back," and "Where's My Baby". 

In addition Freddie Hughes has been working with such greats as Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Etta James, Ike & Tina Turner and the Bobby Murray Band (band leader & guitarist for Etta James) and has performed in venues, from the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area to New York as well as London, France, Italy, Switzerland and Holland. 

In 1997 Freddie Hughes released the album "The Soul of Freddie Hughes" which was produced by Marlin Hunter and Chris Burns. The CD contains songs co-written by Hughes, together with Burns and Hunter. “The Soul Of Freddie Hughes” was recorded at the House of Hughes in Atlanta Ga. and released on the IFGABM Label. 

The International Alpha Band

Jeanne Doan, who is a lyricst and published poet, and Freddie Hughes formed The International Alpha Band in November 1999 for the main purpose to book Freddie in public performances and keep his singing career alive.  2002 saw the release of the album "The Future Is Now," a marvelous soul album that shows Freddie at his best. On this CD Freddie is joined by his son Derrick Hughes singing “The Woman I Want” co-written by Hughes and Burns. Other songs include “Trying To Be A Better Man” which was written by Freddie for his son; "Freedom" and "Baby I Believe In You" where the marvelous Mz. Dee joins Freddie on vocals and many more outstanding soul tunes. 

In 2009 Freddie was inducted into the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame. He remained active and performed in numerous clubs right until his death.  In early January 2022, Hughes was hospitalized with pneumonia and COVID-19. He died on January 18, 2022, at age 78, from leukemia and COVID-19 complications at Kaiser Oakland Medical Center in Oakland, California. 

(Edited from Bay Area Bands, Wikipedia & Soulwalking)

Al Ferrier born 19 August 1935

Al Ferrier, Sr. (born August 19, 1935 in Olla, Louisiana; died January 6, 2015 in Natchitoches, Louisiana) was an American Rockabilly, country and gospel singer and guitarist, hailed as "King of Louisiana Rockabilly". 

Born Alfous Glenn Ferrier in Montgomery, Louisiana into a large musical family (seven brothers, three sisters), Ferrier grew up listening to country music. Jimmie Rodgers and Grandpa Jones were among his favourites, and later especially Hank Williams, whose influence is audible in Al's very intense singing. At 13, he quit school to work in a logging camp with his brothers. By then, he had already been playing guitar for five years. Two older brothers, Brian and Warren, were both musicians. Brian was an exceptionally talented guitarist, who had played briefly with Hank Thompson's band. 

Eddie Schuler

As soon as Al was old enough, the three Ferriers formed a country trio, Al Ferrier & the Boppin' Billies, with Al on Vocals and rhythm guitar, Brian on electric lead guitar and Warren on fiddle and double bass. They played dances around South Louisiana. Local Cajun star Jimmy Newman introduced the Ferriers to Eddie Shuler, a TV repair man who had built a primitive recording studio to the rear of his repair shop in Lake Charles. It was here that Ferrier made his first recordings for the Goldband label, in March 1955. Shuler gave them Clarence Garlow's recently recorded "No No Baby" for their first record. The R&B song was transformed to raw swampy rockabilly with a wonderful chugging rhythm from Al and Brian's guitars. For reasons best known to himself, Eddie Shuler waited a full year before releasing "No No Baby", coupled with "I'll Never Do Any Wrong", a straight country song.

                                    

"No No Baby" sold well locally and was followed by a second single in mid- 1956, "My Baby Done Gone Away”, again coupling a rockabilly number with a more traditional hillbilly song. This time there weren't too many takers and Shuler did not release any further Al Ferrier singles in the 1950s, though he had some great tracks in the can, like "Let's Go Boppin' Tonight", which is now considered a rockabilly classic. Disappointed by Shuler's lack of promotion, Ferrier jumped at the chance to record for J.D. (Jay) Miller, at his better equipped studio in Crowley. "Let's Go Boppin' Tonight" was rerecorded in a more polished version, which came out on Excello 2105 in early 1957 under the title "Hey Baby". Some of the lyrics had been changed and Miller's name replaced Shuler's as the co-writer (with Al). 

By this time Warren Ferrier had left the band to follow religious pursuits, but Brian and Al both play guitar on the Excello single, together with Miller's usual studio crew, including Katie Webster on piano and Warren Storm on percussion. The flip of "Hey Baby", "I'm the Man" displayed an obvious Johnny Cash influence. Ferrier stayed with Jay Miller for the remainder of the 1950s, with further recordings being released on Miller's own labels (Rocko, Zynn), in a more main- stream rock n roll style. 

After many years of gigging, including four appearances on the Louisiana Hayride, Al retired professionally in the early 1960s, but still played in a family setting. But not long thereafter Eddie Shuler, realizing that his back catalogue had become very collectible, began dipping into his unreleased masters, with the result that quite a few "new" Goldband singles by Al hit the market, including the original "Let's Go Boppin' Tonight". In many cases, these 1950s recordings had been overdubbed with an electric bass and a piano. After Shuler had succeeded in tracking Al down, he resigned Ferrier to a Goldband contract and brought him back into the studio for new recordings, which were mixed with unissued 1950s tracks for release on many singles and two LP's. 

The European rockabilly revival of the 1970s also inspired J.D. Miller to call on Al and in October 1975, he recorded him and his "New Boppin' Billies" at his studio for the LP "From 1955 to 1975 - The Back Sound Of Rockabilly" (Showtime LP 1000), which included previously unissued 1950s material as well. Miller also signed a licensing deal with the British Flyright label, resulting in two LP releases of 1950s recordings. Unfortunately, Brian Ferrier, to whose talent Al was heavily indebted, died in October 1981, aged only 49. 

From 1980 onwards, Al has performed many times at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. His European popularity brought him to Holland in 1987, where he performed at the Rockhouse Rock 'n' Roll Meeting in Zwolle and cut a new album for Rockhouse Records, called "Dixie". This was soon followed by an LP for Floyd Soileau's Jin label. In 1996 Al decided to turn his back on secular music and started performing and recording gospel music, still for Goldband, with the album Help Me Keep the Faith. In 2012 Al was inducted in the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame’ 

Al died January 6 2015 in Natchitoches, Louisiana at the age of 79 years. Although commercial success continued to elude Ferrier, his recorded legacy is authentic and important. 

(Edited from This Is My story)

Jimmy Preston born 18 August 1913

Jimmy Preston (August 18, 1913 – December 17, 1984), was an American R&B bandleader, alto saxophonist, drummer and singer who made an important contribution to early rock and roll. 

James Alfred Smith Preston was born in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1913 and twenty years later started his career as a saxophonist as a local attraction in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Like many he was increasingly drawn towards the records and style of Louis Jordan whose unprecedented run of hits throughout the 1940’s laid the foundation for much of rock ‘n’ roll down the road. 

Louis Jordan

By the time Preston got the opportunity to record rock had arrived and his work on the Philly based Gotham label moved further into that realm, though with some Jordan-like sensibilities still apparent at times. Perhaps because of this schism in approach he never fully emerged as a major player in rock circles, especially once more artists who were not beholden to any prior stylistic compromises made names for themselves and took the music further away from its earliest influences. Preston however proved more than willing to head that way himself as his records increasingly showed, as the backbeat was further emphasized along with grittier and wilder sax solos and a more raucous sensibility in the vocals. 

                                    

They scored three national Top Ten hits, the second of which, “Rock The Joint” (with sax breaks from tenor sax player Danny Turner), quickly became a rock standard, covered immediately in an even more over-the-top arrangement by Chris Powell’s Blue Flames, then a few years down the road becoming the first noisemaker from Bill Haley & The Saddlemen, the record that convinced them to give up their cowboy outfits and country music leanings and fully dive into rock ‘n’ roll. 

Danny Turner

The Pennsylvania-born Haley had picked up on the song thanks to plenty of first-hand exposure to local hero Preston, who despite the national hits remained ensconced in the Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey region as a club attraction throughout his hit-making years. Still drawing well, having moved to New York’s Derby Records in 1950 where he scored his third hit that year, Preston abruptly gave up music altogether in 1952 when he became a minister. A decade later he founded the Victory Baptist Church, his sinful life as a rock ‘n’ roller apparently forgiven in the eyes of the congregation. 

Preston died December 17, 1984, aged 71,his role in rock music’s rise not altogether forgotten thanks to the connection with the more modernly known Bill Haley. Yet the scope of his own larger career which epitomized the shift from the Jordan-esque jump blues of the early to mid-40’s to the rock mayhem of the late 40’s has been largely pushed aside. 

Discography 

Jimmy Preston & His Prestonians on Gotham Records...

166 Let Me Call You Sweetheart // Messin' With Preston (11/1948)

170 Numbers Blues // Chop Suey, Louie (1/1949)

175 Hucklebuck Daddy // Sugar Baby (3/1949)

180 Hold Me, Baby // Home Cookin' (5/1949)

188 Rock The Joint // Drinking Woman (8/1949)

204 The Bells of St. Mary's // Foolish Me (11/1949)

206 Going Away // Credit Blues (12/1949)

216 They Call Me The Champ // Swingin' In The Groove (1950)

228 Hay Ride // Early Morning Blues (1950)

240 Estellina Bim Bam // Do The Bump (1950)

246 Let's Hang Out Tonight // Potato Salad (1950) 

Jimmy Preston With The Jimmy Preston Orchestra on Derby Records... 

748 Oh Babe! // Stop That Baby (10/1950) both sides with Burnetta Evans-vocal

751 Rock With It Baby // My Baby Done Left Me (1950)

755 Roll, Roll, Roll // Front Door Blues (1951) 

(Edited from Spontaneous Lunacy & Wikipedia)

Jimmy Donley born 17 August 1929

Jimmy Donley (August 17, 1929 – March 20, 1963) was an American singer-songwriter.

James K. Donley was, to quote one of his own songs, born to be a loser. It wasn’t that this natural singer and songwriter tried to mess up his life on every conceivable level — he was born into it and that was that. His upbringing was a mixed affair. Whilst his mother Myrthe lavished attention on him and encouraged his musical escapades, his father, Tag was an abusive alcoholic and Donley had his own mean-spirited demons that surfaced as early as three years old when he attempted to shoot his cousin for refusing to get off Donley’s tricycle. At age 14 his father forced Jimmy to leave school, to work in the Gulfport docks, unloading the banana boats. It was hard physical work for a young teenager, but through it all Jimmy kept his music hopes alive. 

But things only got worse. His world turned upside down in 1948 when he was called into the Army. A spell abroad left him depressed, longing for the comfort of home and the loving arms of his mother. He turned to drugs for solace and was starting to show the early signs of schizophrenia, leading to an undesirable discharge in 1949 as unmanageable and unfit for duty  Married four times, Donley (who could be charming when it suited him) abused all of his wives, and his constant fighting and uncontrollable anger landed him in jail numerous times. 

                                    

Ah, but he could sing, and he could write songs, and his recorded legacy from the 1950s and very early '60s for Decca Records, Johnny Vincent's Ace Records, and Huey Meaux’s Tear Drop Records is a priceless treasure trove of swamp pop country rockabilly. Donley had very real talent as a singer and writer, and his Decca recordings in particular (tracked between 1957 and 1961) were smoothly and professionally done — Owen Bradley produced them and used the best session musicians, including saxophonist Boots Randolph and guitarist Hank Garland, as well as the seemingly omnipresent Anita Kerr Singers. Donley songs like “Kickin’ My Hound Around,” the prescient “Born to Be a Loser,” the beautiful ballad “What Must I Do,” and Donley’s haunting signature tune, “The Shape You Left Me,” show an artist of uncommon clarity and vision. 

1959 had been a curious year for Donley. In spite of two brilliant singles he'd still failed to garner any chart action, but his love life took a turn for the better when he married Lillie Mae Urgas on January 30th. She was better equipped than the previous wives to deal with Donley's violent fits, and suffered more than she should. She frequently left for short spells, giving JD great inspiration for his songwriting, with classics like Think It Over, Please Mr Sandman and Forever Lillie Mae resulting from these periods of despair. Donley sang with a sometimes untranslatable diction, but the sheer pain and loneliness in his voice, particularly on his frequent and poignant love ballads, seemed to provide him with his only real shot at personal redemption. 

By 1961 Decca had ran out of patience with Jimmy, when his latest single Our Love and My Baby's Gone again failed to register. Jimmy demanded a release from his contract with Decca at gunpoint. But Donley was as bad at the financial end of the business as he was at controlling his temper, and although his songs were covered and became hits by the likes of Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis, Donley had long since sold the rights to the songs for up-front pocket change. He eventually signed over the rights to all of his songs — past, present, and future — to a con man calling himself Reverend J. Charles Jessup (later convicted of mail fraud) for what was probably no more than a weekend’s worth of beer money. 

Jimmy with Lillie Mae

Donley's 34 years of pain, anger, and misery finally ended in March 20, 1963, when he committed suicide by running a hose from the exhaust pipe through the rear window of his car. When police arrived, the car motor was still running. His Bible and a photo of his estranged wife, Lillie Mae, were found on the seat next to him. Lillie Mae, who has since died was laid to rest next to Jimmy in Saucier, Mississippi. 

The story could just end there, but none of that clarity and vision trickled out into Donley’s personal life, however, and his story would be a cautionary tale if it hadn’t simply started out bad and then just went downhill from there. There wasn't much of an arc to it, really. It would appear that the only decision Donley ever made that made sense was to play and make music. He did that well. It was his only redemption. 

(Edited from Rockabilly Hall Of Fame & Rocky 52)

Bobby Mitchell born 16 August 1935

Bobby Mitchell (August 16, 1935 – March 17, 1989) was an American, New Orleans–based, rhythm & blues singer and songwriter with a powerful tenor-baritone voice and a style somewhere between his labelmates Fats Domino and Smiley Lewis. Considering the high quality of the material he recorded during the 1950s and early 1960s, one questions just why he didn't have more success. 

Mitchell was born in a taxicab, next to the Ferry in Algiers, Louisiana, as the second oldest of a family of eventually seventeen children. Like his birth, his childhood was not easy. "Fishing was our living and I helped out with that. I used to cut wood and sold it before school. Being the second oldest, I had to be one of the supporters" he told Jeff Hannusch. In high school Bobby played football until he got his knee "busted", after which he joined the school chorus. His music teacher, Margie Dickerson, was duly impressed with his stentorian vocals and had him singing solos on the show-stoppers "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Ol' Man River". 

During the summer vacation of 1950, five boys from the school choir got together and formed a group, the Toppers : Bobby Mitchell, Lloyd Bellaire, Frank Bocage, Willie Bridges and Joseph Butler. Gabriel Fleming joined them as their pianist.  In late 1952 the Toppers auditioned for Dave Barthlomew at Imperial. Dave was interested in just Bobby and not the group, but Mitchell insisted that it was all of them or nothing. Bartholomew relented and Bobby Mitchell and the Toppers were all signed to Imperial in early 1953. The songs on their first single were both penned by group members. The blues ballad "I'm Crying" (written by Lloyd Bellaire) became the A-side, with the rousing "Rack 'em Back" (Joe Butler) on the flip. Being still in school, the group was unable to give the record much promotion. On his Imperial recordings Bobby was backed by members of Cosimo Matassa's studio band, people like Lee Allen, Alvin Tyler, Justin Adams, Frank Fields and Earl Palmer. 

                                   

It was Mitchell's third release, "Baby's Gone", that made the New Orleans charts and went a long way to establish his name as a strong regional artist. The Toppers split up in 1954, as no less than four members were drafted. Bobby and the only other remaining member, Gabriel Fleming, formed the nucleus of a new group, the King Toppers. For some time this band included future star Clarence Henry (then still without the 'Frogman' moniker), who had also played trombone on the first Mitchell session in February 1953. Bobby did not record in 1955. At the first session without the Toppers, in January 1956, Dave Bartholomew decided to try Mitchell on some rock 'n' roll- oriented material, which resulted in his only chart entry, "Try Rock And Roll" (# 14 R&B). 

Mitchell was now a solo artist. In September 1957 he recorded the song that would most often be associated with him, "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday" (later recorded by Fats Domino and others). The song was brought to Bartholomew by its writer, Roy Hayes, a Cajun from Baton Rouge. Hayes recorded the song himself in May 1957 (along with three other songs from his pen), but Imperial never released it, "because the singing is not professional", as Imperial boss Lew Chudd put it politely in a letter to Hayes, dated July 22, 1957. "However, we plan to use the tunes with another artist in the very near future." Though Bobby's version never cracked the Hot 100, it was big enough to earn him a spot on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Mitchell proved something of a surprise to promoters and deejays in cities where he had never played before, because they assumed that he was white, on the basis of "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday", which had a strong country feel. 

Imperial let his contract expire in 1958 (the label dropped most of its New Orleans acts and concentrated more on white rock n roll), after which Bobby cut a handful of singles for two small New Orleans labels, Sho-biz and Ron. A heart attack in the early 1960s brought an end to his career on the road, but he continued to perform in New Orleans where he has always been very popular. He entered Tulane University in 1962 and would later work as a medical school pathologist. In 1963, Imperial became interested in him again, releasing four sides. He bowed out as a recording artist later that year with an Eddie Bo-produced single for Rip. After that Bobby concentrated on raising his family of eight children and furthering his career in the field of medicine. 

Bobby in the 80's

He had a long running radio show as a DJ on WWOZ. He died in New Orleans, Louisiana, March 17, 1989, at the age of 53, after years of worsening illnesses, including diabetes, kidney failure, and two further heart attacks. He received a jazz funeral in Algiers and was buried in Gretna, Louisiana. 

(Edited from This Is My story & Wikipedia)

Buster Brown born 15 August 1911

               

Buster Brown (August 15, 1911 – January 31, 1976) was an American blues and R&B singer who was already approaching the age of fifty when he scored a # 1 R&B hit in 1960 with the effervescent "Fannie Mae". The record was also a Top 40 pop hit. 

Brown was born in Cordele, Georgia.  So little is known about Buster that even his real name was in question, but in the 1930s and 1940s he played harmonica at local clubs and made a few non-commercial recordings. These included "War Song" and "I'm Gonna Make You Happy" (1943), which were recorded when he played at the folk festival at Fort Valley (Georgia) State Teachers College, for the Library of Congress' Folk Music Archive. 

Brown played harmonica at local clubs in his native Georgia and drove a cab in his hometown of Cordele before moving to New York City in 1956, where he worked in a chicken and barbecue joint. There he was discovered by Bobby Robinson, who owned the Fire and Fury labels. Robinson took the part- time entertainer into the studio in the summer of 1959. One of the songs recorded was "Fannie Mae" which featured Brown's harmonica playing and whoops with Jimmy Spruill on guitar, which Robinson released in November (Fire 1008). Then Robinson went on the road to promote the record, first in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Detroit, then Chicago. Robinson recalls “Chicago went crazy for it. I had to rush back to New York to press up the record." It went to no. 38 in the US Top 40, and to no. 1 on the R&B chart in April 1960. 

                                    

The selling point of "Fannie Mae" was its infectious riff, which later formed the basis of at least two other songs, "Help Me Rhonda" by the Beach Boys and "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" by the Rolling Stones, both from 1965. But Brown's reign as an unlikely star was short-lived. Robinson issued several follow-ups, including a remake of Louis Jordan's "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" (# 81 pop) and the excellent "Sugar Babe" (# 99 pop, # 19 R&B), which was covered by Jimmy Powell in the UK. 

After one-off singles on the small Gwenn and Serock labels, Brown stopped at Chicago’s Checker Records and  produced a glistening update of the old blues "Crawlin' Kingsnake" that sank without a trace. He also co-wrote the song "Doctor Brown" with J. T. Brown, which was later covered by Fleetwood Mac on their 1968 album, Mr. Wonderful.

He made his last record in 1969, for the Astroscope label, "Fannie Mae's Place," then he completely disappeared from the music scene. Other than two albums and the few named singles that is all there is of one of the great blues harmonica virtuosos of all time. His song “Fannie Mae” enjoyed further attention in 1973 when it was included in the film American Graffiti and the best selling soundtrack. 

Brown died in Brooklyn, New York City in 1976, at the age of 64. Whether his short lived popularity and subsequent recordings were a cause for his failing health may never be known, Buster truly was one of the forgotten rock n rollers. 

It is often erroneously cited that Brown's real name was "Wayman Glasco." however, that was the name of Brown's manager. There was no mention of Brown having any living family members so all rights to his music went to Glasco, thus unintentionally creating the confusion. Also there is some confusion with recordings by the  artist B. Brown who is actually Daniel Brown born in Los Angeles, California. He is not Buster Brown, so beware!

(Edited from Wikipedia, This Is My Story, Seniors LifeStyle mag, Blues- Sessions.com  & AllMusic)

Barbara Jay born 14 August 1932

Barbara Jay (born 15 August 1932) is a celebrated British jazz singer who has built a remarkable career performing at prestigious venues across the UK and Europe, singing with a true, clear voice, warmly interpreting the great standards of the popular and jazz repertoires with elegant phrasing and superb diction. 

Barbara’s love of music was inspired by her father, Billy Jones, a professional trumpet player who performed with prominent bandleaders during the 1930s. She grew up during the Second World War and was evacuated from London, spending part of her childhood in Alnwick. 

Her early years were shaped by constant movement, as her father was stationed at various airfields across the country. This unsettled lifestyle meant Barbara was frequently changing schools, resulting in a disrupted and limited formal education. Despite these early challenges, Barbara’s passion and talent for music shone through, and she went on to build a successful career as a professional singer through sheer determination and natural ability. 

At 14, Barbara joined her school choir and knew she wanted to sing. By 16, she was performing at venues across London, where a chance meeting with Geoff Love, a well-known bandleader, led to her first professional role at the Astoria Ballroom in 1951. She took naturally to singing and by the 1960s she was working with top British Jazz musicians including Ronnie Scott and Don Lusher. As a solo Jazz singer Jay has shared the billing at Ronnie Scott's club with Horace Silver, Pharoah Sanders, George Chisholm and Dave Holland. In 1966 she performed with Tommy Whittle when his regular singer was unable to perform. Romance blossomed and the couple were married a year later and soon set up home in Little Bushey Lane. 

                                   

In 1993 she devised the very successful "Ella Fitzgerald Songbook Show" which has been performed at major venues and Festivals throughout Britain and also with her own quartet at the Pizza on the Park Knightstbridge, London.

A career highlight came in 1994 when Barbara was invited to perform cabaret at Prince Edward’s 30th birthday celebration at the Savoy Hotel, London – a testament to her elegance, talent, and enduring appeal. 

She appeared frequently with her saxophonist husband Tommy Whittle (who died in October 2013) and has performed extensively on British television and radio. She has also appeared at many European festivals including Nice and Cork. In December 2012, she appeared as a contributor to the BBC Four TV documentary “Len Goodman’s Dancing Feet: the British Ballroom Story” describing her experiences singing for dance bands in the 1950s. 

Although now retired, Barbara is suffering from dementia. 

(Edited from Wikipedia, Homecare & AllMuisc)