Arthur Crudup

Arthur Crudup may well have been Elvis Presley's favorite bluesman. The swivel-hipped rock god recorded no less than three of "Big Boy's" Victor classics during his seminal rockabilly heyday: "That's All Right Mama" (Elvis' Sun debut in 1954), "So Glad You're Mine," and "My Baby Left Me." Often lost in all the hubbub surrounding Presley's classic covers are Crudup's own contributions to the blues lexicon. He didn't sound much like anyone else, and that makes him an innovator, albeit a rather rudimentary guitarist (he didn't even pick up the instrument until he was 30 years old).

 

Around 1940, Crudup migrated to Chicago from Mississippi. Times were tough at first; he was playing for spare change on the streets and living in a packing crate underneath an elevated train track when powerful RCA/Bluebird producer Lester Melrose dropped a few coins in Crudup's hat. Melrose hired Crudup to play a party that 1941 night at Tampa Red's house attended by the cream of Melrose's stable: Big Bill Broonzy, Lonnie Johnson, Lil Green. A decidedly tough crowd to impress -- but Crudup overcame his nervousness with flying colors. By September of 1941, he was himself an RCA artist.


Crudup pierced the uppermost reaches of the R&B lists during the mid-'40s with "Rock Me Mama," "Who's Been Foolin' You," "Keep Your Arms Around Me," "So Glad You're Mine," and "Ethel Mae." He cut the original "That's All Right" in 1946 backed by his usual rhythm section of bassist Ransom Knowling and drummer Judge Riley, but it wasn't a national hit at the time. Crudup remained a loyal and prolific employee of Victor until 1954, when a lack of tangible rewards for his efforts soured Crudup on Nipper (he had already cut singles in 1952 for Trumpet disguised as Elmer James and for Checker as Percy Lee Crudup).

In 1961, Crudup surfaced after a long layoff with an album for Bobby Robinson's Harlem-based Fire logo dominated by remakes of his Bluebird hits. Another lengthy hiatus preceded Delmark boss Bob Koester's following the tip of Big Joe Williams to track down the elusive legend (Crudup had drifted into contract farm labor work in the interim). Happily, the guitarist's sound hadn't been dimmed by Father Time: his late-'60s work for Delmark rang true as he was reunited with Knowling (Willie Dixon also handled bass duties on some of his sides). Finally, Crudup began to make some decent money, playing various blues and folk festivals for appreciative crowds for a few years prior to his 1974 death.

That's All Right Mama [Bluebird] Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup  Released 1992 by Bluebird

 

Side 1

Side 2

My Baby Left Me If I Get Lucky Mean Old 'Frisco Blues Who's Been Fooling You? So Glad You're Mine Shout, Sister, Shout Cool Disposition I Don't Know It

That's Allright She' Just Like Caledonia Rock Me Mama Hand Me Down My Walking Cane I love You I'm Gonna Dig Myself A Hole She's Got No Hair Never No More

Ace Cannon

Ace Cannon

 

One of Nashville's premier session men from the late '50s through the early '70s, alto saxophonist Ace Cannon began playing at the age of ten and signed with Sun Records during the early days of rock & roll. He performed with Billy Lee Riley and Brad Suggs but then in 1959 joined the original Bill Black Combo, recording for the Hi label. He stayed with the band until 1961, when he made his solo chart debut with the instrumental "Tuff," which made it to the country Top 20. This in turn was followed by a Top 40 hit, "Blues (Stay Away From Me)," and a minor hit for the Santos label, "Sugar Blues." He had two more hits in the mid-'60s with "Cotton Fields" and "Searchin'," both recorded for Hi. A decade later, he became the subject of the 1974 documentary film, Ace's High. After moving to Nashville in the mid-'70s, Cannon's version of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" became a minor hit and was nominated for the Best Country Instrumental Performance Grammy that year. Cannon continued to perform into the '90s and frequently toured with such legends of early rock & roll as Carl Perkins.

Above is Ace (on the piano) as a young man is his first group,
Bill Black's Combo.

 

Skeeter Davis (left)and band leader Ace Cannon (right)

Ace Cannon The Best of Ace Cannon: The Hi Records Years 04/10/2001  Capitol

 

Fernwood Rock 'N' Roll 02/08/2000  Stompertime Records

In memory of Isaac Hayes
L to R back row...Russ Moss, Bubba Feathers,
Sam Samudio, JM VanEaton, Billy Lee Riley,
Scotty Moore, Billy Swan, Stan Perkins
DJ Fontana, Ronnie McDowell,WS Holland
CW Gatlin ......Front Row..L to R..
Late Isaac Hayes, JP Morgan [behind Isaac]
"Smoochie" Smith, Kim Curtis, Ace Cannon
Jerry Phillips
Sun Studio Reunion

Calhoun City, MS has honored Ace with welcome signs at entrances to the city.

Ace, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins

ACE CANNON

Uno de los primeros session men de Nashville de los ultimos 50´s a los primeros 70´s. Saxo alto Ace Cannon empezó tocando a la edad de 10 años y firmó con Sun Records durante los primeros dias del rock & roll

Tocó con muchos artistas como Billy Lee Riley y Brad Suggs hasta que en 1959 se unió a Bill Black Combo, grabando para Hi label. Estuvo en la banda hasta 1961, cuando debutó en solitario con el tema "Tuff" que entró en el country Top 20. Esto fué seguido por un top 40 hit, "Blues (Stay away from me)" y exito meno para el sello Santos, "Sugar Blues", Ace Cannon tuvo 2 exitos mas a mediado de los 60´s con " Cotton Fields" y "Searchin´" ambos grabados para el sello Hi. Una decada despues en 1974, volveria para un documental, Ace´s High. Despues de mudarse a Nashvill a mediado de los 70´s una version suya del "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" llegó a exito y fué nominada para los Grammy en la categoria de mejort actuacion country instrumental del año. Cannon ha continuado actuando, en 1986 participó en el Class of ´55, un album con Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison y Johnny Cash y estuvieron de gira por varios paises de Europa. ha grabado mas de 70m albunes y 45 singles y actuado en varios programas de television. Este es el conocido por "EL PADRINO DEL SAXO"