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Tiny Kennedy, too, proclaims himself a
Country Boy
but take this with a
pinch of salt! To the little I wrote about him on Volume 1 I can now add that he
worked with Tiny Bradshaw’s band, recording with him as a female impersonator
in 1952! Later that year he turned up in Memphis to record for Sam Phillips and
the sides were sold to Trumpet.
Strange Kind Of Feeling
(on ‘Groove Jumping’)
was re-recorded by RCA who bought out all the rights from Trumpet. But best
of all was
Country Boy.
Loosely based on
Hound Dog,
it features one of Mickey
Baker’s most vicious solos, the culmination of the devastating slide guitar
accompaniment heard throughout! Baker is similarly dangerous on Larry Dale’s
three sides, for, contrary to popular belief, Dale only sings. In 1954, Dale had
only played guitar for a couple of years after settling in New York and leaving
his auto mechanic job in Texas. He worked with Bob Gaddy as the Houserockers
in little clubs until noticed by CootieWilliams who took him to Europe as featured
vocalist in a 1959 tour. The Groove date was probably secured by Jack Dupree
(look out for his new Detour album), the pianist on the session.
Heed My Warning
is a strong city blues but doesn’t really prepare us for the unissued
Midnight
Hours
with its moaning vocal punctuated by slashing guitar, nor for
Down To
The Bottom
taken at breakneck speed with amazing block chords from Jack
Dupree and shattering guitar from Baker. Incidentally, Baker wrote the song -
no doubt RCA thought it too rude to issue!
The other great guitarist here is Roy Gaines who has recently been a member
of The Crusaders. His early career is chronicled on Volume 1 - on
Right Now
he