The Dallas Dark Horse

Artist: Ella Mae Morse
Song: I'm Gone (a-side) (b-side is Sway Me)
Label: Capitol White Label F3759 (Promotional Record - Not For Sale)
Number: 45-17188
Songwriters: Quincy Jones - King Pleasure
Time: 3:00
Released: August 1st, 1957

This post gets back to some real jazzy roots. In fact, today's artist blended jazz, pop and R&B to create her unique sound. I'm speaking, of course, about Ella Mae Morse, one of the most talented and overlooked vocalists of the 1940's.

Ella Mae Morse was born in Mansfield, Texas, on September 12th, 1924. She was hired by Jimmy Dorsey when she was 14 years old. Dorsey believed she was 19, and when he was informed by the school board that he was now responsible for her care, he fired her. In 1942, at the age of 17, she joined Freddie Slack's band, with whom in the same year she recorded Cow Cow Boogie, Capitol Records' very first gold single. Mr. Five By Five and Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet were two other hits Ella Mae and Slack released. By 1943, she was singing solo and reached #1 in the R&B charts with Shoo-Shoo Baby. Also in that same year, she had a cameo in the film Reveille With Beverly. Despite appearances on the big screen and the pop and R&B charts, Ella Mae Morse never received the popularity of a major star.

Other songs she released was Love Me Or Leave Me, Blacksmith Blues, The House Of Blue Lights, which saw her as one of the first white artists to perform what is now seen as Rhythm and Blues, and Down The Road A Piece. She also recorded a version of Oakie Boogie for Capitol, which reached #23 in the charts and was one of the first songs arranged by Nelson Riddle. She was married twice, first to Marvin L. Gerber, and later to Jack Bradford. She had six children. Her last recordings were for Capitol Records, in 1957, but she continued performing until 1987. Sadly, Ella Mae Morse died on October 16th, 1999, in Bullhead City, Arizona, of respiratory failure. She was 75. For her contributions to the entertainment industry, she was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located at 1724 Vine Street.

Seeing as how Ella Mae stopped recording completely in the year 1957, today's song could very well be her final recording! I suppose the call of motherhood became too strong for her to overcome and she retreated from the glare of the spotlight. What a tragedy that was for all her fans. I'm Gone proves that she still had the talent and ability to hold her own with any of the Jazz greats from that era, or any other era, for that matter. Her natural inflection and toning proved that she had mastered Jazz, just as she had risen to the top in the Pop and R&B fields, too. So, please download and listen to Ella Mae Morse, one of the great stylists of the 1940's and 1950's as she declares I'm Gone. In the parlance of the Jazz set, I can say she's gone, man - totally gone!

Sixty Minute Man

Artist: Billy Ward and His Dominoes
Song: Please Don't Say No (a-side) (b-side is Behave, Hula Girl)
Label: Liberty F-55181 (Promotional Copy - Not For Sale)
Number: 45-LB-934
Songwriters: S. Fain - R. Freed
Time: 2:07
Released: 1959

Two posts in a row from Liberty Records! The last one featured Julie London and to show the broad range of artists Liberty had in their stable, this record is from R&B sensations Billy Ward and His Dominoes.

Billy Ward and His Dominoes were one of the top American R&B groups of the early 1950's, and launched the careers of both Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson. Billy Ward himself was born in Savannah, Georgia, on September 19th, 1921. He grew up in Philadelphia, the second of three sons of Charles and Cora Bates Williams, and was a child musical prodigy. He studied music in Chicago, and at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. While working as a vocal coach and part-time arranger on Broadway, he met talent agent Rose Marks, who became his business and songwriting partner. The pair set out to form a vocal group from the ranks of his students. The group was at first called the Ques, and comprised Clyde McPhatter (lead tenor), Charlie White (tenor), Joe Lamont (baritone), and Bill Brown (bass). Ward acted as their pianist and arranger. The group eventually signed with Federal Records, where they released their first single, called Do Something For Me, with McPhatter’s lead vocal. It reached the R&B charts in early 1951, and climbed to #6. Their big smash was Sixty Minute Man, which reached all the way to #1 on the R&B charts in May 1951, and stayed there for 14 weeks. It even made it as high as #17 on the Popular charts.

Though various members began leaving and starting their own careers, Charlie White and Bill Brown in 1951, Clyde McPhatter in early 1953, (whose replacement was Jackie Wilson), and Joe Lamont and James McNeil, who had replaced Bill Brown, Billy Ward kept the Dominoes going and they continued to be a successful recording act. In 1954, Ward moved the group to the Jubilee label, then to Decca, where, except for the moderate hit single St. Therese Of The Roses, the group was unable to follow that success in the charts, and this brought about more personnel changes. In April of 1957, the group moved to Liberty Records and scored their last charted hit, Star Dust. Although this was their last major success, they continued recording as a group into the 1960's. Billy Ward died in Los Angeles, California on February 16th, 2002, at the Centinela Park Convalescent Hospital. The Dominoes were elected to the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in 2006.

Today's record, Please Don't Say No, is an impassioned plea from a lover to his girl, sung as Rhythm and Blues artists do so well. The vocalist on this recording sounds a lot like the lead singer of The Platters, Tony Williams, giving you an idea of the sound. With outstanding background vocals and a peppy rock and roll arrangement, including piano and strings, it's not hard to see why Billy Ward had so much success. Even though their best years were behind them when they released this song in 1959, please enjoy Please Don't Say No by Billy Ward and His Dominoes. Do this for me and yourself!

She Sends Me

Artist: Julie London

Song: Send For Me (a-side) (b-side is Evenin')

Label: Liberty Audition Record F-55300

Number: LB-1176

Songwriters: O. Jones

Time: 2:20

Released: 1961

Her voice is as smooth as velvet. It just grabs you and pulls you into any song she sings. Those sultry looks, the penetrating eyes, what an artist she was. Of course I'm speaking about my Julie! Today's ongoing infatuation features the flipside of a song I've already posted. You can find out all about that track here. I don't have to tell you anything about her, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you've already had the chance to meet her through my words of admiration. But, maybe a brief bio about my favorite lady is in order.

Julie was born in Santa Rosa, California, on September 26th, 1926. Her real name was Gayle Peck and her parents Jack and Josephine were a vaudeville song-and-dance team. When she was 14, her family moved to Los Angeles and shortly after this, she began appearing in movies. She was married to Jack Webb from 1947 to 1953. After her divorce from the Dragnet star, she met jazz composer and musician Bobby Troup. They married on December 31st, 1959 and remained happily together until Bobby's death in February 1999.

She also made more than 20 films and has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Later in her career, she also starred in the hit television series Emergency from 1972 to 1979, as Nurse Dixie McCall.

But, primarily she was a singer. And, oh what a voice she had! Julie recorded 32 albums in a career that began in 1955. She was Billboard's most popular singer in the years 1955, 1956 and 1957. Probably her most famous song was Cry Me A River, released in 1956. Other hit singles include Makin' Whoopee, Blue Moon, It Had To Be You and Yummy Yummy Yummy, from 1968.

So, after you've ingested just how special of an entertainer, a person and a woman she was, please download and listen to this peppy little number called Send For Me, sung by my main squeeze Julie London. You'll probably agree that she's yummy yummy yummy just like I do!

Here she is striking a pose wearing a shorts and shoulder-less top ensemble.

Later in her career she got even more beautiful looking.

Here is an artsy picture of her that I created, just for all her Music For Every Mood fans out there! (4)

Sue Raney Follow-Up

Artist: Sue Raney
Song: Try To See It My Way (b-side) (a-side is There Goes My Everything)
Label: Imperial 66222 (Audition Record)
Number: IM-6314
Songwriters: Hal David - Burt F. Bacharach
Time: 2:28
Released: 1966

What I have for my faithful readers today, is a follow-up record for all you Sue Raney fans out there. Being as she is still a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, witness her Doris Day tribute album from 2007 that has garnered many accolades, I thought I'd take the chance to post something else from her that probably hasn't been heard very often since it's original release.

Originally featured on the ABC Television program On The Flip Side, broadcast on December 7th, 1966, the song Try To See It My Way was sung by vocalist Joanie Sommers. The program was an original rock musical, with songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, about a washed up teen idol (Ricky Nelson) who is coached back onto the charts by a pink-haired angel (Joanie Sommers). This recording is Sue Raney's interpretation of the song in her unmistakable styling.

For biographical information on Sue, please see my earlier post about her here. For now, though, please enjoy Sue Raney singing Try To See It My Way. Apparently, this is another one of her fine songs that hasn't seen a release on any album or collection, so I know you'll want to add it to your collection.

Christmas Alert!

Artist: Santo and Johnny
Song: Twistin' Bells (a-side) (b-side is Bullseye)
Label: Canadian American Records, Ltd. 120
Number: 6004
Songwriters: Farina, Farina, Farina
Time: 2:15
Released: 1960

Today's post is a special Christmas recording. Since it's Christmas Eve as I post this, I thought it quite appropriate. Everyone will remember Santo and Johnny from their greatest hit, Sleepwalk. Santo and Johnny Farina, brothers, were born in Brooklyn, New York on October 24th, 1937 and October 30th, 1941 respectively. It was Santo who played steel guitar and Johnny who mostly played rhythm guitar, along with the steel guitar. Their record label, Canadian American, and the publicity they released about them at the time referred to a third composer, Ann Farina, who was supposedly a sister. This was a mistake as they did not even have a sister! Their father, a serviceman, had found that the sound of the steel guitar on country and western records was quite soothing and so he encouraged them to learn this instrument. They learned the instrument and then wrote an instrumental featuring the sound of the steel guitar called Sleepwalk, which was released on the Canadian American label. With it's haunting sound, it topped the US charts and went on to sell 2 million copies. Needless to say, this solidified their position in music!

In their later years together, they tried to shake their "easy listening" tag by adding fuzz guitar and doing songs by Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. They also recorded many Italian tunes as they established a huge following there, being awarded 33 gold discs. They continued to record popular albums until finally splitting up in 1976. They have since released their own solo albums. In 2002, the duo were inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

Today's song has a familiar melody - you might recognize it. It is the familiar classic Jingle Bells, speeded up and given the Santo and Johnny instrumental treatment. The Twist was popular in 1960, so they added this onto the name and before you can say Jingle Bell Rock, you've got a best selling song for the holidays - an instant classic. So, while you're welcoming faithful friends and family who are dear to you, please play Santo and Johnny's song for the Christmas season, Twistin' Bells and have an eggnog on me.

Merry Christmas to all my faithful blog readers!

Sister Act, Part Two

Artist: Paulette Sisters
Song: Your Love Captured Me (b-side) (a-side is Lips That Lie)
Label: Decca 9-30496 (Black and Silver Label Sample Copy - Not For Sale)
Number: 103,330
Songwriters: Gregory Carroll
Time: 3:02
Released: 1956

And now, part two of my special sister groups extravaganza. I posted this one last because, as far as available information there was to be found out about them on the internet, the Paulette Sisters were something of an enigma.
I know their names were Gloria, Jane and Betty and that Jane sang the low harmonies in the group and Gloria is known by the affectionate nickname of "Tootie" to her relatives. Apparently they are all still living because each year for the holidays, a young woman of 22 named Alyssa goes to visit her Aunt Tootie, Aunt Jane and Aunt Betty. And now, for what little professional information I was able to dig up about them.

Their one and only chart hit was in 1955, and it was a cover of the classic Hank Williams song You Win Again. It made it as high as #91 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November of that year. Also, it seems they might have started out their career lending their voices as backing harmonies to other singers of the day. I know they added background vocals on a couple songs by Connee Boswell, who herself started out as a member of the Boswell Sisters (more sister acts!). These included There Must Be A Way and Who Told You That Lie. I believe this was probably in the mid-1940's. Also in 1945, July 12th, to be precise, they made a guest appearance on The Kraft Music Hall radio program. Connee Boswell was also on that episode, so it's a pretty good chance the Paulette Sisters were backing her up for this as well.

After their own recording career began in earnest, they seem to have bounced around to a lot of different labels. For we see them on Columbia in 1952 and 1953, recording such songs as Put That Foot Down, Oh Johnny Oh Johnny Oh, Glow Worm, Sui Sin Fa, You'll Never Get Away, My-Na Shay-Na Ty-Ra, Following The Leader and Never Smile At A Crocodile. This latter song was from the soundtrack of the Walt Disney movie Peter Pan and their version itself was featured on the soundtrack to the motion picture You've Got Mail, from 1998. They also recorded Tell Me You Don't Love Me, Shalimar and Everybody Loves Saturday Night, for Columbia, the latter for the Percy Faith Orchestra featuring them and Burt Taylor, in 1953.

Later in 1955, we see them recording at Capitol, which was the period for when their main chart success for You Win Again took place. While on Capitol Records, they also recorded Dream Boat, backed with Leave My Honey Be, Ring-A-Ding-A-Doo, backed with Lonely One, Mama, El Baion, In Madrid and Now Is The Time. Then they recorded a song called Jody, for Decca, which is the label today's post is found on. I suspect this was in the 1956-1957 period, for 1958 found them working on the Aamco label and recording Calla, Calla (The Bride, The Bride) and Why. 1960 found them recording tracks for yet again another label. They released an answer song to the Fireflies 1959 hit recording of You Were Mine, entitled I Was Yours, for the Ribbons Record Label in 1960, which was the b-side of Poor Me. And that's all I could track down about them except a photocopied, autographed picture of them, which you can see below.

Today's great song is from their Decca period and for some reason, it always picks me up when I hear it. Your Love Captured Me is the flipside of Lips That Lie, which the single was promoting, but I like the b-side better. It features an orchestra directed by Sy Oliver, who was a jazz arranger, virtuoso trumpet player, composer, singer and bandleader. Listening to this song makes me wonder why they weren't big stars. Their delivery is spot on and their harmonies are tight and smooth. From this one recording, I would have bought more of their songs when they were in their prime. They have that great of a sound. But, yesterday's history is our loss today. Although I don't know much else about them, I do have this one entertaining moment they left behind for me to listen to. I hope the Paulette Sisters are happy wherever they are and whatever they are doing in this day and age, and I can truly say that their singing captured this fan totally. So be sure to judge for yourself as to their abilities when you listen to The Paulette Sisters as they sing Your Love Captured Me. These lips of mine don't lie when I say they're mighty infectious singers!

Sister Act, Part One

Artist: Shepherd Sisters

Song: Congratulations To Someone (b-side) (a-side is Alone [Why Must I Be Alone])

Label: Lance T-125

Number: T-3002

Songwriters: Frisch - Alfred

Time: 2:29
Released: 1957

Today's post is another in my line of themed offerings. It will include two songs by groups of sisters. And you thought this was going to be about the Whoopi Goldberg movie! Well, it's not.

The Shepherd Sisters, Martha, Gayle, Judy and Mary Lou were indeed sisters and were from Middletown, Ohio. Initially they performed as a trio with Martha, Gayle, and Mary Lou. Later they added sister Judy to their lineup. All are still alive and well except Martha, who passed away in 1998.

One of their first recordings, Gone With The Wind, got them a call from Dick Clark and subsequently they made many appearances on his American Bandstand show. They also appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts in the late 1950's. In New York, Morty Craft had a song he wanted them to record, Alone (Why Must I Be Alone), which they did and it was released on Craft's own Lance label. In 1957, Alone would become their biggest hit and their signature song. In the U.S. it reached No.18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; in the UK it made No.14. It may have climbed higher had it not been up against several rival cover versions on both sides of the Atlantic.

Morty also introduced them to the DJ Alan Freed, the man who first coined the term "rock and roll." The Shepherd Sisters played the Brooklyn and Manhattan Paramount Theaters and toured with Alan Freed's "America's Greatest Teenage Recording Stars"- The Everly Brothers, Paul Anka, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Danny and the Juniors, Lee Andrews and the Hearts, The Twin Tones, Little Joe Dubs, Thurston Harris, Terry Nolan, and Jo Ann Campbell. Besides rock and roll, the Shepherd Sisters were also a stage and cabaret act. They performed at big hotels, nightclubs, NYC's Apollo Theater and casinos in Reno and Las Vegas. They also sang in the Philippines, Canada, South America and parts of Europe. Later on, they were often on the road performing in venues from Cincinatti to Buenos Aires, instead of focusing on their recording career.

Some of the many songs they recorded are the aforementioned Gone With The Wind, Love's Not A Dream, I'll Be There, Rock 'N Roll Cha Cha Cha (!), Remember That Crazy Rock 'N Roll Tune, I Walked Beside The Sea, Gettin' Ready For Freddy, Eatin' Pizza, Is It A Crime, I Think It's Time, How Softly A Heart Breaks, Schoen-a Schoen-a, Hapsburg Serenade, Lolita Ya-Ya, What Makes Little Girls Cry, Heart And Soul, Finders Keepers, I've Got A Secret, Our Town - recorded in 1976. From looking through some of these song titles, it seems like rather than compete with the new Rock and Roll music, they embraced it.

Today's song, Congratulations To Someone, was the flipside to their monster smash hit Alone, Why Must I Be Alone. I'd be willing to bet that not many people remember turning over their record if they had it all those years ago and playing the b-side. Fortunately, you don't have that problem because it's here today for your listening pleasure. It features their impeccable harmonies and sounds like they were reaching for the young Rock and Roll market in their arrangement. It has nice little combo of guitar, stand-up bass, drums and piano and let's the sister's voices shine through in front of the backing. So, relive the great Shepherd Sister's era of music while they sing Congratulations To Someone. You won't be alone in admiring their smooth voices and grand harmonies!