Rhythm' Blues Shouters 7” VINYL EPs

Country: Spain

Date: 2023 april 13th

Label: El Toro Records

Ref.: ET15.157/158/159/160/161/162

Format: Pack 6 Vinyl EPs

Artist: Ollie Shepard, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Lloyd Price, Jimmy Breedlove, Lloyd Fatman Smith, Bobby Lewis

Style: Rockin' Blues, Boppers

ET-15.157 - OLLIE SHEPARD - SAY YEAH!
A1. "Jolly Boy" Shepard - You Care (OKeh)
A2. Ollie Shepard - My Baby's Gone (Gee)
B1. Ollie Shepard - Say Yeah (Gee)
B2. Jolly Ollie - Baby Blues (Johnson)

A veteran of the race recording scene, Louisiana-born Ollie Shepard first recorded with his Kentucky Boys for Decca in 1937 when he cut his big blues hit, the much-covered "It's a Low Down Dirty Shame". Two decades later, his recent releases have been pitched at the teenage rock 'n' roll market with a return to OKeh, as well as releases for the Gee and Johnson record companies in the Big Apple in a variety of hepcat-friendly styles.

ET15158 - SCREAMIN’ JAY HAWKINS - LITTLE DEMON
A1. Little Demon (alternative take)
A2. I Put A Spell on You (alternative take)
B1. Alligator Wine (alternative take)
B2. There's Something Wrong With You (alternative take)

Although curiously absent from the nations best-seller lists, wild and wacky Screamin' Jay and his signature "I Put a Spell on You" is surely well-known to anybody moved by the rhythm and the blues and has sold well for the reanimated OKeh company. Here is a selection of alternative versions of his best, batty bellowings that have been recovered from the Columbia cutting-room carpet - including the infamous "Spell"; listen closely...you got to be real cool to hear the words he says!

ET15159 - LLOYD PRICE - THE CHICKEN AND THE BOP
A1. The Chicken and The Bop
A2. Georgianna
B1. Such a Mess
B2. Hello Little Girl

You may remember Louisiana's Lloyd Price for his chart-topping "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" several years ago. The song has since been recorded by just about everybody and Lloyd has maintained a hot presence in both the R&B best-seller list and with his exhaustive touring schedule. A sharp businessman, Price has put his royalties to good use and formed his own record company in DC, the Kent Records Corporation which has resulted in the present EP. Dig this, cats!

ET15160 - BOBBY LEWIS - YOU BETTER STOP!
A1. Mumbles Blues (Spotlight 1956)
A2. Solid as a Rock (Spotlight 1956)
B1. You Better Stop (Roulette 1959)
B2. Fire of Love (Roulette 1959)

A resounding success in recent years with his pop hits for Beltone Records, like many black artists Indiana-born Bobby Lewis has taken years to become an overnight success. A one-off release for Chess introduced his "Mumbles Blues" to the world which, given a rockin' rearrangement was recut for Spotlight Records in 1956 in Motor City, as featured here with the equally cool "Solid as a Rock" backed by Dave Hamilton's Peppers. He also rerecorded the latter for Roulette but we here include his debut release for that label.

ET15161 - FLOYD FATMAN SMITH - WHERE YOU BEEN
A1. Part-Time Sweetheart
A2. Good Gracious
B1. Where You Been
B2. Miss Mushmouth

A native of South Carolina, Lloyd Smith - known as "Fat Man" - has now made Philadelphia his home, previously recording for the local Gotham label whilst holding down a gig as Louis Jordan's manager! A big personality in Philly, he has now signed on as a broadcaster and radio DJ and pacted with the OKeh label to deliver the four scorching sides in this hot package.

ET15162 - JIMMY BREEDLOVE - KILLER DILLER
A1. That's My Baby
A2. Killer Diller
B1. Oo-Whee, Good Gosh A-Mighty
B2. Whole Lot-ta Shakin' Goin' On

As the young buck with the always-busy vocal harmony group, The Cues, whom he joined in 1955, Jimmy Breedlove sang on their influential "Burn That Candle", "Why", "Crackerjack" and "Killer Diller". A solo career beckoned leading to sparkling releases for Atco, Epic and then RCA, for whom he waxed the well-recieved "Rock 'n' Roll Hits" LP - a hit with the ducktail and ponytail partners - from which the recut of "Killer Diller" and "Whole Lot-ta Shakin'" stem.