Jimmy Beasley

Last updated

James Edward Beasley (born September 30, 1931) [1] is an American rhythm and blues singer, pianist and songwriter.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Beasley learned piano from Willie Rice, and was heavily influenced by Fats Domino. He was also a Golden Gloves winning amateur boxer, and sang in the Aces Quartet and the Sonny Kenner Trio. [2] In 1954, he moved to Los Angeles, and joined King Perry's band, with whom he recorded for Hollywood Records. He also recorded under his own name for the Peacock and Modern labels, in a style similar to Fats Domino. [3] [4]

Although Beasley had no national chart hits, "Ella Jane", recorded with a band that included saxophonists Maxwell Davis and Plas Johnson, and guitarist Rene Hall, sold moderately well, and Beasley regularly played in Los Angeles clubs. Some of Beasley's recordings on Modern, including "Don't Feel Sorry for Me" and "Little Coquette" were recorded in New Orleans in 1956 with Dave Bartholomew's band, [1] and "Little Coquette" was later recorded by Fats Domino. Beasley also backed Etta James at recording sessions in New Orleans. [2]

After having a moderate regional hit with "My Happiness" in 1956, Beasley formed his own band and moved to New York City, where he worked for Alan Freed, performed alongside Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Ruth Brown, appeared on numerous TV shows, and continued to write for Fats Domino and others. He continued to record for Modern and its subsidiary Crown label, who released an LP, Jimmy's House Party, which was repackaged in 1961 with a slightly different track listing as Twist with Jimmy Beasley. His last recordings, "Ready To Go" / "My Baby's Gone", were released in 1965. [2] His records were among those that influenced the development of ska music in Jamaica. [4]

In the 1970s, Beasley appeared in cabaret in Reno and Las Vegas, and regularly in Laughlin, Nevada. He then moved to Torrance, California, where he owned a club and continued to perform occasionally. He also appeared at blues festivals in Europe in the 1990s, [2] but retired from performing after a stroke in the late 1990s. [3]

Related Research Articles

Lloyd Price American rhythm and blues singer

Lloyd Price is an American R&B vocalist, known as "Mr. Personality", after his 1959 million-selling hit, "Personality". His first recording, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", was a hit for Specialty Records in 1952. He continued to release records, but none were as popular until several years later, when he refined the New Orleans beat and achieved a series of national hits. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Fats Domino American R&B musician

Antoine Dominique Domino Jr., known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist and singer-songwriter. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records.

Jimmie Noone

Jimmie Noone was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. After beginning his career in New Orleans, he led Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra, a Chicago band that recorded for Vocalion and Decca. Classical composer Maurice Ravel acknowledged basing his Boléro on an improvisation by Noone. At the time of his death Noone was leading a quartet in Los Angeles and was part of an all-star band that was reviving interest in traditional New Orleans jazz in the 1940s.

New Orleans rhythm and blues Style of R&B music originating in New Orleans

New Orleans rhythm and blues is a style of rhythm and blues music that originated in the U.S. city of New Orleans. Most popular from 1948 to 1955, it was a direct precursor to rock and roll and strongly influenced ska. Instrumentation typically includes drums, bass, piano, horns, electric guitar, and vocals. The style is characterized by syncopated "second line" rhythms, a strong backbeat, and soulful vocals. Artists such as Roy Brown, Dave Bartholomew, and Fats Domino are representative of the New Orleans R&B sound.

Dave Bartholomew American musician, band leader, producer, and composer

David Louis Bartholomew was an American musician, bandleader, composer, arranger, and record producer. He was prominent in the music of New Orleans throughout the second half of the 20th century. Originally a trumpeter, he was active in many musical genres, including rhythm and blues, big band, swing music, rock and roll, New Orleans jazz, and Dixieland. In his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he was cited as a key figure in the transition from jump blues and swing to R&B and as "one of the Crescent City's greatest musicians and a true pioneer in the rock and roll revolution."

Allen Toussaint

Allen Toussaint was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer, who was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, described as "one of popular music's great backroom figures". Many musicians recorded Toussaint's compositions, including "Whipped Cream", "Java", "Mother-in-Law", "I Like It Like That", "Fortune Teller", "Ride Your Pony", "Get Out of My Life, Woman", "Working in the Coal Mine", "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky", "Freedom For the Stallion", "Here Come the Girls", "Yes We Can Can", "Play Something Sweet", and "Southern Nights". He was a producer for hundreds of recordings, among the best known of which are "Right Place, Wrong Time", by his longtime friend Dr. John, and "Lady Marmalade" by Labelle.

Ben Pollack American musician

Ben Pollack was an American drummer and bandleader from the mid-1920s through the swing era. His eye for talent led him to employ musicians such as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Jimmy McPartland, and Harry James. This ability earned him the nickname the "Father of Swing".

Lee Allen (musician)

Lee Francis Allen was an American tenor saxophone player. Phil Alvin, Allen's bandmate in The Blasters, called him one of the most important instrumentalists in rock'n'roll. Allen's distinctive tone has been hailed as "one of the defining sounds of rock'n'roll" and "one of the DNA strands of rock."

Reggie Houston

Reggie Houston is an American musician who plays soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone and baritone saxophone. He is best known for his association with the New Orleans pianist Fats Domino.

Arthur N. Rupe is an American music industry executive and record producer. He started Specialty Records, noted for its rhythm and blues, blues, gospel and early rock and roll music recordings, in Los Angeles in 1946.

Lawdy Miss Clawdy Song written by Lloyd Price

"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a rhythm and blues song by New Orleans singer/songwriter Lloyd Price that "grandly introduced The New Orleans Sound". It was first recorded by Price in 1952 with Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew during his first session for Art Rupe and Specialty Records. The song became one of the biggest selling R&B records of 1952 and crossed over to other audiences. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" inspired many songs and has been recorded by a variety of artists.

Jimmy Cavallo American musician

James Cavallo was an American musician best known for performing with his band in the 1956 movie, Rock, Rock, Rock, by pioneering music DJ Alan Freed. Jimmy and the Houserockers were the first white band to play at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, where they celebrated the movie's release.

Trombone Shorty American musician and producer

Troy Andrews, also known by the stage name Trombone Shorty, is an American musician, producer, actor and philanthropist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known as a trombone and trumpet player but also plays drums, organ, and tuba. He has worked with some of the biggest names in rock, pop, jazz, funk, and hip hop. Andrews is the younger brother of trumpeter and bandleader James Andrews and the grandson of singer and songwriter Jessie Hill. Other musical family members are cousins Glen David Andrews and the late Travis "Trumpet Black" Hill. Andrews began playing trombone at age four, and since 2009 has toured with his own band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.

Paul Gayten


Paul Leon Gayten was an American R&B pianist, songwriter, producer, and record company executive.

Boogie Bill Webb was an American Louisiana blues and rhythm-and-blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. His music combined Mississippi country blues with New Orleans R&B. His best-known recordings are "Bad Dog" and "Drinkin' and Stinkin'". Despite a lengthy career, Webb released only one album.

Herbert Hardesty was an American musician who played tenor saxophone and trumpet. He is best known for his association with the New Orleans pianist Fats Domino and the producer Dave Bartholomew, beginning in 1948. He released six 45-rpm records as Herb Hardesty between 1959 and 1962. His first CD of these recordings, together with others made but not issued in 1958, were released worldwide in July 2012 by Ace Records as The Domino Effect.

Ernest J. McLean was an American rhythm and blues and jazz guitarist.

Lewis Robert Chudd was an American record label and radio executive who founded Imperial Records in 1946. The record company was influential in the development of rock and roll, with a roster of musicians including Fats Domino, Slim Whitman, Chris Kenner, and Ricky Nelson.

Frank Nomer Fields was an American double bass player who was involved in many R&B, rock and roll and jazz recordings made in New Orleans.

References

  1. 1 2 Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. pp. 356–357. ISBN   978-0313344237.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Opal Louis Nations, "'Don't Feel Sorry For Me': The Jimmy Beasley Story", Real Blues, August 1998
  3. 1 2 Biography by Richie Unterberger, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 21 November 2016
  4. 1 2 Colin Larkin, "Jimmy Beasley", The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Oldies.com. Retrieved 21 November 2016
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.