At the end of the Second World War, economics forced the big bands to trim their once great size and thus, the Jump Blues combo was born. Between 1946-1954, rhythm and blues laid the tracks for what was to become Rock n’ Roll. So how come, 75 years later, this vibrant and influential music is still so unknown to so many? Matt The Cat is going to change that with the radio program, “Juke In The Back.” These were the records that you couldn’t hear on the jukebox in the front of the establishment. To hear all this great 1950s rhythm & blues, you had to go to “Juke In The Back.”
https://www.jukeintheback.org
Episode #689 – Big Joe Turner, Pt. 2 – 1951-56
Air Week: July 17-23, 2023
Big Joe Turner, Pt. 2 – 1951-56This week, we continue our salute to the great blues shouter, Big Joe Turner with part 2 of 2. The show opens in 1951, with Turner’s first recording session for his new label, Atlantic and continues through to his cross-over pop success in 1956. This is the most successful stretch in Joe Turner’s long recording career. He would score 19 R&B hits during the 1950s and only 1 of them would ever touch the pop top 50. Matt The Cat talks to the late Ahmet Ertegun about signing Turner to Atlantic and James Austin talks to the late Joe Turner about signing with that great label. Joe Turner’s records almost single-handedly invented rock n’ roll, so don’t miss this great tribute to one of America’s true blues treasures.
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