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 #697 – Chuck Willis, Pt. 1 – 1951-54
Air Week: September 11-17, 2023
Chuck Willis, Pt. 1 – 1951-54This week, the “Juke” features part 1 of a 2 part special on the great and much underrated Chuck Willis. Most cats n’ chicks know Chuck’s 1957 smash “C. C. Rider,” but many are unfamiliar with the great records Chuck cut in the early 1950s. That’s a shame, because Willis was a rare talent in that he could sell a ballad as well if not better than his jump sides. He was also a fantastic songwriter, writing hits for Ruth Brown and The Clovers, just to name a few. Matt The Cat introduces you to the Okeh and Columbia sides of one of the greatest, this week on the “Juke In The Back.”
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