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 #587 – R.I.P. Willie Winfield of The Harptones
Air Week: August 2-8, 2021
R.I.P. Willie Winfield of The Harptones
On July 27th, we lost the amazing, soaring tenor of The Harptones’ Willie Winfield. The Harptones never had a national hit record, yet they are arguably the finest vocal group to come out of New York City during the 1950s. Winfield’s recognizable vocal style matched Raoul Cita’s songwriting and arrangements, which helped them hit the local charts and influence their peers. What set The Harptones apart from many of the successful vocal groups of the day was their perfectly matched harmonies. Whereas most vocal groups had only one signature song, The Harptones enjoyed many, from their first release, 1953’s “A Sunday Kind Of Love,” to “Life Is But A Dream” in ’55 and “The Shrine Of St. Cecilia” in ’57. This week, Matt The Cat digs out many of The Harptones’ wrongfully forgotten records and gives ’em a spin as we honor the late, great Willie Winfield on our old Rockola “Juke In The Back.”
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