Record #0101: Guess Who? / By Myself – B.B. KING

ABC Paramount 10390 (original) USA, 1962
Words & Music by:  Side A – Jesse Belvin, Jo Anne Belvin; Side B – Jimmy McCracklin, Clyde Otis
Musicians: B.B. King (vocals and Lucille) with Belford Hendricks and ensemble
Recording sessions:  USA, Sep. 19, 1962
Highest chart positions:  The original didn’t chart; re-issue of side A: US #62, US R&B #21

These tracks were on King’s ABC Paramount debut album “Mr Blues” (1963).

The chart success of “Guess Who?” came with the 1972 re-issue (ABC 11330) with “Better Lovin’ Man” as the flip side. This original one didn’t fly and isn’t even listed in most B.B. King discographies (I had to look it up in ABC Paramount discography).

List price:  “Very Good+” is $7.50 and “Near Mint” is $15

Record #0100: Blue Days – Black Nights / Love Me – BUDDY HOLLY

Decca 29854 (original) USA, Apr. 16, 1956
Words & Music by:  Side A – Ben Hall; Side B – Buddy Holly, Sue Parrish
Musicians: Buddy Holly (vocals), Sonny Curtis (lead guitar), Grady Martin (rhythm guitar), Don Guess (upright bass), Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Recording sessions:  Owen Bradley Studio, Nashville, TN, Jan. 26, 1956
Highest chart positions:  Didn’t hit the charts

I hand-picked this one to be the 100^th record in the blog. This is another fine recording made at Owen Bradley’s studio and a solid piece of rock and roll history.

This was the first single Buddy Holly released. As his second single (“Modern Don Juan” / “You Are My One Desire”) didn’t fly either, Decca decided to let Holly go. Holly then signed two recording contracts; as a solo artist he signed with Coral and as a member of the Crickets he went to Brunswick. Both labels were subsidiaries of Decca. Later on Holly looked back on this and said: "They kicked us out the front door and so we went in the back door."
The first release with Brunswick was “That’ll Be the Day” and it launched Holly to stardom.

List price ... this is a quite rare piece.

Record #0099: Young-At-Heart / Take a Chance – FRANK SINATRA

Capitol F2703 (original) USA, Jan. 1954
Words & Music by:  Side A – Johnny Richards, Carolyn Leigh; Side B – David Raksin, Arnold “Doc” Stanford
Musicians: Frank Sinatra (vocals), Robert Bain (guitar), Joe Comfort (bass), Alvin Stoller (drums), Bill Miller (piano) plus others in an orchestra conducted by Nelson Riddle
Recording sessions:  Capitol Studio, Hollywood, CA, Dec. 8. (Side B) and 9. (Side A), 1953
Highest chart positions:  US #2, UK #12

Sinatra started his recording career already back in 1939, but I think this is one of the oldest of his records in my collection. This was his 5^th single with Capitol Records.

When this was released, Sinatra was filming a movie with Doris Day. This single became such a hit that they named that movie after it.

List price:  Very Good+ is $10, Near Mint is $20

Record #0098: It’s All Over But the Crying / Rock In My Shoe – HANK WILLIAMS, JR.

MGM 13968 (original) USA, 1968
Words & Music by:  Hanks Williams, Jr.
Musicians: Hanks Williams, Jr. (vocals & guitar), others unknown
Recording sessions:  Produced by Jim Vienneau in Nashville, TN, Nov. 24, 1967
Highest chart positions:  US Country #3, Canada Country #3

These tracks were also in Williams’ 10^th studio album “A Time To Sing”, a soundtrack for a movie with the same title. Hank Jr. starred in the film with a fairly unknown cast. These two clips of “It’s All Over But the Crying” and “Rock In My Shoe” are from the movie.

Hank Jr. released his 10^th album at the age of 18. Not bad …

List price:  Very Good+ is $5, Near Mint is $10

Record #0097: Every Day I Have the Blues / It’s My Own Fault – B.B. KING

ABC Paramount 10634 (original) USA, Mar. 1965
Words & Music by:  Side A – Peter Chatman; Side B – John Lee Hooker
Musicians: B.B. King (vocals & Lucille), Leo Lauchie (bass), Duke Jethro (piano), Sonny Freeman (drums), Bobby Forte (tenor sax), Johnny Board (tenor sax)
Recording sessions:  Live at the Regal Theater, Chicago, IL, Nov. 21, 1964.
Highest chart positions:  none

Apparently I have most of my B.B. King records in the first box. 

This is a single release from King’s LP “Live at the Regal” (US #78), which is regarded as one of the greatest blues albums ever recorded.

Side A is a blues standard originally recorded by Memphis Slim in 1947.

List price:  Very Good+ is $7.50, Near Mint is $15