Thank you if. This hour of Katie r.t. Programming is underwritten by Woodstock's pizza supporting the Davis community and local nonprofit organizations for 30 years Woodstock's provides pizza with purpose by creating meaningful partnerships and hosting group fundraisers in their downtown Davis location more information at Woodstock's Davis dot com 'd. If. You know what was on the jukebox in the flooded. Now Man look at. The bad. Cats and kittens Welcome to another edition of Juke in the back 19 forty's and fifty's rhythm and blues you can use from the top your head to the soles on your worn out walking shoes I'm your host Matt the cat and this week I'm loading our Rock ola jukebox with an armful of 70 eight's from 2 record labels peacock and Duke that's right I'm going to dedicate the entire hour of this week's rhythm and blues spectacular to 2 of the greatest rhythm and blues labels of all time let's jump right in showing our story begins with John Roby who was born in the 1st of November 1903 and Houston Texas he dropped out of school in Houston at age 16 to become a professional gambler This led to him owning his own taxi cab service he soon gave that up though in order to start promoting dances in 1939 he moved to Los Angeles became the manager of the Harlem grill a popular nightclub that didn't work out so well but he did learn a lot about the nightclub business in 1942 he moved back to Houston and opened his own club called the bronze Peacock dinner club at 2809 Erastus train in Houston a lot of the top blues artists of the day came through his Peacock night club and in 1947 he decided to become a manager picking Clarence gate mouth Brown as his 1st act to manage gate miles to earn that name back in high school from a high school instructor for having a voice like. This already famous for recording for the Aladdin label out in Los Angeles he cut a great blues tune called guitar in my hand well he knew he could have more hits with Brown. So he started his own record label in 1949 calling it Peacock records here's Peacock records 1st released on Clarence gate Malcolm Brown in the late ninety's 49 Here's Atomic Energy kicking off this week's juke in the back. There and that. Who. The. God said Big I asked Jesus I don't. See God said a God as Jesus died on the line. God said the guy these are not alive. Then see how awesome all the love. And the song with you God And yes that bled once said that man. Everyone. Would know. That. Bon. Bon. Bons and it was. There's. No mom. Peacock records and label owner Dawn Robi's 1st hit from 1950 That's Clarence gate mouth Brown with Mary is fine that top down to number 8 on the lists and before that talk about atomic energy the near virtual guitar playing of gave mouth Brown from the late 1949 man he sounds a lot like a revved up T.-Bone Walker on that number in the 1950 was a great year for the peacock label and Don Robey it established both of them in the recording industry none of the records were John Norma's hits but they all sold well well enough to keep the company afloat and establish Robey and his label. 950 also saw the release of a couple of singles from a great great piano talent Floyd Dixon and Floyd had already recorded with the modern label and he was a part of Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers after Charles Brown left for a solo career it was Floyd who stepped in to play piano in 1915 Robey picked up Floyd Dixon and scored a number 8 hit with his 3rd release on the Peacock label with sad journey blues but right after sad journey blues took off Floyd Dixon signed a contract with a lad records in order to keep peacock from reissuing all the material they had on Floyd Dixon Aladdin Records bought out Floyd Dixon's entire catalog with Peacock So right now I'm going to play 2 Floyd Dixon classics that 1st appeared on the Peacock label will start with I'm so worried and then move into the hit sad journey blues featuring the peacock and Duke labels this week on juke in the back I'm at the cat and here's Floyd Dixon. Though we're. Done. With the bad. Was. Done. But she would put down. God. Or are they. That's. Not behaving. Is a big. It is be a real Should it. Not be. It a bill said Janet. Dowd might be. In doubt it is Biden. And I kid that is. Now back. And. Be. Back. Added. If Baghdad got. Beat head with. Floyd Dixon sounding a lot like his idol and friend Charles Brown sad journey blues went to number 8 in 1000 and 51st on the Peacock label then it was reissued on Aladdin Records and featuring the Duke and Peacock labels this week on juke in the back but you know we haven't mentioned Duke yet that's because that label was started in 1952 by David j. Mattis who is the program director at Memphis radio station w d I a and Bill Fitzgerald they started it in Memphis right out of the gate Dooku scoring number one records with Johnny Ace but they were small independent and very similar to Peacock So John Robie struck up a deal with madness and Fitzgerald and the 2 labels partnered in August of 1952 but by April 1953 John Robie had somehow taken over control of both labels now both labels were in Houston and housed under the same operation from here on out these 2 separate labels would be collectively known as Duke Peacock Let's go back to Johnny Ace one of Duke's most successful artists he was born John Alexander on June 9th 1929 in Memphis Tennessee at one time he was in the same group as b.b. King and Bobby Bland when b.b. Left the group for Los Angeles. And Bobby Bland joined the Army John Alexander took over the vocal duties and renamed the group the Beales Streeters at this time he also took over b.b. King's radio show and w d i a no I mentioned before the w d was associated with Duke records John Alexander renamed himself Johnny Ace and began recording for Duke his 1st release my song top the r. And b. Lists in September of 1952 for 9 solid weeks here's the late great Johnny Ace with my song. Beat. That you would leave. On your god. God. Was. The be. Big my. I was wondering where you. Be. Watch it. Come. Out of. The. Way. Fariq. Me. Badly you would leave. My. Car. Me. Way. Been. Fariq. You would. Be. Generous support for Juba in the back provided by weekly sustainer Zz Janice Stenhouse Robert Stallworth Barry from San Diego Mr Leahy David Ayres Thomas Huber Joe Medgar and contributors Ken Fargher thank you for your support more information as you can the back dot org You're listening to the Duke and the men with met the can you. But what is the. Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller of that song put Peacock records on the map it went to number one in 1953 for 7 weeks for Willie May Thorton with Kansas City bills orchestra Kansas City Bill was none other than Johnny Otis his band performed on the record and he produced the session now Willie May Thorton you can color Big Mama was born in Alabama in December of 1926 she had some success touring around the south but settled in Houston in the early 1950 s. In order to further her career in 51 she signed with peacock records but had no hits that is until Hound Dog in 1953 now when the record was 1st issued it contained the song nightmare on the b. Side then it was immediately reissued nightmare was pulled and Rockabye Baby was replaced as it's be signed so let's hear some more from Big Mama Thorton Here's rockabye baby on the juke in the back. Try. Try. Try. Try. Try. Try. Try. Hot. 2 dog. Has been. One of the greatest blues artists of all time just getting his career underway that's Bobby Blue Bland off the Duke label from 1953 we're taking a closer look at the Duke and Peacock labels this week on the juke in the back of your source for 1940 s. And fifty's rhythm and blues do you can Peacock were not known much for their vocal group sounds but they did record some vocal groups like the Sultan's a group from Omaha Nebraska who also went under the name the Admiral's their 1st release for the Duke label came in 54 here in the Sultan's with how deep is the ocean. This Ha. A. Home. He was. Home to none. Earth. Was. Worth. What I was. Lucky. A a. A a a. Cold as long. As 3. Times on and. Sleeps on me. That his son. I want to. Bring. Him Well around last night. Both. Want to get the wire. Around the mole or. Break. Opinion of a night. About a. Year at the wrong With no one. But up until. Just the day. And they would never make a mistake you could say they were going to. Want to. Bring a. Hear . Her. Speak. For. The youth also about. Her out of jail. You know order on. This radical you overlook a. Was her was. A great. Hour out. On her. The late little Junior Parker who cut that 955 for Duke records I want to ramble now he began his career as an alumni of the bill Streeters along with Bobby Blue Bland b.b. King and Johnny Ace in 1951 he formed the blue flames and began recording with Sam Phillips at Sun Records in $53.00 he cut the legendary Mystery Train in $54.00 after touring with Bobby Blue Bland and Johnny Ace Jr Parker to side with Duke records the hits wouldn't start coming though until 957 will come back to Junior Parker in just a couple of minutes but 1st we have to deal with the controversy and the 1st casualty of rock n roll I'm talking about Johnny Ace his tragic death on Christmas Eve 1954 backstage at the Houston city auditorium he was playing Russian roulette with his girlfriend supposedly the game had gone on for some time without incident then Johnny Ace turned the gun on himself pulled the trigger and lost the gamble there's been much controversy of what really. Went on backstage that night but one fact it can't be disputed We lost a great rhythm and blues singer and Duke lost its biggest artist a couple of days after his death Duke rushed out his next release Pledging My Love written by Fats Washington and label owner Don Robey the tune was recorded in January of 1954 almost a full year before its release but when it was released after Johnny Ace is death it went straight to the top of the r. And b. Charts for 10 weeks it even crossed over to number 17 on the pop charts Here's a true legendary record in a record labels legendary catalogue Johnny Ace pledging my love 8. Was. Made a. Lot and I. Believe you. Are amor. Never. Now it's time for the great 78 where we take a fit piece of shellacking hearken back to a time when 78 rpm records were King earlier in the show I played Hound Dog by Willie May Thorton known to the world as Big Mama I mention that the original flipside was a tune called nightmare and since you don't hear nightmare very often these days I thought I'd flip the original 78 over and play nightmare for you after its initial release Peacocke pulled nightmare from the flip side and reissued hound dog with Rockabye Baby as its flipside Here's Willie made Big Mama Thorton with Nightmare this week's Great 78 for the news. Man. How was the offspring. Of the dream. Was going. To. Read to him through. His dorm her. Dirty. Earth. Would not. Records he cut that one in Houston with Johnny Otis his orchestra backing him up in 1953 yet Peacock didn't release it until 956 just as Little Richard was starting to score hits for the l.a. Based Specialty Records this next song was a tune made famous in the 1970 s. By the j. Geils Band the original version of Pac fair and square was recorded by big Walter Price and his Thunderbirds and released on Peacock records in 1056 we're featuring the Duke Peacock record story this week on the Jew can the back. a true true. Goal. Troops a. Goal. And like to. With me. A long. Long. Long long leash to come. By to welcome. You. Back please. Are admitted to. The 2 legs. It's love to. Watch as into our tongues. A. Long. Singing love. Me Cause. The soul. Should fold long. Long. Long. Long enough. To. Go down. To. The month of. March. 'd from June of 1957. Duke records after Junior Parker and Bobby Blue Bland caught them at a club in Chicago they were in the audience heard the perform they were so impressed they called. And Roby wanted to hear more they ended up recording that tune in Chicago Roby came up from Houston just to supervise that session before that little Junior Parker from 1957 that was his 1st hit since 1053 when feeling good hit number 5. And 57 he hit with that one next time you see me which went to a whopping number 7 on the r. And b. Charts. And I can't thank you enough for joining me this week on the juke in the back I hope you've enjoyed my spot on the family of labels as the do the peacock labels moved into the 1960 s. Along with their other subsidiaries backbeat label Songbird and sure shot sales and hits continue to grow now there's a controversy and mystery surrounding his business practices was he involved with the most was he still. Did he sell the labels in 1903 to pay off the gambling debt . And we do know those with charge of those labels they put out some records Don Robey. On June 16th 1975 in Houston Texas I met the cat and I got to clean up around here before I get but before I go baby I want to play another record by Duke's biggest artist Bobby Blue Bland Let's go out with a smash this song hit number 1957 we're closing down the show with Bobby Blue Bland and father up the road have a great week everybody and I hope to catch you next time you can. Like. Some. Sleep. You. Just. Play. Through. Some. It's really to Cuba beat it. Out in. One hour play for Man of whiskey and the women and. Then to drop in true freedom that man they can move your blood pressure. The man at macro and man the cat back. In the back is recorded and honors East you know Canton at the stepping stone in Salem Massachusetts for more information please visit you in the band. And Miss Remsen see you next time on the junkie.

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