Barbara Lynn

To be a woman singing your own blues and soul songs in 1960s Texas was a rare thing. To do so while brandishing a left-handed Stratocaster and bashing out hard-edged licks was even rarer. Yet that’s just what Barbara Lynn did, inspired by Guitar Slim, Jimmy Reed, Elvis Presley and Brenda Lee. And it was a hit: her 1962 debut single, “You’ll Lose A Good Thing,” recorded with session musicians including Dr. John, gave her an R&B chart Number One and a Billboard chart Top 10 hit.

Various Artists - Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou: Nights Of Sin, Dirty Deals And Love Sick Souls (2016) {Ace Records}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 230 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 144 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 45 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2016 Ace Records | CDCHD 1478
Rhythm & Blues / Blues

A spicy mix of rarities, alternates and previously unissued R&B goodies from South Louisiana and S.E. Texas, where you are never too far from a bayou and some good rockin’ music. This 15th compilation in the “By The Bayou” series takes us back to the R&B sounds you would have heard belting out of a Louisiana juke joint on a steamy night in the 1950s or early 1960s. All of the tracks included were recorded in that party state, although some of the artists were based in Texas, crossing the state line to make music in studios based in Crowley and Lake Charles.

In the early 1960s the music once known as rhythm and blues began to be proudly referred to as ‘soul’ music, as in heartfelt and genuine – though it was also a fact that most of the great stars of soul had originally learned their craft singing in gospel choirs. While in the 1950s songs by black artists often had to be covered by white artists like Elvis Presley in order to get radio airplay, within the space of a few years black artists started becoming more visible, and gaining popularity with a massive new audience of young white teenagers. The soundtrack of this new decade was as likely to consist of Motown or Atlantic hits as it was to be folky protest songs like We Shall Overcome. Even a cursory glance down the list of artists present on this triple CD set should convince you that – as an introduction to 1960s soul music – you’d be hard pressed to find a better cross-section of that decade’s amazing display of sheer talent than that on offer here, among them being James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Jackie Wilson, the Isley Brothers or Wilson Pickett. It’s an impressive roster!

Various Artists - Ain't It The Truth! The Ric & Ron Story, Volume 2 (2014) {Ace Records CDCHD 1416 rec 1960-1963}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 228 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 140 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 28 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1960-63, 2014 Ace Records | CDCHD 1416
Rhythm & Blues / New Orleans R&B / Early R&B / Rock & Roll

This is the second volume celebrating the history and recordings of Joe Ruffino’s New Orleans-based Ric & Ron Records. The first volume, You Talk Too Much (CDCHD1390) came out some 6 months or so ago and concentrated on the early years of the label, between 1958 and 1960. This set completes the story covering the period from 1960 to early 1963, at which time the label wound down operations following Ruffino’s death.