Smokey Wilson

A follow-up to Shattered Dreams, this compilation takes a further look at the underground blues recording scene of the late 60s through to the early 80s when, left behind by the mainstream, blues artists tried to remain relevant by adding touches of soul and funk to their music. Of the 20 tracks, none were hits, although some were issued on bigger labels such as Stax and Modern. Artists such as Smokey Wilson, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin used these discs as a calling card to help them gain club dates which is how they earned their living. You may not have heard of Obrey Wilson, Finis Tasby, Shakey Jake and Ice Water Slim, but they were typical of artists who musical fashion had left behind. Their struggle to create something relevant to their time created some of the wonderful fusions found on this disc. Four previously unreleased tracks and also some which appear on CD for the first time.

A follow-up to Shattered Dreams, this compilation takes a further look at the underground blues recording scene of the late 60s through to the early 80s when, left behind by the mainstream, blues artists tried to remain relevant by adding touches of soul and funk to their music. Of the 20 tracks, none were hits, although some were issued on bigger labels such as Stax and Modern. Artists such as Smokey Wilson, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin used these discs as a calling card to help them gain club dates which is how they earned their living. You may not have heard of Obrey Wilson, Finis Tasby, Shakey Jake and Ice Water Slim, but they were typical of artists who musical fashion had left behind. Their struggle to create something relevant to their time created some of the wonderful fusions found on this disc. Four previously unreleased tracks and also some which appear on CD for the first time.

The blues didn’t stop with the end of the 50s – as soul ruled the charts, the grittier end of black music was well represented by the artists on this compilation. Great guitar playing to the fore.

Though its title track ignited a nationwide fad for go-go music, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' Going to a Go-Go LP certainly wasn't just a cash-in effort. It's one of the best records the group put out, and the first six songs make for the best side of any original Motown LP of the '60s (granted, all but one are also available on dozens of Miracles compilations). The four biggest hits were among the best in a set of Miracles archetypes: the throwback to the aching '50s doo wop ballad ("Ooo Baby, Baby"), the flashy up-tempo dance song ("Going to a Go-Go"), the dancing-with-tears-in-my-eyes jerker ("The Tracks of My Tears"), and the mid-tempo orchestral epic ("My Girl Has Gone"). "Choosey Beggar" is one of the sweetest of all Robinson's lead vocals, with stunning background work by the rest of the Miracles.

By 1990, Ray decided it was time to start leading his own band, and in 1994, he recorded Fired Up!, the first album for his own Blue Ray/Tone King label.Recorded at Dave Wellhausen's Studio, San Francisco, California in September 1993 and Sound Tek Studio B,Campbell, California in August 1994.