13/09/2026
THE GOLDEN YEARS OF SHUFFLE BLUES
(A brief history of some of the tunes/artists played on the Easy Like A Sunday Morning Radio Show Sunday 13th September 2026)
Gene 'JUG' Ammons came from Chicago, he launched his solo career at the early stages of Jamaican sound systems in 1947 after previously working with King Kolax and Billy Eckstein's bands.
Within three years he was signed to the legendary Jazz label Prestige where he recorded Ammons Boogie.
It was a big hit with the Jamaican Sound Systems in the early 50s
It was released much later in the 60s in the UK on the Starlite label which was attempting to captuere the Jamaican Ex-Pat market
After moving from Mercury to Class Records in 1952, Oscar McLollie cut this track the Honey Jump, a recording that proved pivital in his early career not only in terms of record sales and the naming of his band but also in regard of his popularity not only in his native California but beyond.
So much was the the poularity of the track that Class records sold the recording to the Bahari Brothers Modern Records and they promptly dubbed over the original instrumantal track with a vocal hence creating a part 1 that they issued back to back with the original class recording retitles as part 2
It became such a big Sound System Favourite
Joe Fritz widely known as 'Papoose' was a Tenor Saxman and Vocalist, he first recorded for Modern Records after which he recorded a number of sides for Sitting in With Records that became very popular in Jamaica "They were Right" was the musicians klast single for the label, and one three that became Bone Fide Jamaican Sound System Classics
James Waynes was discovered by Sitting in with Records boss Bob Shad, he had him record what was to be his one and only hit 'Tend to your business' which made number two on the R&B billboard in the US however unlike the US were he was effectively a one hit wonder he cut this track Please baby Please which along with his bit US hit both became smash hits in Jamaica and Please baby Please got covered up and released as Loving Arms. I was finally issued on a 45 by Coxsone Dodd who credited the track by its Jamaican Title Loving Arms asnd Listed the artist as Joe Scugie
Hailed as the Prince of the Blues Billy Wright was discovered in 1949 by bandleader Paul 'Hucklebuck' Williams who put him in touch with R&B record producer Herman Lubinski from Savoy Records, Wright was a major influence on Little Richard.
This track When the wagon comes was most favoured by Jamaican listeners
Charles 'Chuck' Higgins is probably best known for his recording Pachuko Hop. (Pachuko is a slang word denoting a Mexican-American dressed in Babby pants and having a long key chain attached ), It was however the flip side Moptor Head Baby that became the bigger hit with Jamaican audiences.
The release marked the debut of Fifteen year old John Watson (aka Johhny Guitar Watson) who not opnly worte the song but was the vocalist and played the piano on the song
Another Sound System favourite came from Jimmy McCracklin a West Coast Bluesman who cut this side I found that woman for the Swing Time label another one later reissued by Coxsone Dodd
Trombonist James Griffin and his brother Edward 'Buddy' Griffin a vocalist and pianist both studied music at the famed Juillard School in New York City.
They formed a Jump Combo that became prominent on the R&B scene, they signed for DOT Records and their sessions with DOT produced a number of Jamaican Sound System Classics This track Comin' Home being one of them
Rosco Gordon taught himself piano while he sat watching his sister as she practiced her lessons, he became so proficient by the time he was Eighteen he had won the talent show on Beale Street's famed Palace Theatre.
This led Gordon to appearing on America's first all Black radio station WDIA which was owned by James Mattis who introduced him to Sam C Phillips the owner of Sun Records who quickly signed him.
This resulted in a package of tours taking him across the stated, Brazil, Aregentina and Jamaica.
He backed the Platters and built a sizeable following and recorded for Coxsone Dodd who allegedly sold his records from a cardboard box at the back of Gordon's gigs
Little Caesar was a tylpical early fifties west coast R&B vocalist he recorded for a number of local labels
After his career as a singer he launched himself as an actor working in Film and TV
This recording Long time baby is widely believed to have been the track credited by Jamaican Sound Systems as Brand New Broom
Arguably the biggest US star in Jamaica during the fifties Fats Domino scored an impressive run of Jamaican Sound System Favourites This trac Please don't leave me being one of them.
The track was released on a Blank 45 by parties unkown though its a possibility that it was released by one of his biggest fans who was often pictured with him in photographs... Arthur 'DUKE' Reid
Blues pianist 'Champion' Jack Dupree who had worked for a number of years as a professional boxer, embarked on a musical career when he was aged about thirty, he first recorded for the Okeh label then recorded for a number of labels before he became fully commited to King Records and it was at his first session for them that he recorded this trasck No meat on de bone a track that found favour with the Jamaican Sound System audiences
Joseph Amos Milburn was one of the most important Blues Bandleader of his day.
He signed with Aladdin records and after Eight years with them he;d recorded in excess of 75 sides including a number of R&B Anthems
among them was this Gem Let's have a party
Recorded for Chance Record label 'Brand new rockin' chair' was one of a handful of 45s issued by the label credited to Jimmy Binkleys Quintet but this was the only one to specifically credit the drummer/vocalist George Green as the singer
Though it was less well known Hal Paiges Big Foot May provided the Blueprint for the better known sound system classics Drive her home and Going back to my hometown
It was however popular enough in Jamaica to warrant a release on a 45 locally produced by Atlantic Records
Future Linchpin of Chicago's 60s Soul Scene who was mentoring Otis Clay and Tyrone Davis was the pianist Horold Burrage who first recorded for Decca Records but it would be three years before he produced a follow up and Aladdin Records
It was not the A side Sweet Brown Gal that would become the favourite but it would be the B side Way down Boogie that would become the big hit with the Sound System Dance audiences in Jamaica
Let's make a whole lot of love - The Dodgers was a big original soundman selection that gained a later release in the UK on Melodisc subsiduary Downbeat Records .
It's release in the UK was undoubtedly intended to appeal to the countries growing Jamaican population and ot found favour among sound system audiences
Texan Bluesman Lester Williams was little known outside of the Houston Blues Scene
The guitarists initial recordings were recorded on a local label
He subsequently signed to Speciality Records for whom he achieved greater success and produced a number of sound system favourites including this one Crazy 'bout you baby
Tommy Ridgley made his recording debut for imperial records before he went on to cu tmaterial for Decca before he signed for Altantic Records
Within a year at Atlantic he cut nthis belting instrumental on which he played piano alongside Earl Palmer on drums
Jam Up was played as the sign on tune of the Eighties Pirate Reggae Radio Station DBC in London after the station principle was given a copy by the legendasry sound man Duke Vin
Prior to his move to the UK Vin had been selector on the legendary Tom the Great sebastion so he knew a thing or two about R&B that rocked the Jamaican dances
in 1962 Atlantic Records added minor vocal overdubs and reissuesd it as Jam Up Twist
Lloyd Tiny Grimes was a gifted guitarist regasrded by some as a musical geniusn who workede with many Jazz legends
Unusually he played a 4 string electric guitar
His band included Revered Tenor Sax man Red Prysock
Both the guitar work of Grimes and the Sax of Prysock are clearly evident in this track Second Floor Rear which was a Sound System Favourite
Hey Senorita by the Penguins was the flip side of their Anthem Earth Angel number one on the R&B chart
however this flip side overshadowed the main title in Jamaica and became the firm favourite in the Sound Systejm circuit
So much so it's popularity it was highlighted by a ska cover by the soulettes featuring Rita Marley
Georgie Stevensons Meet me at Grandma's joint features legendary Hornsman Lee Allen on the Tenor Sax
The US music industies leading trade journal commented to look out for the track to hit the top and reports from Jukebox and deejays put nthis track firmly at the top however it didnt perform asd expected and didnt make a sucess in the US
It did however achieve significant popularity on the Sound Systems in Jamaica
Recorded in the same session as his other big jamaican Sound System Classic Hey Bartender
Floyd Dixons MOONSHINE written in the wake of Amos Milburns One Scotch, One Bourbon, One B**r was another in the succession of popular drinking songs that hit the big time on Jamaican Sound Systems
