Keeping the legend alive
Thanks to Dave Hewitt for sharing with us images of a copy of WI 373 he has just obtained through Ebay.
Collection of Dave Hewitt | jwi373a2
It’s a Jamaican pressing of the record.
Collection of Dave Hewitt | jwi373b2
Usually Jamaican pressings of Sue records had a red label, as shown:
Public domain/45 Cat | Copyright control | big-jay-mcneely-jamaican-red-black
Does anyone else have any Sue singles with unusual coloured printed labels?
“Cry for me baby” by Elmore James was included in the Sue UK LP ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
“Dust my broom” by Elmore James is featured on the UK Sue LP ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
“Coming Home” by Elmore James is featured on Sue UK LP ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
“Pickin’ the blues” by Elmore James appears on Sue UK LP ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
103 | 12 March 2024
“I can’t stop lovin’ you” by Elmore James is included on the UK Sue LP ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
“Take me where you go” by Elmore James was released in the UK on UK Sue ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
“Elmore’s contribution to jazz” by Elmore James appears on UK Sue LP ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
“One way out” appears on the UK Sue LP ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
“The twelve year old boy” by Elmore James was released in the UK on UK Sue LP ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album.
“Standing at the Crossroads” by Elmore James was included on UK Sue LP ILP 927 – The Elmore James Memorial Album.
Collection of Dave Hewitt | wi361tp1
A rare test pressing of a Sue 45 rpm single, WI 361, “Boogie Chillen” and “I’m in the mood” by John Lee Hooker, has been acquired by Dave Hewitt, who has kindly shared these images with us.
Test pressings were made in small quantities as part of the manufacturing process, before beginning a production run. They were normally discarded and not made available to the public.
Collection of Dave Hewitt | wi361tp2
Collection of Dave Hewitt | wi362tp3
wi345
Released on Sue WI 345, Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was born in 1926 and died of a heart attack in 1984 aged 57. During a long career she recorded the first version of Hound Dog in 1952. It is understood that Tom Cat was recorded in California in 1965.
Chart position data not available.
Big Mama Thornton | Public Domain | 14627
Updated 13 October 2017
SP
“I believe my time ain’t long” by Elmore James was released on Sue LP ILP 921 “We sing the blues” by various artists.
Updated 31.12.22.
frankieleemisery
“Misery blues” by Frankie Lee Sims was released on Sue LP ILP 921 “We sing the blues” by Various Artists.
104 | 19 October 2023 | External Links Checked
Frankie Lee Sims
Singer, song writer and electric and acoustic blues guitarist Frankie Lee Sims was born on April 30, 1917, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The musician Little Hat Jones taught him to play the guitar and he ran away from home when he was twelve. After four years in the US marines, he returned to his music with renewed focus and by the late 1940s had established himself in the Dallas blues scene. He was a cousin of Lightning Hopkins, and is now seen as an important figure in postwar Texas country blues.
Frankie Lee Sims died in Dallas, Texas, of pneumonia, age 53, on May 10, 1970. At the time of his death he was under investigation for a “shooting incident”.
“What will Lucy Do”, Ace 524, appears on the sampler LP IWP 5 – This Is Blues, and on ILP 919 – Various Artists – Pure Blues Volume 1.
Chart Position: This recording was a regional hit in 1957.
iwp5
Picclick | iwp5thisisblues.jpg
Track listing: Homesick James – Crossroads | J. B. Lenoir – I Sing Um The Way I Feel | Elmore James – It Hurts Me Too | Buster Brown – Doctor Brown | Sonny Boy Williamson – No Nights By Myself | Willie Mae Thornton – Tom Cat | Freddy King – Driving Sideways | Lowell Fulsom – Talking Woman Blues | Lightnin’ Hopkins – Wonder What Is Wrong With Me | Frankie Lee Sims – What Will Lucy Do | Otis Rush – I Can’t Quit You Baby | Junior Wells – Prison Bars All Around Me | Sammy Myers – Sleeping In The Ground | Tarheel Slim – Number nine Train.
Track listing kindly provided by Greg
Tracks selected from UK Sue LPs and compiled by Guy Stevens; this album was issued with Island labels.
Picclick | iwp5rev.jpg
Roots Vinyl Guide | iwp5label1.jpg
Picclick | iwp5label2.jpg
Updated 4 June 2017
SP
101 | 23 August 2023 | External link checked
Johnny Moore LP cover | 45 Cat | johnnydarrow.jpg
Singer John Alfred “Johnny” Moore (aka Johnny Darrow) was born in Selma, Alabama on December 14, 1934. He is most famous for being a lead singer with long running vocal group The Drifters, joining them in the 1950s, and sings on many of their 1960s and 1970s hits. That’s him singing on “Under the boardwalk” with The Drifters, probably his most famous recording.
His career with The Drifters was interrupted by National Service in the late 50s. After he completed national service he recorded solo under the name of Johnny Darrow until he was invited to rejoin The Drifters in 1964. From 1970 he was based in London, where he died on December 30, 1998 en route to hospital, suffering from pneumonia, age 64.
“Don’t start me talking” (US Sue 728, 1963) was included on Sue music cassette “Maximum R&B” Ensign ENSUC 3, and also appears on the London label LP “The Sue Story” London HAC 8239. No chart data is available for this track.
busterbrownmadison
“The Madison Shuffle” by Buster Brown was released on Sue UK LP ILP 920 “50 Minutes 24 Seconds of Recorded Dynamite”.
Chart position data not available.
Updated 27 September 2016
SP
bobbyblandgettingusedtotheblues
“Getting used to the blues” by Bobby Bland was released in the UK on Sue LP ILP 974 – Bobby Bland: A Touch Of The Blues.
R&B No. 6, 1967.
Updated 17 October 2016
SP
bobbyblandsweetlipsofjoy
“Sweet lips of joy” by Bobby Bland was released in the UK on Sue LP ILP 974 – Bobby Bland: A Touch Of The Blues.
Did not chart.
Updated 17 October 2016
SP
bobbyblandsadfeeling
“Sad feeling” by Bobby Bland was released in the UK on Sue LP ILP 974 – Bobby Bland: A Touch Of The Blues.
Did not chart.
Updated 17 October 2016
SP
bobbyblandonehorsetown
“One horse town” by Bobby Bland was released in the UK on Sue LP ILP 974 – Bobby Bland: A Touch Of The Blues.
Did not chart.
Updated 17 October 2016
SP
bobbyblandshoes
“Shoes” by Bobby Bland was released in the UK on Sue LP ILP 974 – Bobby Bland: A Touch Of The Blues.
US R&B No. 30, 1967.
Updated 17 October 2016
SP
109 | 21 March 2024
ILP 974 – Bobby Bland: A Touch Of The Blues | 15179
Complete track listing: A touch of the Blues | Set Me Free | That did it | Road of Brokenhearted Men | Sweet Loving | Driftin’ Blues | I’m Too Far Gone | Getting Used to the Blues | Sweet Lips of Joy | Sad Feeling | Shoes | One Horse Town
Track listing kindly supplied by Paul
Sue LP released with Island Labels
ilp927160309
ILP 927 The Elmore James Memorial Album | Discogs
Complete track listing: Standing at the crossroads | The twelve year old boy | One way out | It hurts me too Pt 1 | Elmore’s contribution to Jazz | Take me where you go | I can’t stop lovin’ you | It hurts me too Pt 2 | Dust my broom | Knocking at your door | Coming home | Pickin’ the blues | Bleeding heart | Cry for me baby
Track listing kindly supplied by Paul
Updated 24 May 2020
ilp921160309
ILP 921 “We sing the blues” by Various Artists, LP cover | Discogs | ilp921larger
Track listing: Wonder what is wrong with me – Lightnin’ Hopkins | Prison bars all around me – Junior Wells | I Can’t quit you baby – Otis Rush | Sugar babe – Buster Brown | Mean old Frisco – Arthur Big Boy Crudup | Every night about this time – Magic Sam | Sleeping in the ground – Sammy Myers | Number nine train – Tarheel Slim | Lightning Slim Boogie – Lightning Slim | Hold me close to your heart – T V Slim | Mojo hand – Lightnin’ Hopkins | The letter – B B King | I believe my time ain’t long – Elmore James (and Sonny Boy Williamson) | Come on in this house – Junior Wells | Misery Blues – Frankie Lee Sims | Swear to tell the truth – Earl Hooker
Track listing kindly supplied by Paul
Updated 2 July 2017
SP
110 | 29 February 2024
ILP 919 Pure Blues Volume 1 | Discogs | pureblues2
Full public release. Complete track listing:
Homesick James – Crossroads | Buster Brown – Don’t Dog Your Woman | Lightnin’ Slim – Bad Feeling Blues | Etta James – Roll With Me Henry | Frankie Lee Sims – What Will Lucy Do? | John Lee Hooker – Boogie Chillun | Bobby Peterson – One Day | J.B. Lenoir – I Sing Um The Way I Feel | Willie Mae Thornton – Tom Cat | Elmore James – I Wish I Was A Catfish | Mercy Baby – Mercy’s Blues | Lightnin’ Hopkins – Bad Boogie | James Brown – Why Does Everything Happen To Me | Willie Mabon – Just Got Some
Track listing kindly supplied by Paul
ilp918160309
ILP 918 The Best of Elmore James | Popsike
bestelmore918
ILP 918 The best of Elmore James | bestelmoredisc918
Track listing: Dust my blues | Fine Little Mama | The sky is crying | Shake your money maker | Anna Lee | I’m worried | Stranger Blues | Rollin’ and tumblin’ | Look on yonder wall | Happy home | Bobby’s Rock | Held my baby last night | Done somebody wrong | Make my dreams come true
Track listing kindly supplied by Paul
Updated 9 March 2019
lightningslimboogie
“Lightning Slim Boogie” was released on Sue ILP 921 “We sing the blues”.
Otis V. Hicks “Lightning Slim” was born on March 13, 1913 and died on July 27, 1974, of cancer. He began recording in the 1950s and is mainly associated with Excello Records. His brother in law was Slim Harpo. He left music to work in industry for a number of years but began touring, especially in Europe, in the early 1970s.
Chart position data not available.
Lightning Slim | Blues Tour Database | 15021
Updated 23 April 2020.
101 | 21 October 2023
T V Slim | Darryl Stolper | Wirz | 15020
Oscar Wills (“TV Slim”) was born in Bethany, Louisiana and Texas, on 10 February, 1916. He had a television repair shop and sang and recorded part time for his own record label, hence his nickname. TV Slim died in Kingman, Arizona on 21 October, 1969 in a car accident while traveling home to Los Angeles after a performance in Chicago.
“Hold me close to your heart”, USA 739, 1962. Released in the UK on Sue ILP 921 “We sing the blues”.
Chart position: data not available.
101 | 22 August 2023
Blues singer Arthur William “Big Boy” Crudup was born in Union Grove, Forest, Mississippi on August 24, 1905 into a family of travelling workers, and returned to Mississippi in 1926. He sang gospel music and blues and had blues tuition from a local blues singer known as Papa Harvey. He launched his career in Clarkestown, Mississippi, and as a member of the Harmonising Four, possibly a gospel group, visited Chicago in 1939. By the late 1940s, after a period of little success, he was signed to the Bluebird label.
He is best known as the composer of songs which later became rock and roll classics, including “That’s all right mama”. His recording career spanned several decades but he also worked as a labourer and was frequently in dispute over his royalties. “Mean old Frisco Blues” was issued in the UK on Sue ILP 921 “We sing the blues”.
Arthur Crudup died in Nassawadox, Virginia on March 28, 1974 from a heart attack and diabetes. There was some confusion about his date of death.
This track was first recorded by Crudup in either 1942 or 1943 and was a hit in the Southern States but not a national chart success. He also re-recorded the song in the 1950s.
Arthur Crudup | Blues 145 | 15019
lightninghopkinsmojohand
There is information about Sam John “Lightnin'” Hopkins here. “Mojo Hand” was released in the UK on Sue IP 921 “We sing the blues”.
Chart position data not available.
Lightning Hopkins | Ace Records | 15018
Converted to blocks and updated 8 January 2023
106 | 11 March 2024
Singer, song writer and guitarist Alden “Allen” Bunn (Tarheel Slim) was born in Bailey, North Carolina on September 24, 1924. By his teens he was singing with gospel music groups. In 1949 he became a member of a breakaway secular group called The Larks. His first solo recording was in 1952. He then sang in a group called The Lovers, until 1958 when he went solo again. Number Nine Train was his first recording for the Fury label; it features guitarist Jimmy Spurill, but was not very successful at the time of initial release.
Tarheel Slim died on August 21, 1977.
“Number Nine Train”, Fury 1016, 1958. Released in the UK on Sue ILP 921 “We sing the blues”.
Chart position: Did not chart.
Johnny Spencer | 15017
101 | 1 October 2023
Sam Myers | 15016
Blues musician, singer and song writer Samuel Joseph Myers was born in Laurel, Mississippi on February 19, 1936. A singer songwriter of considerable quality who became blind in childhood, he learned to play trumpet and drums at school in Jackson, Mississippi. His proficiency earned him a scholarship to the Amerícan Conservatory of Music in Chicago. While there he spent his evenings listening to blues musicians on Chicago’s South Side, including Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf and Elmore James, whose band he joined as drummer. “Sleeping in the ground”, 1956, is his signature song and has become a blues standard, recorded many times.
Sam Myers died in Dallas, Texas, on July 17, 2006 of complications from throat cancer.
“Sleeping in the ground”, Ace 536, September 1957, was released in the UK on Sue ILP 921 “We sing the blues”.
Chart position data not available.
101 | 8 September 2023
Earl Hooker | The Arhoolie Foundation
Chicago based blues slide guitarist Earl Zebedee Hooker was born in Quitman County, Mississippi on January 15, 1930 and moved with his family to Chicago that year. He was a cousin of John Lee Hooker. His childhood friends included blues innovators Bo Diddley and Robert Nighthawk. Hooker’s unique playing impressed many, and B. B. King regarded Hooker as the best modern blues guitarist.
Earl Hooker died young in Chicago, Illinois on April 21, 1970 after a long fight with tuberculosis.
“Swear to tell the truth” was issued in the UK on Sue ILP 921 “We sing the blues”. This recording was made in 1961. Chart position data not available.
103 | 14 October 2023
Otis Rush | Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images
Blues musician Otis Rush Jr was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, on April 29, 1935He was a left handed player whose style greatly influenced guitarists including Michael Bloomfield, Peter Green and Eric Clapton. He worked on a family farm during his childhood. He taught himself how to play guitar when he was eight, and also sang in church choirs. Rush moved to Chicago in 1949, was inspired by Muddy Waters and began playing in blues clubs on the South and West Side of the city. “II can’t quit you baby” was his debut single for Cobra records, with whom he recorded from 1958 to 1960; when Cobra went bust he moved to the Chess label. In April 2018, the Jazz Foundation of America honoured him with a lifetime achievement award.
Otis Rush died from complications after a stroke in Chicago, USA on September 29, 2018.
“I can’t quit you baby”, Cobra 5000, August 1956, Released on UK Sue ILP 921 “We sing the blues”.
Chart position: No. 6 Billboard R&B chart, 1956.
In Performance:
104 | 10 September 2023
Country blues and blues singer, song writer, guitarist and pianist Samuel John “Lightnin'”Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas, on March 15, 1912. As a child he was immersed in the sounds of the blues, and was inspired by Blind Lemon Jefferson, whom he met at a Church picnic when he was eight years old, and whom he subsequently accompanied, a rare honour, and also learned blues music from his cousin Alger “Texas” Alexander. He is also associated with his cousin Frankie Lee Sims. In the 1930s he was sent to Houston County Prison Farm for an unknown reason. In the late 30s he moved to Houston and tried to get into the music business with his cousin Alexander, but by 1940 he was working as a farm hand in Centerville. In 1946 he had a second attempt and was discovered by Lola Ann Cullum of Aladdin Records. In 1960 he was invited to appear at New York’s Carnegie Hall with Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger.
In a long career spanning almost 50 years Hopkins recorded more albums than any other bluesman. His style was as a result of playing for so many years without a band. In 1968, Hopkins recorded the sought-after album “Free Form Patterns”, backed by the rhythm section of the psychedelic rock band 13th Floor Elevators.
Lightnin’ Hopkins died from esophageal cancer in Houston, Texas, on January 30, 1982.
“Wonder what is wrong with me” (Ace 516, recorded on 13 February 1956) was issued in the UK on Sue ILP 921 “We sing the blues”. Chart position data not available.
Les Blank | 15013
juniorwellsprisonbars
“Prison bars all around me” by Junior Wells was released on UK Sue ILP 921 We sing the blues by Various Artists. There is some information about Junior Wells here.
Chart position data not available.
Updated 29 September 2016
SP
102 | 15 October 2023
Magic Sam | Past Blues | 15012
Chicago based blues musician Samuel “Magic Sam” Gene Maghett was born in Grenada, Mississippi, on February 14, 1937. He learned to play blues music by listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter. He moved to Chicago in 1956 and quickly found work in the West Side clubs. Then he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He deserted, spent six months in prison for desertion, and received a dishonourable discharge. Among others, he is associated with the record producer Willie Dixon, who highly regarded his unusual playing style. He toured Britain and Europe in the late 1960s. In 1969 he appeared at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival, which led to fame.
Magic Sam suddenly died in Chicago, Illinois, on December 1, 1969 of a heart attack, aged only 32.
“Every night about this time”, Chief 7026, 1961, was issued in the UK on UK Sue LP ILP 921 “We sing the blues” by Various Artists.
Chart position: data not available.
Sue Records UK 