The Roots of R&B

While the polemics of The New Deal and the Cold War certainly shaped the American Century, it was American culture – and music in particular – that defined it. Jerry Wexler first coined the term “Rhythm and Blues” in 1948 during his tenure at Billboard magazine (Wexler joined Ahmet Ertegün later that year to help form Atlantic records). R&B’s soulful synthesis of country, folk, blues, gospel, and jazz has made American music popular all over the world.

Touring a big band is an expensive affair, and with so many musicians called off to war in the 1940s, it became increasingly difficult to keep the larger swing bands together. Re-forming in smaller outfits led to the development of the new styles of be-bop and jump blues. The backbeat and vocal harmonies of the latter would lead to R&B, Soul, Rock and Roll, and Funk.

The founding labels of R&B started in the 1940s: Savoy (1942), King (1943), Imperial (1945), Specialty (1946), Chess (1947), and Atlantic (1948). From these 6 labels came much of the Roots of R&B. This collection (compiled by Disky records, Netherlands) features 60 original recordings, mainly from the 1950s, from Bert Keyes & His Trio, Big Boy Myles & The Sha-Weez, Bobby Day, Bobby Mitchell & The Toppers, Camille Howard, Chuck Willis, Dave Bartholomew, Edna McGriff, Esther Phillips, Jesse Belvin/The Three Dots & A Dash, John Greer, Kidds, Little Sylvia, Lonnie Johnson, Nellie Lutcher, Ruth Brown, Sonny Til, Sonny Til/Edna McGriff, The Bees, The Blue Notes, The Buccaneers, The Clovers, The Crests, The Crows, The Dreamlovers, The Drifters, The DuPrees, The Ebonaires, The Enchanters, The Feathers, The Five Budds, The Five Keys, The Four Tunes, The Jets, The Metronomes, The Orioles, The Pelicans, The Penguins, The Platters, The Spaniels, The Three Dots & A Dash, and The Wrens.

For biographies on the artists in this compilation, read The Roots of R&B.

Roots of R&B – Volume 1

1. Crying in the Chapel – The Orioles
2. I’ll Hide My Tears – The Jets
3. Going Down Town – The Five Keys
4. All That Wine Is Gone – Jesse Belvin/The Three Dots & A Dash
5. You’re Nobody till Somebody Loves You – The Ebonaires
6. You Broke My Heart – Kidds
7. I Went to Your Wedding – Little Sylvia
8. I’ve Lost – The Enchanters
9. No One to Love Me – Big Boy Myles & The Sha-Weez
10. Darling Please – The Bees
11. Are You Forgetting Me – Kidds
12. Shake ‘Em Up – The Feathers
13. I Love You So – The Crows
14. Earth Angel – The Penguins
15. I Want Her Back – The Five Budds
16. Give Thanks – The Platters
17. Ring-a-Ding-Doo – Esther Phillips
18. Hey Miss Fannie – The Clovers
19. Fine Brown Frame – Nellie Lutcher
20. Dear Don – The Metronomes

Roots of R&B – Volume 2

1. Sixteen Candles – The Crests
2. Blue Heaven – Little Sylvia
3. Why Oh Why – Edna McGriff
4. Feeling Sad – Big Boy Myles & The Sha-Weez
5. Ain’t Gonna Do It – The Pelicans
6. Gee – The Crows
7. Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight – The Spaniels
8. Be With the One You Love – Bert Keyes & His Trio
9. Stars Will Remember, The – The Buccaneers
10. Will You Remember (The Answer to Tomorrow Night) – Lonnie Johnson
11. Too Hot to Handle – The Blue Notes
12. I’ll Need You All the Time – The Platters
13. Good – Sonny Til/Edna McGriff
14. Baby You’re the One – The Ebonaires
15. Old Black Mule – The Three Dots & A Dash
16. Call a Doctor – The Crows
17. I’m Blue – Camille Howard
18. Bad Habit – Dave Bartholomew
19. Wedding Bells Are Ringing, The – Bobby Mitchell & The Toppers
20. Glory of Love, The – The Five Keys

Roots of R&B – Volume 3

1. Unchained Melody – Bobby Day
2. When We Get Married – The Dreamlovers
3. How Long – The Five Keys
4. I’ll Surrender Anytime – Edna McGriff
5. Chimes – The Pelicans
6. Baby – The Crows
7. Hey Now – The Platters
8. 5-10-15 Hours – Ruth Brown
9. My Story – Chuck Willis
10. Got You on My Mind – John Greer
11. I Love My Girl – The Metronomes
12. Lonely Wine – Sonny Til
13. Baby It’s You – The Spaniels
14. Can’t Keep From Crying – The Five Keys
15. Three O’Clock in the Morning – The Ebonaires
16. Step by Step – The Crests
17. You Belong to Me – The DuPrees
18. Come Back My Love – The Wrens
19. Marie – The Four Tunes
20. Money Honey – The Drifters