‘Doin The Shout!’ comprises twelve tracks, freshly recorded during 2023 and 2024. Featured singers include Thornetta Davis, Oscar Wilson, Nora Jean, Francine Reed, Bobby Rush, Tia Carroll, John Primer, Jimi Primetime Smith and Bob Stroger, and the amazing list of musicians includes Bob Margolin, Duke Robillard, Kid Ramos, Dexter Allen, Steve Ferrone, Ben Levin, Chester Thompson, Mark Early, Johnny Burgin and many more. Bob Corritore’s sly harmonic licks and this groovy band deliver a true blues masterpiece!

Mark Muleman Massey recorded his debut album 2014’s ‘One Step Ahead Of The Blues’ on Icehouse Records. This new album ‘Been A Long, Long Time’ was recorded and produced by Billy Lawson at Wishbone recording studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The eleven songs include eight originals. Mark's characteristic and distinctive soul voice is full of inspiration. All songs have that blues touch, and this with a musical cross between tight R&B and soul.

The attentive reader who follows the reviews of this formidable series will certainly have wondered when reviewing volume 49 why volume 48 did not get a review. Well, the answer is simply that volume 48 has only just been released. A plus is certainly that both volume 47 and the recently released volume 48, both of which examine the recordings of Starday Records, are now nicely placed behind each other.
Pappy Daily and Jack Starns founded Starday Records as a country label. In the mid-fifties, when rockabilly was at its peak, the Texan label also followed this new exciting musical direction. Jack Starns had already left the company in the meantime, but with the same drive as the label embraced country, they also threw themselves into rockabilly.
Just like volume 47, volume 48 is also full of wild rockabilly. A large number of these songs were recorded at Gold Star Recording in Houston with a house band, in which Hal Harris was usually the lead guitarist. As we saw in the first part about Starday Records, the label had a number of legendary artists under its wings, such as Sonny Fisher, George Jones (here still mentioned as Thumper Jones), Rudy ‘Tutti’ Grayzell, Leon Payne (who recorded both under his own name and under Rock Rogers), Frankie Miller and of course Sleepy LaBeef (then still Sleepy LaBeff). In addition, Starday Records offered local young rockers the opportunity to have 300 copies of their recordings pressed in the Starday Custom Series for a symbolic amount. The condition was that they supplied their own master tapes.
Enough background information about the label. Let’s now focus on this volume.
The opener is ‘Trucker From Tennessee’ by Link Davis. Although Link was already over forty, he played this fantastic number like a young wild rocker.
The blind Leon Payne is there twice. The first time as Rock Rogers with ‘Little Rock Rock’. Rogers was no longer young either, he was already 39 when he recorded this song as well as ‘Sweet Sweet Love’ under his own name, which can be heard later on this album.
George Jones or Thumper Jones was a country artist through and through. However, Pappy Daily managed to persuade him to record a rockabilly song. With success, by the way. Convince yourself during ‘Rock It’. Frankie Miller was also 100% country. That genre also shines through in the formidable ‘True Blue’. George Jones also had a nose for talent. For example, he guided Benny Barnes into Starday. Rightly so when you hear the rather civilized rocking ‘You Gotta Pay’. Great song!
Beautiful harmonies characterize ‘Pretending Is A Game’ by The Davis Twins, just like in ‘Hey Doll Baby’ by Ray and Lindy.
The previously mentioned lead guitarist Hal Harris performs sublimely on ‘Don’t Be Gone Long’ by Bob Doss. Number that they also wrote together. Harris himself can be heard with the self-written ‘Jitterbop Baby’. In addition to his talent as a guitarist, he was also very good vocally.
Rocky Bill Ford is not that well-known. Too bad, because his ‘Mad Dog In Town’, which also contains some country influences, is a real cracker. The steel guitar also gives Truitt Forse’s ‘Chicken Bop’ a country edge.
Classy Sonny Fisher is present three times with well-known tracks ‘Rockin’ Daddy’, ‘I Can’t Lose’ and ‘Pink And Black’. Rudy ‘Tutti’ Grayzell is also well-known, here with the exciting ‘Let’s Get Wild’. Sleepy LaBeff’s voice is so specific that it always adds character to his songs, as on ‘All Alone’.
In the mid-fifties, Lou Walker played guitar for a while in Bob Wills’ The Texas Playboys. He shows cool country-inspired rockabilly on ‘Little Bitty Man’. Number he also wrote.
Uranium as fuel for nuclear reactors was very popular in the fifties. That inspired Rudy Gaddis to write the very special ‘Uranium Fever’.
In addition to the well-known artists, a number of lesser-known and even obscure artists also grace this volume. The fact is that all artists perform at the same level. In short, this volume also presents 34 wild rockers. A nice addition to volume 47! Traditionally, you get all the information about the artists and the tracks in the beautifully illustrated 34-page booklet.

Al Michaels, or Alan O’Donnell as his identity card states, is not only a singer but also active on the double bass. He is known to many for his involvement with The Empires and Sickville, but now he is starting his solo career as Al Michaels. He does this with the EP ‘This Boy Ain’t So Bad’, on which he presents 4 songs of his own making. The repertoire of the Inteli-Gents, of which he is still a member, contains covers in the genres rock-‘n-roll, doo-wop, swing, jazz and vocal harmony songs. Certainly very nice, but Al wanted more. He dreamed of recording in a different style and thus making his dream come true. After he had finished the 4 songs on this EP, he contacted the German-based Brisk Records, owned by Ray Collins, known as bandleader of the Ray Collins Hot Club named after him. Michaels had known the guests of this band for some time and after he had recorded the 4 songs, the label decided to release them as an EP. Al provides the vocals and also plays the double bass. As a drummer, he called upon Mick Colley, who recorded with The Empires and is also part of the Inteli-Gents. He borrowed guitarist Jim Knowler from the Keytones and Swing Noir. With this EP, Michaels not only profiles himself as a talented songwriter, but he also paid the necessary attention to the sound. For example, this record should be played at 33 1/3 rpm, which, given the length of the songs, benefits the sound. Musically, Al sought his inspiration in rock-‘n-roll, while social realism influenced him for the lyrics. Al starts off right away with the title track, a rock-‘n-roll song of size, in which he profiles himself as a unique singer. A feather in his cap certainly also goes to Jim Knowler, who shows a more than fine example on the six strings. And pay special attention to the surprising and brilliant ending of the song. With successor ‘Mister Lonely’ we move towards rockabilly and there too Michaels does not tread any beaten paths, but again surprising song twists come to the surface. The second side opens with ‘Spirit Of You’ that shows a good dose of rocking swing with subtly dosed jazz and this song also takes unexpected wonderfully idiosyncratic directions. Al concludes with the cheerful ‘Fine Time To Come’.
If rock-‘n-roll were to see the light of day for the first time today, Al Michaels would stand head and shoulders above his colleagues. Original songs, very melodic, surprising twists, a wonderful voice and excellent accompaniment are the tools that Al expertly uses.
At the Rockabilly Rave that takes place from 27 to 31 March you can see Al Michaels live at work. Al plans to make more recordings in the near future, as well as to release a video clip.
In the meantime we enjoy ‘This Boy Ain’t So Bad’. By the way, we would rather end with ‘This Boy Is Damn Awesome’. Highly recommended!

The new album from Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Honeysuckle, is scheduled for independent release on February 21, 2025, via Family Owned Record/Amplified Distribution. Often called “the greatest front-porch blues band in the world,” the Big Damn Band is led by Reverend Peyton, who is considered to be the premier finger picker playing today. Rev has earned a reputation as both a singularly compelling performer and a persuasive evangelist for the rootsy, country blues styles that captured his imagination early in life and inspired him and his band to make pilgrimages to Clarksdale, Mississippi, to study under such blues masters as T-Model Ford, Robert Belfour, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards. Reverend Peyton is accompanied by his wife, the washboard virtuoso, Washboard Breezy Peyton, and kept on time by the deep rhythms of Jacob “The Snakob” Powell.

The band, Sunny Bleau and The Moons, is led by the powerhouse alto-vocals of Sunny Bleau and guitarist/composer/producer Nicholas Cocco. Based in Oxford, Michigan USA, the duo penned and released four full length studio albums and multiple singles between 2021 and 2025 receiving much positive press and ackolades for both their studio endeavors as well as their dynamic live performances. Working as both a Duo group and with their full band, Sunny Bleau and The Moons perform over 60 shows per year, in multiple states from Michigan to Florida and from Tennesee to New York! On August 10, 2024, Sunny Bleau and THe Moons joined the Endless Blues Records family and immediately began work on their 4th feature album 'Passion and Regrets.'  Recorded in Memphis, TN in October, 2024 and Produced by legendary bluesman Mick Kolassa, the 10-track album combines beautifully crafted and purposeful lyrics with soaring melodies and instrumentation.

‘Song For The Sinners’ boasts 12 compelling tracks all written, arranged and produced by Zucchero himself. This blues-inspired euphony is elevated by a luminary cast of guest vocalists and instrumentalists including the legendary Bobby Rush, Mike Zito, Victor Wainwright, Albert Castiglia, John Németh, Jimmy Vivino, Little Freddie King, John Boutté, Glen David Andrews, Sean Riley and more. On the musical front, the record delivers enticing grooves and melodies from various genres of the 60s and 70s—Zucchero’s symphonic sanctuary. The lyrics of the songs traverse a varied poetic landscape, with destinations including the slide out of co-habitation, patricidal nightmares, Saturday night hookups, bereavement, centerfold romance, Taoist revelations, horny alcoholic wives, suicide and more.

Watermelon Slim is a multi-award winning blues artist with a colorful past. Robinson, leader of HeavyDrunk, is a singer-songwriter with his feet firmly on the ground. Together they found a group of like-minded musicians. Great release! 

Etta James is best known to the general public for the song ‘I Just Want To Make Love To You’, a song that was used in a promotional video for a well-known soft drink. Incidentally, this song can also be found on this compilation. However, Etta James had already been an established name for blues lovers for some time. Her musical legacy is impressive. In addition to steaming rhythm & blues and compelling blues, Etta James could also rock quite a bit. The German Bear Family Records bundled 29 songs from the rocking rhythm & blues from her early years on this release. Songs that Etta recorded for Modern/Kent and Chess/Argo. The album kicks off with ‘Tough Lover’ from 1956, which immediately shows Etta’s rocking side. Her enormous versatility is typified by ‘It Ain’t One Thing’, a duet that she wrote and recorded with her then admirer Harvey Fuqua. A song that also boasts wonderful doo-wop backing vocals. Etta James often provided her songs with wonderful background vocals. The Moonglows were part of ‘Seven Days Fool’, while she scored her second hit for Kent with the shuffle ‘Good Rockin’ Daddy’.
Johnny Otis discovered many artists. He was also the one who discovered the trio The Creolettes, of which Etta was a member at the time, in 1952. In 1954 she also recorded her big hit ‘The Wallflower’ (Roll With Me Henry)’, which was an answer to ‘Work With Me Annie’ by The Midnighters, with Otis’ band and vocalist Richard Berry.
Willie Dixon, blues artist and genius on the upright bass, provided many hits. Etta James uses his compositions twice on this album. The first time she does so in another duet, again with Harvey, in ‘Spoonful’. A number that gets a real boost in Etta’s hands. She does this a second time with the previously mentioned ‘I Just Want To Make Love With You’. James repeats how to make a song her own in the Ray Charles-famous ‘What’d I Say’. ‘The Pick-Up’ is also very clever, in which she communicates with Maxwell Davis’ sax. Her rhythm & blues version of ‘By The Light Of The Silvery Moon’ is also very impressive.
Etta James also absorbed a lot of influences from jazz. You get a good example of that here in the beautiful ‘Market Place’. Gospel is more part of ‘Strange Things Happening’.
Other well-known songs of hers include ‘Something’s Got A Hold On Me’ and her version of Jimmy Reed’s ‘Baby What You Want Me To Do’.
The album comes with a 34-page booklet containing all the information about the tracks and a bio by Bill Dahl.
Etta James passed away on 20 January 2012 at the age of 73, but left bebind an impressive musical legacy, which you can enjoy uninhibited on this album. Highly recommended! 

Jimmy Vivino has been a hero of mine for over 30 years,” said Gulf Coast president Mike Zito in making the announcement. “His incredible musicianship, passionate vocals, and powerful songwriting have always made him stand out. Jimmy is the consummate sideman, making everyone look and sound great. This new record, ‘Gonna Be 2 of Those Days’, puts Jimmy where I think he belongs: center stage. I am thrilled to have Jimmy Vivino join the GCR familia.” 

Ed Aldstrom’ latest album, ‘Flee Though None Pursue’ is a powerful testament to his talents and storytelling prowess. This is more than just an album. Great! 

Tommy normally fills his albums with a raucous gumbo of 60s/70s-style R&B, Memphis-tinged soul ballads, tough, danceable, Southern-style rock ‘n’ roll and steaming blues. But for this album, he decided to get back to where his music started. Closer To The Bone is Tommy’s first 100% blues album. Along with his band The Painkillers, Tommy invited a host of friends to contribute to the musical celebration. Among them are harmonica masters Rick Estrin and Billy Branch, sax star Deanna Bogart, keyboard giant Jim Pugh, guitar wizard Chris Cain (on piano), guest drummer June Core and the voices of the Sons Of The Soul Revivers. And producer Kid Andersen sat in on a host of instruments. The result is a passionate, hard-hitting real-deal blues record that reveals the depth of Tommy Castro's deep love of the blues. Of course, Tommy will be delivering most of these songs live in his already-crowded 2025 tour calendar.

In the early to mid-sixties, Birmingham’s Rockin’ Berries were one of many soft-beat groups – remember The Four Pennies and The Fourmost – until Pye’s John Schroeder saw their vocal potential: he wasn’t after the beat, but after Geoff Burton’s falsetto. The Rockin’ Berries recorded Goffin & King’s ‘He’s in Town’ [1964] and were rewarded with a hit. They did it again with ‘Poor Man’s Son’ [1965] and their first album, ‘In Town’, sold well too. And that was about it, in terms of success.
BGO Records remastered that LP from the original master tapes and pressed a limited run in mono on 180g vinyl, adding four bonus tracks [see Album Details]. This allows us to discover the somewhat rougher side of the group – after all, they were named after Chuck Berry. ‘Brother Bill’ {Leiber-Stoller-Otis] is a nice slice of R&B and so are Jimmy’s Reed’s ‘Ain’t That Loving You, Baby?’, ‘Crazy Country Hop’ [Johnny Otis] and ‘Shades of Blue’ [Mason-Capaldi], whereas ‘Let’s Ty Again’ is fine Merseybeat.
When everything is said and done, I personally prefer the trademark falsetto on ‘What in the World’s Come Over You’, ‘The Water Is Over My Head’ and ‘Funny How Love Can Be’.
Surfing on two waves, however, didn’t work for long. Nevertheless, this LP is a nice artefact of an all but forgotten subgenre from the heydays of beat music.
Radio 68  plays several tracks on Sunday 09 and Monday 10 February, starting at 11 a.m.

Elvis would have turned 90 this year. This inspired the German Bear Family Records to release the fourth volume in the series ‘The Elvis Presley Connection’. The first volume in this series focused on the 1950s, the second covered the late 1950s up to and including 1962 and the third contained the period 1963-1966. The fourth volume puts the period 1967-1969 in the spotlight. In the 1960s, Elvis mainly concentrated on his film career in Hollywood, but he reclaims his place on stage in 1968 with the grandiose ‘Comeback Special’. This volume also contains 28 impressive tracks. Both original songs that Elvis covered, as well as covers of original Elvis songs. That Presley had a nose for great songs is beyond dispute. In addition, he was also extremely creative in the period 1967-1969 and recorded many timeless hits. Think of ‘Guitar Man’, ‘Big Boss Man’, ‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’, ‘U.S. Male’, ‘In The Ghetto’ or ‘Suspicious Minds’, of which you get all the original versions here. A fun fact is the following. ‘Guitar Man’ is here in the original version by Jerry Reed, although Bob Luman’s version inspired Presley more. On the version that Elvis recorded, Jerry Reed played lead guitar. Incidentally, he also did that on Presley’s version of Jimmy Reed’s ‘Big Boss Man’. That song is also here in the faster version by Charlie Rich, clearly the version that inspired Elvis. Jerry Reed was a great source of inspiration for Presley, because ‘U.S. Male’ was also written by him. A classic within rhythm & blues is Tommy Tucker’s ‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’. In addition to Elvis, José Feliciano, Jerry Lee Lewis and Jeff Beck also covered the song. In 1967 Elvis recorded the magnificent ‘You Don’t Know Me’, a song performed here by Ray Charles. Elvis’ musical interests were very broad. He also covered ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, now the theme song of Liverpool’s Football Club, here in the version of crooner Andy Williams. This song is also performed by the formidable Conway Twitty. The version of ‘A Little Less Conversation’ by Mac Davis, who wrote the song together with Billy Strange, also sounds wonderful. As is known, Elvis was a fan of gospel, including the song ‘Saved’, which he performed in a medley on the ‘Comeback Special’. The original version by LaVern Baker graces this compilation. Presley often preferred to record songs that had made a great impression on him, rather than using the new songs that were presented to him. For example, he often sang ‘Tiger Man (King Of The Jungle)’ live in a medley with ‘Mystery Train’. ‘Tiger Man (King Of The Jungle’ is the original version by Rufus Thomas who recorded it in 1953 in Sam Phillips’ Sun studios. You experience a touch of country in ‘Long Black Limousine’ by Vern Stovall. It was Elvis’ first song that he recorded in the American Sound Studio in Memphis in 1969. Bobby Bare’s version, which you can also hear here, sounds ‘country to the top’ and has more connection with Elvis’ version. Ned Miller scored worldwide with ‘From A Jack To A King’. Elvis previously sang the song with a gospel slant, which made Miller decide that Presley’s version was better than his own. ‘In The Ghetto’ was one of the many monster hits for Elvis. Here you hear the version by Mac Davis who was also a co-writer, although it must be said that Elvis added more empathy to the song. ‘Suspicious Minds’ is a composition by Mark James, who also recorded the song as a single. James’ producer Chips Moman and also owner of the aforementioned American Sound Studio, offered the song to Presley after James’ single flopped. Not surprising when you hear his version. James clearly lacked a connection with the song. Before Presley made the second take of Johnny Tillotson’s ‘It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin’’, he jokingly sang ‘Only The Lonely’ by Roy Orbison. When Elvis was asked why he didn’t record an Orbison song, he replied that Roy’s songs couldn’t be sung better.
A rarity on this album is certainly the Elvis-inspired Vince Chu from Singapore, with his version of Carl Perkins’ ‘Blue Suede Shoes’.
In the 38-page booklet, you get, in addition to rare photos and illustrations, extensive information about the recorded tracks and the artists. The King was inspired by rhythm & blues, soul, country, rock-‘n-roll, gospel and pop and he always managed to make those songs immortal thanks to his beautiful voice and empathy. Great album!

With the ability of an old, seasoned professional, Matt can bring a fierce show to any stage that he plays on.  Make no mistake; his young age is far outweighed by his bleeding passion for music.  When you see “The Rattlesnake” on stage you can see and feel the intensity of his passion channeling through him and into the crowd. 

Guitarist and singer-songwriter Eric van Dijsseldonk always knows how to surround himself with excellent musicians. He works a lot for others but also writes very beautiful roots pop songs that stick. On the new album ‘Half-Time’ we hear musicians such as Roel Spanjers (Hammond and piano) and Gabriël Peeters (drums and production). Highly recommended! 

Columbia and Epic Records, which operated under its wings, had many talented artists under contract. The archives of both labels are therefore almost inexhaustible when it comes to the magnificent rock-‘n-roll and rockabilly that they recorded. It is therefore not surprising that volume 49 in the ‘That’ll Flat… Git It!’ series pays attention to these record companies for the fourth time.
It is also not surprising that this volume is bursting with well-known names. For example, you will find no less than two tracks by Carl Perkins here, namely ‘Pop, Let Me Have The Car’ and ‘Jive After Five’. Johnny Horton also makes himself heard twice. He is there with ‘Ole Slew-Foot’ and ‘I Don’t Like I Did’. Other well-known people come along with, among others, The Collins Kids with the unissued ‘The Cuckoo Rock’, Rose Maddox with the nicely rocking ‘Hey Little Dreamboat’, Ronnie Self and Link Wray. Link made a splash with his wonderfully distorted guitar in many cool instrumentals. Here he gets behind the microphone for the nicely tempo-changing 'Mary Ann'. Fortunately, he doesn't leave his guitar in the case here either.
The album starts off very promisingly with 'Run'em Off' by Billy Brown. Perhaps not so well-known at first, but he was the one who recorded the 'He'll Have To Go' made famous by Jim Reeves for the very first time. There is also Bill Craddock with the incredibly clever and catchy 'Lulu Lee', including a breathtaking sax solo.
The artists under contract with Columbia were even allowed to occasionally colour outside the lines of their familiar genre. In this way, a number of artists who were known under the 'country' label were also able to show their rockabilly side. This certainly applies to ‘Little’ Jimmy Dickens who sublimely mixes country with rockabilly in ‘Salty Boogie’ and ‘Country Ways And City Ideas’ with a cool fiddle solo. Billy Walker also scored several times for Columbia with country songs. He also rocks country-style here on ‘Whirlpool’. Country is also the undertone of Onie Wheeler’s ‘Onie’s Bop’. Someone who also got that chance was Johnny Bond. In addition to being a guitarist, songwriter, author, radio figure, actor in Western films, he was also a not bad singer, as you can hear here on ‘All I Can Do Is Cry’. A touch of country also adorns ‘I’m Lookin’ For A Musterd Patch’ by ​​Jimmy Murphy, provided with a wonderful harmonica.
Traditionally, you will also find a number of rather rare, discoverable recordings here. Sublime rockabilly also comes from The Tunesmiths with ‘Oh Stop!’ and also note the excellent steel guitar and fiddle. Impressive is the blues shuffle-modeled ‘Who’s Been Here’ by Commonwealth Jones, with excellent work on the six strings. Charlie Adams also graces this compilation with ‘Black Land Blues’, Lefty Frizzel’s younger brother David Frizzell with ‘Tag Along’ and Jim Burgett with the slower ‘The Living Dead’.
Volume 49 concludes with Wally Hughes and the train song ‘Bye Bye Baby (Movin’ Down The Line).
This album also comes with a beautifully produced 34-page booklet with all the information about the artists and the tracks.
For excellent rockabilly and rock-‘n-roll, people often only look at the recordings of Sam Phillips’ Sun Studios. But admit that they didn’t have to give in to Sun at Columbia.