Floyd Dixon

West Coast leap blues vocalist and pianist Floyd Dixon was an essential link within the progression from golf swing to R&B. The self-appointed “Mr. Wonderful,” his lively, raucous audio was a seminal impact on Ray Charles, anticipating the introduction of modern spirit music by greater than a 10 years. Created Jay Riggins, Jr., on Feb 8, 1929, in Marshall, TX, Dixon was raised not definately not the Louisiana boundary, absorbing the blues, gospel, and origins music of bayou nation. As a kid he trained himself piano, and after his family members relocated to LA in 1942 he worked well like a drugstore clerk and golfing caddie. Dixon later on studied hotel administration and pursued a profession in professional soccer, but music continued to be his enthusiasm. After claiming best honors in some L.A. amateur showcases, he slice his debut solitary in the behest of bandleader Johnny Otis, issuing “Houston Leap” within the Golf swing Period label in 1948. Along with his mellow, after-hours blues approach, the fledgling Dixon gained endless evaluations to Charles Dark brown, who became his coach and set up him in bassist Eddie Williams’ music group, the Dark brown Buddies. Dixon also agreed upon a solo cope with Contemporary Records, credit scoring his first regional strike with 1949’s “Dallas Blues.” “Mississippi Blues” implemented a year afterwards and demonstrated a smash within the Deep South. On the period of successive produces including “Cow City,” “Gloomy Baby,” and “Shuffle Boogie,” Dixon started developing his very own signature audio, channeling the gospel and Delta blues affects of his youngsters to forge a gritty, powerful strategy that forecast the delivery of rock and roll & move. While on tour with a Ray Charles, he also suggested Charles change from Nat Ruler Cole-inspired pop and “check it out with more of the gospel taste.” Aladdin Information acquired Dixon’s agreement with Contemporary in past due 1950, instantly pairing him with Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers for “Phone Blues,” his initial nationwide strike. “Doin’ the city” quickly implemented, and across 1951 Aladdin flooded the marketplace with Dixon materials, including “Strolling and Speaking Blues,” “Let’s Dance,” “Unfilled Stocking Blues,” and “Perform I REALLY LIKE You.” The deluge demonstrated a lot more than radio or retail could keep and none from the singles produced much commercial influence. Not really until June 1952 do Dixon rating his following significant strike, “Wine Wine Wines.” He spent a lot of the remaining yr touring the Midwest and Southern U.S. to get the follow-up, “The River,” highlighted by a protracted residency at Kansas City’s Orchid Space. Following a few even more Aladdin releases, especially “Broken Hearted Tourist” as well as the Jerry Lieber/Mike Stoller-penned “AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF Jelly Move,” Dixon jumped to Artwork Rupe’s Niche imprint, producing his label debut in middle-1953 with “Hard Living Only.” “Opening in the Wall structure” accompanied by year’s end, but neither was popular, and when exactly the same destiny befell 1954’s “Ooh Ee, Ooh Eee,” the business terminated his agreement. Dixon quickly resurfaced on Atlantic’s Kitty subsidiary with “Moonshine.” Its successor, “Hey Bartender,” would demonstrate his most long lasting hit, thanks a lot in large component to some reverential Blues Brothers cover released nearly 25 % century later on. While his audio and style obviously predated contemporary R&B and rock and roll & move, Dixon was however lost within the shuffle as a fresh generation of performers started dominating the graphs, and through the middle-’50s he wandered between L.A. self-employed brands like Pearl, Money, and Ebb to small success. He continuing touring in to the early ’60s before practically disappearing from view, surviving in seclusion in Paris, TX. Once the Swedish label Path 66 released a 1975 compilation of Dixon’s traditional postwar materials to great acclaim across European countries, he traveled abroad to support his initial tour in over ten years, afterwards joining Ruth Dark brown and previous friend Charles Dark brown on the Western european Blues Caravan. Dixon also toured with then-unknown Robert Cray and Small Charlie & the Nightcats, and in 1984 was commissioned with the LA Olympic Games arranging committee to create “Olympic Blues.” The Tempo and Blues Base honored Dixon its Pioneer Profession Accomplishment Award in 1993, gaining him gigs on the Monterey Jazz Celebration as well as the Chicago Blues Celebration. Three years afterwards, Alligator Records released his W.C. Handy Return Album of the entire year Award-winning concert LP, AWAKEN and Live! Great! Fine! Thing! implemented on HighJohn in 2005, and despite declining wellness, Dixon teamed with fellow pianists Pinetop Perkins and Henry Clay for a short tour in June 2006. He passed away of cancers weeks afterwards at age 77.