Smiley Lewis

Smiley Lewis (actually Overton Amos Lemons, born July 5, 1913 in DeQuincy, Louisiana, † October 7, 1966 in New Orleans ) was an American blues and R & B singer whose best-known hits I Hear You Knocking and One Night were successful was covered by other artists.

Career

As a teenager, Lewis went to New Orleans to make music there. Lewis - a good guitar - joined in 1946 as a trio with pianist Tuts Washington and drummer Herman Seal. " We were the hottest trio in the city and played in all the major clubs in the French Quarter ," said Tuts recalls. This remained DeLuxe Records not hidden, and so we invited the trio in 1947 to require a test of a. The result was Turn On Your Volume Babe / Here Comes Smiley ( DeLuxe 1099 ), which was released in October 1947. With Love Is Like a Gamble / Swimming Blues ( DeLuxe 1108 ) came in November 1947, the follow-up single out both dubbed the " Smiling Lewis". Both songs - even without charts resonance - were the way of Leo Frank, a bartender from the French Quarter, composes. Both singles show the typical boogie -woogie piano sound of Tuts Washington and the full Shout Voice of Lewis. DeLuxe subsequently lost interest in Lewis.

Smiley Lewis got his next chance in March 1950, when the performer and producer Dave Bartholomew became aware of him. Bartholomew had just Fats Domino's first single, The Fat Man manufactures and invited Lewis and his band for a session, to the studio of Cosimo Matassa. With the studio band as accompaniment was established in March 1950 Tee Nah Nah / Lowdown (Imperial 5067 ). The title helped him to break through. He enlarged his band at Joe Harris (saxophone ), Albert Fernandez ( trumpet), James Provost ( bass) and Buddy Williams (drums). In May even Louisiana Weekly reported briefly on their tour outside the city and the jukebox success of tea Nah Nah. Therefore Imperial Records hastened with Slide Me Down / Growing Old in June 1950 (Imperial 5072 ) nachzulegen two more shots from the first studio session - this time without success. After a few more unsuccessful singles, the patience of Imperial Records paid off when Bells Are Ringing with a # 10 ( R & B charts ) was the first national hit parade note about Lewis in September 1952. The following high frequency further single releases fell by turn, also Blue Monday of March 1954. As his label - mate Fats Domino song after more than two years in December 1956 coverte, he made it to # 1 on the R & B charts.

Lewis' greatest success came only in July 1955 on the market, as I Hear You Knocking penetrated ( with Huey Piano Smith on the piano ) to the # 2 R & B charts. This was followed again some failures until he at least a # 11 reached with One Night (Of Sin) in March 1956. Even the attempt to score points with the standard Country You Are My Sunshine, failed. Imperial now lost patience and took from 1958 only a few Smiley Lewis drives on the market. In September 1960 Imperial Records then ended the ten years existing contract with Lewis. His producer and composer of most of Lewis Title Dave Bartholomew: "We could not bring in Smiley commercially ride. He always had the best song material, but outside of New Orleans, his records sold barely ". In fact, Lewis had been able to sell more than 100,000 copies of one single. Lewis was always in the shadow of his label mates Fats Domino, who used a very similar style of music, recorded in the same studio and the same backing used.

After two label changes he finally landed at Loma Records, where he once again in December 1965 The Bells Are Ringing recorded with producer Allen Toussaint. Already suffering from cancer, he came shortly afterwards to the hospital, where he died in October 1966.

Cover versions

Other performers achieved with some songs by Smiley Lewis much greater success. To Fats Domino Blue Monday made ​​from a crossover hit with # 5 on the pop charts. I Hear You Knocking was equal to three times successfully gecovert. Gale Storm's first album on first attempt in October 1955, the # 2 on the pop charts hereby Fats Domino came with it in December 1961 to lower echelons of the U.S. pop charts (# 67), and in November 1970 they arrived in the version of Dave Edmunds to # 4 in the U.S. pop charts and even to # 1 in England. Elvis Presley was One Night (Of Sin) in October 1958 defuse lyrically, brought his version, only as One Night dubbed to a U.S. Pop # 4 and UK # 1, reaching million-selling status. Shame, Shame, Shame it was announced in 1957 by the Hollywood film "Baby Doll" and recorded in 1964 by the Merseybeats.

Discography Singles, selection

As the " Smiling Lewis":

As Smiley Lewis:

  • Tee Nah Nah / Lowdown (Imperial 5067 ), March 1950
  • Slide Me Down / Growing Old (Imperial 5072 ), June 1950
  • Where Were You? / My Baby Was Right ( Colony 110 ), 1950
  • Bea 's Boogie / My Baby Was Right (Imperial 5124 ), October 1951
  • Bells Are Ringing / Lillie Mae (Imperial 5194 ), September 1952
  • It's so Peaceful / Gumbo Blues (Imperial 5208 ), December 1952
  • Big Mamou / Playgirl (Imperial 5234 ), May 1953
  • Caldonia 's Party / Oh Baby ( Imperial 5241 ), July 1953
  • Blue Monday / Down The Road (Imperial 5268 ), March 1954
  • I Love You For Sentimental Reasons / The Rocks (Imperial 5279 ), April 1954
  • Jailbird / Farewell ( Imperial 5325 ), February 1955
  • I Hear You Knocking / Bumpity Bump (Imperial 5356 ), July 1955
  • Queen Of Hearts / Come On (Imperial 5372 ), December 1955
  • One Night / Is not Gonna Do It (Imperial 5380 ), March 1956
  • She Got Me Hook Line And Sinker / Please Listen To Me (Imperial 5389 ​​), May 1956
  • Someday You'll Want Me / Down Yonder We Go Ballin ' (Imperial 5404 ), October 1956
  • Shame, Shame, Shame / No No (Imperial 5418 ), November 1956
  • You Are My Sunshine / Sweeter Words ( Imperial 5431 ), March 1957
  • Go On Fool / Gonna Jump And Shout (Imperial 5460 ), July 1957
  • Rootin 'Tootin' / I Can not Believe It (Imperial 5470 ), November 1957
  • Bad Luck Blues / School Days Are Back Again ( Imperial 5478 ), December 1957
  • Last Night / Is not Goin ' There No More (Imperial 5676 ), July 1960
  • Stormy Monday Blues / Tell Me Who ( Imperial 5719 ), September 1960
  • Goals Up / I'm Coming Down With the Blues ( Okeh 7146 ), 1962
  • I Wonder / Lookin 'For My Woman ( Dot 16674 ), 1964

As "The Smiley Lewis Band":

  • The Bells Are Ringing (new recording ) / Walkin 'The Girl ( Loma 2024 ), December 1965
DeQuincy (Louisiana) Integrated Authority File
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