Wynonie Harris

Wynonie "Mr. Blues " Harris ( born August 24, 1915 in Omaha, Nebraska, † June 14, 1969 in Los Angeles, California ) was an American blues and R & B singer.

Life and work

Wynonie Harris was first drummer and began his career in the clubs of Los Angeles and Chicago as a singer and MC; in Chicago heard him 1944, the bandleader Lucky Millinder in a show at Rhumboogie Club and signed him as a singer for his band. Harris was traveling with both Milli DERs Big Band as well as with Lionel Hampton Orchestra. He had in 1945 with "Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well", which appeared under Milli DERs name on his first solo hit Decca. Harris left the band in the same year, went back to Los Angeles and took numerous plates on under his own name, accompanied by Johnny Otis ( drums ), Illinois Jacquet, Oscar Pettiford, Lucky Millinder and others. Recordings were made for the label Philo ( "Baby Look at You", 1945) and 1946 for the Apollo hits " Wynonie 's Blues " and " Playful Baby ." In Nashville, he took with Jimmie Jackson and Herman Blount (later known as Sun Ra known) on.

After he had less success recorded for smaller labels, he came in 1947 at King Records. His version of the R & B songs " Good Rocking Tonight" from 1948 with saxophonist Frank " Floor Show " Culley is considered one of the earliest rock and roll recordings and became a # 1 hit in the charts, which until 1952 another twelve should follow; the piece, written by Roy Brown was later also recorded by Elvis Presley. Other successful titles from Harris were All She Wants to Do Is rock (1949) and Bloodshot Eyes ( 1951).

Although he still grossed countless tracks for labels such as Atco, King, roulette and Chess, was the mid-1950s, the success of Wynonie Harris after his alcoholism and troubled him. Harris fell into oblivion. His last guest appearance in 1966 at a "Motor Town Revue" in Santa Monica to have been a disaster Nick Tosches According. In 1969 he was diagnosed with throat cancer; he died in the same year.

1994 Wynonie Harris was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.