Here’s an incredibly late 78 from May 1960. It’s by Elmore James on Chess 1756 titled, “The Sun Is Shining” backed with “I Can’t Hold Out.” I always liked Elmore, but a lot of his recordings are just variations on other blues that he already recorded. Of the 30+ commercial 78s I have documented from 1960, three of them are by Elmore James.
Here it is – the Holy Grail of Late 78s: Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Cry Cry Cry” from September 1960. It was Duke 327. The A-side rose to #9 on Billboard Magazine’s R&B charts that fall, and even charted #71 on the pop music charts. The B-side was “I’ve Been Wrong So Long.”
I have confirmed with record collector extraordinaire John Tefteller that this is authentic and not a photoshop creation. He regularly auctions off high quality collector records at his website, tefteller.com .
Unbelievable – fall of 1960. This may very well be the last regular issue, non-niche/fringe/novelty American 78 rpm record.
A January 1960 78 record: “Goodbye Kansas City” backed with “1960” by Wilbert Harrison on Fury 1028. This follow up to his no. 1 hit “Kansas City” featured the same melody, written back in 1952 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. However, as you can see on the record label, the didn’t get co-composer credit on this. They probably could have pressed the issue if they wanted to, like Chuck Berry did with ‘Surfin’ USA”, or what happened with “My Sweet Lord” and Ronnie Mack’s heirs.
The B-side is a pleasant, swinging shuffle.
Well, this is the first post I’ve made in a long time. I just became aware of this May 1960 gospel record, Vee-Jay 887, by the Highway Q Cs – “Jesus I’m Waiting” b/w “We’re Working Hard.”
A reader contributed these images for us to enjoy. It’s an April 1960 issue on Checker 951 titled “Crawdad” backed with “Walkin’ and Talkin'” by the great Bo Diddley. I’m not used to seeing the font used on Bo Diddley’s name on Checker.
This is a wonderful example of Swamp Blues that was released in March 1960. Lightnin’ Slim’s “Tom Cat Blues” b/w “Bed Bug Blues” on Excello 2173.
From February 1960 here’s “My True Life” by Leroy Washington on Excello 2172. This was actually the “B” side of “Why Should I Cry.”
So, let’s recap the American 78 records from 1960 (sans budget label cover versions and non-English records):
1. January 1960 – “Shake A Hand” b/w “Manana” by Lavern Baker (Atlantic 20482)
2. January 1960 – “Goodbye Kansas City” b/w “1960″ by Wilbert Harrison (Fury 1028)
3. January 1960 – “Belinda Marie” b/w “Dangerous Woman” by Little Junior Parker (Duke 315)
4. January 1960 – “Too Pooped To Pop” b/w “Let It Rock” by Chuck Berry (Chess 1747)
5. January 1960 – “I Feel So Good” b/w “When I Get To Thinking” by Muddy Waters (Chess 1748)
6. January 1960 – “Buzz Me Babe” b/w “Late Last Night” by Slim Harpo (Excello 2171)
7. January 1960 – “Precious Lord Part 1” b/w “Precious Lord Part 2” by Aretha Franklin (Checker 941)
8. January 1960 – “The Goat” b/w “It’s Sad To Be Alone” by Sonny Boy Williamson (Checker 943)
9. January 1960 – “I’ll Go Crazy” b/w “I Know It’s True” by Jame Brown (Federal 12369)
10. February 1960 – “Little By Little” b/w “Come On In This House” by Junior Wells (Profile 4011)
11. February 1960 – “Who’s Been Talking” b/w “Tell Me” by Howlin’ Wolf (Chess 1750)
12. February 1960 -“Ah’w Baby” b/w “I Had My Fun” by Little Walter (Checker 945)
13. February 1960 -“Why Should I Cry” b/w “My True Life” by Leroy Washington (Excello 2172)
14. March 1960 – “Make My Dreams Come True” b/w “Bobby’s Rock” by Elmore James (Fire 1011)
15. March 1960 – “The Next Time” b/w “You’re On My Mind” by Little Junior Parker (Duke 317)
16. March 1960 – “So Many Roads, So Many Trains” b/w “I’m Satisfied” by Otis Rush (Chess 1751)
17. March 1960 – “Trying To Make A Living” by Bobby Saxton b/w “Dynamite” by Earl Hooker (Checker 947)
18. March 1960 – “Tom Cat Blues” b/w “Bed Bug Blues” by Lightinin Slim (Excello 2173)
19. April 1960 – “I’m Your Doctor” b/w “Read Way Back” by Muddy Waters (Chess 1752)
20. April 1960 – “First Time I Met The Blues” b/w “I Got My Eyes On You” by Buddy Guy (Chess 1753)
21. April 1960 – “Crawdad” b/w “Walkin’ and Talkin'” by Bo Diddley (Checker 951)
22.April 1960 – “Coming Home” b/w “Have You Changed Your Mind” by Lowel (sic) Fulson (Checker 952)
23. April 1960 – “The Sky Is Crying” b/w “Held My Baby Last Night” by Elmore James (Fire 1016)
24. April 1960 – “Can’t Stay Away Part 1” b/w “Can’t Stay Away Part 2” by Tarheel Slim & Little Ann (Fire 1017)
25. April 1960 – “The Madison Shuffle” b/w “John Henry (The Steel Driving Man)” by Buster Brown (Fire 1020)
26. May 1960 – “Jesus I’m Waiting” b/w “We’re Working Hard” by the Highway Q C’s (Vee-Jay 887)
27. May 1960 – “Found Love” b/w “Where Can You Be” by Jimmy Reed (Vee-Jay 347)
28. May 1960 – “No Shoes” b/w “Solid Sender” by John Lee Hooker (Vee-Jay 349)
29. May 1960- “The Sun Is Shining” b/w “I Can’t Hold Out” by Elmore James (Chess 1756)
30. June 1960 – “Mule Skinners Blues” b/w “Cool Water” by Red Allen (Frontier 601)
31. June 1960 – “Forever I’ll Be Yours” b/w “Anything For You” by Tarheel Slim & Little Ann (Fire 1021)
32. June 1960 – “There Is Something On Your Mind Part 1” b/w “There Is Something On Your Mind Part 2” by Bobby Marchan (Fire 1022)
33. July 1960 – “Miss You” b/w “Let Me Believe In You” by Roscoe Shelton (Excello 2181)
34. August 1960 – “That’s Just Alright” b/w “I’ll Learn To Love Again” by Little Junior Parker (Duke 326)
35. September 1960-“Cry Cry Cry” b/w “I’ve Been Wrong So Long” by Bobby Bland (Duke 327)
Well, I wish I could tell you that this 78 of Bobby Darin’s “Beyond The Sea” is real, but it’s not.
This Billy Bland 78 is another fantasy that I wish exists but probably doesn’t.
American 78s - The Last Year 