I’ve been looking through your websites and I’m full of admiration for all the work you’ve put into them, as for stories about the blues and R&B artists, I recognise most of those featured in your different sites but only as a fan.
I started thinking back to that time though and who I’d listened to often on Radio Luxemburg on Sunday nights as a teenager, the list is long but I was into all kinds of music in those days. I started off with skiffle even getting a banjo and guitar and starting up a skiffle group with some mates, we were rubbish and after a few gigs where we didn’t get paid realised, we’d better pack it in, though one of the guys did go on to better things but not big time.
One of my favourite R&B artists who I couldn’t find featured anywhere in your sites was an American guy called Bill Doggett who everyone was into in 1956 he was best known for his rhythm & blues records, Honky Tonk & Hippy Diary, it was really laid-back stuff, you can get it on the Internet.
I dabbled in Trad Jazz and modern big band Jazz, in fact I had a large collection of the Stan Kenton Band, the top band of the time, I had nearly all their records which now would have been quite valuable but sadly they were stolen.
I’m listing the groups and singers who I was into at the time below.
The Platters
Fats Domino
The Impressions
Four Tops
Buddy Holly
Bill Haley
Elvis Presley
Lonnie Donegan
The Crickets
Chuck Berry
I could go on, these are not in their order at all, I’ve really enjoyed going back and looking up some of the artists and records and playing them all again, so thank you, you’ve helped to bring back so many happy memories my friend.
Roy Haythornthwaite
Burnley, UK
October 2020