20 FAVE DUET RECORDS

TODAY........FROM 1953

1. BABY DOLL – MARVIN & JOHNNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ1xGUxkK1M

On Specialty the first actual “Marvin & Johnny” release in October 1953
and a #9 BB r&b hit

2. YOU TOOK MY LOVE TOO FAST – LITTLE ESTHER & BOBBY NUNN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyMxS4PGXlM

Esther & Bobby team up again on Federal on a very decent Mike Stoller &
Ravon Darnell number

3. YES BABY – JOHNNY ACE & WILLIE MAE THORNTON https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAhdM-grwRA

Johnny Ace’s self penned duet with Willie Mae Thornton on Duke. The
flipside of Ace’s “Saving My Love For You”

4. THAT’S WHAT MAKES MY BABY FAT – JOE MORRIS & FAYE SCRUGGS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQylGsSvM5w

Credited to “Joe Morris Blues Cavalcade” on Atlantic this is a duet
betwixt Morris and his then current band songstress Faye
Scruggs—destined very soon to become much more famous as “Faye Adams”

5. DIM LIGHTS THICK SMOKE (AND LOUD LOUD MUSIC) – JOE MAPHIS & ROSE LEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cjnf_a2hTc

On Okeh label my favorite version of the Lester Flatt/Earl Scruggs
country classic (see the 1952 post in this series)

6. SHIRLEY’S BACK – SHIRLEY & LEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZohDwB_eTMk

My favorite 1953 episode in the most interminable love affair in 1950’s
r&b music

7. MY KIND OF WOMAN – EMITT SLAY TRIO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tskB8IZS6BA

Highly amusing spoken word duet on the Savoy label

8. SHIRLEY COME BACK TO ME – SHIRLEY & LEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_ej2c_HKak

The flip of their “I’m Gone” followup on Aladdin and a continuation of that huge hit

9. GONNA TELL MY MAMA – JESSE ALLEN & AUDREY WALKER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flwueiRSKAk

Super bluesy New Orleans duet from Jesse & Audrey here on Imperial
backed by Dave Bartholomew & co.

10. TURN THE LAMPS DOWN LOW – LITTLE ESTHER & LITTLE WILLIE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o20Vakaw9iU

Little Esther strikes again on Federal--this time with Little Willie Littlefield on an early Leiber & Stoller song

11. I FORGOT MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW – THE DAVIS SISTERS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG761qm2kAQ

Many older folks introduction to Skeeter with this huge C&W #1 (5 weeks)
for the (not really) sisters newly signed to RCA. Tidy #18 BBpop hit too

12. EASY – JIMMY & WALTER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3OON4MjGDc

More or less instrumental version of “I Almost My Mind” by bluesmen
Jimmy De Berry & Walter Horton on Sun

13. BABY – SHIRLEY & LEE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5wEZ4FNp9g

The fine followup on Aladdin to their “I’m Gone” smash and their first release of 1953

14. HONEY – MARVIN & JOHNNY (unreleased) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnstFpJrDwg

Unreleased item recorded for Specialty in 1953. The “Johnny” here is
Carl Green (later of The Turks)

15. I’M NOT A FOOL – MARVIN & JOHNNY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb1SF6d2Lhg

The catchy flip on Specialty to the #1 “Baby Doll” above

16. GOTTA CALL THAT NUMBER – JESSE ALLEN & AUDREY WALKER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAmNewS3h2I

Decent flipside to “Gonna Tell My Mamma” on Imperial listed above

17. THAT’S FAT JACK – JIMMIE LEE & ARTIS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwBAk6pi2Os

Alias Jimmy Lee Cheatham and Artis Brewster these were a hubby/wife team
from Texarkana recording for Modern

18. I’VE LEARNED MY LESSON – EMMITT SLAY TRIO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMrWvjkQAnc

The almost-as-amusing flipside to #7 in this listing above

19. DON’T TELL MAMMA – WILLIE JOHNSON & THELMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUYiVamO7BE

Willie & Thelma attempt here to emulate the Shirley & Lee success story
for Savoy

20. WAY DOWN IN THE CONGO – IKE & BONNIE TURNER (unreleased) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukB2kcOjtkU

Duet for Sun by Ike with his then-pianist wife Marion Louis Lee (alias “Bonnie Turner”)

BUBBLING UNDER

21. SO IN LOVE – SHIRLEY & LEE
22. THE PROPOSAL – SHIRLEY & LEE
23. A DEAR JOHN LETTER – JEAN SHEPARD & FERLIN HUSKY
24. TWO HAPPY PEOPLE – SHIRLEY & LEE
25. SWEET TALK – FAYE ADAMS

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On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 5:46:33 +0000, Roger wrote:

5. DIM LIGHTS THICK SMOKE (AND LOUD LOUD MUSIC) – JOE MAPHIS & ROSE LEE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cjnf_a2hTc

Never heard of this before. Just regular country to me, a 5.

9. GONNA TELL MY MAMA – JESSE ALLEN & AUDREY WALKER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flwueiRSKAk

Super bluesy New Orleans duet from Jesse & Audrey here on Imperial
backed by Dave Bartholomew & co.

Never heard of this before. Music is really good, but the vocals are
weak. especially her. This is a good example of something that I think I
could really improve if I knew how to use AI and could replace the
singers with better voices.

12. EASY – JIMMY & WALTER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3OON4MjGDc

More or less instrumental version of “I Almost My Mind” by bluesmen
Jimmy De Berry & Walter Horton on Sun

Not "more or less," more like exactly. Never heard of it before. Don't
need it.

16. GOTTA CALL THAT NUMBER – JESSE ALLEN & AUDREY WALKER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAmNewS3h2I

She can't really sing which is why I don't think she as ever heard from
again after this year. Another good New Orleans music track, but better
singers were needed.

18. I’VE LEARNED MY LESSON – EMMITT SLAY TRIO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMrWvjkQAnc

It's not the flip side, it's the follow up release. "My Kind Of Woman"
was recorded in January, "I've Learned My Lesson" in March. Both flip
sides were from the January session.

886 - Emmitt Slay Trio - My Kind Of Woman / Brotherly Love
892 - Emmitt Slay Trio - I've Learned My Lesson / You Told Me That You
Loved Me

20. WAY DOWN IN THE CONGO – IKE & BONNIE TURNER (unreleased) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukB2kcOjtkU

Did not know it. The Ike parts are good, but the Bonnie parts are
fucking awful. Can't file it.

BUBBLING UNDER

21. SO IN LOVE – SHIRLEY & LEE

A little subpar for them at this time, but worth keeping.

24. TWO HAPPY PEOPLE - SHIRLEY & LEE

Outstanding music, but the vocals are rough when they both are singing
at the same time. Most of their better records have them each singing
different parts by themselves rather than singing together in (supposed) harmony.

Based on your list I think we can agree that S & L were the top duo act
of the year.

25. SWEET TALK – FAYE ADAMS

Weak as hell. Who's the guy?

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Let's see what I've got:

120 ¦ Shirley, Come Back To Me ¦ Shirley & Lee
142 ¦ Baby Doll ¦ Marvin & Johnny
194 ¦ You Took My Love Too Fast ¦ Little Esther
250 ¦ That's What Makes My Baby Fat ¦ Joe Morris (Faye Scruggs)
259 ¦ The Proposal ¦ Shirley & Lee
263 ¦ My Kind Of Woman ¦ Emitt Slay Trio
292 ¦ Don't Tell Mama ¦ Willie Johnson and Thelma
343 ¦ I'm Not A Fool ¦ Jesse & Marvin
357 ¦ Baby ¦ Shirley & Lee
360 ¦ Turn The Lamps Down Low ¦ Little Esther (Little Willie
Littlefield)
388 ¦ Lee Goofed ¦ Shirley & Lee

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On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 7:29:22 +0000, Bruce wrote:

On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 5:46:33 +0000, Roger wrote:

25. SWEET TALK – FAYE ADAMS

Weak as hell. Who's the guy?

Joe Morris

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On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 7:50:37 +0000, Bruce wrote:

Let's see what I've got:

120 ¦ Shirley, Come Back To Me ¦ Shirley & Lee

#354 - 7

142 ¦ Baby Doll ¦ Marvin & Johnny

#72 - 8

194 ¦ You Took My Love Too Fast ¦ Little Esther

#103 - 8

250 ¦ That's What Makes My Baby Fat ¦ Joe Morris (Faye Scruggs)

#207 - 8

259 ¦ The Proposal ¦ Shirley & Lee

#659 - 7

263 ¦ My Kind Of Woman ¦ Emitt Slay Trio

#299 -7

292 ¦ Don't Tell Mama ¦ Willie Johnson and Thelma

#624 - 7

343 ¦ I'm Not A Fool ¦ Jesse & Marvin

#486 - 7

357 ¦ Baby ¦ Shirley & Lee

#452 - 7

360 ¦ Turn The Lamps Down Low ¦ Little Esther (Little Willie
Littlefield)

#407 - 7

388 ¦ Lee Goofed ¦ Shirley & Lee

Feb 1954 on this surely?

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On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:38:39 +0000, Roger wrote:

On Fri, 13 Dec 2024 7:50:37 +0000, Bruce wrote:

388 ¦ Lee Goofed ¦ Shirley & Lee

Feb 1954 on this surely?

Another one where I went with the release date given on their box set.

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Shirley had another duet over 20 years after this with a guy names Jesus Alvarez.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttKhwrgpBso

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