“Well, sometimes there’s people, and sometimes there ain’t.” Phil and Dave Alvin were 15 and 17 respectively when this was said to them, as a form of mentoring, by an artist they’d first met in the very late 60’s in Los Angeles. The Alvin’s sat at his feet while he performed, picked his brain, sang for him, and accepted his advice. They’d first met him when it was beginning to maybe be the twilight of his career. He was playing clubs in Los Angeles, residing in the Adams district. By this time, his career was more than four decades long, though it had been more than ten years since his last commercial success. Phil and Dave would follow him from gig to gig. Sometimes 300 people would be there, other nights, maybe 30. Dave was a kid, talking to someone who’d seen it all by then. When the Alvin’s asked him about the on and off turnout, he simply said “well, sometimes there’s people, and sometimes there ain’t.” Dave Alvin says that ethos has helped him at his own similar junctures in his career.

The man that uttered those words was Joseph Vernon ‘Big Joe’ Turner. He should be known as a National Treasure, though in this day and age he’s rarely mentioned despite a 50+ years career. His seminal catalogue includes Rhythm ‘n Blues, Boogie Woogie, Jazz and Blues dating back to the early 1930’s and lasting into the late 70’s. He’d dropped out of school by 13 to pursue his calling, working in Kansas City nightclubs, first as a cook, then a bartender, often singing while tending to the customers. He formally performed as well, usually accompanied by his friend Pete Johnson, one of the Kings of Boogie Woogie piano playing. One of the clubs they played was the Sunset, a racially integrated venue managed by a man named Piney Brown. Big Joe’s “Piney Brown Blues” would be the first song he wrote and would remain in his repertoire for the next 50 years. Turner and Johnson would travel to New York City together in 1936, appearing on a bill opening for Benny Goodman. Eventually the legendary John Hammond would invite them to perform at the first From Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938. They had success with their record “Roll ’em Pete” on Vocalion Records, a huge influence on what would eventually be known as Rock and Roll. No less an authority than Doc Pomus said “”Rock and Roll would never have happened without him.”

He’d record for many labels from the 30’s through 1951, when he was signed by Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun to their new label Atlantic Records. They’d seen Joe perform when he subbed for Jimmy Rushing front of The Count Basie Orchestra at the Apollo Theater. Joe would have big success for Atlantic, greatly helping establish the label, both financially and by attracting other artists to sign recording contracts.

One of Joe’s biggest recordings for Atlantic was the great “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” released 70 years ago today on April 12, 1954. He’d recorded it in Atlantic’s studio on February 15th, eventually hitting #1 on the Billboard R ‘n B chart and #22 on the Hot 100. As much of a Rock and Roll standard as it is, a song like this would stand no chance of even getting airplay in this day and age. The lyrics telling his woman to get out of bed and wash up, and then get to the kitchen to clean up the pots and pans is bad enough. It also includes the risqué line “I’m like a one-eyed cat peepin’ in a seafood store.” Although Bill Haley’s version would be the bigger commercial success, not including that line, Joe’s version would be sought out consistently, bringing people to become fans of R ‘n B. Elvis loved Big Joe, also covering “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” though his version wasn’t much of a hit. By 1958, Joe’s commercial success would be waning, with “Jump For Joy’ being his last hit.

He’d continue performing though, including a now famous tour in England in 1965, along with Jazz trombonist Vic Dickenson and trumpeter Buck Clayton. They’d be backed by British trumpeter Humphrey Lyttleton and his band. A full set of one of Big Joe’s appearances lives on You Tube. Find 45:00 for yourself and check this out. About 30:00 in, Joe unleashes the incredible “Chains of Love,” one of his greatest Atlantic sides:

By the time the Alvin brothers befriended Big Joe, his health was beginning to fail and his commercial riches, and royalties, were all but dried up. Ahmet Ertegun was already on his way to his urbane life, jet-setting with the Stones and Led Zeppelin who were signed to Atlantic Records, the label Big Joe Turner helped build. Ertegun let Joe live in squalor in the Adams district of Los Angeles, playing small clubs, recording niche projects for small, independent labels with little to no chance of big success. He’d eventually sign a deal with Norman Granz’s Pablo Records, recording fine if little-appreciated albums such as 1974’s The Bosses with Count Basie. He’d record into the early 80’s before struggles with diabetes, a stroke, and his weight left him all but unable to continue. He earned his rainbow in Inglewood, California on November 24, 1985, at 74 years old.

In 2009, his acolyte Dave Alvin wrote and recorded the tribute “Boss of the Blues” for his album Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women. He and Phil would record four Big Joe songs for their 2nd album as a duo, Lost Time, one of the best albums of the last decade.

Today’s Playlist is a SomethingIsHappening 50 song compendium celebrating Big Joe Turner in honor of the 70th anniversary of “Shake, Rattle and Roll”:

By the way, 38 years after the release of “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” a couple of well-known guitar players trotted out their own version at the Sevilla Guitar Expo, October 17 1992:

#BigJoeTurner #DaveAlvin #PhilAlvin #LosAngeles #AtlanticRecords #AhmetErtegun #DocPomus #TheBlasters #CountBasie #JohnHammond #PeteJohnson #BoogieWoogie #ShakeRattleAndRoll