![]() ![]() I shivered and I shook, couldn’t do any more I thought she was my baby till she introduced to meĪ great big tall fella, about six foot four Well I met a pretty girl, as pretty as can be He already had the experience under his belt of selling songs in Music City U.S.A. Certainly, the A-side here has that touch of someone used to stringing together lyrics almost at the drop of a hat, which Miller was. A portion of Lester’s Crowley output– roughly a third – was credited to both Miller and Leslie Johnson (Lester’s actual name). (Jay) Miller under his actual name he also used the pseudonym Jerry West. In terms of writing, both songs were credited to producer and Crowley studio owner, J.D. That’s not to denigrate Lester’s other Excello records unduly what they may have lacked in insistence they made up for via other factors like originality. What made that record instantly noticeable was the urgency with which he and the backing team addressed both songs which was contrary not only to his nickname, but also to the vast bulk of other records that came out of the Crowley, Louisiana studios used by the Excello swamp blues artists. It was his fourth single release out of 15 in all and came out in late summer 1958, by which time the other Excello big names were all up and motoring. That record was I’m A Lover Not A Fighter coupled with Sugar Coated Love. Indeed had it not been for one record, Lester would probably have gone down in history as “that harmonica guy at Excello”. ![]() Lazy Lester worked with most of the Crowley artists at one time or another, and that list included even the aforesaid Mr Harpo. There were plenty of other harmonica players who worked in the Crowley studio which produced such a torrent of swamp blues for a decade or so from the mid fifties onwards with Slim Harpo of course being one of them, but when Lightnin’ Slim bawled out “blow your harmonica, son”, there was a pretty strong chance it was our man he was pointing at. ![]() For Lazy Lester there’d be no hesitation whatsoever. If asked to come up with one word that was particularly applicable to each of the big names in Excello Swamp Blues, I’d probably hesitate for a moment and then respond as follows: Lightnin’ Slim – voice, Lonesome Sundown – blues, Slim Harpo – rhythm. Contributors: Dave Stephens – with Cal Taylor ![]()
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