Don't Freeze On Me is a humdinger of an R& B rocker from L.A released in 1962. It is the flip side to a much more pedestrian tune "It Might As Well Be Spring " from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "State Fair" which is not without it's merits but pales in comparison to this belter. I know nothing at all about the singer Jessie Mae and with the voice that she ably demonstrates on both sides of this forty-five find it hard to believe that this is the only single she produced. But as is common in this sphere of music during the 60s that may be exactly what happened. Time and time again you find the same story, somebody went into a studio somewhere in the US cut a record and more often than not if it wasn't picked up nationally went back to the day job. I suppose it would have been impossible for all of the records produced at this time to have been picked up and I doff my cap to the many crate diggers out there who continue to discover these gems.
Jessie Mae - Don't Freeze On Me
3 comments:
Hello Drew,
Thanks for this.
I've done some sleuthing.According to Dorothy Norwood's Official website she launched her solo career in 1964.
October 24, 1963
SAVOY 4204 The Dorothy Norwood Singers - The Failure Is Not In God / Johnny And Jesus
(From the album: Savoy MG 14083 The Dorothy Norwood Singers, Vol. 1 - Johnny And Jesus)
(Source :Savoy Records Catalog: 45 rpm 4200/4300 series / http://tinyurl.com/kagdvhn)
Later,
Marc
Thanks for that Marc
More detective work...
Arranger & Conductor for Jessie Mae's DRA 45's is tenor player Maxwell Davis.
JESSIE MAE
12/62
DRA 327 - End Of The World/Ghost Of A Chance
Notes:
Billboard, April 7, 1962, p.76: Article about DJ Al Jarvis acting as a talent scout for "recently formed DRA records". Jessie Mae is listed as already under contract with the label.
http://tinyurl.com/m8ret4q
R 'n' R anoraks identified this 'JESSIE MAE' as songwriter Jessie Mae Robinson (aka Jessie Mae Booker)
http://tinyurl.com/l69pdrt
But then...
Jessie Mae Robinson's daughter,June Lynch stepped in...
Listening to 'Rock 'Em and Roll 'Em' parts 1 & 2 by Jessie Mae Roberson (sic) on Blaze 111
June Lynch shook her head: 'That doesn't sound anything like my mother'
June Lynch stuck to her guns.'My mother never recorded,not even on her dubs'
(source:'JESSIE MAE ROBINSON' by Jim Dawson in 'Juke Blues' # 22 - Winter / Spring 1991)
Confused,
Marc
Post a Comment