Leonard Caston Jr.

Leonard Caston Jr. | X | tc818

Songwriter, pianist, vocalist and record producer Leonard Caston Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 13 November 1943.

After serving in the US Army, he joined the vocal group The Radiants, who were signed to Chess Records. He adapted a gospel tune into “I had a talk with my man last night” which became a hit for Mitty Collier.

In 1965 he left The Radiants to become a full time session musician and producer at Chess. He plays piano on Fontella Bass’ “Rescue Me”. He also worked with Jan Bradley, Laura Lee and Bobby McClure. In 1967 he rejoined The Radiants and wrote and produced their final hit, “Hold on”. In 1968 he was recruited by Motown Records and went to work for them, notably on the Supremes’ “Nathan Jones”, Eddie Kendricks’ “Keep on truckin’” (that’s Caston on piano again), and many others.

In the 1980s he and his wife moved to California and became pastors in Los Angeles. In the 2000’s he became active in recording again, producing albums of gospel music, and working with ex-Motown producer Frank Wilson, who had also become active in gospel music.

Comments

Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry | Rolling Stone | tc036 Charles Edward Anderson “Chuck” Berry was born on October 18, 1926 in St Louis, Missouri., He traveled to Chicago in May 1955, and met Muddy Waters, who suggested he contact Leonard Chess of Chess Records. The resulting record of "Maybelline", based on the country song "Ida Red", sold over one million copies and set a high standard – a combination of amazing guitar playing, developing the playing style of T Bone Walker, which inspired whole generations of musicians, and composing articulate descriptive songs. He became known as "The father of rock and roll". His lyrics concentrated on teenage life and consumerism. Berry has had a number of spells in prison for a variety of offences including offences against the Mann Act and of tax evasion. Having been ripped off, Berry insisted on being paid cash in a paper bag which he transferred to his attache case. Although mainly associated with Chess Records, Berry signed with...

Anthony La Mont

Lamont Dozier | Uncredited photographer/Creative and Dreams | tc494 Lamont Herbert Dozier (La Mont Anthony) is a well known record producer, song writer and singer. He is best known as a member of the Holland-Dozier-Holland producing and writing team who were behind big successes for The Supremes and The Four Tops. He co-wrote and produced 14 US Billboard number 1 hits and 4 UK number one hits. Mr Dozier was born in Detroit, Michigan on 16 June 1941 and began singing for some small Detroit labels with groups including The Romeos before joining up with Brian and Eddie Holland in 1962. Their first successes for Motown were for Martha and The Vandellas. He split with the Hollands in 1972 to pursue a solo career. The recording on CheckMate was made around 1961. Mr Dozier and the Holland brothers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Mr Dozier moved to California and has spent some time teaching music. He was a Trustee of NARAS and chaired its Advocacy...

Arthur and James Booker

James Booker | NPR | tc358 Arthur and Booker are thought to be Arthur Booker and James Booker, who were not actually related. Originally the session was to have featured Art Neville but Arthur Booker substituted for him. The recording was made in New Orleans. Pianist, multi instrumentalist and singer James Carroll Booker III, known as "The piano prince of New Orleans", was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 17, 1939. He began playing piano age six, was a child prodigy and was discovered by talent scout Paul Gayten, was injured by an ambulance in a traffic accident when he was nine, recorded a handful of songs for Chess in his teens, and is associated with Lloyd Price and Fats Domino. He toured Europe extensively in the 1970s. J ames Booker died in New Orleans, Louisiana, from renal failure following alcohol and drug use, on November 8, 1983. A feature length documentary film, Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker, was made in 2013. I have ...

Chess Records 80

Search This Blog