Wardell Quezergue

Wardell Quezergue | Chris Granger/The Guardian | tc782

Composer, record producer, musician, arranger and bandleader Wardell Joseph Quezergue Snr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 12, 1930. His main influences were Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Harry James and his love of jazz helped inform the development of New Orleans funk music. He first played in the band of Dave Barthlomew, then in 1951 served in the US Army in Korea. After service, he studied at the New Orleans Gateway School of Music and became a band leader. He was also active in the New Orleans Negro Musicians Union. As well as working on Fats Domino recordings (with Bartholomew), he also arranged Motown music for stage for Stevie Wonder and others. He formed Nola records in 1962 and hit big with Robert Parker’s “Barefootin’”. For Malaco Records he provided two number one hits in a single week; “Groove Me” by King Floyd, and “Mr Big Stuff” by Jean Knight, which eventually became Stax Records’ biggest ever selling single. Wardell Quezergue died in New Orleans on September 26, 2011.

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The Meditation Singers

Meditation Singers LP cover | Vinyl Beat | tc306 The Meditation Singers, a long running Gospel music group, first recorded in the 1940s and at one time included Della Reese. The group, at the time they were recording for Checker in 1966, were Ernestine Rundless, wjo founded the group, Donna Hammonds, Verlene Rogers, Marie Waters, Patricia Lyles and Victoria Beasley. Ernestine Rundless was born in Egremont, Mississippi on 4 May 1914 and died on 7 February 2007. Donna Hammonds is undocumented. Verlene Rogers died in Las Vegas, Nevada, after a long illness, on 27 August 2020. Marie Waters is undocumented but is known to have been the older sister of singer Della Reese. Patricia Lyles was born in 1943 and died in 1978. Victoria Beasley is undocumented.

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...

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...

Chess Records 80

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