On this tenth volume in the “By The Bayou” series, the third to focus on R&B, we have 28 tracks from the vaults of J.D. Miller’s Crowley studio, Eddie Shuler’s Goldband facility, Floyd Soileau’s Rod label, Sam Montel’s Montel label and Golen Richard’s Richland imprint, all from South Louisiana.
The majority of the material comes from that goldmine on North Parkerson Ave in Crowley, where the music store founded by J.D. Miller is now operated by his youngest son Mark. The ceilings and walls are hung with guitars and the floor space is taken up with amplifiers and speakers. The counters and stands are festooned with guitar strings, picks, cords, cables, plugs and all manner of paraphernalia for the professional musician. In one corner is a dwindling number of CDs, which are difficult for a small-town store to sell in competition with outlets such as Amazon, even if much of the material was recorded right here. Behind the store area, hidden from view, is a large working studio where Mark, a bass player, sound engineer and producer record local talent. Most important to us is another part of the building – the tape store, whereAlec Palaoand I have sifted through the reels, and Alec has transferred close on 3,000 tracks, including 22 of the titles on this CD, eight of which are previously unissued.
The majority of the featured artists have appeared on previous volumes in the series. No apologies for that. Who wouldn’t want more of Lester Robertson, Leroy Washington, Mad Dog Sheffield, Carol Fran, Clifton Chenier, Katie Webster, Wonder Boy Travis, Guitar Gable, Clarence Garlow or Lazy Lester etc, backed up by new additions Eddie Williams, Frank Simien and Anna Mae Rogers? The resultant CD is aimed at giving R&B fans 28 blasts of rompin’, stompin’ music, with songs about mad dogs, sweet daddies and pretty babies to set their feet a-tappin’.
Ian Saddler
