Specialty Profiles

Performer: Various Artists/Lloyd Price
Producer: Cheryl Pawelski (Compilation); Colin Escott (Compilation)
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Lloyd Price (vocals); Larry Price (vocals); Carl Thomas (saxophone); Lawrence E. Marioneaux, Jr. (tenor saxophone); Wallace Davenport (trumpet); Edward Frank, Fats Domino, Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns, Antoine "Fats" Domino (piano); Earl Palmer (drums, drum); Charles "Honeyman" Otis (drums); Ernest McLean (guitar); Joseph Harris (alto saxophone); Herbert Hardesty (tenor saxophone); Dave Bartholomew (trumpet). Audio Remasterer: Joe Tarantino. Liner Note Author: Colin Escott. Recording information: J&M Music Shop, New Orleans, LA (03/13/1952-06/29/1956); Universal Recorders, Hollywood, CA (03/13/1952-06/29/1956). This selection of the Louisiana rock & roll pioneer Lloyd Price's recordings for the Specialty label contains his first number one R&B hit, 1952's "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," as well as subsequent classics, like the syncopated "Tell Me Pretty Baby," and the rolling, bluesy "Ain't It a Shame?," recorded before he entered the army in 1954. Price's high, pleading tenor was ideally suited for the pop market, as shown by his later success with songs like a reworking of the ancient "Stagger Lee" and the peppy "Personality," but on these early tracks he displays the irresistible, unpolished charm of his New Orleans origins. This package also includes a CD sampler of other releases in this series. As part of the Specialty Profiles series, New Orleans R&B belter Lloyd Price is spotlighted on several tracks he recorded for the Los Angeles-based label between 1952 and 1959. This is raucous R&B, not to be confused with Price's pop hits recorded for ABC-Paramount in the early '60s. The 14 cuts on this compilation combine lesser-heard gems like "If Crying Was Murder" and "Where You At?" with original chart-toppers "Oooh-Oooh-Oooh," "Restless Heart," "Tell Me Pretty Baby," "Ain't It a Shame?," and his first number one hit, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," which featured Fats Domino on piano. This is essential material that should be in any R&B or early rock & roll collection. As an extra bonus, the Specialty Profiles series includes a sampler that showcases R&B gems by Specialty acts of the era, including Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Larry Williams, Percy Mayfield, Don & Dewey, Joe Liggins, Jesse & Marvin, and Guitar Slim. ~ Al Campbell

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