Description
Her mountainous stature matching the sheer soulful power of her massive vocal talent, Big Maybelle was one of the premier R&B chanteuses of the ‘50s. Her deep, gravelly voice was as singular as her recorded output for Okeh and Savoy, which ranged from down-in-the-alley blues to pop-slanted ballads. She appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958, and acquired a large following among lovers of the blues, rhythm and blues, jazz and rock and roll. Near the end of her life she even covered hits by the Beatles and Donovan. Big Maybelle’s career was hampered throughout and cut short by a severe drug addiction, but she packed a lot of living into her shortened lifespan. It’s worth mentioning how, almost half a century later, the power in her Okeh sessions is still palpable.
2. So Good To My Baby
3. Gabbin’ Blues
4. My Country Man
5. Rain Down Rain
6. Way Back Home
2. Jinny Mule
3. Maybelle’s Blues
4. I’ve Go A Feeling
5. You’ll Never Know
2. My Big Mistake
3. Ain’t No Use
4. I’m Getting’ Long Alright
5. You’ll Be Sorry
6. Hair Dressin’ Women
2. Don’t Leave Poor Me
3. Ain’t To Be Played With
4. New Kind Of Mambo
5. Whole Lot-Ta Shakin’ Goin’ On