Photo © Sony Pictures Entertainment
Cadillac Records
'Cadillac Records'
As a lifelong devotee of original Black rhythm and blues and pure-dee blues, I loved the 2008 film Cadillac Records. The story of Chicago’s white-owned Chess Records featured riveting work by Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters; Beyonce Knowles (Etta James); Columbus Short (Little Walter); Eamonn Walker (Howlin’ Wolf); Mos Def (Chuck Berry);Cedric the Entertainer (Willie Dixon); and Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess.
Yet, the many historical omissions in the film can be found in “Record Row: Cradle of Rhythm and Blues,” a fine1997 PBS documentary. It was a treasure trove for lovers of R&B vocal groups. Those in the know were very disappointed by the shortcomings of the much longer, albeit enjoyable, big-screen movie.
Enhanced by Etta James’ moving narration, the remarkable documentary—in which this writer was credited with “Additional Special Thanks to Dick Carter”—discussed ‘50s-‘60s record labels such as Brunswick, Chess, Chance, Constellation, Curtom, One-derful! and Vee-Jay. These Chicago companies were both white and Black-owned.
James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, and when heard four years later on “Record Row,” you knew she was telling it like it really was. Watching her doing part of 1962’s “Something’s Got a Hold On Me” brought me out of my chair.
It also reminded me of 1994 when the Spaniels’ iconic James (Pookie) Hudson introduced his stunning, largely solo version of “At Last” as a Milwaukee homage to James on WNOV-AM’s “Carter-McGee Report.” He had noted his early, intimate relationship with her during 1991 interviews for my authorized biography Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight: The Story of the Spaniels (1995).
“I felt I owed it to Etta,” Pookie said. “She was a talented fat girl, and I liked her late ‘50s “Tell Mama.” In Cadillac Records, James’ 1961 “At Last” mega-hit, was nicely channeled by Beyonce Knowles.
Meteoric Rise
Cadillac Records depicted James as the bi-racial, illegitimate daughter of billiards legend Minnesota Fats. And in “Record Row,” she accurately described the meteoric rise and fall of Chess and the other independent record labels in a 10-block stretch of South Michigan Ave. in Chicago—a microcosm of this unique music.
Incredibly, the big-screen movie snubbed many Chess vocal groups—especially the legendary Moonglows of “Sincerely” fame—who were inducted into the Rock Hall in 2000. But also, no mention of the Coronets, Falcons, Five Notes, Flamingos, Hollywood Flames, Johnnie & Joe and Lee Andrews & the Hearts. Also, Phil Chess, brother of Leonard, was only named in passing.
It was a sacrilege to discerning R&B and doo-wop fans that the otherwise entertaining film didn’t acknowledge these aggregations. For example, audiences would have been blown away by the Moonglows’ “blow harmony” on the likes of “Sincerely,” “Most of All,” “When I’m With You” and “Starlite”—a mellow R&B sound never equaled.
My frustration over the omissions in “Cadillac Records” was resurrected in 2010 with the passing of Moonglows’ founder, Harvey Fuqua. But he was prominently singled-out by James in “Record Row”—a poignant true story that helped put doo-wop group harmony and R&B on the map.
In addition to Phil Chess, those interviewed on PBS and commented-on by James, included Marshall Chess—son of Leonard—Vee-Jay’s president Ewart Abner; the famed Dick Clark and musicologist Portia Maultsby. Insights also were offered by the Impressions’ Jerry Butler (“For Your Precious Love”) and Curtis Mayfield (“Superfly”); the gutteral Bo Diddley; Gene Chandler (“The Duke of Earl”); Fontella Bass (“Rescue Me”), and the Dells’ Chuck Barksdale (“Oh, What a Night”), among others.
Rip-Offs
“Record Row’ also told of rip-offs of young Black artists by some record companies, explained in detail by James, and discussed Vee-Jay’s fabled Calvin Carter. According to Butler, he (Carter) “didn’t play anything, but could hear everything.” The documentary also shed light on many other little-known facts about the glory days of original Black R&B.
Happily, James paid homage to the Spaniels’ and their groundbreaking “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight”—one of 200 songs written by Hudson—which introduced Black R&B to whites in 1954. And Butler noted how the Spaniels’ biggest hit was ripped-off by the white McGuire Sisters’ syrupy cover of Hudson’s iconic composition.
Other little known or forgotten facts discussed in “Record Row” included:
- The role of famed, Black disc jockey Al Benson, in bringing R&B to his WVON radio listeners in Chicago.
- That Vee-Jay preceded Motown as the first real successful Black-owned label, and was the first American company to release the Beatles and Four Seasons.
- Bribing radio DJs to play certain records was a recognized way of doing business. (Occasionally, a jock would play the same record four or five times in a row),
- The unabashed manner in which inferior white performers such as Pat Boone, Georgia Gibbs, Crew Cuts and the McGuire Sisters covered Black R&B hits for white audiences.
- How Bo Diddley—curiously rejected by Vee-Jay—was booked to sing “16 Tons” on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on national TV, but defied Sullivan to do his Black-oriented hit “Bo Diddley.”
- How Betty Everett’s memorable “Shoop Shoop Song” (1964), was enhanced by people stomping on telephone books to achieve its distinctive background beat.
- How Chandler’s “The Duke of Earl”—originally rejected by Abner—soared to number one in the nation in a single month in late 1962.
Chicago’s Record Row survived into the 1970s. Labels later located there included ABC-Paramount, King, Marv-V-Lus, Mercury and Okeh. But the ‘50s and ‘60s were its hey-day, when United Distribution became America’s first, and only, such Black-owned firm.
It’s too bad Cadillac Records ignored many facts about Chess Records, especially its dynamite Black vocal groups epitomized by the sensational Moonglows. Who knows why?
While James’ “At Last” was much better known, tears come to my eyes every time I listen to Hudson’s moving, 45 rpm version. His unmistakable, smooth voice and precise phrasing, backed by the unparalleled Spaniels’ background and speaking bass voice, is the peak.
Finally, Etta James is gone—as is Hudson, Harvey Fuqua, Faye Adams, Johnny Ace, La Vern Baker, Hank Ballard, James Brown, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Gerald Gregory, Ivory Joe Hunter, Bobby Lester, Frankie Lymon, Clyde McPhatter, Billy Preston, David Ruffin, Sonny Til, Tony Williams and many others.
But helped by fine documentaries such as “Record Row,” they leave a lasting memory for millions.
