Arthur Crudup

Arthur Crudup

Source: Original People

There are numerous contenders as to who fathered rock n roll and Crudup is on that list alongside such as Pee Wee Crayton and Roy Brown, et al. Some classify all as progenitors until Ike Turner released 'Rocket 88' in 1951. Whoever the elusive "father" of rock might be, he was either a swing, blues, boogie woogie, rhythm & blues or jump blues artist. Crudup is also strongly identified with rockabilly. Though he himself wasn't a rockabilly artist, musicians like Elvis Presley and the later Stray Cats trio found him perfect for such.

Born on 24 August 1905 in Forest, Mississippi, Crudup began his adult life as a migrant worker, singing gospel with a group called the Harmonizing Four, with which he made his way from Mississippi to Chicago. There opting for a solo career in music, he was busking on the streets and living in a packing crate when he was introduced to Tampa Red by Lester Melrose of RCA Bluebird, who also signed him to Crudup's first recording contract in 1941. Rateyourmusic has him issuing 'If I Get Lucky'/'Death Valley Blues' (Bluebird 8858) in October that year, followed by 'Kind Lover Blues'/'Black Pony Blues' in December and 'Give Me a 32-20'/'Raised to My Hand' in July 1942. He composed all titles below except as noted:

'Black Pony Blues'   Arthur Crudup   Washtub bass: Joe McCoy   1941

Recorded 11 Sep 1941 for Victor in Chicago   Matrix BS-064873

Issued on Bluebird B-8896, Victor 20-2793 and Victor 44-00433

Issued on LP per 'Bluebird Blues' RCA Victor LPV-518 in 1965

'Death Valley Blues'   Arthur Crudup   Washtub bass: Joe McCoy   1941

Recorded 11 Sep 1941 for Victor in Chicago   Matrix BS-064874

Issued on Bluebird B-8858 and Victor 20-2798

Issued on LP per 'Bluebird Blues' RCA Victor LPV-518 in 1965

'If I Get Lucky'   Arthur Crudup   Washtub bass: Joe McCoy   1941

Recorded 11 Sep 1941 for Victor in Chicago   Matrix BS-064876

Issued on Bluebird B-8858 and Victor 20-2798

'My Mama Don't Allow'   Arthur Crudup   String bass: Ransom Knowling   1942

Recorded 14 April 1942 in Chicago   Composition: Crudup w Ransom Knowling

'Rock Me Mama'   Arthur Crudup   Drums: Melvin Draper   1945

Recorded 15 Dec 1944 in Chicago

Issued on Bluebird 34-0725, RCA Victor 20-2978 and Groove 5005 (1956)

Composition: Crudup w Melvin Draper

'That's All Right Mama'   Arthur Crudup   1946

String bass: Ransom Knowling   Drums: Judge Riley

Recorded 6 Sep 1946 in Chicago

Issued on RCA Victor 20-2205 and RCA Victor 50-0000 (1949)

Despite Crudup's endeavors he had to support his music as a bootlegger and laborer. Unable to acquire due royalties, he ended his association with Melrose in 1947, become ill of the music business in general. The rest of his career was spent attempting to avoid sharks with less than stellar success since one needn't be in any business at all to be in water with sharks. By the time he released titles in the fifties rock n roll was a newborn of various springs which were rocking well before the formal birth of the genre in 1954 by disc jockey, Alan Freed.

'My Baby Left Me'   Arthur Crudup   1950

String bass: Ransom Knowling   Drums: Judge Riley

Recorded for Victor 8 Nov 1950 in Chicago  

Issued on Victor 22-0109 and RCA Victor 50-0109

'I'm Gonna Dig Myself a Hole'   Arthur Crudup   1951

String bass: Ransom Knowling   Drums: Judge Riley

Recorded for Victor 24 April 1951 in Chicago  

Issued on Victor 22-0141 and RCA Victor 50-0141

'Gonna Find My Baby'   Arthur Crudup as Elmer James  Issued on Trumpet Records 186 in 1952

Contributing guitar: Joe "Willie" Williams   Harmonica: Sonnyboy Williamson II

Composition: Crudup w Lillian Shedd McMurry

Crudup had toured w Elmore James in the latter forties.

'She's Got No Hair'   Arthur Crudup   Issued on Groove 46-0026 in 1954

Recorded 8 April 1954 in Atlanta

Band consisting of Robert Fulton, Thomas Patton, Joseph Thomas and Willie J. Willis

'Roebuck Man' ('My Baby Left Me')   Arthur Crudup   From 'Roebuck Man'   1970

The royalty thing had become even more emphasized when Elvis Presley issued Crudup's composition, 'That's Alright Mama', in 1954 and he yet came out empty-handed. Crudup spent years to eventually get paid about $10,000 in overdue royalties, more than three million not to go to his family until after his death in Nassawadox, Virginia, on March 28, 1974. He had toured with Bonnie Raitt the year before.

Crudup had issued four albums: 'Mean Ol' Frisco' ('62), 'Look on Yonder's Wall' (Dec '68), 'Crudup's Mood' ('69) and 'Roebuck Man' ('70).