Lamplighters - Loving, Rocking, Thrilling: The Complete Federal Recordings

Product details

• Kunto Uusi
• Tyyppi CD
• Julkaisija Ace Records
• SKU 29667008129
• Artisti Lamplighters
• Lyhyt kuvaus Of the many, many groups who recorded for the King/Federal/DeLuxe group of labels during the 1950s, few are as deserving of their own legally-licensed compact disc as the Lamplighters. Although just about all their recordings have been reissued in years gone by (with inferior sound and presentation) on bootlegs, "Loving, Rocking, Thrilling"" marks the first time that their entire discography has been reissued from pristine transfers that have been made directly from the original master tapes. They have not sounded this good - well, probably ever. Like so many of their LA-based vocal group contemporaries, the Lamplighters were a wild bunch, given to the kind of drinking, doping, fighting and womanizing that would become de rigeur later in the Led Zeppelin era of rock'n'roll. However, they always managed to leave their rock'n'roll excesses at the studio door and to restrict any recorded uproar to their superlative, gospel-charged performances - which were mostly led by one of the greatest voices in the entire history of rock'n'roll music, Thurston Harris. Signed to Federal in 1953 by the label's then-A&R chief Ralph Bass, the group cut enough material to release a dozen sublime 45s (and/or 78s) between then and 1956. It says much for their quality that, although not one of these great records was a hit, the company kept calling them back for session after session in the hope that something they cut would eventually chart. The commercial failure of the Lamplighters' Federal records is difficult to comprehend. Certainly, Thurston Harris's soulful delivery can't be faulted. Like his hero Johnny Tanner of the '5' Royales, his vocal style was way ahead of its time, and looking forward to the soul era rather than to doo wop pioneers like the Ravens and the Brown Dots. Whatever the reasons for the continuous lack of chart success, Federal certainly gave them ample opportunity in the studio to prove their mettle. Sometimes it just comes down to that old saying, ""You can have the right stuff, you can make the right moves, but you still have to get lucky."" The Lamplighters didn't get lucky. While nothing they cut for Federal DID chart, the Lamplighters eventually found themselves on many other hit records in the second half of the 1950s when - as the Sharps - they did vocal backup for Duane Eddy (Rebel Rouser) and for Thurston Harris when went solo (Little Bitty Pretty One). Eventually, in the early 60s, the Sharps evolved into the Rivingtons and had big hits of their own with the original versions of those rock'n'roll perennials Papa Oom Mow Mow and The Bird's The Word. These Federal sides, though, are where it all began for Thurston Harris, Al Frazier, Leon Hughes, Willie Ray Rockwell and Matthew Nelson. And as you will hear, they stand the test of time most admirably. Whether ""loving"" or ""rocking"", the Lamplighters are never less than ""thrilling""!! By BILLY VERA & TONY ROUNCE (ACE RECORDS)"
• Julkaisuvuosi 2 005