Mickey Baker

Mickey Baker, one of the greatest session guitar players of ALL-TIME died yesterday (November 27, 2012) in France at age 87.  He will always be remembered as the “Mickey” in Mickey & Silvia, but you rock n’ rollers know how deep his guitar sound goes…deep into records by The Drifters, Ray Charles, Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Lavern Baker, Ike & Tina Turner and even Coleman Hawkins.  Mickey’s dream early on was to be a jazz guitarist.  He went a whole lot further as one of R&B and early Rock n’ Roll’s go-to guitar gods.

Along with being a renowned session guitarist, Baker also cut many solo sides for the Atlantic, Rainbow and Savoy Labels.  And it’s HIS voice and NOT Ike Turner’s that’s heard on Ike & Tina Turner’s 1961 classic, “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine.”  By the early ’60s, Baker had grown weary of the American music scene, so he headed over to Europe and settled in France, where he would remain for the rest of his life.  He had come a long way from the day in the late 1940s when he asked guitar great Pee Wee Crayton if you could actually make a living playing guitar?  You can if you play it well and like no one else and that’s exactly what Mickey Baker did. 

-Matt The Cat

Earl “Speedo” Carroll

It is with much sadness that I report that rhythm & blues vocal group legend Earl “Speedo” Carroll of The Cadillacs and Coasters died this morning (November 25, 2012), a little over 3 weeks after his 75th birthday.  I had the sincere privilege of interviewing Earl on my “Night Prowl” radio program on his 70th birthday, November 1, 2007.  He was one of the sweetest and most humble guests that I ever had on the show.  I’ve thought of Earl and our 2 hours together many times since that day and was very shocked and saddened to learn of his death today.  I will remember him always. 

Below is our complete interview.  I would like you to enjoy Earl’s humor and kindness as much as I did for that brief period.  He fronted one of the ppioneering R&B vocal groups, The Cadillacs and was a longtime member of the legendary Coasters as well.  Earl “Speedo” Carroll was rock n’ roll and it is my hope that he will always be remembered as the star that he was.  Thanks for all the wonderful music you gave us, Earl.  And now as you head “Down The Road” to your next gig, may you be at peace.

-Matt The Cat

CLEVE DUNCAN R.I.P.

One of the most distinctive voices in 1950s doo wop and vocal group R&B passed away on November 7th. Cleve Duncan was the lead singer of The Penguins and sang lead on “Earth Angel,” one of the most important early roc k n’ roll records, because it crossed over from the R&B charts to the pop charts and established rock n’ roll as a viable form of pop music. Duncan was 77.

I interviewed Cleve back in 2006 and you can listen to it on my interviews below.

Cleve was a kind and soft-spoken kind of guy and rock n’ roll and rhythm & blues wouldn’t have been the same without him. His sweet voice will be missed.