Let the Good Times Roll
On the heels of Fats Domino and Lloyd Price came Shirley and Lee, ''the Sweethearts of the Blues'', who together were key figures in bringing New Orleans rhythm and blues into popular music's mainstream. Best known for their 1950s hitsI'm Gone,Feel So Good,I Feel Good, and the timeless classicLet The Good Times Roll, Shirley and Lee were among the first R&B; acts to be accepted by white audiences. The picture of youthful innocence, the duo were tailor made for the record buyers of era. They retained their popularity by working through most of the facets of teenage romance including break-ups, reunions, revenge, flirting, and eventually rocking all night long. Each new release was another chapter in a vinyl love affair that lasted over a decade.Shirley and Lee's initial recording,I'm Gone, produced by Dave Bartholomew, was a #2 R&B; hit in 1952 and set a pattern for records which followed. The duo rarely sang in unison because the range in their voices was so far apart. Lee usually cooed or posed a question and Shirley answered in sharp innocence. Their early records rarely strayed from the 12 bar blues or Louisiana ballad structure. Their sessions usually featured top-rated New Orleans session men like saxophonists Lee Allen and Red Tyler, drummer Earl Palmer, and string bassist Frank Fields. Besides the previously mentioned hits, this collection also includes lesser-known classics like Lee'sDream,Come On And Have Your Fun,When Day Is Done, andA Little Word, a song Lloyd Price turned into the hitJust Because. This CD collects Shirley and Lee's finest Aladdin sides and shows that they deserve to be listed along with the other greats of New Orleans music.