Bumps Blackwell

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Robert Alexander "Bumps" Blackwell (born May 23, 1918 in Seattle , Washington , † January 27, 1985 in Hacienda Heights , California ) was an American music producer and songwriter in the genres of rhythm and blues and rock 'n' roll .

Bumps Blackwell was trained at the conservatory and began his musical career in his native Seattle on the piano of his own orchestra, in which the largely unknown Ray Charles and Quincy Jones also played. He came to Los Angeles in 1949 , where he offered his recordings at Californian record labels in 1953, which gave him contacts with the local music industry. After working with Lou Adler and Herb Alpert , at the end of 1954 he became A&R manager at Specialty Records under the direction of Art Rupe , whose focus at the time was primarily on gospel and rhythm and blues.

The breakthrough for the label and for Blackwell as a producer came on February 17, 1955, when a demo tape of an as yet unknown rock 'n' roller called Little Richard arrived at Specialty Records in Hollywood. Blackwell and Rupe were impressed with this self-centered young man. Blackwell and Little Richard traveled to New Orleans specifically for music recordings and booked Cosimo Matassa's J&M studio and his renowned studio band there . The first session took place on September 13 and 14, 1955, when the famous Tutti Frutti was created. Blackwell was responsible for the sound and intonation as producer, which can be identified on almost all of the following Little Richard songs from the J&M studio. Between 1955 and 1957 Blackwell composed part and produced the entirety of the hit singles Little Richards until 1957, when he retired from the rock 'n' roll business.

In Los Angeles, Blackwell worked primarily with gospel artists, especially the Soul Stirrers , with whose lead singer Sam Cooke he experimented with pop songs. This did not find the approval of the label boss Rupe, so that Blackwell's contract was terminated without royalties for the recordings with Little Richard. Blackwell was instead allowed to take Cooke and his master tapes to neighboring Keen Records , where You Send Me became a million-dollar success.

After this collaboration was ended in 1959, Blackwell went to Mercury Records , where he made gospel recordings with Little Richard, among others. Soon after, he hired his protégé as a manager . In later years, Blackwell co-produced some of Bob Dylan's and Art Neville's recordings .

Discography

Blackwell can also be found as an interpreter on some singles on Specialty and Keen.

  • 1956 - Wynona Carr and the Bumps Blackwell Band: Nursey Rhyme Rock / Please Mr. Jailer - Specialty 575
  • 1957 - Wynona Carr and the Bumps Blackwell Band: What Do You Know About Love / Heartbreak Melody - Specialty 600
  • 1958 - Bumps Blackwell: Sumpin 'Jumpin' / Ms. & Dr. - Keen 3-4010

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Pete Hoppula: Wang Dang Dula! - Record Labels Discographies. In: Wang Dang Dula! Accessed on September 13, 2008 (English, the entire homepage is under the same web address. The discographies of Specialty and Keen can be reached via the navigation "Record Labels".).
personal data
SURNAME Blackwell, bumps
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Blackwell, Robert Alexander
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American music producer and songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH May 23, 1918
PLACE OF BIRTH Seattle , Washington, USA
DATE OF DEATH January 27, 1985
Place of death Hacienda Heights , California, USA