Honky Tonk (song)
Honky Tonk is a song recorded by Bill Doggett in 1956 and one of the best-selling instrumentals in record history.
History of origin
The band around Doggett received in January 1952 a recording contract with the rhythm and blues- specialized independent label King Records , where producer Henry Glover took care of the quartet. In February 1956, during one of the band's many live performances, the basic form of honky tonk was created through improvisation . Doggett's group composed the song completely to the end. Based on a 12-bar blue sequence, on June 16, 1956, an organ-emphasized and strongly syncopated instrumental recording was made in the New York recording studio under the title Honky Tonk Pt. 1 / Honky Tonk Pt. 2 (King # 4950), produced by Henry Glover. The fast-paced organ riff on Dogget's Hammond B3 forms the basis for the staccato solos of tenor saxophonist Clifford Scott in the live recorded song , which in turn were connected by fast guitar chords by Billy Butler . Butler had only come to the band at the end of 1955 and mixed a Charlie Christian- like tremolo-rich guitar playing with joy in playing - the prototype of an R&B instrumental was created. Part 2 is not just a continuation, but a variant of the first part. Here the rhythm is driven by clapping hands, Scott presents a more melodic saxophone part against Butler's rolling style of play. Doggett wasn't a technically good organ player, but with dance rhythms like this he surpassed himself.
publication
After its release in July 1956, the single went straight to first place on the Rhythm & Blues hit parade and stayed there for ten weeks from August 25, 1956. With a record sales of four million copies, the song developed into the highest-grossing hit of the King label and placed with No. 2 in the pop charts as a crossover . After just six months, 1.5 million records were implemented. In addition to a BMI award , the title achieved the status of one of the best-selling singles of 1956 and is considered one of the best-selling pop instrumental singles of all time.
Cover versions
Honky Tonk enjoyed great popularity among the few pop instrumental groups . A total of 21 versions are listed, the first of which was released in November 1960 by Elvis Presley's former accompanying group Bill Black combo. The Ventures presented the title on their first album Walk Don't Run in December 1960; saxophone instrumentalist King Curtis had recorded his newly arranged version on September 19, 1961 in Rudy van Gelder's recording studio. In this session, Billy Butler, who had left Doggett's band shortly before this recording session, played his distinctive guitar parts again, as in the original.