November 2, 1955 : A New York session by THE CARDINALS yields four
tracks, all released on singles : "Lovely Girl"/"Here Goes My Heart
To You" (Atlantic 1079, December), "Choo Choo" (Atlantic 1090, April
1956) and "I Won't Make You Cry Anymore"(Atlantic 1101, August 1956).
The Cardinals are : Ernie Warren, Leon Hardy, Donald Johnson, Meredith
Bothers and Jack Aydelotte.
 
November 3, 1955 : MARTY ROBBINS lays down four tunes in Nashville, 
under the usual supervision of Don Law. "Tennessee Toddy" is released 
in December (Columbia 21477), coupled with the previously recorded
"Mean Mama Blues". The strong coupling "Singing the Blues"/ "I Can't
Quit" comes out on Columbia 21545 in August 1956. "Baby I Need You"
is saved for the LP "Marty Robbins" (Columbia CL 1189, December 1958). 
Personnel : Marty Robbins (vocal / guitar ) ; Hillous Butrum (guitar) ; 
Jack Pruett (guitar) ; James Farmer (steel guitar) ; Floyd Chance (bass) ; 
Owen Bradley (piano ) ; Farris Coursey (drums).
 
November 3, 1955 : JOE TURNER records two songs that will come 
out on one single in the UK (London HLE 8332), but not so in the US.
"The Chicken And the Hawk" is the next single (Atlantic 1080, December), 
but the A-side is "Morning, Noon And Night", from a January 1955 session. 
"Boogie Woogie Country Girl" is released on Atlantic 1088 in March 1956,
but it is the other side, "Corrine Corrina" (recorded February 24, 1956)
that will give Joe his first and biggest pop hit (# 41).
Backing by : Wilbur De Paris (trombone) ; Haywood Henry (baritone sax) ;
Harry Van Walls (piano) ; Connie Kay( drums). Unknown : tenor sax, bass,
guitar. Produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler in New York City.
 
Still on November 3, 1955 : MUDDY WATERS is in the Chess studio in
Chicago for a four-song session. Selected for the new single is "Sugar
Sweet"/"Trouble No More" (Chess 1612, late December). "I Got To Find
My Baby" is released on Chess 1644 in December 1956 and "Clouds In
My Heart" on Chess 1724 in April 1959.
 
November 7, 1955 : First of two November sessions for FATS DOMINO,
in New Orleans. "Don't Blame It On Me" will be released as the B-side 
of "Bo Weevil" in January 1956 (Imperial 5375). The only other track from
this 3-hour session, a new version of "If You Need Me", is unissued and 
lost. Personnel : Fats Domino (vocal / piano) ; Walter Nelson (guitar) ; 
Wendell Duconge (alto sax) ; Buddy Hagans (tenor sax) ; Billy Diamond 
(bass) ; Cornelius Coleman (drums). Produced by Dave Bartholomew.
 
November 8, 1955 : JACK DUPREE is back at the King studio in Cincinnati,
where he records four tracks. "Me And My Mule" is released on King 4876 
in February 1956, "Overhead"/"So Sorry, So Sorry" on King 4906 in April 
1956 and the instrumental "Sharp Harp" on Federal 12408 in March 1961.
Personnel : Jack Dupree (vocal / piano) ; George Smith (harmonica) ;
Barney Richmond (bass) ; Alfred Dreares (drums).
 
November 8, 1955 : JIMMY MURPHY records four tracks in Nashville.
"Here Kitty Kitty"/"I'm Looking For A Mustard Patch" is selected for 
single release on Columbia 21486 in January 1956. "Sweet Sweet Lips" 
and "Put Some Meat On Them Bones" were originally unissued, but are 
now available on Jimmy's Bear Family CD "Sixteen Tons Rock & Roll" 
(BCD 15451), released in 1990. Produced by Don Law.
 
November 9, 1955 : SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS has his only session for Grand
Records, at Reco-Art Studios in Philadelphia. Of the five titles recorded,
only two are originally released : "I Is"/"Take Me Back" (Grand 135,
February 1956). The other three tracks, "$10,000 Lincoln Continental",
"Pauline" and a first attempt at "I Put A Spell On You" will be first
released on the CD "From Grand And Gotham" (SJH CD 71829) in 1991.
Producer and session personnel unknown.
 
November 10, 1955 : In Chicago, BO DIDDLEY lays down three tracks.
"Diddy Wah Diddy"/"I'm Looking For A Woman" gets a release on Checker 832
in February 1956, while the third track, "Dancing Girl", finally ends up
on the LP "Have Guitar Will Travel" (Checker LP 2974) in 1960. Personnel :
Bo Diddley (vocal / guitar) ;  Little Willie Smith (harmonica) ; Jody
Williams (guitar) ; Willie Dixon (bass) ; Clifton James or Frank Kirkland
(drums) ; Jerome Green (maracas) ; The Moonglows (vocal group on "Diddy
Wah Diddy").
 
Friday, November 11, 1955 : THE CLOVERS have a session at Capitol Studios
in New York City. Recorded are "Devil Or Angel"/"Hey Doll Baby" (Atlantic
1083, January 1956) and "Baby, Baby, Oh My Darling" (Atlantic 1118,
December 1956). Buddy Bailey is the lead singer on all three tracks.
Produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.
 
November 19, 1955 : IVORY JOE HUNTER records his next two singles in New
York City : "A Tear Fell"/"I Need You By My Side" (Atlantic 1086, February
1956) and "That's Why I Dream"/ "You Mean Everything To Me" (Atlantic 1095,
May 1956). All four songs will also appear on the LP "Ivory Joe Hunter"
(Atlantic LP 8008). Produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.
 
November 29, 1955 : LITTLE RICHARD's second Specialty session is not held
in New Orleans, like the first one, but in Los Angeles (Radio Recorders).
Originally unissued from this session (but now available on the 6-CD box
set "The Specialty Sessions", Ace Box 1) are versions of "Miss Ann",
"Baby", "The Thing (Long Tall Sally)" and "Slippin' And Slidin'" (lost).
"Wonderin'" and "Kansas City" (previously recorded in New Orleans) are
rerecorded and will come out on Specialty 660 and 664 respectively, in
1959. "True Fine Mama" is first released on Richard's first LP in March
1957 ("Here's Little Richard") and will also be used as the B-side of
"Ooh! My Soul" (Specialty 633) in May 1958.
Musicians : Little Richard (vocal / piano) ; Renald Richard (trumpet) ; 
Clarence Ford (tenor and baritone sax) ; Joseph Tillman (tenor sax) ; Lloyd 
Lambert (electric bass) ; Frosty Pyles (guitar) ; Oscar Moore (drums). 
Plus 5 vocalists (probably The Chimes). Supervised by Art Rupe.
 
November 30, 1955 : In New York City, RAY CHARLES records his next two
singles : "I'll Drown In My Own Tears"/"Mary Ann" (Atlantic 1085, February
1956) and "Hallelujah I Love Her So"/"What Would I Do Without You"
(Atlantic 1096, May 1956). Personnel : Ray Charles (vocal / piano) ;
Joe Bridgewater, Joshua Willis (trumpets) ; Don Wilkerson (tenor sax) ;
Cecil Payne (baritone sax) ; Paul West (bass) ; Panama Francis (drums) ;
The Raelettes (vocal group). Produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.
 
November 30, 1955 : Second FATS DOMINO session of this month. Again only
two songs are recorded. "So Long" will be released as the B-side of "When
My Dreamboat Comes Home" in July 1956 (Imperial 5396). "Howdy Podner" will
be used as an LP track, for "Let's Play Fats Doimno" (Imperial LP 9065,
September 1959). Personnel is the same as on November 7.
Personnel info based on the Bear Family box-set. "Blues Records 1943 To
1970" by Mike Leadbitter and Neil Slaven mentions a completely different
line-up and gives November 30 as the recording date for "Don't Blame It On
Me" and "If You Need Me".

November, unknown date : At 706, Union in Memphis, BILLY "The Kid" EMERSON
has his final session for Sam Phillips. "Little Fine Healthy Thing" b/w
"Something For Nothing" will be released soon (Sun 233), "Cherry Pie" has
to wait more than 20 years for a belated release on the album "Catalyst -
volume 3" (UK Charly LP 30103, 1976). Billy Emerson (vocal / piano) is
backed by : Calvin Newborn (guitar) ; Kenneth Banks (bass) ; Phineas
Newborn (drums) ; Jewell Briscoe and Moses Reed (tenor saxes).

November, unknown date : DAVE BARTHOLOMEW records "Shrimp And Gumbo" during
one of his countless sessions with other artists at Cosimo Matassa's studio.
The track becomes his next single (Imperial 5373), b/w "An Old Cow Hand From
A Blues Band", recorded almost a year before. According to Kurt Mohr's liner
notes on "Shrimp And Gumbo"(French Pathé Marconi LP 1566311), the session
details are : Dave Bartholomew (vocal / trumpet) ; Joe Harris (alt sax) ;
Clarence Hall and Lee Allen (tenor saxes) ; Edward Frank (piano) ; Justin
Adams (guitar) ; Frank Fields (bass) ; Charles Williams (drums).

(Probably) November 1955, unknown date : JOHNNY BURNETTE's very first
recording session takes place in Corinth, Mississippi. "You're Undecided"/
"Go Along Mule" is released on the small Von label (1006) from Booneville, 
MS, probably in December. Personnel : Johnny Burnette (vocal / guitar) ;
poss. Paul Burlison (guitar) ; poss. Al Vescovo (trick muted Hawaiian
guitar) ; Dorsey Burnette (bass).

With thanks to Steve Walker and Henk Gorter.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index