<back - LONG JOHN BALDRY - January 12, 1941-July 21, 2005 - Long John Baldry's amazing musical legacy which properly notated would fill a few pages in any rock encyclopedia. Long John's forty-five year career is a rich tapestry of recording, performing, great bands, discoverer of  talent and actor. Long John is particularly known for his associations with former band members Rod Stewart and Elton John. In fact Eric Clapton has stated many times that he was inspired to pick up the guitar after seeing Long John perform in the early 60s. Undeniably, Long John Baldry was one of the founding fathers of British Rock n' Roll in the 60s and 70s, without his presence the scene, particularly the Blues scene, may have been quite different given his influence.

BALDRY BIOGRAPHY - It Ain't Easy: Long John Baldry and the Birth of the British Blues - by Paul Myers (Greystone Books). Release date: September 2007 in North America. Exclusive interviews with Elton John, Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Tony Macaulay, Mick Fleetwood, Andrew Loog Oldham, Ian MacLagan, Billy Gaff, Kathi McDonald, Jimmy Horowitz, as well as friends and family. Commentary from Frank Garcia, webmaster of the Baldry website and considerable contributions from Jeff Edmunds, Baldry's friend and archivist. Baldry's own thoughts on his life are also peppered throughout the book courtesy of interviews loaned to the author by filmmaker Nick Orchard (documentary soon to be released 'Long John Baldry: In the Shadow of the Blues') and by Stony Plain Record's Holger Petersen.

He remained a devoted Bluesman. LJB's earliest influences were Jimmy Witherspoon, Big Joe Turner, Leadbelly, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon, and Bobby Blue Bland. Other snippets of musical history to support this claim include Long John's presence on the seminal album R&B From The Marquee released in 1962 and is considered the first British Blues album. Did you know that when the Rolling Stones played their first public performance under that moniker in London/July 1962 that they opened for LJB at the Marquee Club. In April /64 The Beatles in their first worldwide television special (Around the World With The Beatles) invited Long John to perform I Got My Mojo Workin' for that landmark broadcast. Since 1964 Long John has released 17 albums which have explored a vast variety of musical styles from Pop to Blues to Folk to Rock. Long John's Blues (1964) was followed by the jazzy Looking at Long John in 1966. On the heels of his #1 hit in November 1967 Let The Heartaches Begin an album of Pop standards was released in Britain. Then there was a dramatic and successful switch back to his Blues/Rock roots with the release of It Ain't Easy, and Everything Stops For Tea. In 1973 Long John recorded his personal favorite, Good To Be Alive. This album along with the recent Stony Plain release Remembering Leadbelly is definitive Baldry. His eclectic recording career has also seen jewels as 'Powder Blues' Tom Lavin produced It Still Ain't Easy and the Juno Award winning Right to Sing the Blues."For their internationally televised special in 1964, The Beatles invited John to perform his version of 'I Got My Mojo Working'. In those days the only music we fell in love with was the Blues, and John was the first white guy singing it, in his wonderful voice. It was the true Blues and everyone looked up to him." recalls friend Rod Stewart.
MP3 - Don't Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock&Roll |