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regularly with him in the studios for around the next four years, until the end of his
JOB contract.
J. B. continued to record for JOB, but the sessions were few and far between, resulting
in one single in 1951, one in 1952, and two in 1953. A further single was released
in 1957, although it had been recorded in 1951. All of the recordings were released
on the JOB label - some as Lenoir, but most as Lenore.
His last JOB session, in January
1953, produced just one J. B.
recording, but he apparently
spent most of the rest of the
day in the studio backing
Sunnyland Slim and Johnny
Shines, although these
recordings stayed ‘in the can’
until 1967. Incidentally, that
last session also featured the
sax playing of J. T. Brown, a
J.T. Brown (left) with Elmore James (1956)
regular member of the Elmore
James band.
In 1954 J. B. moved to Parrot Records, who were attracted by his popularity on the
jukeboxes in the city. Continuing his interest in current affairs, at his first Parrot
session J. B. recorded the highly controversial Eisenhower Blues, which was issued
as Parrot 802, and then hastily withdrawn. The song bemoaned the economic hard
times under the Eisenhower presidency, and the words upset quite a few people.
J. B. was told at the time that the White House had made an official complaint about
the song, but this seems unlikely, and it was probably more the case that radio air
time for the song could have been compromised if those in control were offended.
As a result, Parrot boss Al Benson substituted the song for ‘Tax Payin’ Blues’, which
was either recorded at the same session, or a later one - that much is not known.
However, the two songs are remarkably similar, although neither sound that
controversial these days!
Another politically themed song recorded at the Eisenhower Blues session was ‘I’m
In Korea’, which appeared on the B-side of both the original recording and the
replacement recording - in fact, both were released as Parrot 802.
His next single was his only R&B chart hit - ‘Mama, Talk To Your Daughter’, which
reached number 11 in 1955, and has been re-recorded many times, by such artistes
as John Mayall and Robben Ford.
The ‘family’ theme was evident in a number of his recordings, with titles such as
‘Man, Watch Your Woman’, ‘Mama, Your Daughter’s Going To Miss Me’, and ‘Mama,
What About Daughter’ - and there were others!