Mort Sahl brought Shelley Berman to Verve Records for Shelley to record his debut (and to which Sahl contributed the liner notes.) Mort Sahl's first two comedy albums came out in 1958. His first, At Sunset, had been recorded in 1955, but his second album was more contemporaneous to its release. Mort Sahl released The Future Lies Ahead on Verve Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Mort Sahl's second album:
Originally, Nichols and May performed as a threesome with fellow Compass Player, Shelley Berman, but three was a crowd and Berman was crowded out. But, he still found his own success as a nightclub comic and released his debut album Inside Shelley Berman in 1958 on Verve Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Shelley Berman's debut album:
"Sonata for Piano and Celeste" by Mike Nichols & Elaine May
The ascent of Whoopi's one-woman show to Broadway was helped along by director Mike Nichols. Nichols had also parlayed a stage and film career from a start in comedy. He was a member of the Compass Players (a proto-Second City) in Chicago where he developed an improv routine with Elaine May. They would leave Compass as an act and immediately find success as "Nichols and May." They released their debut album Improvisations to Music in late 1958 on Mercury Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Mike Nichols & Elaine May's debut album:
Improvisations to Music
Excerpts from "Improvisations to Music" (1958 promo single)
Nichols and May on Omnibus with Alistair Cooke
Nichols and May at the Emmys
"Everybody's Doing It" by Mike Nichols & Elaine May
Smokey Hogg was reputed to be the cousin of fellow Blues musician Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins though there seems to be no proof of it.
Lightnin' Hopkins and his guitar cut some of the alchemical records where you hear the undefinable transition from blues to rock. He released his debut album Lightnin' Hopkins Strums the Blues (actually a compilation album of his Aladdin Records stuff) in 1958.
Also included: the small output of his early partner Wilson "Thunder" Smith.
Here is the discography surrounding Lightnin' Hopkins's debut album:
Freddie Mae Blues (1946 single by Wilson Smith)
Can't Do Like You Used To (1947 single by Thunder Smith)
Can't Do Like You Used To (1947 single by Lightnin' Hopkins and Thunder Smith)
L. A. Blues (1947 single by Thunder Smith)
Katie Mae Blues (1947 single)
I Feel So Bad (1947 single)
Short Haired Woman (1947 single)
Short-Haired Woman (1947 single)
Fast-Mail Rambler (1947 single)
Down Now Baby (1947 single)
Cruel-Hearted Woman (1947 single by Thunder Smith)
Santa Fe Blues (1947 single by Thunder Smith)
Picture on the Wall (1948 single)
Nightmare Blues (1948 single)
You're Not Going to Worry My Life Anymore (1948 single)
Thunder's Unfinished Boogie (1948 single by Thunder Smith)
New Worried Life Blues (1948 single by Thunder Smith)
Low Down Dirty Ways (1948 single by Thunder Smith)
Lightnin' Hopkins Strums the Blues
The Chronological Classics: Lightnin' Hopkins 1946-1948 (compilation album)
The Chronological Classics: Lightnin' Hopkins 1948 (compilation album)
The Complete Aladdin Recordings (compilation album)
"Katie Mae Blues" by Lightnin' Hopkins
"You Are Not Going to Worry My Life Anymore" by Lightnin' Hopkins
"L. A. Blues" by Thunder Smith
"Fast-Mail Rambler" by Lightnin' Hopkins
"Let Me Play with Your Poodle" by Lightnin' Hopkins
Joe Pesci started his artistic life as a child actor in plays and on television. He was a regular on the variety show Startime Kids alongside co-star Connie Franconero. A few years later as Connie Francis she released her debut album Who's Sorry Now in 1958 on MGM Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Connie Francis's debut album:
Freddy (1955 single)
(Oh Please) Make Him Jealous (1955 single)
Are You Satisfied? (1955 single)
My First Real Love (1956 single)
Send for My Baby (1956 single)
I Never Had a Sweetheart (1956 single)
Everybody Needs Someone (1956 single)
Rock, Rock, Rock! (1956 soundtrack)
No Other One (1957 single)
Eighteen (1957 single)
The Majesty of Love (1957 single with Marvin Rainwater)
Jamboree! (1957 soundtrack)
Who's Sorry Now (1957 single)
Who's Sorry Now (1957 EP)
I'm Sorry I Made You Cry (1958 single)
Who's Sorry Now
Who's Sorry Now Vol. I (1958 EP)
Who's Sorry Now Vol. II (1958 EP)
Who's Sorry Now Vol. III (1958 EP)
Heartaches (1958 single)
Stupid Cupid (1958 single)
Fallin' (1958 single)
My Happiness (1958 single)
If I Didn't Care (1959 single)
If I Didn't Care (1959 EP)
"Who's Sorry Now" by Connie Francis
"Taking a Chance on Love" by Connie Francis on Startime Kids (starting at 25:30)
"Afro-American Symphony: I. Moderato Assai - Longing" by William Grant Still
On some of Fletcher Henderson's Dance Orchestra recordings, one can hear the rare oboe played by a young William Grant Still. William Grant Still eventually moved out of the itinerant jazz ranks into the important role of music arranger for different band leaders, radio shows and films. Still also composed, and his Afro-American Symphony became the first "complete score of a work composed by an African American" performed by a major orchestra (the Rochester Philharmonic) in 1931. The first recording of Still's classic took a while longer, but a recording by the Orchestra of the Vienna Opera released in 1958 on AAO New Records.
Here is the discography surrounding William Grant Still's earliest recordings:
Lenox Avenue (1937 recording)
Old California (1945 recording) Afro-American Symphony
Sahdji Ballet (1960 recording)
Charles Lloyd was childhood friends with fellow jazz musician, trumpeter Booker Little. Booker Little released his debut album Booker Little 4 & Max Roach in 1958 (maybe 1959) with United Artists.
Here is the discography surrounding Booker Little's debut album:
Booker Little 4 & Max Roach
Young Men from Memphis (1959 album)
Booker Little and Max Roach live on "The Delinquent, the Hipster and the Square"
Where Harold Lloyd, Jr. languished in both his aborted acting and music careers, his friend Tab Hunter found success in both. Breaking out as a matinee idol in the mid-fifties, Hunter then dabbled in music and immediately topped the charts with the song "Young Love" in 1956. He continued to record, though not enough to rival his acting career, and released his debut album Tab Hunter in 1958 on Warner Bros. Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Tab Hunter's debut album:
Young Love (1956 single)
Don't Let It Get Around (1957 single)
Ninety-Nine Ways (1957 single)
Young Love (1957 EP)
Jealous Heart (1958 single) Tab Hunter
I'm a Runaway (1958 single)
Ronnie Hawkins found it difficult to get off the ground in the crowded field of rockabillies populating the South. His friend and fellow, more successful rockabill, Conway Twitty, recommended Hawkins and his band move North to Canada where competition was less stiff. It was good advice that Conway Twitty himself didn't need. Twitty released his debut album Conway Twitty Sings in 1958 on MGM Records. (Note: The album is more often said to have been released in 1959, but I'm, personally, just going with what it says on the Conway Twitty website. It's most likely it was recorded in 1958 and released early the next year.)
Here is the discography surrounding Conway Twitty's debut album:
I Need Your Lovin' (1957 single)
Shake It Up (1957 single)
The Chronological Classics: Conway Twitty 1946-1957 (1957 compilation album)
Why Can't I Get Through to You Baby (1958 single)
It's Only Make Believe (1958 single) Conway Twitty Sings
The Story of My Love (1959 single)
James Burton played guitar in Ricky Nelson's band starting in 1957 at the age of 18. Despite his youth, Burton had already earned a reputation in the music industry for his playing and was sought out for session work. One historic recording session was in his home state of Louisiana for Dale Hawkins on the foundational rock song "Susie-Q" (spelled differently often). Dale Hawkins released his debut album Oh! Suzy-Q in 1958 on Chess Records.
Here is the discography surrounding Dale Hawkins's debut album:
See You Soon Baboon (1956 single)
Susie-Q (1957 single)
Baby, Baby (1957 single)
Tornado (1958 single) Oh! Suzy-Q
La-Do-Dada (1958 single)
My Babe (1958 single)
Take My Heart (1959 single)
Yea-Yea (Class Cutter) (1959 single)
Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby (1959 single)
Our Turn (1959 single)
Liza Jane (1959 single)
Don't Break Your Promise to Me (1959 single)
Poor Little Rhode Island (1960 single)
Linda (1961 single)
Grandma's House (1961 single)
Assorted songs "performed" by Dale Hawkins on his regional TV show
Vince Guaraldi had many musical relatives and relatives in the music business. One of them was his uncle, band leader and whistler extraordinaire Muzzy Marcellino.
Marcellino started his career in 1932 for Ted Fio Rito's Orchestra as lead guitar player and occasional lead singer. He started his own orchestra in the late thirties which lasted about a decade, and played a couple small roles in B pictures during this time. After his band dissolved, Art Linkletter offered Marcellino as musical director of the The Linkletter Show in 1952, a job that would last through the show's 17 year run. During this time, Marcellino became notorious for his whistling. Originally, his whistling was more of a novelty act for his Big Band, but Muzzy became high in demand to whistle on whatever advertisement, TV show, or movie that needed just that. Famously, he performed the theme song for The High and The Mighty and even recorded bird calls for Disneyland's Enchanted Tiki Room. Muzzy Marcellino would release his debut album of whistling ballads, Birds of a Feather..., in 1958.
Here is the discography surrounding Muzzy Marcellino's debut album:
"Love or a Game" by James Brown & The Famous Flames
One of The Dominoes's biggest records was the 1952 hit single "The Bells", a novelty recording featuring Clyde McPhatter wailing and crying for a dead girlfriend and child. One of the great admirers of Billy Ward and his band's output was James Brown and his group The Famous Flames. The Flames took the song, added a performance skit, and it became an integral part of their live repertoire when they'd tour the chitlin' circuit with the crowd getting violent if they failed to perform it.
James Brown started singing at a young age and became more inspired to pursue performance as a career after watching a short film featuring Rhythm and Blues pioneer Louis Jordan. His career took an early sidetrack after being arrested for armed robbery. He got an early parole and was back singing by 1952. His first and last group was The Gospel Starlighters who would change their names to The Flames in the form of the group's inspirations such as The Midnighters and The Dominoes. They became famous as a unit on the circuit but didn't hit the big break until they got in contact with manager Clint Brantley. Brantley set The Flames up with a demo tape which led to as signing with Federal Records (see Midnighters, Dominoes). Their first single was also their first hit, the 1956 classic "Please, Please, Please".
It was a hot start followed by a quick cool. None of the follow up singles for two years met with the same kind of impact and The Flames were in danger of being dropped from the label. Their late 1958 single "Try Me" proved to be a saving grace and made The Flames a chart-topping band. They quickly followed it up with a top selling album Please, Please, Please early the next year. James Brown is the star of all of the singles with only the saxophonist for any real competition. Brown took simple words like "Please", "I", "Yeah", and "No" and turned them into some of the most inspired and inspirational lyrics set to wax. His stage presence and dynamic voice, able to go from sweltering heartbreak to smokey croon, made him the de facto star. Their new manager and record label could see it and released The Famous Flames's recordings as James Brown With The Famous Flames, sometimes dropping them out entirely. In protest and always under the impression that no one member was more important than the other, all of The Famous Flames quit with the exception of Bobby Bird who would continue to helm the namesake as Brown's backing band for years to come.
Here is the discography surrounding James Brown & The Famous Flames's debut album:
Please, Please, Please (1956 single)
I Don't Know (1956 single)
No, No, No, No (1956 single)
Just Won't Do Right (1956 single)
Chonnie-On-Chon (1957 single as James Brown)
Gonna Try (1957 single)
Messing with the Blues (1957 single)
You're Mine, You're Mine (1957 single)
That Dood It (1957 single)
Begging, Begging (1958 single)
Try Me (I Need You) (1958 single) Please, Please, Please Please, Please, Please (1959 EP)
"Please, Please, Please" by James Brown & The Famous Flames
When Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel started out singing as a folk duo, they were heavily influenced by Phil and Don Everly whose brotherly harmonies laid the creative and popular foundation for all folk and rock and roll-tinged vocal harmonizers that followed. The two brothers were born into a musical family that had them perform at a young age and granted them early exposure to the music business. These industry connections would prove fruitful when the duo sought a career of their own. Their harmonies eventually caught the attention of music publishers Acuff-Rose and the lyric pens of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. This early collaboration would lead to The Everlys's most iconic tunes that built off of the brothers' harmonies, country twang, and early rock and roll sound. These included "Bye Bye Love" and chart-topper "Wake Up Little Susie" both released in 1957. A packaging debut album The Everly Brothers was released in early 2008 to capitalize on the duo's quick rise to fame.
Here is the discography surrounding The Everly Brothers's debut album:
Keep a' Lovin' Me (1956 single)
Bye Bye Love (1957 single)
Wake Up Little Susie (1957 single) The Everly Brothers
This Little Girl of Mine (1958 single)
The Beach Boys's hit song "Surfin' USA" was originally credited as simply a Brian Wilson composition. He did write the lyrics, but the melody was taken straight from Chuck Berry's single 1958 "Sweet Little Sixteen" for which Berry was later given credit. Still at the height of his popularity, 1958 met with another one of Berry's iconic singles "Rock and Roll Music" and his second full length album One Dozen Berrys.
Here is the discography surrounding Chuck Berry's second album:
Oh Baby Doll (1957 single)
Rock and Roll Music (1957 single)
Rock and Roll Music (1957 EP)
Sweet Little Sixteen (1958 single)
Sweet Little 16 (1958 EP) One Dozen Berrys
With his popularity as a comic rising, Dick Gregory more commonly found his name and work referenced in the papers. And of course, a reporter can't describe one artist without using another as a measuring stick, so Greg found himself being compared to his white contemparies. They described him as the "negro Mort Sahl... Bob Newhart and Shelley Berman". As the joke goes, Greg read a diversity of papers that included the Congo Daily Tribune. In these papers, he could find the likes of Mort Sahl described as the "white Dick Gregory".
Mort Sahl's audiences were highly educated college students and recent graduates who enjoyed his comedy routines in between jazz acts like the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Where his predecessors in comedy relied on solid jokes with deliberate punch lines, Sahl relied on a free flowing set whose topics came from the daily newspaper, recent publications, fliers, and the liner notes of jazz albums and were all littered with a number of subtle punchlines throughout. In order to get his comedy, not only did audiences have to have a certain level of literacy and knowledge of contemporary events, but they had to play close attention because jokes could come at any time. Like Gregory, Sahl's comedy routines took on overt political opinions, a natural side effect of using the newspaper as source material. He was especially critical of McCarthy Conservatives in power but didn't hold out on the inconsistencies of any politician of the day.
Besides being known as one of the preliminary figures of modern comedy, Mort Sahl also holds the distinction of having recorded the first modern comedy album. The album was cut without his knowledge at a jazz club in 1955 and briefly released by Fantasy Records. Briefly because Mort Sahl did not authorize this use of his material, and the record was pulled. Interestingly, his rate of speech was sped up slightly in order to fit the whole performance onto the record.
Here is the discography surrounding Mort Sahl's debut album:
At Sunset
BBC Four Piece on Mort Sahl and the "Cerebral Comedians" (slightly inaccurate)
If you have any ideas for where the tour should go next, please give a shout. I'm open to whatever as long as the artists are historically related in some way and go in an artist's chronological order.
