Happy Saint Joseph's Day to my fellow Joes.
Big Joe Turner from Kansas City was a great blues shouter. He worked with boogie woogie piano player Pete Johnson and they composed and recorded "Roll 'Em Pete" in 1938. This song is one of the candidates for the first rock'n'roll record.
Here is one version on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnO-Wp4BZMg
Turner replaced Jimmy Rushing in Count Basie's band. On his own he recorded "Shake, Rattle and Roll," which was a big hit with the newly growing rock'n'roll audience. Bill Haley and His Comets covered it and made a lot more money.
Here is a version on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wTQsAgktg
Big Joe Turner went back to the blues for the rest of his career. He is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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