Air Week: October 30-November 5, 2023
Rosco Gordon
This week, the “Juke In The Back” spotlights the “Prince of Primitive Cool,” Rosco Gordon. His mostly self-penned tunes, feature his unique blend of mid-tempo shuffle with a slightly behind-the-beat rolling barrelhouse piano line. He was a master at making his recordings sound rough, but there was also a lot of blues sophistication buried under the simplicity. In his early recording days at RPM Records, his name was spelled Roscoe. He would later revert back to its original spelling of Rosco. His 2nd RPM release hit the national R&B top ten in 1951, but it was 1952’s “Booted” and “No More Doggin'” that put Gordon at the forefront of Rhythm & Blues popularity. His biggest hit came in 1959 with “Just A Little Bit” on Vee-Jay. It hit #2 on the R&B lists and crossed over to #64 on the Pop Chart. More people bought this record than of his others. Rosco Gordon is often overlooked, but this week Matt The Cat sets the record straight. He was an innovator, influencing the Jamaican Ska movement of the early ’60s, a hit maker and a unique and talented bluesman. Gordon’s records spin on this week’s “Juke In The Back.”
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