Cecil Gant (April 4, 1913[nb 1] – February 4, 1951)[1] was an American blues singer, songwriter and pianist, whose recordings of both ballads and "fiery piano rockers"[2] were successful in the mid- and late 1940s, and influenced the early development of rock and roll. His biggest hits were the 1944 ballad, "I Wonder," We are going to Rock. Cecil Gant is considered the forefather of rock n roll due to his rocking style.
Cecil Gant
Background information
Also known as
Pvt. Cecil Gant "The G.I. Sing-sation" Gunter Lee Carr
Gant was born in Columbia, Tennessee,[3] but was raised in Cleveland, Ohio.[4] He returned to Nashville, Tennessee and worked there as a musician, as well as touring with his own band,[5] from the mid-1930s until he joined the army during World War II.[6] In 1944, after performing at a War Bond rally in Los Angeles, California, he recorded his composition "I Wonder" for the tiny black-owned Bronze record label. When it started to become locally popular, he re-recorded it for the newly established white-owned independent Gilt-Edge record label.[7][2] His recording of "I Wonder" was released under the name "Pvt. Cecil Gant", as were later releases on the label.[6]
The Gilt-Edge release of "I Wonder" sold well. It reached number one on the BillboardHarlem Hit Parade (the former name of the R&Bchart), and number 20 on the national pop chart (as synthesized by Joel Whitburn);[8] and its B-side, the instrumental "Cecil Boogie", reached number 5 on the R&B chart.[9] Gant wrote most of his own songs. Billed as "The GI Sing-sation", his two follow-up records on Gilt-Edge, "The Grass Is Getting Greener" and "I'm Tired", also made the R&B chart. Arnold Shaw identified "I Wonder" as the song that "ignited the postwar blues explosion",[7] and the success of Gant's records helped stimulate the establishment of other independent labels immediately after the war.[7][10]
He also released material through King Records (1947), and recorded for Bullet Records in Nashville until 1949. His 1948 recording of "Nashville Jumps" opens the 2004 compilation Night Train to Nashville. The co-founder of Bullet, Jim Bulleit, said of Gant:
He drank too much... He would say, "I want to do a session" when he ran out of money. We would get a bass player and a guitarist and get him a piano, and I'd go sit in the control room, and he'd tinkle around on it, and then he'd say "I'm ready," and tap that bottle; and if we didn't get it the first time, we didn't get it, 'cause he couldn't remember what he did. He'd dream up and write a song while he sat there, and he'd give me the title of it. And the uniqueness of the thing is that all of them sold.[2]
In 1949 he returned to Los Angeles, and recorded for the Down Beat and Swing Time labels, before moving to New Orleans to record for Imperial Records in 1950,[1][2] but with diminishing commercial success.[10] Many of Gant's records had a slow ballad as the A-side but an up-tempo boogie woogie style piano-based song or instrumental as the B-side, in many cases foreshadowing rock and roll and influential on its practitioners. Examples include "We're Gonna Rock" (1950) and "Rock Little Baby" (1951).[10][5] On some of his later records, Gant was credited, for unknown reasons, as Gunter Lee Carr.[10]
In latter years Gant was married and based in Nashville.[3] He died there in 1951, at the age of 37,[4] while preparing to leave for an engagement in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Although some sources give the cause of death as pneumonia,[10] contemporary sources refer to a heart attack,[3] possibly brought on by Gant's alcoholism.[5] He is buried in Highland Park Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.[4]
^The application for his military headstone gives a birth date of February 25, 1911, but his death certificate and most secondary sources state April 4, 1913.
Referencesedit
^ ab"Biography by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
^ abc"Cecil 'I Wonder' Gant Dies Of Heart Attack", Chicago Defender, February 17, 1951, reprinted at Black Nashville Genealogy & History. Retrieved October 5, 2016
^ abcEagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues – A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. pp. 51–52. ISBN978-0313344237.
^ abcCecil Gant, HoyHoy.com March 9, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 5, 2016
^ abRussell, Tony (1997). The Blues – From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 113. ISBN1-85868-255-X.
^ abcBirnbaum, Larry (2013). Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock'n'Roll. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 238. ISBN978-0810886285.
^Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954: The History of American Popular Music. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. pp. 168. ISBN0-89820-083-0.
^Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–1995. Record Research. p. 164.
^ abcdeJ C Marion, Cecil Gant : The Forgotten Pioneer , 1999 May 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 2, 2013
External linksedit
Discography
FindaGrave.com
May 05, 2024
cecil, gant, april, 1913, february, 1951, american, blues, singer, songwriter, pianist, whose, recordings, both, ballads, fiery, piano, rockers, were, successful, late, 1940s, influenced, early, development, rock, roll, biggest, hits, were, 1944, ballad, wonde. Cecil Gant April 4 1913 nb 1 February 4 1951 1 was an American blues singer songwriter and pianist whose recordings of both ballads and fiery piano rockers 2 were successful in the mid and late 1940s and influenced the early development of rock and roll His biggest hits were the 1944 ballad I Wonder We are going to Rock Cecil Gant is considered the forefather of rock n roll due to his rocking style Cecil GantBackground informationAlso known asPvt Cecil Gant The G I Sing sation Gunter Lee CarrBorn 1913 04 04 April 4 1913Columbia Tennessee United StatesDiedFebruary 4 1951 1951 02 04 aged 37 Nashville Tennessee U S GenresR amp B blues boogie woogieOccupation s Singer pianist songwriterYears active1930s 1951LabelsBronze Gilt Edge King Bullet Down Beat Swing Time Imperial Decca Contents 1 Biography 2 Compilation albums 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksBiography editGant was born in Columbia Tennessee 3 but was raised in Cleveland Ohio 4 He returned to Nashville Tennessee and worked there as a musician as well as touring with his own band 5 from the mid 1930s until he joined the army during World War II 6 In 1944 after performing at a War Bond rally in Los Angeles California he recorded his composition I Wonder for the tiny black owned Bronze record label When it started to become locally popular he re recorded it for the newly established white owned independent Gilt Edge record label 7 2 His recording of I Wonder was released under the name Pvt Cecil Gant as were later releases on the label 6 The Gilt Edge release of I Wonder sold well It reached number one on the Billboard Harlem Hit Parade the former name of the R amp B chart and number 20 on the national pop chart as synthesized by Joel Whitburn 8 and its B side the instrumental Cecil Boogie reached number 5 on the R amp B chart 9 Gant wrote most of his own songs Billed as The GI Sing sation his two follow up records on Gilt Edge The Grass Is Getting Greener and I m Tired also made the R amp B chart Arnold Shaw identified I Wonder as the song that ignited the postwar blues explosion 7 and the success of Gant s records helped stimulate the establishment of other independent labels immediately after the war 7 10 He also released material through King Records 1947 and recorded for Bullet Records in Nashville until 1949 His 1948 recording of Nashville Jumps opens the 2004 compilation Night Train to Nashville The co founder of Bullet Jim Bulleit said of Gant He drank too much He would say I want to do a session when he ran out of money We would get a bass player and a guitarist and get him a piano and I d go sit in the control room and he d tinkle around on it and then he d say I m ready and tap that bottle and if we didn t get it the first time we didn t get it cause he couldn t remember what he did He d dream up and write a song while he sat there and he d give me the title of it And the uniqueness of the thing is that all of them sold 2 In 1949 he returned to Los Angeles and recorded for the Down Beat and Swing Time labels before moving to New Orleans to record for Imperial Records in 1950 1 2 but with diminishing commercial success 10 Many of Gant s records had a slow ballad as the A side but an up tempo boogie woogie style piano based song or instrumental as the B side in many cases foreshadowing rock and roll and influential on its practitioners Examples include We re Gonna Rock 1950 and Rock Little Baby 1951 10 5 On some of his later records Gant was credited for unknown reasons as Gunter Lee Carr 10 In latter years Gant was married and based in Nashville 3 He died there in 1951 at the age of 37 4 while preparing to leave for an engagement in Clarksdale Mississippi Although some sources give the cause of death as pneumonia 10 contemporary sources refer to a heart attack 3 possibly brought on by Gant s alcoholism 5 He is buried in Highland Park Cemetery in Cleveland Ohio 4 Compilation albums editI m Still Singing The Blues Today Oldie Blues I Wonder The Best of Cecil Gant 1944 1948 P Vine Records We re Gonna Rock Indigo UK See also editList of Boogie Woogie musicians List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R amp B chart List of number one rhythm and blues hits United States R amp B number one hits of 1945 USA First rock and roll recordNotes edit The application for his military headstone gives a birth date of February 25 1911 but his death certificate and most secondary sources state April 4 1913 References edit a b Biography by Bill Dahl AllMusic Retrieved June 1 2009 a b c d Nick Tosches Unsung Heroes of Rock n Roll Secker amp Warburg 1984 pp 69 71 a b c Cecil I Wonder Gant Dies Of Heart Attack Chicago Defender February 17 1951 reprinted at Black Nashville Genealogy amp History Retrieved October 5 2016 a b c Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara Praeger Publishers pp 51 52 ISBN 978 0313344237 a b c Cecil Gant HoyHoy com Archived March 9 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved October 5 2016 a b Russell Tony 1997 The Blues From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray Dubai Carlton Books Limited p 113 ISBN 1 85868 255 X a b c Birnbaum Larry 2013 Before Elvis The Prehistory of Rock n Roll Lanham Maryland Scarecrow Press p 238 ISBN 978 0810886285 Whitburn Joel 1986 Pop Memories 1890 1954 The History of American Popular Music Menomonee Falls Wisconsin Record Research Inc pp 168 ISBN 0 89820 083 0 Whitburn Joel 1996 Top R amp B Hip Hop Singles 1942 1995 Record Research p 164 a b c d e J C Marion Cecil Gant The Forgotten Pioneer 1999 Archived May 13 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 2 2013External links editDiscography FindaGrave com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cecil Gant amp oldid 1217989843, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
