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Roll 'Em Pete

November 23, 2023

"Roll 'Em Pete" is a blues song, originally recorded in December 1938 by Big Joe Turner and pianist Pete Johnson.[2] The recording is regarded as one of the most important precursors of what later became known as rock and roll.[3][4][5]

"Roll 'Em Pete"
Single by Joe Turner & Pete Johnson
Released1939
RecordedDecember 30, 1938
GenreBlues
Length2:50
LabelVocalion 4607
Songwriter(s)Joe Turner, Pete Johnson[1]

"Roll 'Em Pete" was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2018, as one of the five new entrants in the "Classic of Blues Recording (Song)" category.[6]

Original recording edit

Johnson was a boogie-woogie pianist in Kansas City, who in the early 1930s had developed a partnership with Turner, who was working at the time as a club bartender.[7] Turner would shout blues rhymes to Johnson's music. In 1938, the pair were invited by music promoter and producer John Hammond to the first From Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.[8]

While in New York, Turner and Johnson had a session with the Vocalion record company, recording the 12-bar blues "Roll 'Em Pete" on December 30, 1938.[6] The song was an up-tempo boogie woogie which had become Johnson's signature tune in the Kansas City clubs. In performance, Turner often included many well-rehearsed blues verses, or improvised lyrics, to extend the performance for an hour or more.[9][10]

According to Paul Oliver, the recording "features spectacular piano playing by Johnson and a forceful vocal by Turner in the style he made famous - half-shouted and with repetitive phrases building up tension at the close."[9] Larry Birnbaum wrote that:[10]

".."Roll 'Em Pete may well be regarded as the first rock'n'roll record. Although earlier songs contain elements of rock'n'roll, "Roll 'Em Pete" is a full-fledged rocker in all but instrumentation ... Johnson's bass line is a simple Chuck Berry-like chug, and his furious right hand embellishments anticipate Berry's entire guitar style. Some of Turner's verses are the stuff that rock is made of ... But others are too mature for teenage listeners. If anything, Turner's brilliant phrasing and Johnson's breathtaking keyboard technique are too sophisticated for rock'n'roll; the music has yet to be formularized for mass consumption."

After Vocalion became a subsidiary of Columbia Records in 1938, the original recording of "Roll 'Em Pete" was released in 1941 as part of a four-record compilation album entitled Boogie Woogie (Columbia album C44).[11]

"Roll 'Em Pete" contained one of the earliest recorded examples of a back beat; the song is also notable for its use of straight rhythm – well into the 1950s, most, if not all, similar recordings were played in shuffle rhythm.[original research?] Turner later recorded many other versions, with various combinations of musicians, over the ensuing years, particularly in the 1950s when he became a star of rock and roll.

Later versions edit

The tune was later recorded by many other artists, including:

References edit

  1. ^ "Roll 'Em Pete - Big Joe Turner | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  2. ^ Scott Yanow. "The Boss of the Blues - Big Joe Turner | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  3. ^ Nick Tosches, Unsung Heroes of Rock 'n' Roll, Secker & Warburg, 1991, ISBN 0-436-53203-4
  4. ^ Peter J. Silvester, A Left Hand Like God : a history of boogie-woogie piano (1989), ISBN 0-306-80359-3.
  5. ^ M. Campbell, ed., Popular Music in America: And the Beat Goes on (Cengage Learning, 3rd edn., 2008), p. 99. ISBN 0-495-50530-7
  6. ^ a b "News: The Blues Hall of Fame Welcoes Roebuck 'Pops' Staples, Sam Lay, Mamie Smith, Georgia Tom Dorsey and the Acesas its newest Members on May 9 at the Blues Foundation's 39th Annual Induction Ceremony - Blues Foundation". Blues.org. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Biography by Scott Yanow". Allmusic.com. Retrieved May 29, 2009.
  8. ^ "Big Joe Turner: inducted in 1987 | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum". Rockhall.com. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  9. ^ a b Paul Oliver, "Blues", in The New Grove Gospel, Blues and Jazz, Macmillan, 1980, ISBN 0-333-40784-9, p.91
  10. ^ a b Larry Birnbaum, Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock 'n' Roll, Rowman & Littlefield, 2013, pp. 111–112
  11. ^ "Various – Boogie Woogie". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  12. ^ "Roll 'Em Pete - Albert Ammons, Johnson, Pete Johnson, Lewis, Big Joe Turner | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. 1998-06-19. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  13. ^ "Roll 'Em Pete - Bill Wyman,Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  14. ^ "The Chuck Berry Database Details For Song: Roll 'Em Pete". Chuck Berry Database. 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  15. ^ "Roll 'Em Pete - Count Basie,Joe Williams | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  16. ^ Ron Wynn. "Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings - Count Basie,Joe Williams | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  17. ^ "Roll 'Em Pete - Jimmy Witherspoon | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  18. ^ "Paris Concert: Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  19. ^ Ron Wynn. "Black and Blue - Lou Rawls | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  20. ^ "Oldie Blues". Wirz.de. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  21. ^ "Roll 'Em Pete - T-Bone Walker,Jimmy Witherspoon | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. 1998-12-28. Retrieved 2014-05-21.
  22. ^ "Roll 'Em Pete [Live, 1982] - The Blasters | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. 2002-03-05. Retrieved 2014-05-21.

External links edit

  • Video (2:51): "Roll 'Em Pete" (1938; Vocalion/4607) on YouTube

November 23, 2023
roll, pete, blues, song, originally, recorded, december, 1938, turner, pianist, pete, johnson, recording, regarded, most, important, precursors, what, later, became, known, rock, roll, single, turner, pete, johnsonreleased1939recordeddecember, 1938genrebluesle. Roll Em Pete is a blues song originally recorded in December 1938 by Big Joe Turner and pianist Pete Johnson 2 The recording is regarded as one of the most important precursors of what later became known as rock and roll 3 4 5 Roll Em Pete Single by Joe Turner amp Pete JohnsonReleased1939RecordedDecember 30 1938GenreBluesLength2 50LabelVocalion 4607Songwriter s Joe Turner Pete Johnson 1 Roll Em Pete was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2018 as one of the five new entrants in the Classic of Blues Recording Song category 6 Contents 1 Original recording 2 Later versions 3 References 4 External linksOriginal recording editJohnson was a boogie woogie pianist in Kansas City who in the early 1930s had developed a partnership with Turner who was working at the time as a club bartender 7 Turner would shout blues rhymes to Johnson s music In 1938 the pair were invited by music promoter and producer John Hammond to the first From Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City 8 While in New York Turner and Johnson had a session with the Vocalion record company recording the 12 bar blues Roll Em Pete on December 30 1938 6 The song was an up tempo boogie woogie which had become Johnson s signature tune in the Kansas City clubs In performance Turner often included many well rehearsed blues verses or improvised lyrics to extend the performance for an hour or more 9 10 According to Paul Oliver the recording features spectacular piano playing by Johnson and a forceful vocal by Turner in the style he made famous half shouted and with repetitive phrases building up tension at the close 9 Larry Birnbaum wrote that 10 Roll Em Pete may well be regarded as the first rock n roll record Although earlier songs contain elements of rock n roll Roll Em Pete is a full fledged rocker in all but instrumentation Johnson s bass line is a simple Chuck Berry like chug and his furious right hand embellishments anticipate Berry s entire guitar style Some of Turner s verses are the stuff that rock is made of But others are too mature for teenage listeners If anything Turner s brilliant phrasing and Johnson s breathtaking keyboard technique are too sophisticated for rock n roll the music has yet to be formularized for mass consumption After Vocalion became a subsidiary of Columbia Records in 1938 the original recording of Roll Em Pete was released in 1941 as part of a four record compilation album entitled Boogie Woogie Columbia album C44 11 Roll Em Pete contained one of the earliest recorded examples of a back beat the song is also notable for its use of straight rhythm well into the 1950s most if not all similar recordings were played in shuffle rhythm original research Turner later recorded many other versions with various combinations of musicians over the ensuing years particularly in the 1950s when he became a star of rock and roll Later versions editThe tune was later recorded by many other artists including Albert Ammons 12 Bill Wyman on his 2004 album Just for a Thrill 13 Chuck Berry 14 Count Basie amp Joe Williams on their 1956 album Count Basie Swings Joe Williams Sings 15 16 Harry James released a live version in 1966 on his album Live At The Riverboat Dot DLP 3728 and DLP 25728 Jimmy Witherspoon 17 Lionel Hampton 18 Lou Rawls on his 1963 album Black and Blue 19 Rob Agerbeek on his 1998 album Three of a Kind 20 T Bone Walker 21 The Blasters 22 References edit Roll Em Pete Big Joe Turner Listen Appearances Song Review AllMusic Retrieved 2014 05 21 Scott Yanow The Boss of the Blues Big Joe Turner Songs Reviews Credits Awards AllMusic Retrieved 2014 05 21 Nick Tosches Unsung Heroes of Rock n Roll Secker amp Warburg 1991 ISBN 0 436 53203 4 Peter J Silvester A Left Hand Like God a history of boogie woogie piano 1989 ISBN 0 306 80359 3 M Campbell ed Popular Music in America And the Beat Goes on Cengage Learning 3rd edn 2008 p 99 ISBN 0 495 50530 7 a b News The Blues Hall of Fame Welcoes Roebuck Pops Staples Sam Lay Mamie Smith Georgia Tom Dorsey and the Acesas its newest Members on May 9 at the Blues Foundation s 39th Annual Induction Ceremony Blues Foundation Blues org 5 March 2018 Retrieved 4 June 2018 Biography by Scott Yanow Allmusic com Retrieved May 29 2009 Big Joe Turner inducted in 1987 The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Rockhall com Retrieved 2014 05 21 a b Paul Oliver Blues in The New Grove Gospel Blues and Jazz Macmillan 1980 ISBN 0 333 40784 9 p 91 a b Larry Birnbaum Before Elvis The Prehistory of Rock n Roll Rowman amp Littlefield 2013 pp 111 112 Various Boogie Woogie Discogs Retrieved 2015 12 13 Roll Em Pete Albert Ammons Johnson Pete Johnson Lewis Big Joe Turner Listen Appearances Song Review AllMusic 1998 06 19 Retrieved 2014 05 21 Roll Em Pete Bill Wyman Bill Wyman s Rhythm Kings Listen Appearances Song Review AllMusic Retrieved 2014 05 21 The Chuck Berry Database Details For Song Roll Em Pete Chuck Berry Database 2019 Retrieved March 30 2019 Roll Em Pete Count Basie Joe Williams Listen Appearances Song Review AllMusic Retrieved 2014 05 21 Ron Wynn Count Basie Swings Joe Williams Sings Count Basie Joe Williams Songs Reviews Credits Awards AllMusic Retrieved 2014 05 21 Roll Em Pete Jimmy Witherspoon Listen Appearances Song Review AllMusic Retrieved 2014 05 21 Paris Concert Lionel Hampton Lionel Hampton Songs Reviews Credits Awards AllMusic Retrieved 2014 05 21 Ron Wynn Black and Blue Lou Rawls Songs Reviews Credits Awards AllMusic Retrieved 2014 05 21 Oldie Blues Wirz de Retrieved 2014 05 21 Roll Em Pete T Bone Walker Jimmy Witherspoon Listen Appearances Song Review AllMusic 1998 12 28 Retrieved 2014 05 21 Roll Em Pete Live 1982 The Blasters Listen Appearances Song Review AllMusic 2002 03 05 Retrieved 2014 05 21 External links editVideo 2 51 Roll Em Pete 1938 Vocalion 4607 on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roll 27Em Pete amp oldid 1145141728, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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