Wexler's Blues Picks: 1950

I was doing some research recently for a project I'm working on and happened to read an article that Jerry Wexler wrote for the Saturday Review in June 1950. Wexler, who would become a partner in Atlantic Records in 1953 and emerge as one of the top R&B producers in the 1950s and '60s, had just convinced his bosses at Billboard magazine to change all mentions of “Race Records" in its charts to “Rhythm and Blues."

In the article, entitled “Rhythm and Blues in 1950," Wexler argued on behalf of blues recordings and how the genre was coming into its own. Wexler then cited five singles as examples of smart blues recordings.

Today, I figured it would be fun to trot out Wexler's picks [photo above of Jerry Wexler in the early 1950s]:

Here's Stack A'Lee by Archibald and His Orchestra...

 

Here's Still in the Dark by Big Joe Turner...

 

Here's Lonnie Johnson's Blues Stay Away From Me...

 

Here's Amos Milburn's Walking Blues...

 

Here's Camille Howard's O Solo Mio Boogie...