LEROY WASHINGTON/ Louisiana Swamp blues

LEROY WASHINGTON/ Louisiana Swamp blues

              

LEROY WASHINGTON/ Louisiana Swamp blues

               The previously "mysterious" top notch guitarist Leroy Washington is now much better known thanks to blues researcher Gene Tomko who published the results of his sleuth work in Living Blues n°222.

            Leroy Washington was born 1st March 1932 at Palmetto, La. Being raised by his lone mother, the young boy had to work on the railroads to help his Ma makes ends meet. He also fooled around with a guitar at an early age listening blues and Cajun records from the local radio stations. Very skilled, he became an accomplished guitarist during the early 50's. Enough to form a duo with his neighbour Chuck Martin (who will become a well known Zydeco artist later on) and play in local juke joints and venues. Soon after, Leroy was the guitarist and sometimes bass player of the Guidry Brothers Band (then called the Honeydrippers) from Church Point.

            Quickly, Leroy's guitar ability was famous enough to earn him the nickname of "The Guitar Wizard" and he embarked himself on a full time career as a musician, playing every night in the various clubs of Opelousas and Lake Charles. The influential Lake Charles'DJ Isaac Lutcher took him on his regular radio programme as well as a hired guitarist for all blues stars he brought to town like Roy Brown, Jimmy Reed, Clarence Garlow... Leroy befriended also with Guitar Gable who brought him to Crowley's producer J.D. Miller. Miller recorded Washington between 1957 to 1960 but despite a good local Hit with Wild Cherry, J.D. issued only three Leroy's 45s on Excello, Rocko and Zynn labels, the remainder of the sessions staying in the vaults for decades.

               During those years, Leroy was extremely busy, playing everywhere with 

several bands, namely
Good Rockin' Bob's (Ed Thomas) Orchestra. On 30th June 1962, this group was 

playing at the Big Casino, a joint of Leesville, La. that had a strong amount
of patrons coming from the near military base of Fort Polk. At the end of the
show, while singing, Leroy fell down on stage, victim of an aneurysm. He would 

die a few hours later at the very early age of 30, leaving us anyway a strong musical 

heritage that we have tried to gather for the first time here. One track is still
missing and any help would be greatly appreciated.

 Gérard HERZHAFT

Thanks to Marc Claes, Living Blues and Gene Tomko

            

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Tal Miller, pno; Guitar Gable, g; Fats Perrodin, bs; Clarence Etienne, dms. Crowley, La. 1957

01. I've been in this prison

02. Sally Lou

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Tal Miller, pno; Guitar Gable, g; Fats Perrodin, bs; Clarence Etienne, dms; Lazy Lester, wbd/perc/hca. Crowley, La. 1958

03. Sittin' here cryin'

04. Wild Cherry n°1

05. Wild Cherry n°2

06. Be kind

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; band. Crowley, La. 6 mai 1959

Gimme my rights (thanks to Jeff Harris and Tom Thumb)

07. My Chinatown girl

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Guitar Gable, g; Fats Perrodin, bs; Clarence Etienne, dms. Crowley, La. juin 1959

08. Don't blame it on me mama

09. Women are trouble

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; John Johnson, pno; Lonesome Sundown, g; Lionel Torrence, t-sax; Fats Perrodin, bs; Clarence Etienne, dms. Crowley, La. août 1959

10. Why should I cry?

11. My true life

12. Hello stranger n°1

13. Hello stranger n°2

14. Hello baby what you know

15. Love me baby

16. Hey baby

Darling it takes you

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Lionel Torrence, t-sax; Katie Webster, pno; Al Foreman, g; Bobby Mc Bride, bs; Warren Storm, dms. Crowley, La. décembre 1959

17. I don't want your money

18. Hello Operator

19. Baby please come home

20. Long hair knock knees & bow legs

21. Prison blues

Leroy Washington, vcl/g; Lionel Torrence, t-sax; band. Crowley, La. 1960

22. Everyday

23. Leave me now or never

24. This little girl of mine