CLIFF BUTLER

 

CLIFF BUTLER

 

       

R&B and Gospel singer Cliff Butler is mainly known for a few tracks and only among hardcore R&B buffs. He has nevertheless recorded substantially through three decades and on several kinds of music.

          Cliff Butler was born in Louisville, KY on 17 October 1922. His mother died while he was a little boy, he never knew his father and was raised by his Aunt Tobe. Cliff started music at an early age playing in a local jug band. He also studied music at High School and entered the Army before returning to Louisville to launch his musical career, leading a strong R&B band that played in local clubs; private parties while Butler had his own radio show, The cliff Butler Show.

          In 1947 he made his first records in New York with his long time accompanist, piano player Ben Holton. Despite not selling in quantities, those discs draw the attention of producer Henry Glover who took Butler's band to Cincinnati to record for the fledgling King Records with a great John Woods on guitar. While keeping his Louisville base, Cliff managed to record subsequently for many labels whether in Chicago (wonderful States 45s) or Nashville, sometimes with a doo-woop group like the Doves. At the end of the 50's, the kind of R&B played by Butler being less favored by audiences, Cliff stayed in Louisville, recording for local small labels, playing in clubs but having to make a better living working outside music.

                                    Cliff Butler band c. 1947. Courtesy of Lamont Butler and Blues & Rhythm magazine

          When he suffered an heart attack, Cliff Butler decided to drop the R&B to turn into church. He became a esteemed bishop and recorded an excellent Gospel album in 1971. He died January 13^th 1982 in his Louisville home.

          Most of those infos come from the Keith Clements's work published in the excellent British blues magazine Blues & Rhythm n°195.

          Thanks to the friends who provided me some of the rarest tracks here. Several are still missing. If anyone who would own them would like to send a .mp3 copy, it'd fill those gapes.

                                                 Gérard HERZHAFT

 

 

 

Cliff Butler, vcl; Ben Holton, pno; t-sax; g. New York City, 1947

01. Benny's boogie

02. Please don't say we're through

03. She's really sweet to me

04. You bring happiness to me

Cliff Butler, vcl;t-sax; Ben Holton, pno; John Woods, g; Ben Ingram, bs; dms. Cincinnati, Oh. 27 june 1949

05. Crying blues

06. Gold diggin' baby

07. When you love you'd love from the heart

08. Shame on you

09. I dream such foolish dreams

10. Hearts only ache

Cliff Butler, vcl; band. Nashville, Tn. december 1951

Lucky me

I love so much it hurts

Can't get her off my mind

Boogie with Lou

Cliff Butler, vcl; Leon Washington, t-sax; Ben Holton, pno; g; bs; Red Saunders, dms. Chicago, Ill. 17 november 1952

11. You're my honey but the bees don't know it

12. Adam's rib

Benny's blues

Cliff Butler, vcl; Dick Davis, t-sax; Ben Holton, pno; g; Jimmy Richardson, bs; The Doves, vcls; Red Saunders, dms. Chicago, Ill. 29 june 1953

13. People will talk

14. Jealous hearted woman

15. When you love

Cliff Butler, vcl; Ben Holton, pno; Dick Davis, t-sax; Eggie Porter, g; bs; dms. Chicago, Ill. april 1956

16. No faith in you

17. You name it

18. Bennies boogie

19. Listen to me

Cliff Butler, vcl; Don Q. Pullen, pno; Stanley Hemphill, g; John Palmer, bs; Sid King, dms. Nashville, Tn. november 1956

20. Rent's too high

21. Fool

Cliff Butler, vcl; Ben Holton, org/pno; band. Louisville, Ky. february 1957

22. My mood

23. On my mind

Cliff Butler, vcl; Andy Jackson, t-sax; band. Louisville, Ky. may 1957

24. Andy jumps

Beer mash blues

Cliff Butler, vcl; Ben Holton, pno; band. Nashville, Tn. may 1958

25. Devoted to you

26. That's how I go for you

27. Love one another

28. Let us break bread together

Cliff Butler, vcl; Ben Holton, pno; band.  Nashville, Tn. september 1958

29. Lover's plea

30. Shame on you n°2

Cliff Butler, vcl; The Lovers, band. Louisville, Ky. 1959

31. Everybody needs somebody

32. I can't believe

Cliff Butler, vcl; The Sun-Rays, vcls; band. Louisville, Ky. 1960

33. No treason in my heart

Lucky me

Bishop Cliff Butler, vcl; Congregation & band. Louisville, Ky. 1971

34. Love one another

35. He is God

36. Everybody's doing their thing

37. When I've done my best

38. Jesus on my mind

39. No one ever cared for me like Jesus

40. Smile