Tag Archives: Aaron Varnell

Otis Rush: Mourning in the Morning

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In August 1969, “Cotillion” label released “Mourning in the Morning”, the second Otis Rush album. It was recorded in 1969, at “FAME Studios” in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and was produced by Nick Gravenites and Mike Bloomfield.

Personnel:

  • Otis Rush – vocals, guitar
  • Jimmy Johnson – guitar
  • Duane Allman – guitar
  • Barry Beckett – keyboards
  • Mark Naftalin – keyboards
  • Jerry Jemmott – bass
  • Roger Hawkins – drums
  • Aaron Varnell – tenor saxophone
  • Joe Arnold – tenor saxophone
  • Ronald Eades – baritone saxophone
  • Gene “Bowlegs” Miller – trumpet
  • Mickey Buckins – recording
  • Norris McNamara – photography
  • Nick Gravenites – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Me – Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites
  2. Working Man – Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites
  3. You’re Killing My Love – Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites
  4. Feel So Bad – Chuck Willis
  5. Gambler’s Blues – B.B. King, Jules Taub
  6. Baby, I Love You – Ronnie Shannon
  7. My Old Lady – Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites
  8. My Love Will Never Die – Otis Rush
  9. Reap What You Sow – Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites
  10. It Takes Time – Otis Rush
  11. Can’t Wait No Longer – Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites

Etta James: Tell Mama

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In February 1968, “Cadet Records” label released “Tell Mama”, the seventh Etta James studio album. It was recorded in 1967, at “Fame Studios” in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and was produced by Rick Hall.

Personnel:

  • Etta James – lead vocals
  • Jimmy Ray Jenkins, Albert Lowe – guitar
  • Marvell Thomas – piano
  • George Davis, Spooner Oldham – keyboards
  • Carl Banks, Barry Beckett – organ
  • David Hood – bass guitar
  • Roger Hawkins – drums
  • Gene “Bowlegs” Miller – trumpet
  • James Mitchell, Aaron Varnell – saxophone
  • Floyd Newman – baritone saxophone
  • Charles Chalmers – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Tell Mama – Clarence Carter, Marcus Daniel, Wilbur Terrell
  2. I’d Rather Go Blind – Billy Foster, Ellington Jordan, Etta James
  3. Watch Dog – Don Covay
  4. The Love of My Man – Ed Townsend
  5. I’m Gonna Take What He’s Got – Don Covay
  6. The Same Rope – Leonard Caston, Jr., Lloyd Webster
  7. Security – Otis Redding
  8. Steal Away – Jimmy Hughes
  9. My Mother In-Law – George David, Lee Diamond
  10. Don’t Lose Your Good Thing – Rick Hall, Spooner Oldham
  11. It Hurts Me So Much – Charles Chalmers
  12. Just a Little Bit – Rosco Gordon

Ry Cooder: Bop Till You Drop

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In July 1979, “Warner Bros” label released “Bop till You Drop”, the eight Ry Cooder album. It was recorded in 1978, at “Warner Brothers Recording Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Ry Cooder. It was the first digitally recorded major-label album in popular music, recorded on a digital 32-track machine built by 3M.

Personnel:

  • Ry Cooder – vocals, guitars, mandolin
  • David Lindley– guitar, mandolin
  • Ronnie Barron– organ, guitar, keyboards
  • Loyd Clifft – assistant engineer
  • Tim Drummond– bass
  • Cliff Givens – vocals, backing vocals
  • Patrick Henderson– organ, keyboards
  • Milt Holland– percussion, drums
  • Herman E. Johnson – vocals, backing vocals
  • Jim Keltner– drums
  • Chaka Khan– vocals
  • Jimmy Adams – vocals
  • Simon Pico Payne – vocals
  • Bobby King– vocals, backing vocals
  • Randy Lorenzo – vocals, backing vocals
  • George “Biggie” McFadden – vocals, backing vocals
  • Greg Prestopino – vocals, backing vocals
  • Bill Johnson – backing vocals
  • Lee Herschberg – engineer
  • Mike Salisbury – design
  • David Alexander – photography
  • David Kraai – technical support
  • Penny Ringwood – production coordination
  • Vicki Fortson – production coordination

Track listing:

  1. Little Sister – Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
  2. Go Home Girl – Arthur Alexander
  3. The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor) – Sidney Bailey
  4. I Think It’s Going to Work Out Fine – Rose Marie McCoy, Sylvia McKinney
  5. Down in Hollywood – Ry Cooder, Tim Drummond
  6. Look at Granny Run Run – Jerry Ragovoy, Mort Shuman
  7. Trouble, You Can’t Fool Me – Frederick Knight, Aaron Varnell
  8. Don’t Mess Up a Good Thing – Oliver Sain
  9. I Can’t Win – Lester Johnson, Clifton Knight, Dave Richardson