Tag Archives: Booker T. & the M.G.’s

George Benson: Tell It Like It Is

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In July 1969, “A&M” label released “Tell It Like It Is”, the seventh George Benson album. It was recorded April – May 1969, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Creed Taylor.

Personnel:

  • George Benson – vocals, guitar
  • Rodgers Grant, Richard Tee – piano
  • Bob Bushnell, Jerry Jemmott, Jim Fielder – bass guitar
  • Leo Morris – drums
  • Paul Alicea, Angel Allende, Johnny Pacheco – percussion
  • Arthur Clarke, Bob Porcelli, Hubert Laws, Jerome Richardson, Joe Farrell, Joe Henderson, Sonny Fortune – saxophone
  • Lew Soloff – trumpet
  • Marty Sheller – arrangements, conductor
  • Pete Turner – photography

Track listing:

  1. Soul Limbo – Booker T. & the M.G.’s
  2. Are You Happy – Theresa Bell, Jerry Butler, Kenneth Gamble
  3. Tell It Like It Is – George Davis, Lee Diamond
  4. Land of 1000 Dances – Chris Kenner
  5. Jackie, All – Eumir Deodato
  6. Don’t Cha Hear Me Callin’ to Ya – Rudy Stevenson
  7. Water Brother – Don Sebesky
  8. My Woman’s Good to Me – Billy Sherrill, Glenn Sutton
  9. Jama Joe – George Benson
  10. My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy
  11. Out in the Cold Again – Ted Koehler, Rube Bloom

Booker T. & The M.G.’s: Soul Limbo

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In September 1968, “Stax” label released “Soul Limbo”, the seventh Booker T. & the M.G.’s studio album. It was recorded in 1968, at “Stax Recording Studio” in Memphis, and was produced by Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn and Al Jackson Jr.

Personnel:

  • Booker T. Jones – Hammond organ, clavinet, piano, guitar
  • Steve Cropper – guitar
  • Donald Dunn – bass guitar
  • Al Jackson Jr. – drums, percussion
  • Terry Manning – marimba
  • Isaac Hayes – cowbell

Track listing:

  1. Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy – J.R. Cobb, Ray Whitley
  2. La-La (Means I Love You) – Thom Bell, William Hart
  3. Hang ‘Em High – Dominic Frontiere
  4. Willow Weep for Me – Ann Ronell
  5. Over Easy – Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, Al JacksonJr.
  6. Soul Limbo – Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn and Al Jackson Jr.
  7. Eleanor Rigby – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  8. Heads or Tails = Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, Al Jackson Jr.
  9. (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone – Aretha Franklin, Teddy White
  10. Born Under a Bad Sign – William Bell, Booker T. Jones
  11. Foxy Lady – Jimi Hendrix

Booker T. & the MG’s: And Now!

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In November 1966, “Stax” label released “And Now!”, the third Booker T. & the M.G.’s studio album. It was recorded in 1966, at “Stax Recording Studio” in  Memphis, and was produced by Jim Stewart.

Personnel:

  • Steve Cropper– guitar, “strum”, bass
  • Booker T. Jones– organ, guitar, piano, “plunk”
  • Donald “Duck” Dunn– electric bass, “thump”, claves
  • Al Jackson, Jr. – drums, “boom”
  • Ronnie Stoots – cover design

Track listing:

  1. My Sweet Potato – Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson, Jr.
  2. Jericho – traditional
  3. No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach’s In) – Granville Burland
  4. One Mint Julep – Rudy Toombs
  5. In the Midnight Hour – Steve Cropper, Wilson Pickett
  6. Summertime – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward
  7. Working in the Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey, Allen Toussaint
  8. Don’t Mess up a Good Thing – Oliver Sain
  9. Think – Lowman Pauling
  10. Taboo – Bob Russell, Margarita Lecuona
  11. Soul Jam – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson
  12. Sentimental Journey – Les Brown, Bud Green, Ben Homer

Booker T & The MG’s: Hip Hug Her

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In June 1967, “Stax” label released “Hip Hug-Her”, the fifth Booker T.& the M.G.’s studio album. It was recorded February-April 1967, and was produced by Jim Stewart.

Personnel:

  • Steve Cropper – guitar
  • Booker T. Jones- organ, guitar, keyboards
  • Donald “Duck” Dunn- bass
  • Al Jackson, Jr.- drums

Track listing:

  1. Hip Hug-Her – Steve Cropper,Donald “Duck” Dunn, Al Jackson Jr., Booker T. Jones
  2. Soul Sanction – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Al Jackson, Booker T. Jones
  3. Get Ready – Smokey Robinson
  4. More – Riz Ortolani,Nino Oliviero
  5. Double or Nothing – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Al Jackson, Booker T. Jones
  6. Carnaby St. – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Al Jackson, Booker T. Jones
  7. Slim Jenkins’ Place – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Al Jackson, Booker T. Jones
  8. Pigmy – Mel Brown, Billy Larkin, Henry Swarn
  9. Groovin’ – Eddie Brigati,Felix Cavaliere
  10. Booker’s Notion – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Al Jackson, Booker T. Jones
  11. Sunny – Bobby Hebb

Donald Duck Dunn

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On May 13, 2012, Donald “Duck” Dunn died aged 70. He was musician (bass guitar), session musician, record producer, and songwriter, best known  for his 1960’s recordings with Booker T. & the M.G.’s and as a session bassist for “Stax Records”.  He has performed and recorded with big number of famous musicians including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and The Blues Brothers Band. In 1992, Dunn was inducted in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” as a member of Booker T. & the M.G.’s. “Bass Player” magazine ranked him at number  40 on its list of “The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time”.

Booker T. & The Mg’s: Doin’ Our Thing

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In April 1968, “Stax” label released “Doin’ Our Thing”, the sixth studio Booker T. & the M.G.’s, studio album. It was recorded in 1968, and was produced by Booker Jones, Steve Cropper, Al Jackson, Jr. and Donald “Duck” Dunn.

Personnel:

  • Booker Jones– organ, keyboards, bass, guitar, clavichord
  • Steve Cropper– guitar
  • Donald “Duck” Dunn– bass
  • Al Jackson, Jr.– drums
  • Loring Eutemey – design
  • Peter Hujar – photography
  • Peter Jujar – photography
  • Bill Kington – photography

Track listing:

  1. I Can Dig It – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Booker Jones, Al Jackson
  2. Expressway (to Your Heart) – Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
  3. Doin’ Our Thing – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Booker Jones, Al Jackson
  4. You Don’t Love Me – Willie Cobbs
  5. Never My Love – Don Addrisi
  6. The ExodusSong – Ernest Gold
  7. The Beat Goes On – Sonny Bono
  8. Ode to Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry
  9. Blue on Green – Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Booker Jones, Al Jackson
  10. You Keep Me Hanging On – Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland
  11. Let’s Go Get Stoned – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Josephine Armstead