Long John Baldry |
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Wed. January 12.2000 3:00 AM EST |
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Long John Baldryby Frank Tortorici |
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Long John Baldry's 1991 album, It Still Ain't Easy, plays off the name of the blues rocker's It Ain't Easy, released two decades earlier. ( ) |
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British blues singer Long John Baldry never became famous in the United
States, despite having hits in Britain and helping the careers of future
global superstars Rod Stewart and Elton John. John Baldry was born Jan. 12, 1941, in East
He played in Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, serving for a time as vocalist of the group, which featured the cream of the early-'60s British blues crop (Mick Jagger was one of its singers for a brief period). Baldry was featured on the band's R&B from the Marquee (1962), considered to be one of the first British blues albums. Baldry, nicknamed Long John because of his 6-foot-7-inch height, then split with Korner to tour Germany with a jazz band. After returning to the UK, Baldry hooked up with Cyril Davies, with whom he had played in an R&B group earlier in his career. Davies enlisted Baldry to be part of his band, the R&B All-Stars. After Davies died of leukemia in 1964, Baldry recruited some of the All-Stars to start his own group, the Hoochie Coochie Men, featuring Stewart. In 1964 the band issued its debut LP, Long John's Blues. In 1965 the Hoochie Coochie Men split. Baldry formed Steampacket with Stewart and others, including future Animals guitarist Vic Briggs. But that band was short-lived as well, and after its breakup Baldry founded Bluesology, featuring Reginald Dwight (the future Elton John) on piano. In 1966 Baldry also opened some dates for the Rolling Stones. Following the release of Bluesology's 1967 single "Cuckoo," Baldry left to go solo officially. His first records were more in the light-pop vein than the blues he favored with his various bands. "Let the Heartaches Begin" topped the UK singles chart in 1967; "Mexico" landed in the top 20 the following year. Baldry also began acting. In 1971 Baldry returned to blues rock with It Ain't Easy, which featured one side produced by Elton John and one by Stewart. It went to #83 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and Baldry toured the United States and took up residence there. The single "Don't Try to Lay No Boogie-Woogie on the King of Rock 'n' Roll" made the lower reaches of the Billboard Hot 100. Everything Stops for Tea (1972) also made the Billboard albums chart. Baldry then spent time in a mental institution, which he followed with the aptly titled Baldry's Out (1976). He also had a minor U.S. hit duet with Kathi McDonald — a cover of the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'." In 1980 Baldry moved to Canada and soon became a citizen of that country. In the '90s Baldry toured sporadically and did commercial voice-overs. He is known to kids as the voice of Captain Robotnick, enemy of the popular cartoon and video-game hero Sonic the Hedgehog. The studio LP It Still Ain't Easy (RealAudio excerpt of title track) was issued in 1991. Two years later, Baldry presented Stewart with a BRIT award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. In 1997 he released Right to Sing the Blues. Other birthdays Wednesday: William Lee Golden (Oak Ridge Boys), 61; Cynthia Robinson (Sly and the Family Stone), 54; Blixa Bargeld (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Einstürzende Neubauten), 41; Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine), 40; Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows), 40; Raekwon (Wu-Tang Clan), 32; Mike Ferrentino (Love in Reverse), 30; Matt Wong (Reel Big Fish), 27; Melanie "Sporty" Chisholm (Spice Girls), 25; Chris Bell (Big Star), 1951–1978; and Mississippi Fred McDowell, 1904–1972. |
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