sweartotellthetruth

Swear to Tell the Truth for Tuesday, August 25th, (1:00-2:30 pm).

Our plan was to work up a feature on R&B. This evolved to a full-length study of Chicago’s Mercury Records, a label which began as an independent specializing in R&B and country but was advantageously placed to become a major player in the recording industry. Our feature concentrated on the early years when, according to Berle Adams, the label’s success was based upon its R&B catalogue. We took the story from 1945 to 1952. Mercury did not remain a Chicago label for long. The label recorded in New York, New Orleans and L.A. and by the end of the fifties it was a major label, highly competitive in the pop field and with a large classical catalogue. As an R&B label, Mercury put together an impressive catalogue, including the recordings of Dinah Washington from 1946 to 1962. At different times the label had Eddie Vinson, Jay McShann, and Buddy and Ella Johnson on its roster.

On the Show:

Four Jumps of Jive – Sippie Wallace – Dinah Washington – Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson – Helen Humes – Cootie Williams Orchestra – Professor Longhair – Austin McCoy Trio with Frankie Ervin – Chuck Norris – Big Jim Wynn – a.o.

Listen to the program at FM 93.3 in Hamilton or on CFMU online at cfmu.msumcmaster.ca. The program will be available to stream or as a podcast until September 21st.

Contact Us

To reach us with comments or queries, write us at sweartotellthetruth@gmail.com.

You can also follow the program at sweartotellthetruth@nosignifying on Twitter.

Next week (September 1st)

We had to take a week off. The station played a repeat program.

cmc