PHENOMENAL
BLUES WOMEN Little Richard once said, “the blues had an illegitimate baby and we named it rock n roll.” Between 1949 and 1954, black and white music cultures collided to create this new and exciting genre which by 1955, was dominant in teen culture.
Tuell was a Gospel singer who invited her to sing and perform in church and on local radio shows with her sisters from the age of five. “As long as I can remember, I was travelling around the country making appearances as a religious singer,” Adam’s recalled.
Elvis Presley may have been ‘The King’, but there were many other talented artists who paved the way for him, and Elvis often spoke of the Black Gospel and Blues musicians who shaped his sound and feel. Among his influences were phenomenal female musicians from Big Mama Thornton, who recorded ‘Hound Dog’ three years before Elvis, to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the gospel singer who played mean Rock n’ Roll style lead guitar on her records in the 1930’s, decades before Rock n Roll existed. As a boy, Elvis used to rush home from high school to listen to Tharpe on the radio! Of course, Elvis also had many male influences too such as Fats Domino and Big Joe Turner, who also helped to shape the very early stages of Rock n Roll, which was then still called Rhythm and Blues. There was of course no one artist who created Rock n Roll. Covering the role women played, I’ve previously written pieces on Lavern Baker and Ruth Brown who of course had a huge impact and are still celebrated, albeit not enough, for their contributions. There are others, though, who over time have been somewhat forgotten, as is such with Rhythm and Blues Vocalist Faye Adams whom I’d like to talk about today... Faye Adams was born Fanny Tuell in Newark, New Jersey, on May 22, 1923. Her Father David 14
ISSUE 124
by Dani Wilde
In the 1940’s, under her married name of Faye Scruggs, she began performing Rhythm and Blues regularly in New York nightclubs. Faye was managed by her husband Tommy Scruggs, who helped her to build up a name for herself on the local scene and to perform in other States. It was at a show in Atlanta, Georgia, that Faye found her big break. Here she was discovered by none other than The Queen of R&,B Ruth Brown. Brown brought her friends, Count Basie and Marshall Royal, to see Faye Perform. Royal was particularly impressed and arranged for Faye to audition in front of bandleader Phil Moore, then known as the ‘star-maker’ for his help in providing musical coaching for many huge stars including Marilyn Monroe. “Faye can really please the folks who like their blues with a beat. Not only that, I feel that she’s going to develop into the top notch star in this bracket.” Phil Moore, 1953. Moore was incredibly connected and introduced Faye to Atlantic Records Band Leader Joe Morris. Morris encouraged Faye to take on the name ‘Faye Adams’ and, in 1952, signed her to a new record label ‘Herald Records’. The following year, Faye Adam’s single ‘Shake a Hand,’ composed by Morris, was released and was a HUGE success, holding the Number 1 spot on the U.S Billboard R&B chart for nine weeks. It also reached number 22 in the Pop charts.
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