|
|
|
|
Groupe Doo Wop, tous détenus au pénitencier de l'état du
Tennessee. Les Prisonaires comprenaient: Johnny
Bragg, Ed Thurman, John Drue, Marcell Sanders et William Stewart. Ils ont enregistré au
milieu des années cinquante et ne sortaient que pour aller au studio.
The Prisonaires were just that,
five African-American male singers who also happened to be inmates of the
Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville. Despite what normally would be
considered circumstances too onerous to start a pop music career, the
Prisonaires were celebrities, albeit briefly, after the recording of the one and
only hit record, "Just Walkin' in the Rain," which Sam Phillips released on Sun
in 1953 -- a song that three years later became a million seller for Johnnie
Ray. The band was formed by lead singer Johnny Bragg, who had been a
penitentiary inmate since the age of 17 after being convicted of six charges of
rape. A singer since childhood, Bragg had joined a prison gospel quintet soon
after his incarceration, but after a falling out, Bragg took two of its singers,
Ed Thurman and William Stewart, each of whom were doing 99 years for murder, and
hooked up with recent penitentiary arrivals John Drue (three years for larceny)
and Marcell Sanders (one-to-five for involuntary manslaughter), and the
Prisonaires were born.
They were discovered by radio producer Joe Calloway, who heard them singing
while preparing a news broadcast from the prison. Calloway suggested to warden
James Edwards that the group be allowed out to perform on the radio. Edwards, a
liberal reform-minded warden who saw this as part of his strategy of
rehabilitation, agreed. In the meantime, Bragg was busy selling songs to music
publisher Red Wortham, who sent a tape of the Prisonaires' radio performance to
Jim Bulliet, a minority shareholder in Sun Records. Bulliet sent the tape to
Phillips, and despite his initial reservations (Phillips was not a huge fan of
the group's Ink Spots-style close harmony crooning), arranged to have the groups
transported under armed guard to Memphis to record. A few weeks later, "Just
Walkin' in the Rain" was released and quickly sold 50,000 copies, a small
success that was not without long-term ramifications. Peter Guralnick notes that
"Just Walkin' in the Rain" was likely the record that captured the attention of
a young Elvis Presley as he read about the studio, the label, and more
importantly, Phillips. The attendant publicity was more than had been predicted,
and soon warden Edwards was allowing the group out on day passes to tour
throughout the state of Tennessee. The band became favorites of the state's
governor, Frank Clement, and frequently performed for assembled guests at the
governor's mansion.
The group never had another hit, and within a year they were finished, the
result of the rise of rock & roll and Phillips' preoccupation with a young
singer from Tupelo, MS, named Presley. Most of the Prisonaires had no careers
outside of the prison with the notable exception of Bragg, who, despite
remaining in jail off and on until 1969, recorded some marginal R&B and country
for small labels in Nashville.
Talents : Johnny Bragg : Lead - Ed Thurman : Tenor - John Drue : Tenor - Marcell Sanders : Bass - William Stewart : Baritone, Guitar
Style musical : Doo Wop, Early Rhythm 'n' Blues
BABY PLEASE
(1953)
JUST
WALKIN' IN THE RAIN
(1953)
A Prisoner's Prayer
(1953)
THAT CHICK'S TOO YOUNG TO FRY (1953)
WHAT'LL YOU DO NEXT? (1954)
|
|
Years in activity :
| 1910 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 2000 | 10 | 20 |
DISCOGRAPHY
78 t. & Singles
| 07/1953 | 78 t. & SP SUN 186 (US) |
Baby Please
/
Just
Walkin' In The Rain
|
| 07/1953 | 78 t. & SP SUN 189 (US) | My God Is Real / Softy And Tenderly |
| 11/1953 | 78 t. & SP SUN 191 (US) |
A Prisoner's Prayer
/ I Know |
| 1954 | 78 t. & SP SUN 207 (US) | There Is Love In You /
What'll You Do Next?
|
| 1976 | SP SUN 511 (US) (bootleg) (1953) | I Wish / All Alone And Lonely |
| 1976 | SP SUN 512 (US) (bootleg) (1953) | No More Tears / Don't Say Tomorrow |
| 1976 | SP SUN 513 (US) (bootleg) (1953) | If I Were King /
That Chick's Too Young To Fry
|
| 1976 | SP SUN 516 (US) (bootleg) (1953) | Rocking Horse / What A Fool |
| 1976 | SP SUN 517 (US) (bootleg) (1953) | Lucille I Want You / Two Strangers |
| 1976 | SP SUN 519 (US) (bootleg)(1953) | Dreaming Of You / Surleen |
| 199? | SP COLLECTABLES COL 3905 (US) |
Just
Walkin' In The Rain
/
A Prisoner's Prayer
|
| 05/2013 | SP Third Man TMR 186 (US) |
Baby Please
/
Just
Walkin' In The Rain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unissued track
| 1953 | SUN unissued | Friends Call Me A Fool |
Albums
| 1979 | LP 12" CHARLY CR 30176 (UK) |
 |
FIVE BEATS BEHIND BARS - Baby Please / Just Walking In The Rain / My God Is Real / Softly And Tenderly / I Know / No More Tears / Don't Say Tomorrow / What Do You Do Next? / That Chick's Too Young To Fry / Lucille I Want You / If I Were A King / Surleen / All Alone And Lonely / Rockin' Horse / Two Strangers / Frank Clement (What About) |
| 1990 | CD BEAR FAMILY BCD 15523 (GER) |
 |
JUST WALKIN' IN THE RAIN - Just Walkin' In The Rain / Baby Please / Dreaming Of You / That Chick's Too Young To Fry / Just Walkin' In The Rain / Baby Please / Softly And Tenderly / My God Is Real / A Prisoner's Prayer / No More Tears / I Know / No More Tears / If I Were King / I Wish / Don't Say Tomorrow / No More Tears / What'll You Do Next / There Is Love In You / What'll You Do Next / Two Strangers / What About Frank Cement (A Mighty Man) / Friends Call Me A Fool / Lucille, I Want You / Surleen / All Alone And Lonely / Rockin Horse |
| 08/2011 | CD BEAR FAMILY BCD 16893 (GER) |
 |
ONLY BELIEVE... - Bony Moronie / Suppertime / Caldonia / Gentle Hands / Just Walkin' In The Rain / The Boastin' Texan / Message From Prison Warden Lynn Bomar / A Prisoner's Prayer / Only Believe / Señor Siskin / Rollin' Stone / Why Don't You / Don't Say Tomorrow / Rollin' Stone / Front Page Blues / Pork And Beans / Two Strangers / Love You, Love You, Love You / Juke Box Rock And Roll / It's You Darling, It's You / Baby Please / What'll You Do Next / There Is Love In You / Rockin' Horse / Two Strangers / Lucy You Know I Want You |
| 1996 | CD CHARLY CPCD 8120 (UK) |
 |
Just Walking In The Rain - Baby Please / Just Walking In The Rain / My God Is Real / Softly And Tenderly / A Prisoner's Prayer / I Know / No More Tears / I Wish / Don't Say Tomorrow / There's Love In You / What'll You Do Next? / Surleen / What About Frank Clement? / Two Strangers / If I Were A King / All Alone And Lonely / Rocking Horse / That Chick's Too Young To Fry / Lucille I Want You / I Know / Friends Call Me A Fool / Dreaming Of You / Just Walking In The Rain (alternative take) / No More Tears / What'll You Do Next? / Baby Please |
| 1999 | CD CHARLY R&B / Altaya B.P. 060 (POL) |
 |
Just Walking In The Rain - Baby Please / Just Walking In The Rain / My God Is Real / Softly And Tenderly / A Prisoner's Prayer / I Know / No More Tears / I Wish / Don't Say Tomorrow / There's Love In You / What'll You Do Next? / Surleen / What About Frank Clement? / Two Strangers / If I Were A King / All Alone And Lonely / Rocking Horse / That Chick's Too Young To Fry / Lucille I Want You / I Know / Friends Call Me A Fool / Dreaming Of You / Just Walking In The Rain (alternative take) / No More Tears / What'll You Do Next? / Baby Please |
© Rocky Productions 4/06/2017
