Larry Birdsong – Live The Life I Sing About

• Recent Jasmine collections featuring Earl Gaines, Shy Guy Douglas and Gene Allison have shone a spotlight in the thriving R&B scene in Nashville in the late 50s and early 60s. Although it’s still primarily known for Country, ‘Music City USA’ has always been a hotbed for rhythm and blues and, later, soul – and was always a popular place for touring black American acts to play. Inevitably the city has produced some high quality acts of its own and our journey through its musical history now brings us to Larry Birdsong.
• A good looking guy with a big personality – and considered by his peers to be one of the most gifted vocalists of his time - Larry was a big deal locally, but somehow never quite managed to achieve the level of national success occasionally enjoyed by Messrs. Gaines and Allison. When you hear what’s on offer here, you will wonder why that was the case.
• As well as Nashville, Larry recorded in New Orleans, Memphis and Chicago – the results of which can be heard in this collection – but he just never got the breaks. He could handle ballads and rockers with equal aplomb, and recorded well into the era of soul, but somehow his records stubbornly refused to break out nationally.
• This collection features – for the first time on CD in their chronological entirety – Larry’s complete singles As and Bs from 1956 through to the end of 1962. Within you will hear some of the best black music to come out of the south during the years that bridged R&B, Rock ‘n’ Roll and the beginnings of Soul. And if you have a yearning to hear more in the same style, may Jasmine refer you to the aforementioned artists, who can be found on JASMCD3290 and JASMCD3289 respectively!

Track Listing

1. IT WON’T BE THIS WAY ALWAYS
2. YOU WON’T BE NEEDIN’ ME NO MORE
3. PLEADIN’ FOR LOVE
4. YOU’LL NEVER EVER KNOW
5. NOW THAT WE’RE TOGETHER
6. WE’LL NEVER PART
7. THREE TIMES SEVEN
8. TELL ME THE TRUTH
9. LET’S TRY IT AGAIN
10. OOH WEE HONEY
11. IF YOU DON’T WANT ME NO MORE
12. I’M PLEADING JUST FOR YOU
13. OH, OH MY DARLING
14. TIME WILL (Time)
15. FANNIE’S PLACE
16. GOODBYE, GOODBYE
17. LIVE THE LIFE I SING ABOUT
18. EVERY NIGHT IN THE WEEK
19. DO YOU LOVE ME
20. TRY ME ONE MORE TIME
21. SCOOTER POOTIN’
22. WISH I DIDN’T LOVE YOU SO
23. SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE
24. YOU’RE MY BABY
25. YOUNG AND FANCY FREE
26. SINCE YOU LEFT ME BEHIND
27. I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE HOME
28. WHO DO YOU LOVE