In my teenage years, the singer-pianist Clarence Frogman Henry was always around, making delightful concert appearances - I saw him at Liverpool Empire on the same bill as Bobby Vee and a 16-year-old Tony Orlando - and the wonderful records ‘But I Do’, ‘You Always Hurt The One You Love’, ‘Ain’t Got No Home’, ‘Lonely Street’, ‘Standing In The Need of Love’ and the great, great double-sided flop ‘A Little Too Much’ c/w ‘I Wish I Could Say The Same’.
Clearly he came from the same place, geographically and musically, as Fats Domino, and actually beat Fats for pizzazz on ‘You Always Hoit The One You Love’ (Fats’ version has the great man’s vocals and piano drowned in a high tide of muddy strings). Yet Clarence Frogman’s records always had their own sound, fusing the liveliest brass section you could wish for with the most plaintive, expressive vocals.
He was born in New Orleans on March 19, 1937. He's still going.
He was born in New Orleans on March 19, 1937. He's still going.
[Clarence Frogman Henry: ‘Ain’t Got No Home’, New Orleans, Sep 1956; Argo 5259, Chicago, 1956. ‘But I Do’ c/w ‘Just My Baby And Me’, NO, c.Aug 1960; Argo 5378 (Pye International 7N 25078, London), 1961. ‘You Always Hurt The One You Love’, NO, c.Mar 1961; Argo 5388 (Pye Intnl 7N 25089), 1961. ‘Lonely Street’ c/w ‘Why Can’t You’, NO, c.Mar 1961; Argo 5395 (Pye Intnl 7N 25108), 1961. ‘On Bended Knees’ c/w ‘Standing In The Need Of Love’ (a secular re-write of gospel song ‘Standing In The Need Of Prayer’), Memphis, c.Jul 1961; Argo 5401 (Pye Intnl 7N 25115), 1961. ‘A Little Too Much’ c/w ‘I Wish I Could Say The Same’, Memphis, c.Jul 1961; Argo 5408, (Pye Intnl 7N 25123), 1962. Excepting ‘On Bended Knees’ and ‘I Wish I Could Say The Same’, all these are on the CD The Best Of Clarence Frogman Henry, MCA 19226, London, 1993 (unissued USA). Beware cheap re-recordings on cheap re-releases.]
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