When you talk about hard-luck stories in the
blues, one certainly has to take a look at the
career of Larry Davis. Best known for writing
the song “Texas Flood” and recording it in 1958
for Duke Records, Davis’ recording options were
limited afterward. He recorded several fine
sides for Kent and Virgo Records in the late
’60s and early ’70s with limited success. In
1972, his career (and his life) were almost
ended due to a motorcycle accident which left
his left side temporarily paralyzed, and
subsequent recordings for various labels sank
without a trace if they were even released in
the first place.
Davis’ luck changed a bit in 1981 when he
recorded and released Funny Stuff for Rooster
Blues Records with Oliver Sain, Johnnie Johnson,
and Phil Westmoreland at Sain’s studio in St.
Louis. That album won Contemporary Blues Album
of the Year and the single “Since I’ve Been
Loving You” won Blues Single of the Year at the
Handy Awards and earned Davis a wider audience
and a European tour. In the mid ’80s, Sain lured
Davis back into the studio to record I Ain’t
Beggin’ Nobody for the Pulsar Records label, an
album which ranks with the singer/guitarist’s
best but also one of his hardest to find.
Davis’ rich vocals are front and center on the
opening title track, written by Sain. The superb slow blues “Sneaking Around”
was written by drummer Keith Robinson, with Davis
really pouring his heart into the vocal, as he
also does on
his own “Giving Up On Your Love,” and Little
Milton’s “I’m Coming Home,” another pair of fine
slow burners. The funky instrumental “Little
Rock” gives listeners a chance to check out his
tough Albert King-influenced guitar work (Davis
played bass in King’s band in the ’60s) and his
interplay with the band (Sain – keys/alto and
tenor sax, Westmoreland – guitar, Ronnie Guyton
– bass, Robinson drums).
Chuck Willis’ “Please Don’t Go” is a winner as
well. Davis is a master of the slow burning
blues track and Sain really gives him a great
platform on which to work. Little Walter’s
classic “Last Night” is given a nice urban blues,
reset with some stinging guitar from Davis. The disc closes with a pair of Sain
compositions, the feisty “I’m A Rolling Stone”
and the silky smooth “I’ve Got My Eyes On You.”
The album received rave reviews upon its release
in 1987 but was difficult to track down (I
remember seeing a mail order advertisement in a
late 1987 issue of Living Blues). By then,
Davis’ first album was hard to find as well, but
in 1992 Davis released the excellent Sooner or
Later on Rounder’s Bullseye Blues label
(operated by Ron Levy) that finally gave him a
widely-distributed release to showcase his
talents. Sadly, Davis passed away from cancer in
April of 1994.
Thankfully, Evidence Records reissued I Ain’t
Beggin’ Nobody in the mid ’90s and, though it’s
out of print again, it’s a bit easier to find
now. Blues fans are strongly encouraged
to track down as many of Larry Davis’ recordings
as possible.
--- Graham Clarke
