Billy Boy Arnold • Sinner's Prayer

 

Biography by Bill Dahl
Talk about a comeback. After too many years away from the studio, Chicago harpist Billy Boy Arnold returned to action in a big way with two fine albums for Alligator: 1993's Back Where I Belong and 1995's Eldorado Cadillac. Retaining his youthful demeanor despite more than four decades of blues experience, Arnold's wailing harp and sturdy vocals remained in top-flight shape following the lengthy recording layoff.

Born in Chicago rather than in Mississippi (as many of his musical forefathers were), young Arnold gravitated right to the source in 1948. He summoned up the courage to knock on the front door of his idol, harmonica great John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, who resided nearby. Sonny Boy kindly gave the lad a couple of harp lessons, but their relationship was quickly severed when Williamson was tragically murdered. Still in his teens, Arnold cut his debut 78 for the extremely obscure Cool logo in 1952. "Hello Stranger" went nowhere but gave him his nickname when its label unexpectedly read "Billy Boy Arnold."

Arnold made an auspicious connection when he joined forces with Bo Diddley and played on the shave-and-a-haircut beat specialist's two-sided 1955 debut smash "Bo Diddley"/"I'm a Man" for Checker. That led, in a roundabout way, to Billy Boy's signing with rival Vee-Jay Records (the harpist mistakenly believed Leonard Chess didn't like him). Arnold's "I Wish You Would," utilizing that familiar Bo Diddley beat, sold well and inspired a later famous cover by the Yardbirds. That renowned British blues-rock group also took a liking to another Arnold classic on Vee-Jay, "I Ain't Got You." Other Vee-Jay standouts by Arnold included "Prisoner's Plea" and "Rockinitis," but by 1958, his tenure at the label was over.

Other than an excellent Samuel Charters-produced 1963 album for Prestige, More Blues on the South Side, Arnold's profile diminished over the years in his hometown (though European audiences enjoyed him regularly) and he first ended up driving a bus in his hometown of Chicago, then working as a parole officer for the state of Illinois. Fortunately, that changed: Back Where I Belong restored this Chicago harp master to prominence, and Eldorado Cadillac drove him into the winner's circle a second time. After a six year lull between recordings, 2001's Boogie 'n' Shuffle on Stony Plain found Arnold still in fine form, backed by Duke Robillard and his band on a set of rough and ready blues. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/billy-boy-arnold-mn0000085021#biography

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Biografía de Bill Dahl
Habla de un regreso. Después de demasiados años alejado del estudio, el arpista de Chicago Billy Boy Arnold regresó a la acción a lo grande con dos excelentes álbumes para Alligator: Back Where I Belong de 1993 y Eldorado Cadillac de 1995. Conservando su comportamiento juvenil a pesar de más de cuatro décadas de experiencia en el blues, el arpa de lamentos y la voz robusta de Arnold se mantuvieron en plena forma después del largo despido de la grabación.

Nacido en Chicago en lugar de Mississippi (como lo fueron muchos de sus antepasados musicales), el joven Arnold gravitaba directamente hacia la fuente en 1948. Reunió el coraje para llamar a la puerta de entrada de su ídolo, el gran armónico John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, que residía cerca. Sonny Boy amablemente le dio al muchacho un par de lecciones de arpa, pero su relación se rompió rápidamente cuando Williamson fue trágicamente asesinado. Aún en su adolescencia, Arnold hizo su debut 78 para el extremadamente oscuro logo Cool en 1952. "Hello Stranger "no llegó a ninguna parte, pero le dio su apodo cuando su etiqueta decía inesperadamente" Billy Boy Arnold."

Arnold hizo una conexión auspiciosa cuando unió fuerzas con Bo Diddley y tocó en el éxito debut de dos caras de 1955 de The shave-and-a-hair beat specialist "Bo Diddley"/"I'm a Man" para Checker. Eso llevó, de manera indirecta, a que Billy Boy firmara con su rival Vee-Jay Records (el arpista creía erróneamente que Leonard Chess no le gustaba). "I Wish You Would" de Arnold, utilizando ese ritmo familiar de Bo Diddley, se vendió bien e inspiró una versión famosa posterior de The Yardbirds. A ese renombrado grupo británico de blues-rock también le gustó otro clásico de Arnold en Vee-Jay, "I Ain't Got You. Otros destacados de Vee-Jay de Arnold incluyeron "Prisoner's Plea" y "Rockinitis", pero para 1958, su mandato en el sello había terminado .

Aparte de un excelente álbum de 1963 producido por Samuel Charters para Prestige, More Blues on the South Side, el perfil de Arnold disminuyó a lo largo de los años en su ciudad natal (aunque el público europeo lo disfrutaba regularmente) y primero terminó conduciendo un autobús en su ciudad natal de Chicago, luego trabajando como oficial de libertad condicional para el estado de Illinois. Afortunadamente, eso cambió: Back Where I Belong restauró la prominencia de este maestro del arpa de Chicago, y Eldorado Cadillac lo llevó al círculo de ganadores por segunda vez. Después de una pausa de seis años entre grabaciones, Boogie ' n ' Shuffle de 2001 en Stony Plain encontró a Arnold todavía en buena forma, respaldado por Duke Robillard y su banda en un set de blues rudo y listo. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/billy-boy-arnold-mn0000085021#biography

Tracks:
A1 - I Was Fooled
A2 - Hi Heel Sneakers
A3 - Back Door Friend
A4 - Tomorrow Night
A5 - Annie Lee
B1 - Ooh Wee
B2 - Blues In A Natural
B3 - I'm Gonna Move
B4 - Sinner's Prayer


Credits:
Bass – Odell Campbell
Drums – Chris Moss
Guitar [Wah Wah] – Sammy Lawhorn
Harmonica – Billy Boy Arnold
Lead Guitar – Louis Myers , Sammy Lawhorn
Piano – Johnny "Big Moose" Walker
Rhythm Guitar – Sammy Lawhorn
Vocals – Billy Boy Arnold

Recorded in March 1970 at the Stereosonic Recording Corporation Chicago Illinois

Label:    Red Lightnin' – RL 0014
Country:    UK
Released:    May 1976
Genre:    Blues
Style:    Chicago Blues
https://www.discogs.com/release/2957453-Billy-Boy-Arnold-Sinners-Prayer

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