Goree Carter
BIOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY
One of rock’s first guitar gods, Goree Carter’s legacy only began to be recognized long after he passed away, but his impressive body of work and ahead of its time pyrotechnics on the instrument clearly created the template all other rock guitarists followed ever since.
Goree Carter was born in Houston, Texas the last day of 1930 surrounded by music from childhood. His father played piano and trumpet, his family hosted jam sessions that featured such saxophone luminaries as Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Illinois Jacquet and Arnett Cobb and his sisters introduced their younger brother to the rapidly expanding guitar stylings of blues legend in the making T-Bone Walker from whom he drew initial inspiration.
By his mid-teens Carter was already drawing notice for his abilities and got his first break playing at the El Dorado Club in Houston on his first electric guitar. He was sent to Nashville by a local woman acting as a talent scout for an extended period where word of his talent began to take hold. Record companies came knocking at his door and he even had an offer to go to Hollywood but since he was underage – still just 17 – his mother turned them down.
Back in Houston he was surreptitiously recorded on a T-Bone Walker-like blues which was issued without his knowledge as the flip-side of a Little Willie Littlefield song in March 1949. Carter wasn’t happy with the deceit nor with his performing in another artist’s style and when he signed his first contract – now 18 – he was determined not to become a Walker imitator and instead set out to established a different style – his OWN style – which was rock ‘n’ roll.
Already he was talented songwriter, crafting almost all of his own material including his most memorable, “Rock Awhile”, in the studio when pressed for another song. His lyrics were sharp, the guitar accompaniment was inventive and incredibly influential and his vocals, inspired by Roy Brown but with a different textural bent to them, embodied the youthful drive and optimism that defined rock and separated it from the blues and older idioms.
He became Freedom Records most notable and prolific artist and worked well alongside tenor saxophonist and arranger Conrad Johnson and pianist Lonnie Lyons. He also acted as a inadvertent talent scout when he met Big Joe Turner and his wife in town for a show. Turner had heard Carter’s work and while hanging out together in a club Turner came up with the idea for – and wrote at the table – the song “Adam Bit The Apple” which he recorded for Freedom when Carter brought him to his manager in search of a record deal.
Carter’s work was consistently popular along the Gulf Coast region but Freedom Records had limited distribution and decidedly limited aspirations, constantly trying to push Carter into a blues direction against his will simply because it happened to be popular in the area. Though he enjoyed playing Walker-styled blues at live gigs he largely avoided it on record where he preferred to follow his own muse as a rock artist.
Unfortunately before he could become better established and find a more experienced manager with a better business sense to steer him to a bigger label with more foresight Carter was drafted into the Army in 1950. He was in the service for a year and when he got out by all rights his career should’ve picked up where it had left off, especially since the rock sounds he’d created had started to spread wider and rock ‘n’ roll as a whole was becoming ever more popular by 1951, but instead his career all but ended. Freedom Records had shut down over lack of quality artists with his departure and his manager had left music as well, getting into the doughnut business. Carter, who despite his brief musical sojourns and his time in the Army, remained a somewhat sheltered homebody, moving back into his mother’s house and going to work at a rice mill to support her. He would sit in with visiting musicians, including blues acts like B.B. King when they came to town, but he never got another break. Records came out on a succession of smaller labels, most of which were cut by unscrupulous record men telling him to just play to hear how he sounded on mic, never telling him they were recording the results to be issued – obviously without contracts or advances, let alone royalties.
By 1953, not yet 25 years old, his music career was over just as the style of rock guitar he pioneered was about to break through thanks to the obviously indebted Chuck Berry and others to follow. Carter barely did more than occasionally play around the house from then on, the same house he was born in and the same house he’d die in just two days shy of his sixtieth birthday in 1990.
That, in the end, probably explains why Carter never lived up to his early potential and broke through to wider acclaim. He had the misfortune to fall in with inexperienced local wheeler dealers whose only real ambition was making a few quick bucks around Houston and who didn’t have the brains, the ambition or the vision to see that there was a larger world out there ready to be conquered. Carter himself was far too passive and thus too willing to accept what fate handed him instead of going out and creating his own fate through relentless drive and determination. Only on record did his dreams burst forth on a handful of incendiary tracks that deserve recognition as rock’s first transcendent guitar hero.
GOREE CARTER DISCOGRAPHY (Records Reviewed To Date On Spontaneous Lunacy):
ROCK AWHILE
(Freedom 1506; April, 1949)
The birth of the modern rock guitar comes courtesy of 18 year old Goree Carter who delivers incendiary licks atop a self-penned song that defines the attitude that rock would forever embrace: driving, impatient and exciting. ★ 10 ★
BACK HOME BLUES
(Freedom 1506; April, 1949)
Carter’s fierce guitar slashes this bluesy reconciliation to pieces which winds up twisting and distorting the surface image until it’s nearly unrecognizable, yet its rock attitude remains unmistakable throughout. (6)
FLYCHICK BOUNCE
(Freedom 1507; May, 1949)
As sideman… behind Lonnie Lyons.
FAR AWAY BLUES
(Freedom 1507; May, 1949)
As sideman… behind Lonnie Lyons.
I’LL SEND YOU
(Freedom 1511; June, 1949)
Adapting a bit of Roy Brown’s vocal technique Carter takes awhile to get comfortable but once he does things fall into place, helped considerably by his aggressive playing along with that of The Hep-Cats. (7)
NEAT AND SWEET
(Freedom 1512; June, 1949)
As sideman… behind Lonnie Lyons.
HOY HOY
(Freedom 1516; July, 1949)
Another torrid display of guitar fireworks by Carter who may not match the mood of the downcast lyrics with his balls-out musical approach but when he and The Hep-Cats generate this much excitement with their playing it’s kind of hard to complain. (7)
I JUST THOUGHT OF YOU
(Freedom 1516; July, 1949)
A change of pace from Carter who trades his exuberance for despondency and keeps his guitar in low gear to offer this different persona, but while credibly done it’s not what he does best, nor what rock needs out of someone whose explosiveness is so valued. (4)
SHE’S JUST OLD FASHIONED
(Freedom 1518; August, 1949)
A rip-roaring workout that perfectly showcases Carter’s individual skills as well as highlighting the difference between rock and all that came before it with its exuberant vocals, impatient lyrics, scalding instrumental work and an attitude that’s second to none. (9)
IS IT TRUE
(Freedom 1518; August, 1949)
A good idea to offer a downbeat ballad to contrast with his upbeat rockers, but while well played and well written Carter’s appropriation of the melisma-laden delivery of Andrew Tibbs doesn’t work, as he doesn’t have the training or experience to convincingly pull it off. (3)
DOWN IN THE GROOVY
(Freedom 1519; August, 1949)
As sideman… behind Lonnie Lyons.
HELPLESS
(Freedom 1519; August, 1949)
As sideman… behind Lonnie Lyons.
SHE’S MY BEST BET
(Freedom 1522; October, 1949)
Everything essential in rock’s rise to power gets distilled here – the brazen attitude, the showy playing of both guitar and sax and the vibrant mood that envelops it all – making this another piece of evidence that Carter was far ahead of his time. (9)
WHAT A FRIEND WILL DO
(Freedom 1522; October, 1949)
A hybrid record of sorts with a slightly bluesy guitar to match the downcast lyrics but the band keep it from straying too far from rock as Carter paints a vivid character sketch of paranoia and despair that stands in contrast to his more vibrant outlook in other work. (6)
SNEAKY JOE
(Freedom 1523; October, 1949)
As sideman… behind Lonnie Lyons.
BETRAYED
(Freedom 1523; October, 1949)
As sideman… behind Lonnie Lyons.
WORKING WITH MY BABY
(Freedom 1525; December, 1949)
Another showcase for Carter’s guitar, albeit in a slower song to match its calmly threatening story and while he may not quite have the voice or persona to make that sound completely natural, his tough guitar more than makes up for it. (7)
MY LOVE IS COMING DOWN
(Freedom 1525; December, 1949)
Notable more for its creativity, from the starker aspects of his guitar playing to the nice twist on a standard theme, than its hit potential this has a slightly experimental feel to it which makes it all the more interesting than a more traditional approach. (7)
ADAM BIT THE APPLE
(Freedom 1531; January, 1950)
As sideman… behind Big Joe Turner.
STILL IN THE DARK
(Freedom 1531; January, 1950)
As sideman… behind Big Joe Turner.
COME ON LET’S BOOGIE
(Freedom 1536; April, 1950)
Another stunner by Carter, an all-out sonic attack, both vocally and instrumentally, at least by his slashing guitar, and though the horns don’t quite live up to their end of the bargain Carter’s all-out enthusiasm is what you’ll remember. (8)
SERENADE
(Freedom 1536; April, 1950)
Completely atypical, both for Carter and rock itself, as he crafts an off-the-cuff Spanish-styled song to highlight his brother’s whistling, but the song is haunting and evocative and shows how creative he was in thinking outside the box. (6)
LIFE IS LIKE A CARD GAME
(Freedom 1537; May, 1950)
As sideman… behind Big Joe Turner.
LET’S ROCK
(Sittin’ In With 556; June, 1950)
New label with a backing group that isn’t nearly as well-equipped to lend the proper support, they match his energy but not his attitude as the horns are out of their depth leaving all of the heavy lifting to his guitar and enthusiastic vocals. (6)
EVERYBODY’S LOVE CRAZY
(Sittin’ In With 556; June, 1950)
A better stylistic match with the backing band allowing them to play to their strengths with a mournful bent while Carter lays on the despondency with his own vocals… it may not be what he does best, but it works because they’re all on the same page. (6)
TRUE LOVE IS HARD TO FIND
(Sittin’ In With 572; August, 1950)
Another strong idea from Carter with an interesting vocal approach but the second half of the record is undercut by the weak band support behind him, as they insert a weak horn led instrumental break rather than let Carter go to work on his guitar. (5)
JUMPIN’ AT THE JUBILEE
(Freedom 1546; October, 1950)
As sideman… behind Big Joe Turner.
LONELY WORLD
(Freedom 1546; October, 1950)
A much bluesier effort by Carter whose dejected vocals and slow guitar give this a much different feel than his normal output, though Conrad Johnson’s stellar sax behind him provides some light at the end of the tunnel on this last release on Freedom Records. (4)
SEVEN DAYS
(Modern 20-819; May, 1951)
An explosive arrangement featuring good interplay with the saxes and Carter’s vibrant guitar on a good song with some nice details, showing that despite now being a ship without a port Carter still had what it took to be a star if given half a chance. (7)
WHEN NIGHT FALLS
(Modern 20-819; May, 1951)
A more subdued outlook, musically, vocally and lyrically, requires a fuller arrangement than this gets as the droning horns are not adding nearly enough to support Carter’s guitar fills and as a result his nasal voice has to carry too much weight to pull this off comfortably. (4)
I’VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU
(Coral 65058; July, 1951)
A perfectly balanced record with Carter’s slithering guitar off-set by vibrant horns, a slow drawn out musical bed punctuated by more insistent vocals which tell a broad story of romantic disgust with quick detailed examples to bolster his case. (8)
TELL ME IS THERE STILL A CHANCE
(Coral 65058; July, 1951)
A credible turn at bluesier material but one which suffers from Carter’s nasal vocals which makes the end result not nearly as appealing even within that slightly different context, though a few brighter moments on guitar work helps lighten the mood. (3)
I’M YOUR BOOGIE MAN
(Coral 65064; September, 1951)
Though it’s a solid composition with a diverse arrangement featuring some nice horn work and a stellar guitar solo early on, it’s hampered by Carter’s excessively nasal vocals, especially on the chorus, and the lack of more guitar pyrotechnics to draw your attention away from that. (6)
PLEASE SAY YOU’RE MINE
(Coral 65064; September, 1951)
A good change of pace from his usual approach finds Carter crooning in a higher register while his guitar takes a back seat to the softly moaning horns on a well written ballad that finds him struggling to overcome his insecurities with a girl. (6)
EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY
(Imperial 5152; October, 1951)
A fairly effective and well-written morose ballad that makes use of Carter’s stuffy baritone to convey his sadness while his guitar mostly just adds accent notes behind a slightly overactive piano and some mournful sax. (5)
YOU’VE GOT EVERYTHING
(Imperial 5152; October, 1951)
An admirable attempt at offering something completely different from the instrumentation and arrangement with his semi-acoustic guitar and bolero shadings to the exaggerated vocal style, which may be undercutting the effect he’s going for but is sincere enough let it pass. (5)