BIOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY

One of the most prolific singer/songwriters in rock history whose career as a musician lasted four decades (1933-1974), the bulk of which found him as a key figure in the birth and subsequent evolution of rock during its first fifteen years.

One of fourteen children, he was christened Ivory Joe at birth giving him a natural affinity for the piano which he learned as a child. His musical family included his preacher father who played guitar, his mother and sisters who sang gospel while his nine brothers included other pianists and drummers. In 1933 Hunter was first recorded singing “Stagolee” for folklorist John Lomax on one of his national tours collecting material for The Library Of Congress, describing Hunter as an outstanding barrelhouse pianist.

After years singing and playing clubs in Texas Hunter moved to the West Coast where he started his own record label, Ivory, then later another called Pacific, making him among the few artists, and fewer still who were black, that oversaw their own company at the time. He scored his first hit however in 1945 on Exclusive with “Blues At Sunrise”, a song which B.B. King later sang in an audition to secure his first job on radio.

Hunter gave up his labels (though got his first chart topper with one release on Pacific) and signed with growing independent powerhouse King Records out of Cincinnati and recorded in a variety of styles from jazz to cocktail blues before he began hitting the charts regularly with a mix of pop fare and lighter rock ‘n’ roll. His musical versatility meant he was adaptable to whatever trends were hot at the time and as rock became more popular he concentrated largely on that, though he also dabbled in combining country with rock long before anyone else.

Following eight Top Ten hits in two years Hunter left King for MGM Records where he became an even bigger star, scoring two #1 hits in his first six months on the label, one of which, “I Almost Lost My Mind”, became one of the most covered (directly and indirectly, with the melody ripped off by dozens of other songs) in rock history. Two other Top Ten hits that same year were all he could manage in his five years there and by 1954, despite cutting some of his most scorching rock sides to go along with his more typical rock ballads, he was in a prolonged commercial draught and sought a change in scenery.

Atlantic Records had become over the previous half decade the hottest and most forward-looking rock label in the business and had a reputation for steering their artists into commercial sounds while simultaneously reconnecting them with their roots. Hunter’s arrival came at a time when rock ‘n’ roll was crossing over to younger white audiences which made his re-emergence as a vital force all the more unlikely. He was now past forty years old, balding and though more than capable of delivering the beat-heavy sound that was connecting with the rapidly expanding audience, his preference was always for more mellow introspective sides.

Yet as soon as he landed with Atlantic he regained his golden touch scoring a half dozen hits over the next three years including one of the most immortal slow-dance favorites in rock history with “Since I Met You Baby”. His catalog, both past and present, was now regularly mined by other artists (often pop acts) for hits and during this time he befriended Elvis Presley, giving him two songs he’d written (“My Wish Came True” and the storming “Ain’t That Loving You, Baby”) both of which Elvis turned into Gold records.

By the early 1960’s Hunter’s time in the spotlight was largely over though he recorded sides for a handful of big labels, including Capitol, Vee-Jay, Stax and Goldwax, before resuming his explorations into country music as other black rock artists such as Ray Charles and Solomon Burke, both of whom were inspired by Hunter, had done to great effect over the previous few years.

Though his pure country records resulted in no further hits he was a regular on The Grand Ol’ Opry and when diagnosed with lung cancer a benefit concert for him was held which included numerous country stars along with rock icons like Isaac Hayes. Soon after celebrating his sixtieth birthday in 1974 Ivory Joe Hunter passed away.

The writer of thousands of songs, Hunter’s greatest legacy is found in those compositions which touched upon almost every popular style of American music and by a decade of huge hits that helped to define one style in particular, rock ‘n’ roll.
 
 
IVORY JOE HUNTER DISCOGRAPHY (Reviews To Date On Spontaneous Lunacy):
 
DON’T BE NO FOOL, FOOL
(King Records 4183; December, 1947)
A mild reprimand to a lover which can’t bridge the gap between the reasonably effective lyrics and Hunter’s polite delivery, giving every indication as to why this woman walked all over him in the first place. (3)

SAN FRANCISCO BLUES
(King Records 4183; December, 1947)
Hunter’s predilection for only scratching the surface of the emotional undercurrents even his most personal songs contain holds true here, but even holding back on the sentiments it’s done well enough with some solid playing by Ivory Joe on piano to boot. (4)

COME ON LET YOUR HAIR DOWN
(King 4208; February, 1948)
Catchy but ultimately rather shallow sing-along type offering best suited for a friendly nightcap to an evening that has long since settled down. (4)

PRETTY MAMA BLUES
(Pacific 637; Re-issued as 4-Star 1254; April, 1948)
Exquisite yearning ballad that defines the singer-songwriter style which so many would mine over the rest of the century, played and sung with understated class on its way to the top of the charts. (7)

SIESTA WITH SONNY
(King 4220; May, 1948)
Rousing instrumental performance by Hunter who shows he was indeed a good barrelhouse pianist, but the outdated horn section, while whipping up as much excitement as they’re able, means this is going to pale in comparison to the more modernized arrangements of others. (4)

WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME
(King 4232; June, 1948)
Fairly effective ballad, but simple and predictable and hardly exciting, albeit with some inventive piano playing to spice it up just enough to keep you interested. (4)

I LIKE IT
(King 4255; November, 1948)
An another reasonably pleasant, yet far too mild offering by Hunter whose delivery still doesn’t match the harsher sentiments he’s voicing here. The sound of contentment in rock, but hardly exhilarating. (3)

NO MONEY, NO LUCK BLUES
(King 4255; November, 1948)
The horns, Hunter’s singing and the overall mood are all first rate but the arrangement lets them down, not by the musical choices but rather the sequencing of the components, starting with the best part rather than closing with it, leaving you unfulfilled. (6)

IN TIME
(King 4275; February, 1949)
Hardly invigorating and without the emotional wallop of many recent rock ballads this nevertheless possesses a good melody and lyrics and capped by Hunter’s breezy charm this is enjoyable enough to overcome its lack of cutting edge qualities. (5)

WAITING IN VAIN
(King 4291; May, 1949)
A beautiful, haunting song replete with weeping strings that add gravitas to Hunter’s mournful vocals, this is slightly too classy for rock but he pulls it off so deftly that you barely notice its awkward fit. (7)

THAT’S THE GAL FOR ME
(King 4291; May, 1949)
The unlikely introduction of country music elements – namely the fiddle which carries the rhythm – highlight this effervescent song and shows Hunter’s creativity finally coming to fruition. (6)

LANDLORD BLUES
(King 4306; August, 1949)
A decent concept that’s done in by Hunter’s lack of a forceful response, both lyrically and musically, leading to the question: which was more inexplicable, that they pulled this two year old recording out for an A-side or that it actually became a hit? (3)

GUESS WHO
(King 4306; August, 1949)
One of the most vulnerable expressions of desire yet shown in rock, done without any inhibitions by Hunter who keeps the message simple and heartfelt while framing it in an alluring melody that exudes class. (7)

ALL STATES BOOGIE
(King 4314; September, 1949)
A two year old track pulled out of mothballs shows Hunter had it in him to be more spry from the very beginning as this is a fairly effective uptempo workout with a slight country feel thanks to the Nashville sessionists behind him. (5)

JEALOUS HEART
(King 4314; September, 1949)
A rush job to cover a song that was hitting for another artist making it among the few of his hits that Hunter didn’t write himself, but its overall mood fits well with his recent output and seems to perfectly wrap up a period of musical yearning he’s shown of late. (6)

I QUIT MY PRETTY MAMA
(King 4326; December, 1949)
A belated sequel to Hunter’s Pacific hit which symbolically also marked his break-up with King Records before jumping to MGM and as usual Hunter even pulls off this lyrical diatribe against the girl who spurned him with relative class. (6)

I ALMOST LOST MY MIND
(MGM 10578; December, 1949)
The quintessential Hunter song: a delectable melody, beautifully understated playing and singing, and evocative and memorable lyrics telling a story that gently pushes the right emotional buttons, this confirms his place in the upper echelon of the rock kingdom. (9)

S.P. BLUES
(MGM 10618; January, 1950)
A sterling bit of craftsmanship from Hunter who marries a despondent tale with an uptempo arrangement, even finding a way to use the trumpet effectively, and infuses plenty of conflicting emotions and eye-catching details in the story to keep you riveted. (8)

I NEED YOU SO
(MGM 10663; March, 1950)
A breathtakingly delicate melody frames the hopeful longing vocals with lyrics that suggest domestic bliss but with the possibility that it’s merely his dreams projected onto the big screen, this is a rare display of thematic ambiguity by Hunter in what might be his best work. ★ 10 ★

LEAVE HER ALONE
(MGM 10663; March, 1950)
An interesting change of pace with Hunter’s piano in the forefront of this uptempo side, but the shifting storyline and sometimes awkward lyrics give the impression this wasn’t fully worked out in advance. (4)

I GOT YOUR WATER ON
(King 4347; April, 1950)
Nearly a year old track that was left gathering dust for a reason, this is aimless and chaotic and lacks a tight story, though it does contain some good rhythmic singing by Hunter which is a nice change of pace from his usual balladry, but it’s hardly enough to salvage it. (3)

LET ME DREAM
(MGM 10733; June, 1950)
A beautiful melody is wasted on a song that replaces genuine desire with detached fantasies turning what might’ve been a soulful rock ballad into harmless pop tripe that not even his vocal skills and a delicate arrangement can fully rescue. (4)

GIMME A POUND O’ GROUND ROUND
(MGM 10733; June, 1950)
Not nearly funny enough to make the grade as a novelty record, nor musically up to date enough to pass muster as a rocker, this throwaway track marked the end of Hunter’s biggest run of success which might not have been a coincidence. (2)

I HAVE NO REASON TO COMPLAIN
(King 4382; July, 1950)
No, you really SHOULD complain about getting another passive character telling a generic story using bland lyrics delivered with a lack of urgency so despite mildly pleasant performances it’s not aiming high to begin with and falls short of even that. (3)

CHANGING BLUES
(King 4382; July, 1950)
A slightly more optimistic outlook in the face of heartbreak coupled with a different musical motif that incorporates a vaguely Dixieland jazz feel featuring solid horn work alongside his own more emphatic piano offers the hint of a new wrinkle to his familiar musical persona. (4)

OLD MAN’S BOOGIE
(MGM 10761; August, 1950)
What seems like a conscious attempt to align himself with the younger rock audience Hunter has the right attitude here and some of the critiques he offers up are pretty good, but while he’s having fun doing it his delivery and the music can’t quite match his intent. (5)

LIVING A LIE
(MGM 10761; August, 1950)
A song done in by the inappropriate backing band who seem blissfully unaware of the heartbreak Hunter is singing about and are too placid on top of that, but Ivory Joe’s efforts are the one redeeming factor, not enough to salvage the record, but to at least accept its presence. (2)

LYING WOMAN
(King 4405; October, 1950)
Though he’s a little more forceful in dealing with romantic betrayal than he usually is this is still leaning towards the milder side of the issue and while it’s not all that outdated despite being cut back in July of ’49 it also isn’t anything very cutting edge stylistically. (4)

DON’T YOU BELIEVE HER
(MGM 10818; October, 1950)
Though he finally flips his meek and mild persona on its head when it comes to letting girls walk all over him his musicians haven’t gotten the message this is a more forceful Hunter and as a result their sweet pop arrangement makes this easy to cast aside. (3)

YOU THRILL ME
(MGM 10861; December, 1950)
He’s got the right idea with this, portraying a sexually frustrated guy who is determined to reverse his luck with the ladies, and while the music at times supports him in his quest it also shows why he’s probably bound to go home alone at the end of the night too. (5)

SEND ME PRETTY MAMA
(King 4424; December, 1950)
Despite being a three year old track this isn’t too much worse for the wear as Hunter gets surprisingly frisky talking about sex and what his lyrics can’t divulge his energetic piano makes up for, helping to overcome a slightly too mild horn section. (5)

I FOUND MY BABY
(MGM 10899; January, 1951)
An ill-advised sequel to “I Almost Lost My Mind” which puts a falsely happy ending onto a tale of romantic despair and while he sings it well and the same melody of course still is appealing why not listen to the inspired original instead of this shameless mercenary grab? (3)

I AIN’T GOT NO GAL NO MORE
(MGM 10899; January, 1951)
Though the song itself, Hunter’s vocals and some quirky instrumental touches he brings to this are really good, the entire production is marred by the blaring horns from the contracted orchestra he was saddled with, turning a potentially great record into one that just misses. (4)

SHE’S GONE BLUES
(King 4443; March, 1951)
A track that was more than four years old at this point had no chance of connecting, nor does it hint at how popular he’d become since this was cut, but while the story is insipid Hunter’s piano is pretty solid and he’s as affable sounding as always. (3)

I CAN’T RESIST YOU
(MGM 10951; March, 1951)
Though Hunter’s pretty good here portraying a man held captive by a woman’s sexual allure, the band is downright frigid with archaic horns as the main support, thereby undercutting the urgency and conflict he shows throughout the song. (4)

IS MY POP IN THERE?
(MGM 10963; April, 1951)
Silly and juvenile novelty-like record that is utterly pointless – and not very funny besides – which Hunter manages to handle in a professional manner that doesn’t require him to completely give up his dignity in the process… stupid but mostly harmless. (3)

WHEN I LOST YOU
(MGM 10995; June, 1951)
Unimaginative waste of time as Hunter tries to court pop audiences with a watered down and less consequential rehash of “I Almost Lost My Mind” utilizing a blander arrangement without any genuine emotional investment. (2)

WRONG WOMAN BLUES
(MGM 11052; September, 1951)
Though he crafts a typically decent song here and even shows a modicum of actual indignant vocal fire briefly, the overall aim isn’t very ambitious and the musical backing is tired and increasingly stale, making a slightly better effort go to waste. (4)

BLUE MOON
(MGM 11132; December, 1951)
It may have been a good idea to cover this timeless classic which had yet to have a truly definitive reading in any genre, but Hunter’s casual disregard for the melody means he loses the song’s greatest attribute causing this moon to fall from the sky. (2)

U NAME IT
(MGM 11132; December, 1951)
An energetic instrumental featuring a very good tenor sax part amidst some otherwise overly jazzy horns and a perfunctory keyboard workout by Hunter, but the main point of interest is the spelling of the title foreshadowing a trend in the distant future. (5)

WHERE SHALL I GO
(MGM 11165; February, 1952)
Trying once again to combine too many styles this starts off rather uneventfully but gradually picks up steam, adding rhythm and vocal emphasis and pulling the story together down the stretch, but it’s still too unfocused to turn any heads. (4)

I WILL BE TRUE
(MGM 11195; March, 1952)
Though it contains a poignant story and a catchy melodic refrain recycled from I Need You So, the guitar accompaniment throws this off and Hunter’s investment isn’t quite strong enough to overcome that, though it resonated with mega-fan Elvis Presley who cut this down the road. (4)

I GET THAT LONESOME FEELING
(MGM 11263; June, 1952)
A halfway decent attempt at injecting a little bit of life into a fairly typical song for Hunter, one that’s barely helped by the arrangement outside of a lone saxophone that doesn’t get to do much, but Ivory Joe handles the song well and comes off looking alright in the end. (4)

TELL HER FOR ME
(MGM 11325; September, 1952)
Another wimpy pop-styled ballad from Hunter who didn’t write this one which shows he was actively seeking out songs to further damage his image, and while he adds a few nice touches to his vocals, it can’t overcome the dreadful material. (2)

ROCKIN’ CHAIR BOOGIE
(MGM 11378; November, 1952)
A welcome, if calculated, return to more authentic rock ‘n’ roll shows that Hunter still knows how to craft a good song and doesn’t shy away from the sexual innuendo in the process, but is still beset with an outdated concept of horn sections to make this pay off the way it should. (7)

MUSIC BEFORE DAWN
(MGM 11378; November, 1952)
The components for a much better song are all present here, but the arrangement typically favors jazz-styled horns rather than the more ostentatious rock saxophones, so while it’s pleasant enough it’s hardly compelling. (4)