Sam Theard
| Sam Theard | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Lovin' Sam from Down in 'Bam, Lovin' Sam Theard, Spo-Dee-O-Dee, Sam Tarpley |
| Born |
October 10, 1904 New Orleans, United States |
| Died |
December 7, 1982 (aged 78) Los Angeles, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, singer comedian |
| Years active | Late 1920s–1970s |
Samuel Allen Theard (New Orleans, 10 October 1904 - 7 December 1982, Los Angeles), was a singer, song-writer, actor and comedian. He also performed as Lovin' Sam Theard and a variety of other names.
His first recordings, as Lovin' Sam from Down in 'Bam, accompanied by Tampa Red[1] and Cow Cow Davenport, date from 1929, when he recorded one of his best-known songs, "(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You", for Brunswick Records[2] in 1929 with Cow Cow Davenport,[3] and which was covered by several artists.
He recorded for Brunswick from 1929 to 1931.[4]
In 1930, he also recorded for the Gennett label as Sam Tarpley,[1] and for Decca in 1934 (backed by pianist Albert Ammons).[1] In 1936, again for Decca, he recorded "New Rubbing On That Darned Old Thing", which would later be recorded by Grateful Dead as "The Rub".[2] In 1937, he recorded "Spo-Dee-O-Dee" for Vocalion, and a watered-down version for Decca in 1940.[5]
His last recording as Lovin’ Sam was for the Bluebird label in 1938.[5]
Using the name Spo-Dee-O-Dee, Theard performed as a comedian at the Apollo Theater in Harlem during the 1930s and '40s,[1] and also recorded under that name in 1941.[5] Another well-known song, co-written with Louis Jordan, but credited to his wife, Fleecie Moore, was "Let the Good Times Roll",[2] written in 1942, which became a hit a few years later when Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five recorded it in 1946, one of many Theard compositions recorded by Jordan. Theard would later appear in Jordan's film Caldonia.[1][6]
With Rudy Toombs he co-wrote “Hard Ridin’ Mama”, which was recorded by Wynonie Harris in 1947.[5]
He also sang on records recorded by Tiny Parham and trumpeter Hot Lips Page,[1] possibly on Page’s “The Egg or the Hen” (1949), a song Theard may also have co-written.[5]
In 1950, he co-wrote, and recorded for Mercury Records, "Rock around the clock" with Hal Singer.[2]
Theard co-wrote several other songs, including "I've Been Around" with Henry Glover, and with the pianist Teddy Brannon, "If you see my baby", recorded by Count Basie in 1950.[5]
“Stormy Night Blues”, co-written with Henry Glover and Teddy Brannon was recorded by Wynonie Harris in 1950,[5] and the following year, Eddie “Cleanhead" Vinson recorded “Home Boy”, co-written with Brannon and Roy Eldridge recorded another Heard-Brannon composition, “Baby, What’s the matter with You?”[5]
In the last decade of his life he played in a few Hollywood television productions.[1][7]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Biography allmusic. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 Fuchs, Otto (2011) Bill Haley: Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll, p. 118. Wagner Verlag at Google Books. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
- ↑ Wafe, Stephen (2012) The Beautiful Music All Around Us: Field Recordings and the American Experience, p. 382 (Google eBook). University of Illinois Press at Google Books. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
- ↑ Laird, Ross (2001) Brunswick records. 3. Chicago and regional sessions. Greenwood Publishing Group at Google Books. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Birnbaum, Larry (2012) Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock 'n' Roll. Rowman & Littlefield at Google Books. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
- ↑ Clear, Rebecca D. (1993) Jazz on Film and Video in the Library of Congress Library of Congress at Google Books. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
- ↑ Spo-De-Odee at the Internet Movie Database
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