Frankie Lee Jones was born in Mart, TX in 1941, moving to Austin after High School. He met Ike Turner there and for a couple of years was one of the featured vocalists in his Revue. He then settled in Houston where he madehis first recordings for the tiny Great Scott label.
Both sides of his initial release are strong Texas blues – “Full Time Lover” is an answer to Little Johnny Taylor’s smash of course, but ListenDon’t Make Me Cry has a mambo beat rather in the manner of Bobby Bland’s “You’re Worth It All”. This 45 was picked up by local musical head man Don Robey who recorded the the tracks again, and also recorded Lee for a further two singles. “I Gotta Come Back” is tough R & B but it was the blues ballad flip “Taxi Blues” that got the regional success and it has become his signature tune ever since. His final 45 for Robey “I’m Making Love” was another answer song, this time to Johnnie Taylor’s Stax smash, but again it was the slower side “Hello Mr Blues” which ha stood the test of time so much better.
Frankie toured with Albert Collins for a couple of years before the move to California that kick started his career. He cut with his cousin Johnny Guitar Watson for Elka. “Love’s Repossession” was very much in the “Superman Lover” vein that Watson got into at that period, but rather more in Frankie’s established style was the heartfelt ballad ListenStrung Out On You on which Lee sounded just terrific. Even better was his cut of the marvellous ballad ListenMay The Best Man Win for the small California Gold label. I can never quite make up my mind wheter I prefer Frankie’s interpretation of this killer track or Reuben Bell’s. Lee is screamingly demonstrative, pleading on his knees, almost distraught with emotion while Bell has the slow burn intensity of a desperate man. Maybe they are as good as each other.
These days Frankie Lee –along with Jackie Payne and Mighty Sam – is keeping the soul/blues flame alive, often working with that talented guitarist Bobby Murray. All of his albums, with the exception of the atypical and uneven African Wind, are an essential part of any self-respecting music collection. His mighty voice with its rough grained tone is still a joy to listen to, and each of his sets has had songs to treasure on them, often from his own pen. On “The Ladies And The Babies” it is the stand out minor keyed blues of ListenThe Woman Don’t Live Here No More, and on “Sooner Or Later” the heartfelt “Can’t Take No More” is the track that really hits the spot. On the soulful “Going Back Home” set it’s the insistent toe tapper “Finders Keepers” and on “Here I Go Again” it’s the ultra deep ListenRock My Soul on which Frankie sounds like he’s truly on the edge.
Credits:
Rusty Allen - Bass
George Brooks - Horn Arrangements, Saxophone
Andrew Brown - Guitar
Chris Burns - Piano
Tony Coleman - Drums
Butch Cousins - Drums
Richard Cousins - Bass
Sam Cox - Congas, Drums
Leonard Gill - Bass, Guitar
Tim Hyland - Trumpet
Vivien Irving - Tambourine
Russell Jackson - Bass
Larry Jones - Trumpet
Kraig Kilby - Vocal, Trombone
Lady Bianca - Backing Vocals
Frankie Lee - Vocals
Pauline Lozana - Backing Vocals
Drake McCarthy - Trumpet
Marvin McFadden - Trumpet
Buddy Montgomery - Marimba
Charlene Moore - Backing Vocals
Bobby Murray - Guitar
Jim Pugh - Organ, Piano
Dan Regan - Trombone
Tracklist:
01. Finders Keepers 03:59
02. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby 03:05
03. One Stone At A Time 04:08
04. What's The Matter Baby 03:49
05. Don't Make Me Cry 04:49
06. Got To Keep On Movin' 05:00
07. Let The Good Times Roll 02:13
08. The Love You Save Today 02:58
09. Ain't That Peculiar 03:12
10. Rock My Soul 05:25
11. Goin' Back Home 04:23
12. Party Down 02:53
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