Take 5 With Amos MIlburn

I was a senior in college when I went to Cleveland's VA Hospital to see the legendary Amos Milburn who was being treated for a stroke. A few years after this he was able to use one hand in playing and recorded for Johnny Otis. Milburn was one of the biggest rhythm and blues artists of the late 40s and early 50s with his suave singing style and his superb boogie-woogie piano.

One of his early recordings was a cover of "Down the Road a Piece." Here is a version he recorded for the "Showtime at the Apollo" TV show with the Paul Williams Band backing him.

His music was often simply good time music as heard here on "Let's Have a Party."

The great Maxwell Davis arranged and played on many of his recordings including a vocal version of "Flying Home," best known from Lionel Hampton's recording with Illinois Jacquet. Lieber and Stroller wrote the lyrics for this stomping boogie.

Milburn was known for drinking blues as well as hot rocking boogie jump tunes. His hits included "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer," 'Bad bad whiskey," Thinking and Drinking," and "Let Me Go Home Whiskey." Here is "Thinking and Drinking."

 Finally, one of his biggest hits was "Chicken Shack Boogie,' which has been reworked by the likes of Floyd Dixon, Jimmy McCracklin and jump blues revivalists Big Joe and the Dynaflows. The original was a major #1 hit on the R&B charts. Here is Milburn's remake of the song for Imperial backed by Dave Bartholomew's Band with Lee Allen and Earl Palmer. It is hotter than a NASA rocket at lift-off.