Lloyd Price

Infobox Musician |
Name = Lloyd Price


Img_capt = Lloyd Price
@ New Orleans Jazz Fest, 1996
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1933|3|9|mf=y
Died =
Origin = Kenner, Louisiana, USA
Instrument =
Genre = R&B
Rock and Roll
Occupation = Vocalist
Years_active = 1952 - present
Label = Specialty Records
KRC Records
ABC-Paramount
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://lawdymissclawdy.com/ Lawdymissclawdy.com]
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Lloyd Price (born 9 March 1933, Kenner, Louisiana) was an early New Orleans-style rock and roll musician. His first recording, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" was a huge hit on Specialty Records in 1952, and although he continued to turn out records, none were as popular until several years later, when he refined the New Orleans beat and achieved a series of national hits.cite book
first=& James Henke (eds)
last= Anthony DeCurtis
authorlink=
coauthors=
year=1980
title= The RollingStone: The Definitive History of the Most Important Artists and Their Music
edition=(3rd Ed.)
publisher=Random House, Inc.
location=New York, N.Y.
pages= p. 40-41
id= ISBN 0-679-73728-6] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.cite web
url=http://www.history-of-rock.com/price.htm
title=Lloyd Price
publisher=history-of-rock
accessdate=2006-11-24 ]

Career

Growing up in a suburb of New Orleans, Price had formal musical training in trumpet and piano, sang in his church's gospel choir, and was a member of a combo in high school. His mother, Beatrice Price, owned the Fish ‘n’ Fry Restaurant, and Price picked up a life-long interest in business and in food from her.

When Art Rupe of Specialty Records came to New Orleans scouting for talent and heard Price's song, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", he wanted to record it. Because Price did not have a band, Rupe hired Dave Bartholomew and his band (which included Fats Domino on piano) to do the arrangements and back up Price in the recording session. The song turned out to be a massive hit and his next release cut at the same session, "Oooh, Oooh, Oooh" a much smaller one. Price continued making recordings for Speciality but did not chart any further hits at that time.

In 1954 he was drafted and ended up in Korea. When he returned he found he had been replaced by Little Richard.cite book
first=& Steve Propes
last= Jim Dawson
authorlink=
coauthors=
year= 1992
title= What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record
edition=
publisher= Faber & Faber
location= Boston & London
pages= p. 108-111
id=ISBN 0-571-12939-0 ] In addition, his former chauffeur, Larry Williams was also recording for the label, having released "Short Fat Fannie."

Price eventually formed KRC Records with Harold Logan and Bill Boskent. The first single was "Just Because". It was picked up by ABC Records and from 1957 to 1959 Price recorded a series of national hits on ABC Records that were successful adaptations of the New Orleans sound, such as "Stagger Lee", "Personality", which reached #2, and the #3 hit "I'm Gonna Get Married". "Stagger Lee" topped the pop and R&B charts, sold over a million copies. Dick Clark insisted the violent content of the song be toned down when Price appeared on American Bandstand but it was still the "violent" version that was on top of the R&B charts of 1959. "Stack-o-Lee" is an old blues standard recorded many times previously by other artists. Greil Marcus, in a critical analysis of the song's history, has written that Price's was an enthusiastic hard rock version with a screaming saxophone. [cite web
url=http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=172
title=Hall of Fame Inductee
publisher=rock and roll hall of fame
accessdate=2006-11-24 ]

In 1962, Price formed Double L Records with Logan. Wilson Pickett got his start on this label. In 1969, Logan was murdered. Price then founded a new label, Turntable, and opened a club by the same name in New York City. [ [http://www.www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608002347/Lloyd-Price.html Lloyd Price at Musician Guide] ]

Price toured Europe in 1993 with Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Gary U.S. Bonds. He performed in 2005 with soul legends Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, and Ben E. King for the "Four Kings of Rhythm and Blues" tour, concerts captured for a DVD and PBS television special.

Price currently manages Icon Food Brands which makes a line of primarily Southern-style foods, including Lawdy Miss Clawdy food products, ranging from canned greens to sweet potato cookies, and a line of Lloyd Price foods, such as Lloyd Price's Soulful 'n' Smooth Grits and Lloyd Price's Energy-2-Eat Bar (with the brand slogan "Good taste ... Great Personality"), plus Lawdy Miss Clawdy clothing and collectibles. [ [http://lawdymissclawdy.com/index.html Icon Food Products web page] ]

Lloyd Price Avenue in Kenner, Louisiana was named for the singer and the city celebrates an annual Lloyd Price Day. [ [http://lawdymissclawdy.com/iconbrands.htm "Kenner Mayor Brousard Presents ..."] ]

Top 40 hits (U.S.)

* 1952 "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" (#1 R&B)
* 1957 "Just Because" (#29 Pop)
* 1959 "Stagger Lee" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B) (certified Gold)
* 1959 "Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day?)" (#23 Pop)
* 1959 "Personality" (#2 Pop, #1 R&B) (certified Gold)
* 1959 "I'm Gonna Get Married" (#3 Pop, #1 R&B)
* 1959 "Come Into My Heart" (#20 Pop)
* 1960 "Lady Luck" (#14 Pop)
* 1960 "No If's - No And's" (#40 Pop)
* 1960 "Question" (#19 Pop)
* 1963 "Misty" (#21 Pop)

References

External links

* [http://www.google.com/musica?aid=Bpd_ABmQcPP&sa=X&oi=music&ct=result List of releases]
* [http://bobshannon.com/stories/Stagger.html Stagger Lee -- Lloyd Price]
* [http://www.history-of-rock.com/price.htm History-of-rock]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:be851vsjzzma~T1 All Music Guide]
* [http://lawdymissclawdy.com/index.html Icon Food Products]