Just A Little Bit - The Singles Collection 1951-61

Roscoe Gordon (his name sometimes also appeared as Rosco) was a blues pianist, singer and songwriter from Memphis, who was a pioneer of the Memphis blues style, creating what was known as the “Rosco rhythm”, which later influenced ska and reggae. Born in 1928, he was an associate in Memphis of artists known as the Beale Streeters, who included Johnny Ace, Bobby Bland and B.B. King, He got his own radio show in 1950 after winning a talent show, and was introduced to Sam Phillips of Sun Records and Johnny Otis, talent scout and producer for Modern Records, and they both influenced his recording career. This 52-track 2-CD collection comprises most of his recordings from this era on the RPM, Chess, Duke, Sun and Vee Jay labels – confusingly, he often recorded for different labels simultaneously. It features his R&B No. 1 “Booted”, and his other Top 10 R&B hits, which were the No. 2s with “No More Doggin’”and “Just A Little Bit”, and a No. 9 with “Saddled The Cow (And Milked The Horse)”. He was an influential figure in Memphis, often appearing on other artists’ records, and this collection of his own recordings is an entertaining showcase for his distinctive talent and style.