Jimmy Wilson was a blues and R&B singer, and occasional bass player and saxophonist, born in Louisiana, who was a gospel singer with the Pilgrim Travelers in California when he started recording secular blues for San Francisco entrepreneur Bob Geddins in 1948. He recorded in snatches over the next decade, often under Geddins’ auspices, mostly being associated with the West Coast blues scene, and had a No. 10 R&B hit with “Tin Pan Alley” in 1953, although he was never able to follow through in that success. He did not record again after these sessions featured here, and declined into alcoholism, dying in 1966 in his mid-‘40s.
He did not record prolifically, and this 49-track 2-CD collection comprises just about all his recordings from these years on the Cava-Tone, Aladdin, Big Town, Rhythm, Irma, Goldband and Duke labels. It naturally includes his big Top 10 R&B chart success “Tin Pan Alley”. The collection features recordings produced by Bob Geddins and other, featuring musicians like guitarists Lafayette Thomas and Clarence Garlow, pianists King Solomon and Sherman Louis, saxophonist and songwriter Que Martin, and ace pianist Jimmy McCracklin.
It’s about as thorough a career retrospective as we could achieve for a fine singer who promised much but who maybe did not have the opportunities to achieve his full potential.
CD 1
1. NOBODY'S BUSINESS Bob Geddins Cavaliers (Cava-Tone 101) 1948
2. GHOST RIDERS Bob Geddins Cavaliers (Cava-Tone 101) 1948
3. I'M SO TIRED I COULD CRY West Side Trio (Cava-Tone 102) 1948
4. WEST SIDE JUMP West Side Trio (Cava-Tone 102) 1948
5. I'M A STRANGER HERE Bob Geddins Cavaliers (Cava-Tone 103) 1948
6. HONEY BEE Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Aladdin 3087) 1949
7. PLEASE BELIEVE ME Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Aladdin 3087) 1949
8. IT'S A SIN TO TELL A LIE Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Aladdin 3140) 1949
9. MISTAKE IN LIFE Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Aladdin 3140) 1949
10. EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Aladdin 3169) 1953
11. LEMON SQUEEZER Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Aladdin 3169) 1953
12. IT'S TIME TO CHANGE Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Aladdin 3241) 1953
13. ANY MAN'S A FOOL Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Aladdin 3241) 1953
14. TIN PAN ALLEY Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Big Town 101) 1953
15. BIG TOWN JUMP Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Big Town 101) 1953
16. CALL ME A HOUND DOG Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Big Town 103) 1953
17. INSTRUMENTAL JUMP Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (Big Town 103) 1953
18. A WOMAN IS TO BLAME Jimmy Wilson (Big Town 107) 1953
19. BLUES AT SUNDOWN Jimmy Wilson (Big Town 107) 1953
20. ETHEL LEE Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (7-11 2104) 1953
21. TELL ME Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (7-11 2104) 1953
22. BABY DON'T WANT NOBODY BUT ME Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (7-11 2105) 1953
23. CRYING LIKE A BABY CHILD Jimmy Wilson & His All Stars (7-11 2105) 1953
24. STRANGEST BLUES Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Rhythm 1765) 1954
CD 2
1. I USED TO LOVE A WOMAN Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Rhythm 1765) 1954
2. TROUBLE TROUBLE Jimmy Wilson (Rhythm 1766) 1954
3. FRISCO BAY Jimmy Wilson (Rhythm 1766) 1954
4. TEARDROPS ON MY PILLOW Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Big Town 113) 1954
5. MOUNTAIN CLIMBER Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Big Town 113) 1954
6. LOUISE Jimmy Wilson (Chart 610) 1956
7. ALLEY BLUES Jimmy Wilson (Chart 610) 1956
8. SEND ME YOUR KEY Jimmy Wilson (Chart 629) 1956
9. POOR POOR LOVER Jimmy Wilson (Chart 629) 1956
10. JUMPING FROM SIX TO SIX Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Big Town 115) 1956
11. TROUBLE IN MY HOUSE Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Big Town 115) 1956
12. I'VE FOUND OUT Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Big Town 123) 1956
13. OH! RED Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Big Town 123) 1956
14. OH! RED Jimmy Wilson & His Band (Irma 108) 1956
15. BLUES IN THE ALLEY Jimmy Wilson Blues Blasters Band (Irma 108) 1956
16. BIG WHEEL ROLLING Jimmie Wilson (Goldband 1074) 1958
17. PLEASE ACCEPT MY LOVE Jimmie Wilson (Goldband 1074) 1958
18. DON'T YOU KNOW Jimmie Wilson (Goldband 1092) 1959
19. COULD I BE WRONG Jimmie Wilson (Goldband 1092) 1959
20. YANKY DANKY DOODLE Jimmie Wilson (Goldband 1095) 1960
21. THAT IS WHY I'M HAPPY Jimmie Wilson (Goldband 1095) 1960
22. EASY EASY BABY Jimmy Wilson (Duke 331) 1961
23. MY HEART CRIES OUT FOR YOU Jimmy Wilson (Duke 331) 1961
24. I DON'T CARE Jimmy Wilson (Duke 339) 1961
25. PATIENTLY Jimmy Wilson (Duke 339) 1961
