Big Joe Turner
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Although he came to his greatest fame in the 1950s with his pioneering rock and roll recordings, particularly “
Known variously as The Boss of the Blues, and Big Joe Turner (due to his 6’2”, 300+ lbs stature), Turner was born in Kansas City and first discovered his love of music through involvement in the church. Turner’s father was killed in a train accident when Joe was only four years old. He began singing on street corners for money, leaving school at age fourteen to begin working in Kansas City’s club scene, first as a cook, and later as a singing bartender. He eventually became known as The Singing Barman, and worked in such venues as The Kingfish Club and The Sunset, where he and his piano playing partner Pete Johnson became resident performers. The Sunset was managed by Piney Brown. It featured “separate but equal” facilities for white patrons. Turner wrote “
At that time Kansas City was a wide-open town run by “Boss” Tom Pendergast. Despite this, the clubs were subject to frequent raids by the police, but as Turner recounts, “The Boss man would have his bondsmen down at the police station before we got there.
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Big Joe Turner (The Big Blues Collection)
Big Joe Turner
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Big Joe Turner's Greatest Hits
Big Joe Turner
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The Very Best Of Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner
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Cherry Casino - The Chicken and…
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Feelin' Happy
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Midnight Special
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Hide And Seek - version 2 (1966)
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