Wilbert Harrison - Scratchin’ The Wild Jimmy Spruill Story (2014)

Tracklist

CD1
01. Kansas City
02. Hard Grind
03. Wildcat Tamer
04. Big Muddy
05. Believe Me Darling
06. It’s Too Late
07. Your Evil Thoughts
08. Kansas City March
09. Jersey City
10. Strange Angels
11. Possum Belly Overalls
12. Shakin’
13. You’re Going To Miss Me (When I’m Gone)
14. Don’t Wreck My Life
15. Till The Day I Die
16. Lonely Island
17. There’s Something On Your Mind ((Part 2))
18. Sweet Little Girl
19. Jump For Joy
20. Going Back To My Home Town
21. No.9 Train
22. Hardworking Man
23. All In My Mind
24. Down In The Valley
25. Slow Draggin’
26. Little School Girl
27. Driving Home ((Part 2))
28. Fannie Mae
29. Hard Times (The Slop)
30. Scratchin’

CD2
01. Scratch’n’Twist
02. Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby
03. I’ll Go My Way
04. Rockin’ With “B”
05. The Squeeze ((Part 1))
06. The Pleasure Is All Mine
07. Don’t Ever Leave Me
08. Go Away Mr Blues
09. Mind On Loving You
10. Raisin’ Hell
11. I’m Worried
12. Sugar Babe
13. Bad Motorcycle
14. Chicken Scratch
15. Ya Ya
16. The Happy Organ
17. Tossin’ And Turnin’
18. Dedicated To The One I Love
19. Most Of All
20. If You Just Woulda Said Goodbye
21. After Hours Blues
22. Harry Let’s Marry
23. Country Boy
24. Hoot Owl
25. Please Don’t Hurt Me
26. Deserie
27. So Much
28. Charles Walker Slop
29. Jookin’
30. Memphis
31. Goodbye Kansas City


b. 9 June 1934, Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA, d. 3 February 1996, Washington, DC, USA. Although best known as a sideman, guitarist Spruill appeared on numerous R&B sessions in the late 50s and early 60s, mainly in New York City, where he had relocated around 1955. The labels on which he appeared included Fire, Fury, Everlast, Enjoy and VIM, all owned by Bobby and Danny Robinson, as well as Old Town and Vanguard Records. Among the artists with whom Spruill worked are Buster Brown, King Curtis, Bob Gaddy, John Hammond Jnr. , Jim and Bob Harrison, Little Anthony And The Imperials, Little Danny, the Shirelles, Tarheel Slim, Lynn Taylor And The Peachettes, and Charles Walker. Of particular note are his recordings with Wilbert Harrison, of ‘Kansas City’, and Bobby Lewis, of ‘Tossin’ And Turnin’’, on both of which he delivers blistering solos. These and other recordings of the period vividly demonstrate why he was billed as Wild Jimmy Spruill.

In the mid-60s, Spruill briefly led his own band and enjoyed a brief career as a headliner at east coast nightclubs. He drifted out of music, reportedly working through the 70s and 80s as an interior decorator. He collapsed and died while travelling by bus home to New York after a vacation.

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