Benny Turner — “BT” — Nola Blue Records
Benny Turner is an original.
One of the last of the originals.
The long and winding road of the musical career of Turner, the younger brother of legendary blues guitarist Freddie King, has carried him through the highways and byways of gospel, blues, soul and R&B. And Turner’s last ten years have seen a renewal of his still soulful 85-year-old pipes, thanks to the prescience and perseverance of Nola Blue label owner Sallie Bengston (you can hear her handclaps and backup vocals on a couple of songs here!).
Turner started his career playing guitar for The Kindly Shepherds, a gospel group that he joined on guitar and background vocals for several recordings. At that time, Turner also started playing with his brother at Chicago clubs, where he later joined Dee Clark’s R&B band. Turner then toured with Clark and later the Soul Stirrers in the early 1960s, where he played bass for those legendary gospel quartet pioneers. He eventually rejoined his brother’s band and toured on the blues side of the highway.
Bengston launched her Nola Blue label with Turner’s album “Journey” 10 years ago on Turner’s 75th birthday. The “BT” release celebrates Turner’s 85th year, and the tenth for Nola Blue. That’s a lot of celebrating, but these new sides are up to the occasion. They run the length of his stellar career and cover a variety of styles that never lose sight of Turner’s deep, old-school gospel and blues roots.
He starts it all off with the raucous “Bump Miss Susie,” written by the great R&B songwriter Rudolph Toombs and recorded by Big Joe Turner. Benny Turner easily handles the uptempo, blues-shouter style before slowing down for the classic, gospel hued “Goin’ Down Slow,” first recorded by its composer, St. Louis Jimmy Oden in 1941.
Turner highlights his funky bass work on “The Walk,” a reminder of the teens doing the stroll on American Bandstand. Then Clayton Ivey’s B3 lends passion to the very soulful “That’s When I Call on You,” a 1958 Dee Clark tune. Next is a strong cover of the little-known Muddy Waters song, “Born in This Time,” with another aching Turner vocal.
Turner adds background vocals behind his own lead to mimic Hank Ballard and the Midnighters’ chestnut, “Finger Poppin’ Time,” with Billy Davis, an original Midnighter, on guitar. “Smoke My Peace Pipe (Smoke It Right)” is an homage to Turner’s New Orleans years with a salute to Big Chief Bo Dollis, and Marva Wright on background vocals. (The “big chief” reference is to a group called the Wild Magnolias, which participated in the local “Indian masking” traditions and performed New Orleans Mardi Gras music. The group’s lead member was called the Big Chief, and Dollis became Big Chief in 1964.)
“”Drunk” is a Turner original, a whimsical ode to the bottle, with a tough Jimmy Reed-style shuffle pouring on the music. Two more Turner songs close the session with his down-home guitar leading the gorgeous instrumental “Sleepy Time in the Barnyard.” The fitting finale, “Who Sang It First” is a tribute to the origins of the blues that Turner so obviously cherishes, a paean to all those early bluesmen and blueswomen who actually did sing it first — creating America’s classical music.
Speaking about this session, Turner says: “I had a great time working on this album with some of my favorite musicians and reminiscing about my musical history, from picking up the guitar again to revisiting my gospel roots, to finally recording some of my favorites….the songs “Born In This Time” and “Who Sang It First” are a very important reminder of the history of slavery and the roots of the blues that should never be forgotten.”
What should also never be forgotten is Benny Turner’s own immeasurable contribution to this music. “BT” is an instant classic, with roots that go deep into the heritage of the blues. Ignore it at your peril!
Benny Turner interview with Blues Blast Magazine.
“Drunk,” from the album “BT”
Track Listing and Credits:
Bump Miss Susie 2:52 – Rudolph Toombs; Unichappell Music, Inc.
Lead Vocals – Benny Turner; Background Vocals – Charlie Burnett, Bobby Gentilo, Paul Murr, Nate Young
Guitar – Bobby Gentilo
Upright Bass – Charlie Burnett
Piano, B3 – Nate Young
Drums – Paul Murr
Going Down Slow 5:35 – James Oden; Universal-MCA Music Publishing Division of Universal Music Corp.
Lead and Background Vocals – Benny Turner
Guitar – Will McFarlane
Harmonica – Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport
Bass – Benny Turner
Keys, B3 – Clayton Ivey
Drums – Justin Holde
The Walk 4:01- Jimmy McCracklin; Arc/Conrad o/b/o Arc Music, Inc.
Vocals – Benny Turner
Guitar – Derwin “Big D” Perkins
Horns – Sax Gordon
Bass – Benny Turner
Piano, B3 – Shawn Allen
Clavinet – Bobby Gentilo
Drums – Jeffery “Jellybean” Alexande
When I Call On You 4:12 – Dee Clark; Arc/Conrad o/b/o Conrad Music
Lead Vocals – Benny Turner
Background Vocals – Tiffany Pollack, Bobby Gentilo
Guitar – Will McFarlane
Guitar – Bobby Gentilo
Upright Bass – Charlie Burnett
Wurlitzer, B3 – Clayton Ivey
Percussion – Bobby Gentilo, Benny Turner
Drums – Christy Enge
Born in This Time 4:28 – Willie Boyd and Maurice Jarre; Sony/ATV Harmony and Sony/ATV Melody
Lead Vocals – Benny Turner
Background Vocals – Tiffany Pollack
First Rhythm Guitar – Will McFarlane
Second Rhythm Guitar – Bobby Gentilo
Banjo – Benny Turner
Bass – Benny Turner
Upright Bass – Charlie Burnett
Piano – Keiko Komaki
Wurlitzer, Hammond B-3 – Clayton Ivey
Percussion – Bobby Gentilo
Drums – Jeffery “Jellybean” Alexande
Finger Poppin’ Time 4:11 – Hank Ballard; Embassy Music Corporation
Lead and Background Vocals – Benny Turner
Guitar – Billy Davis
Bass – Benny Turner
Piano, B-3 – Keiko Komaki
Piano, Wurlitzer – Nate Young
Handclaps – Benny Turner, Jeffery “Jellybean” Alexander, Sallie Bengtson, Keiko KomakiDrums – Jeffery “Jellybean” Alexande
Smoke My Peace Pipe (Smoke It Right) aka A Tribute to Big Chief Bo Dollis 3:32 -Wilson Turbington; GOPAM Enterprises Inc. o/b/o Turbine Music
Lead Vocals – Benny Turner
Background Vocals – Warner Williams
Background Vocals – Marva Wright
Lead Guitar – June Yamagishi
Rhythm Guitar – Bobby Gentilo
Rhythm Guitar – Jack Miele
Bass – Benny Turner
Keys and B-3 – Keiko Komaki
Clavinet – Nate Young
Bass Drum – Norwood “Geechie” Johnson
Drums – Jeffery “Jellybean” Alexande
Drunk 2:51- Benny Turner; Nola Blue Music
Lead Vocals – Benny Turner – Bass and Vocals
Background Vocals – Benny Turner, Sallie Bengtson and Bobby Gentilo
Guitar – Will McFarlane
Guitar – Steve Grills
Harmonica – Harrell “Young Rell” Davenport
Bass – Benny Turner
Piano – Bobby Gentilo
Wurlitzer – Clayton Ivey
Percussion – Bobby Gentilo
Justin Holder – Drum
Sleepy Time in the Barnyard 4:59 – Benny Turner; Nola Blue Music
Lead Guitar – Benny Turner
Guitar – Bobby Gentilo
Upright Bass – Charlie Burnett
Piano – Nate Young
Drums – Paul Mur
Who Sang It First 3:59 – James George and Benny Turner; Nola Blue Music
Vocals – Benny Turner
Background Vocals – Kassie Netherland Miele and Tiffany Pollack
Guitar – Will McFarlane
2nd guitar – Jack Miele
Bass – Benny Turner
Wurlitzer – Clayton Ivey
B-3 – Joe Krown
Drums – Justin Holder
All tracks produced by Benny Turner; Tracks 4, 6, 8 co-produced by Bobby Gentilo
Blues Roadhouse 