b. October 1st, 1936 in Autaugaville (Alabama)
d. March 1st, 2005 in Windsor (Canada)
BLUES HARP
Polydor (Carnival Gold)
OPEN UP BABY
Charly
Fuel 2000
1966 - November 1968
Né dans une famille avec 12 enfants, il fut initié au blues par son grand frère Edward. Il commence à jouer de l'harmonica influencé par "Sonny Boy" Williamson. Après un simple pour Sharp, il rencontre Willie Dixon à Chicago. Celui-ci lui fait enregistrer une poignée de morceaux destinés au label Jewel de Stan Lewis. Pour celui-ci, George délivre de beaux blues campagnards accompagnés de solides sidemen comme Walter Horton, Johnny "Twist" Williams, Cash Mac Call, Lafayette Leake ou Jimmy Dawkins : "Open up baby", "Jelly jam", "Do something baby", "She walks like Mary Ann", "Put it all in there", "Harmonica prayer", "Gravy child", "Keep on". Pendant les séances Jewel, il retourne dans le Sud jouer et tourner avec Lightnin' Hopkins. Beaucoup de ses titres Jewel ne furent édités que lors de la sortie du LP Polydor en 1972.
Born into a family with 12 children, he was introduced to the blues by his older brother Edward. He began playing the harmonica influenced by "Sonny Boy" Williamson. After a single for Sharp, he met Willie Dixon in Chicago who had him record a handful of tracks for Stan Lewis's Jewel label. For this label, George delivered beautiful country blues accompanied by solid sidemen like Walter Horton, Johnny "Twist" Williams, Cash Mac Call, Lafayette Leake, and Jimmy Dawkins : "Open up baby", "Jelly jam", "Do something baby", "She walks like Mary Ann", "Put it all in there", "Harmonica prayer", "Gravy child", "Keep on". During the Jewel sessions, he returned to the South to play and tour with Lightnin' Hopkins. Many of his Jewel tracks were not issued until the Polydor LP release in 1972.
KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING
Mercury
Black Magic
November 1969
Cette séance pour le label Mercury fut produite par Robin Mac Bride et Al Williams. Pour l'occasion, George "Wild Child" Butler est accompagné d'un superbe groupe emmené par Jimmy Dawkins (avec "Mighty" Joe Young, Lafayette Leake, Big Mojo Elem). Bon chanteur et harmoniciste au style campagnard, il délivre de remarquables moments comme "Gravy child", "Can you use a man", "Keep on doin' what you're doin'", "It's all over", "Never had nothin'", "My baby done put me down". En 1991, la séance est rééditée en CD par le label hollandais Black Magic qui ajoute un titre inédit ("When I first met you").
This session for the Mercury label was produced by Robin Mac Bride and Al Williams. For this occasion, George "Wild Child" Butler was accompanied by a superb backing band led by Jimmy Dawkins (with "Mighty" Joe Young, Lafayette Leake, Big Mojo Elem). A skilled singer and harmonica player with a country style, he delivered remarkable moments such as "Gravy child", "Can you use a man", "Keep on doin' what you're doin'", "It's all over", "Never had nothin'", "My baby done put me down". In 1991, the session was reissued on CD by the dutch label Black Magic which added a previously unreleased track ("When I first met you").
FUNKY BUTT LOVER
TK-Roots
Epic
LICKIN' GRAVY
Rooster
M.C.
June 1976
Cet album fut enregistré sous la supervision du producteur Ralph Bass pour le label TK-Roots avec de bons musiciens (Sammy Lawhorn, Nathan Applewhite, Aron Burton) entourant George "Wild Child" Butler, en forme au chant et à l'harmonica. On peut retenir dans ce bon programme "Gravy child", "My baby got another man", "Rock tonight baby" et un superbe "None of nothing" dans lequel il joue seul à l'harmonica. En février 1986, Jimmy Rogers (guitare) et Pinetop Perkins (piano) ajoutèrent leurs intruments en overdubs pour la réédition LP Rooster de 1988. A cette occasion, le label Rooster ajoute trois morceaux inédits à la tracklist initiale. Il faut reconnaitre que cette nouvelle orchestration apporte un peu de dynamisme à un enregistrement initial qui pouvait paraitre un peu terne.
This album was recorded under the supervision of producer Ralph Bass for the TK-Roots label with excellent musicians (Sammy Lawhorn, Nathan Applewhite, Aron Burton) supporting George "Wild Child" Butler, who was in fine form on vocals and harmonica. We can point out on this nice program "Gravy child", "My baby got another man", "Rock tonight baby" and a superb "None of nothing" in which he plays alone with his harmonica. In february 1986, Jimmy Rogers (guitar) and Pinetop Perkins (piano) added their instruments as overdubs for the 1988 Rooster LP reissue. On this occasion, the Rooster label added three previously unreleased tracks to the original tracklist. Admittedly, this new orchestration brings a bit of dynamism to an initial recording that could have seemed a little dull.
THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT
Blue Horizon
THESE MEAN OLD BLUES
Bullseye
April - May 1991
Alors qu'il réside à Toronto au Canada depuis 1981, George "Wild Child" Butler est toujours resté actif en tant que bluesman. Profitant du regain d'intérêt pour le blues au début des années 90, il trouve l'opportunité de graver ce disque à Londres avec le producteur Mike Vernon. Une belle tranche de blues traditionnel avec des morceaux inspirés comme "These mean old blues", "Crack house woman", "The devil made me do it", "It's a pity", "No one woman's name". Suite à sa signature avec Bullseye, le label réédite l'album sous le nouveau titre "These mean old blues".
While residing in Toronto, Canada, since 1981, George "Wild Child" Butler has always remained active as a bluesman. Taking advantage of the resurgence of interest in the blues in the early 1990's, he found the opportunity to record this album in London with producer Mike Vernon. A nice slice of traditional blues with inspired tracks such as "These mean old blues", "Crack house woman", "The devil made me do it", "It's a pity", "No one woman's name". Following his signing with Bullseye, the label reissued the album under the new title "These mean old blues".
STRANGER
Bullseye
Rounder
December 1993
Passé chez Bullseye, George poursuit sa collaboration avec le producteur Mike Vernon et enregistre de nouveau en Angleterre. Un programme intense et inspiré rempli de compositions personnelles constituant sans doute son meilleur album. On apprécie notamment les excellents "Weak in the knees", "Wedding ring blues", "Stranger", "I just can't please her", "Roll and squeeze".
Having moved to Bullseye, George continued his collaboration with producer Mike Vernon and recorded again in England. An intense and inspired program filled with original composition arguably constituting his best album. Particularly noteworthy are the excellent "Weak in the knees", "Wedding ring blues", "Stranger", "I just can't please her", "Roll and squeeze".
SHO' NUFF
APO
January 2000
Sous la supervision du producteur Chad Kassem, George trouve l'opportunité de graver un album de blues traditionnel et terrien. Autour de lui, il y a des sidemen chevronnés : Jimmy D. Lane, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Bob Stroger, Sam Lay. "You had quit me", "I got to go", "Maryanne", "Achin' all over", "I changed" figurent parmi les meilleurs moments. Mais le programme reste un peu trop long et aurait mérité d'être raccourci.
Under the supervision of producer Chad Kassem, George found the opportunity to record a traditional down home blues album. Around him, there are seasoned sidemen : Jimmy D. Lane, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Bob Stroger, Sam Lay. "You had quit me", "I got to go", "Maryanne", "Achin' all over", "I changed" are among the highlights. But the program is still a bit too long and could have been shortened.
GEORGE "WILD CHILD" BUTLER
APO
October 2000
Nouvel enregistrement pour le label APO de Chad Kassem dans la lignée du précédent album. Mais, ici, le programme atteint tout juste 30 minutes. Une nouvelle tranche de blues terrien mi-acoustique mi-électrique avec, en particulier, une belle version de "Weak in the knees".
New recording for Chad Kassem's APO label is in the continuation of his previous album. But here, the program barely reaches 30 minutes. A new slice of down-home blues, half acoustic, half electric, with, in particular, a beautiful version of "Weak in the knees".