Today’s dose courtesy of COVID, in recognition of the Rona’s roaring return
From Marie “Queenie” Lyons’ Soul Fever, a true one-off 70s funky r&b grail
As you can see, the record cover also lives up to the hype
She was born in Archibald, LA, but moved to Ashtabula, a small town in Northeastern Ohio, at 10 years old with her family (one of 8 kids)
Ashtabula is about an hour trip from Cleveland up the Lake Erie shore
She started singing at a local club in high school, working weekends and the occasional school-night
After graduating from Ashtabula High in 61, she went full-time
The club was “Castaways” – no word if it was as scuzzy as its North Ave Beach namesake
After a couple years, she headed to New York, staying with her uncle and aunt in Queens
(That could be how she got her nickname, but I couldn’t confirm)
She landed a gig singing in King Curtis’ band, and also performed with Jackie Wilson, Fats Domino, and other r&b greats
Got to meet Sammy Davis Jr when she headlined at the Metropole Cafe jazz club on 48th Street in midtown (she says his life advice was “follow your dreams”)
That she did, living the small-town-girl-in-the-big-city life
While also touring around the country
An interview mentions that in the Chicago area she played shows at the Wine & Roses Cocktail Lounge (in Schiller Park), who billed her as a female version of James Brown
Her first single (“A minute of his good time”) was released in 1967 on Sims
But she also did some performing with the Godfather himself
Who got her signed to DeLuxe, a King-affiliated label
And put out three 45 singles and then the LP, between 68 and 70
Recorded at the DeLuxe studios in Cincinnati
Musicians aren’t credited, but a bunch of the tracks were composed by a pre-avant-garde (avant-avant-garde?) Don Pullen
And it’s rumored he is on piano
Fever was one of the singles
Written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, first performed by Little Willie John
The most famous version is by Peggy Lee from 58 (accompanied by just bass and fingersnaps!)
It’s been covered hundreds of times (Elvis, La Lupe, Boney M, Madonna, Beyonce, inter alia)
But Queenie’s rendition is truly unique
The whispered intro, the booming sax, the pleading/demanding power/sex/love dynamic brilliantly dramatized in her vocals
The album is chock full of killers
From the opener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_nwUsczITM
to the JB closer where she tries out the king’s style to great effect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D81cLbnNfKI
With no filler in the middle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl5FkaToclM
Another fave
Unfortunately, it was to be her last, as the album never got a follow-up
For reasons that aren’t entirely clear (business, personal, life, etc)
She hung around in Queens until 1976, when her only son Cheyrone was born
But then decided to move…back to Ashtabula
Where she opened up her own bar called “Queenie’s Lounge”
Which still operates to this day!
Tragically, Cheyrone was killed in a robbery in a town near Ashtabula at age 31
The album was reissued in the mid-2000s
And remains a soul and funk staple
For collectors and lovers of everything that is good and holy
