From: "Dik de Heer" Date: Mon Aug 26, 2002 2:11 am Subject: Born To Be With You : Arthur Crudup ARTHUR "BIG BOY" CRUDUP Born 24 August 1905, Forest, MIssissippi Died 28 March 1974, Nassawadox, Virginia Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup will forever be known as the author of "That's All Right (Mama)," the first song Elvis Presley recorded. Released on the Sun label in 1954, the record helped launch Presley's phenomenal career and linked blues with early rock & roll. Presley also recorded versions of two other Crudup songs, "My Baby Left Me" and "So Glad You're Mine". Crudup wrote other blues classics, including "Rock Me Mama," "Mean Old Frisco," and "Shout Sister Shout", which have been covered by artists such as B.B. King, Big Mama Thornton, and Bobby "Blue" Bland. Born and raised in Mississippi, Crudup began his career singing in gospel groups and church choirs. He did not learn to play the guitar until he was 32, working in rural occupations until he was guided by a local bluesman, Papa Harvey. He began playing the blues after moving to Chicago in 1939. Working the city's street corners for spare change, Crudup was discovered by blues producer Lester Melrose, who signed him to a recording contract with the Bluebird label. In 1945-46 he had 5 Top 10 R&B hits, including "Rock Me Mama" (# 3) and "So Glad You're Mine" (# 3). In 1947, Arthur's relationship with Melrose ended after Crudup found out he was not being paid royalties for his songs. He returned to Mississippi where he operated a successful bootlegging business and continued to record with RCA in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He scored another R&B hit in 1951 with "I'm Gonna Dig Myself A Hole" (# 9). Crudup frequently toured with Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) and Elmore James. By the mid-1950s he had all but quit his career as a songwriter and bluesman. Angered at repeatedly being cheated out of money due him, Crudup faded from the blues scene until he was rediscovered in Mississippi in the mid-'60s. Crudup began recording again and released albums on the Delmark and Liberty labels. A film documentary based on his life (Arthur Crudup: Born in the Blues) came out in 1973. He toured the U.S. and Europe before he died of a stroke in 1974. CD: After Hours (BMG/Camden). 25 tracks, RCA, Bluebird and Fire recordings.