From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sat Oct 12, 2002  1:23 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Sugar Boy Crawford
 
JAMES "SUGAR BOY" CRAWFORD (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born James Crawford Jr, 12 October 1934, New Orleans, Louisiana

One of the more colourful figures that surfaced during the classic 1950s
era of New Orleans R&B was the legendary "Sugar Boy". Perhaps best
known for his explosive 1954 Carnival hit "Jock-A-Mo", Sugar Boy
achieved a reputation as being one of New Orleans finest vocalists and
leader of some of the best N.O. R&B bands.

The only child of Mary and James Crawford, he grew up in the Uptown
section of the city and got his first introduction to music on Sundays at
the Baptist Church. By the time he reached his teens, he had learned to
play the trombone and rudiments of piano, and joined a marching band.
While in high school, he had a little a band, notably with Edgar "Big Boy"
Myles, nicknamed the "Chapaka Shawee" (a Creole expression) by N.O.
DJ Dr Daddy-O, following a tune of the same name they played on his
radio show. They started to make a name for themselves and Dave
Bartholomew, then A&R for Aladdin Records, signed the group. They
recorded four tracks in November 1952, with "Big Boy" Myles taking
most of the vocals, as Sugar Boy showed up hoarse from the previous
night's gig. Two tracks, "No One To Love Me" and "Early Sunday Morning",
were issued on Aladdin 3170 under the guise "The Shaweez". The single
failed to make any noise outside of New Orleans, and has gained a
reputation today for his rarity.

Despite the Aladdin disappointment, their popularity grew with club
dates and more radio broadcasts. In 1953, Leonard Chess happened to
be at WMRY where the Chapaka Shaweez were rehearsing. He made
an audition tape on the spot, and subsequently issued the songs as is,
releasing "I Don't Know What I'll Do" / "Overboard" on Checker 783 as
Sugar Boy And The Cane Cutters.
"Overboard" is particularly interesting as it could easily be the first New
Orleans Punk record with trashing drums and honking saxes. His biggest
hit, "Jock-A-Mo" was released on Checker 787 in 1954 and is the first
version of the Mardi Gras Indian Chant "Iko Iko", better known via versions
by The Dixie Cups, Dr John and Larry Williams.
Upon his release from Chess in 1956, Sugar Boy Crawford hooked up
again with Dave Bartholomew, this time for Imperial. Backed with the
creme de la creme of the New Orleans session players (Lee Allen, Herb
Hardesty, Earl Palmer, etc..), he laid down some mean New Orleans
Rock'n'Roll at the famed Cosimo's studio. Imperial issued four singles
with notable tracks like "She's Got Wobble (When She Walks)", "Morning
Star" and Huey Smith's "It's Over" until 1958 when Imperial dropped him
(they had lots to do with Fats Domino and Ricky Nelson!).

Sugar Boy and his band continued to work regularly at proms,
nightclubs and dances and had some more singles on Montel, Ace
and Peacock, up until 1963.
It was in Monroe, Louisiana that Sugar Boy Crawford's career as a
R&B performer took an end when a state trooper beat him to death (or
shot him). It took him two years to recover sufficiently to lead a normal
life, but not for music. To these days, Sugar Boy Crawford is a devout
Church person and remains proud of his career as a rhythm & blues
performer.

Recommended listening:
"SUGAR BOY CRAWFORD - 30 NEW ORLEANS CLASSICS" USA BAYOU (bootleg?)