Rootin' and Tootin' - Complete Imperial Singles 1950-1961 2CD

Smiley Lewis - Rootin' And Tootin' - Complete Imperial Singles 1950-1961 2CD

61-track double-disc collection gathering the complete A & B sides of Smiley Lewis' Imperial Records 45s from 1950 to 1961! A true New Orleans Rhythm & Blues legend, Lewis developed a raw, driving sound that made him one of the most important figures in the city's post-war music scene. This superb collection brings together an extraordinary body of work spanning more than a decade of recordings.

During this period, Lewis scored major R&B hits with I Hear You Knocking, which reached No.2 on the R&B chart in 1955 and was later a hit for Dave Edmunds, One Night, which reached No.11 in 1956 before becoming a hit for Elvis Presley, and Please Listen To Me, which reached No.9 in 1956. He was also the first to record Dave Bartholomew's Blue Monday in 1954, two years before Fats Domino turned it into a hit.

Alongside those essential recordings, Rootin' And Tootin' delivers a wealth of superb New Orleans R&B including Tee-Nah-Nah, Big Mamou, Caldonia's Party, Down The Road, Real Gone Lover, One Night, Lil Liza Jane, Stormy Monday Blues and the title track Rootin' And Tootin'. With the complete Imperial A & B sides brought together across two CDs, this is an essential collection of classic recordings from one of the genuine pioneers of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues.