The New
"Tales From the Side of the Road"
by Jack Hayslett
jackhayslett@sbcglobal.net
Jesse Stone
Another Atchison Legend
born as
Charles E. Calhoun
The Godfather of Rock & Roll !
Another Atchison Legend
born as
Charles E. Calhoun
The Godfather of Rock & Roll !
Born in Atchison in 1901, Jesse Stone was a pianist, composer and producer of considerable importance in the heyday of popular music.
He died April 1, 1999, in Altamonte Springs, Fla., at age 97. He was also known as Charles or Chuck Calhoun. Jesse (Chuck) is remembered as the man who wrote “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” and he also helped develop many of Atlantic Records’ biggest rock-and-roll hits.
He wrote many more tunes, including the swing tune “Idaho,” a huge Guy Lombardo 3 million seller in the mid-1940s. Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey also used hit recordings of the tune.
Jesse was the grandson of Tennessee slaves, who at age 5 was already performing and touring with his family’s minstrel show.
In the 1920s he led a jazz group that included the future saxophone legend Coleman Hawkins.
His musical career included minstrel, folk, dance, rhythm-and-blues, rock-and-roll and jazz. He helped build Atlantic Records into a top rhythm and blues label in the 1940s-50s. He introduced the likes of Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, Big Joe Turner, the Drifters and the Clovers (my favorites).
In 1974, Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records, said “Jesse Stone did more to develop the basic rock ’n’ roll sound than anybody else.” And “whoda’ thunk” Atchison has more great people show up from its past every day.
I’m sure others around Atchison already know about Jesse Stone, but it is another interesting piece of Atchison history. Who knows? Maybe a new trolley stop someday. A tip of the Atchison hat to Jesse.
Jack Hayslett
Read
more on Jesse Stone
Artist: Jesse Stone
Active: 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s
Genre:
Styles: Rock & Roll, R&B
Formed: 1901
Songwriter Jesse Stone wrote the classic rock songs "Shake Rattle and Roll," "Don't Let Go," "Flip Flop and Fly" -- co written with Willie Lou Turner -- and "Your Cash Ain't Nothing but Trash." Stone, who also wrote songs under the pseudonym Charles E. Calhoun
The Godfather of Rock & Roll, Jesse Stone!
Jesse Stone
Jesse Stone was born on November 16 in 1901. He was an African-American bandleader, song writer, and music producer.
From Atchison, KS, Charles Calhoun (his name at birth) was the grandson of Tennessee slaves, and began performing when he was five years old in his family's touring minstrel show. During the 1920s, Stone was the leader of a jazz band that included saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. Around 1936, Duke Ellington helped Stone get work at New York City's Cotton Club. During this time Stone became a staff arranger, composer, comedy writer at the Apollo Theater. Stone musical career included working folk concerts, dance, R&B, and rock & roll bands.
He joined the staff at Atlantic Records as a producer, songwriter, and arranger in the late '40s. During that decade, Stone wrote "Idaho" which was played by Guy Lombardo and sold three million copies. Stone understood the racism in the industry and knew that the talent of Black Americans in music would only break the color barrier with white artist playing Black music. Stone, Herb Abrams, (his partner) and the Cleveland DJ Allen Freid made a trip throughout the south, eventually finding Bill Haley & The Comets; it was Stone who made the decision that this band was the one to do it. He went on to record Haley performing his song "Shake Rattle and Roll" on Decca Records.
The single sold a million copies, peaking at number seven pop on Billboard's charts during summer 1954 and assisting in the acceptance of "Negro music" by white audiences. It was included on the album Rock Around the Clock which hit number 12 pop in early 1956 and boasted the million-selling title track that held the number one pop spot for eight weeks and hit number three R&B in spring 1955 in the 1954 Glenn Ford movie Blackboard Jungle and later used as an early opening track for ABC-TV's '70s sitcom Happy Days and "Burn the Candle."
Epic Records star Roy Hamilton played Stone's "Don't Let Go," taking it to number two R&B in early 1958. "Don't Let Go" was also done by Issac Hayes whose disco string and horn-laced version hit number 11 R&B in fall 1979 and Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen's version charted at number 56 pop in early 1975. Stone also wrote the classic "Flip Flop and Fly" and "Your Cash Ain't Nothing but Trash." Stone, who also worked under the pseudonym Charles E. Calhoun, was a key player in the development of artists such as Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, the Drifters, and the Clovers.
At the age 97, Jesse Stone died April 1, 1999, in Altamonte Springs, FL
a.k.a. Charles E. Calhoun
Other New Stories on the New Atchison Enquirer
The Atchison Connection to Glenn Miller's Band, the Modernaires and Dave Condon
On page music:
Shake, Rattle & Roll
(Bill Haley & The Comets)
Artist: Jesse Stone
Active: 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s
Genre:
Styles: Rock & Roll, R&B
Formed: 1901
Songwriter Jesse Stone wrote the classic rock songs "Shake Rattle and Roll," "Don't Let Go," "Flip Flop and Fly" -- co written with Willie Lou Turner -- and "Your Cash Ain't Nothing but Trash." Stone, who also wrote songs under the pseudonym Charles E. Calhoun
The Godfather of Rock & Roll, Jesse Stone!
Jesse Stone
Jesse Stone was born on November 16 in 1901. He was an African-American bandleader, song writer, and music producer.
From Atchison, KS, Charles Calhoun (his name at birth) was the grandson of Tennessee slaves, and began performing when he was five years old in his family's touring minstrel show. During the 1920s, Stone was the leader of a jazz band that included saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. Around 1936, Duke Ellington helped Stone get work at New York City's Cotton Club. During this time Stone became a staff arranger, composer, comedy writer at the Apollo Theater. Stone musical career included working folk concerts, dance, R&B, and rock & roll bands.
He joined the staff at Atlantic Records as a producer, songwriter, and arranger in the late '40s. During that decade, Stone wrote "Idaho" which was played by Guy Lombardo and sold three million copies. Stone understood the racism in the industry and knew that the talent of Black Americans in music would only break the color barrier with white artist playing Black music. Stone, Herb Abrams, (his partner) and the Cleveland DJ Allen Freid made a trip throughout the south, eventually finding Bill Haley & The Comets; it was Stone who made the decision that this band was the one to do it. He went on to record Haley performing his song "Shake Rattle and Roll" on Decca Records.
The single sold a million copies, peaking at number seven pop on Billboard's charts during summer 1954 and assisting in the acceptance of "Negro music" by white audiences. It was included on the album Rock Around the Clock which hit number 12 pop in early 1956 and boasted the million-selling title track that held the number one pop spot for eight weeks and hit number three R&B in spring 1955 in the 1954 Glenn Ford movie Blackboard Jungle and later used as an early opening track for ABC-TV's '70s sitcom Happy Days and "Burn the Candle."
Epic Records star Roy Hamilton played Stone's "Don't Let Go," taking it to number two R&B in early 1958. "Don't Let Go" was also done by Issac Hayes whose disco string and horn-laced version hit number 11 R&B in fall 1979 and Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen's version charted at number 56 pop in early 1975. Stone also wrote the classic "Flip Flop and Fly" and "Your Cash Ain't Nothing but Trash." Stone, who also worked under the pseudonym Charles E. Calhoun, was a key player in the development of artists such as Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, the Drifters, and the Clovers.
At the age 97, Jesse Stone died April 1, 1999, in Altamonte Springs, FL
Go To
The Atchison
Enquirer Index PageOther New Stories on the New Atchison Enquirer
The Atchison Connection to Glenn Miller's Band, the Modernaires and Dave Condon
On page music:
Shake, Rattle & Roll
(Bill Haley & The Comets)