Artist: Dale Hawkins
Author: Dale Hawkins/Stan Lewis/Elly Broadwater
Label: Checker
Year: 1957
North Louisiana swamp rocker. Trademark guitar lick courtesy of James Burton, 15 year old key member of the Louisiana Hayride houseband. No James Burton among the creditholders, his place is taken by Stan Lewis, record shop holder in downtown Shreveport. This track had been recorded in the backroom of that shop where Dale was a part-time employee. Susie Q was named after Stan & Paula Lewis' newborn baby girl and she got that name because Leonard Chess named his daughter Susie as well. Stan & Paula's first born son had even been named Lenny after Leonard Chess, their way to show appreciation for distributing home-made releases like this one. This all predated Stan's own Jewel/Paula labels. And who's third 'author' Ellie Broadwater? She was Nashville DJ Gene Nobles's girlfriend; her name there was a pure case of payola.
Covers:
Ronnie Hawkins [not related]
Johnny Hallyday [as Susie-Lou]
Duran Duran [as Do You Believe In Shame?]
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)