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Yeah neither of us can testify about how long it takes to smoke a cigarette. I think the evidence is most compelling that Doggett forced Syd Nathan's hand to green light a two-part track, and that it was the centerpiece of the recording session, not an afterthought. I also think it likely that it was played before the gig in Lima Ohio, likely with Percy France in the group, but that it caught fire at that dance and because people asked for it to be played again, it got Doggett to thinking.

My question about Schaap's observations was a hypothetical one and I guessed the answer (yours, actually ... ). But still I'd say it would have taken a LOT of used King 4950 singles to examine to come up with an assertion that holds water and goes beyond anecdotical evidence. As for the smoke break, doesn't this just make for a nice story too? Anyone can vividly imagine how this happened. Besides, I've always been a non-smoker but is it unreasonable to figure you can finish a cigarette within 2 1/2 minutes, particularly a non-king size one? (Remember as well the longer 100s were still more than a decade away),

Anyone else getting ready for next month's World Cup? I won't be at any stadium, but I expect to watch many of the games.

It's pretty clear Schaap was talking about the original release of Parts 1 and 2, not any subsequent reissue of one over the other. Clearly though Honky Tonk Part 2 being picked is an indication of its overall popularity. Which brings up another aspect I didn't get into ... but what's with the "engineer left the equipment running for a smoke break" but also "keep going, keep going, keep going"? Fastest smoke break in history? Because he would have had to come back fast enough to keep them playing, too. I find that aspect of the story a bit questionable.

@medjuck: Re- Topsy: Maybe there WERE some out there among these 6 millions who had been exposed to the Cozy Cole hit single first (due to its "oldies" status) and then became curious enough to check out its origins? BTW, not wanting to unduly debunk Phil Schaap's story about which side of the original "Honky Tonk" singles often wore out faster than the other, but there is some postscript to the "Honky Tonk" chart history, it seems: Acording to the list of Bill Doggett chart successes on the back cover of his "All His Hits" compilation LP on King/Gusto 5009, "Honky Tonk" entered the Billboard Hot 100 in early February 1961 again, spent 10 weeks on the charts and made it up to no. 57. And this time it was "Honky Tonk Part 2" that charted! See the below Billboard Hot 100 excerpt of March 1962 to show the company it was in at the time. N.B. At that time Bill Doggettt had already signed with Warner Brothers. The two original Honky Tonks had been on King 4950 in 1956, but the 1961 single was released on King 5444 and here "Honky Tonk Part 2" was coupled with "Floyd's Guitar Blues" (rec. in December, 1958). So do we know which King singles Phil Schaap most often saw that led him to think "Honky Tonk Part 2" was more worn? 4950 or 5444? After all it would not have been much of a surprise if the "Honky Tonk Part 2" hit side of King 5444 would have received more spins. (But we'll never know, I guess ...)

Not sure but one of the things I've noticed on WKCR broadcasts of Honky Tonk in performance is how Schaap would constantly introduce it with some sort of variation on this: "There was a hit record back in 1956 and me and my friends were saying "what's that sound? What's that sooouuunnd? Well it was the tenor sax of this man (it wasn't) Percy France ..." I always thought this story was so unlikely ... Schaap was 4 or maybe 5 years old in 1956. He and his toddler friends had records to play, especially easily breakable 78s? Or that Schaap didn't know what a saxophone sounded like? Well it turns out in the interview I quoted from in the story, Schaap fleshed out the story and said that a neighbor (he of course remembered the kid's name) had heard the tenor sax on Honky Tonk and indeed, asked "What's that sound? What's that sooouuunnd?"

When I began listening to jazz in 1961 I discovered that Topsy was originally by the Basie band. I just checked it on Spotify and saw that the Basie version has twice as many plays (6 millions) as One O'clock Jump.

Time for some Pops. Never can have enough. This is prime Louis. Louis Armstrong “The Alternate Takes In Chronological Order Volume 2 1935-1944” Neatwork cd 300×300 11.5 KB

Re-visiting this recent Resonance Records 2 cd reissue of Rahsaan Roland Kirk “Seek & Listen: Live at the Penthouse.” I’m listening to disc 1 Was there anyone else really like Kirk? He was unique in several ways. And I think one of the few who really deserve to be called a genius.

Thanks!

OTOH, "Honky Tonk" figured as such (either without singling out one part or by naming both parts simultaneously) in the chart listings wherever you looked. (Billboard, Cash Box etc.) So apparently the tune was treated as one entity. Two random examples: The below excerpts from Billboard of 22 September 1956 and Cash Box of 1 Sept. 1956. Whereas it was "Topsy Part 2" that was the hit. I don't know if Part 2 was pushed intentionally, but maybe the more organ-heavy Part 2 was considered to have more hit potential in 1958 than the horn-led Part 1. Your explanation about who would have been more inspired by whom in exploring Part 1 or 2 of "Honky Tonk", wearing out the respective sides, does sound plausible, anyway. I wonder, though, if Phil Schaap's observation was anecdotical or if he actually had had several dozen copies of the originals in his hands.

Muggy morning. Starting off with a recording I haven’t heard in some time, Howard Wales and Jerry Garcia “Hooteroll” 586×234 101 KB

Glad you enjoyed it. Although it doesn't go directly to airplay, Schaap often noted that if you found an original 45/78 that side 2 would be more worn than side 1 was. I thought that guitarists wanting to play gigs for a garage band needed to memorize Billy Butler's solo. Maybe there were more saxophonists studying Clifford Scott.

Maybe a slightly niche one on this forum, but soul singer and long time vocalist for Frank Zappa, Ike Willis, apparently passed away on 16 May from prostate cancer. His voice was a huge part of my teenage years.

Great story. I remember when Honky Tonk was on the hit parade. IIRC (and I often don't) Part 2 got more air play than part 1. (Or am I confusing it with "Topsy pt 2"?) .

It was reissued along with "Once Upon a Time" and "Stride Right" on Solar:

Georghe, Glad to see that you have not completely turned away from bebop. Just read on another thread that you said your interest now is in music by Alice Coltrane and others. And no longer play or listen to Bebop, or Hard Bop. Some years ago I focused my attention on "Free or Avante-Garde" jazz. But after a while, I left that music behind me. It was not providing me with listening pleasure. I realized that the music I truly love has to (usually) swing and that Traditional Jazz, Swing, Mainstream, Bebop, West Coast Jazz and Hard Bop are the styles of jazz that bring a smile to my face and makes me feel good.

I am the last one if it´s about fan of Oscar Peterson, but the few I can listen to is with Brown and Thigpen, where he is not so overwhelming. Night Train and We Get requests is more spare, more inside music than just banging all then 88 keys

The first pre-season game is tomorrow with a 3:00 pm eastern kickoff. Riders vs. Stamps. You can watch it here. https://www.cfl.ca/2026/05/14/preseason-week-1-saskatchewan-roughriders-vs-calgary-stampeders/ ***** Tips on watching pre-season games. https://www.cfl.ca/2026/05/17/5-things-to-watch-during-cfl-preseason-games/ ***** Sask analysis https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riderville-roundup-may-17-2026/ ***** ***** Sherman Lewis has died at 83. I had his bubble gum card in 1964. RIP. https://www.bing.com/search?q=Sherman+Lewis+dies&efirst=0&ecount=50&filters=tnTID%3a"PE_8EE931C1-1C86-48E9-9198-6E720783AD65"+tnVersion%3a"6683622"+Segment%3a"popularnow.carousel"+tnCol%3a"5"+tnOrder%3a"5c2bb640-ad62-4116-b0b7-7f2abd8fa6aa"&form=HPNN01

infos plz: Alice Coltrane I suppose ?

The more I am involved my self in jazz being in increasing demand since I have that damn good band "Bop-Explosion", the more I get tired of regular straight ahead for LISTENING. My faves now are especially those who have a very spiritual side of it. Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Albert Ayler. My own band started playing bop type music, but I got rid of it and compose other, my own stuff, and for listening records like this one thrill me, or make me believe, pray.....

this one I have. But my favourite Bird is the CBS double LP "One Night at Birdland". Just longer solos, more interesting sidemusicians who sound good in top form. But as a starter, I also had the Bird Savoy. But even then it sounded a bit oldfashioned from the sound, I mean the drums are not very well recorded. I like on "Birdland" the magic of Art Blakey´s drums very much.

That Harold Danko Coltrane album is excellent! I always forget about Danko.