Johnny Moore's Three Blazers

For the unrelated singer with The Drifters, see Johnny Moore (musician).
Johnny Moore's Three Blazers
Years active 1940s–1950s
Past members

Johnny Moore's Three Blazers was a popular African-American vocal group in the 1940s and 1950s.

The original members were:

Career

Johnny Moore (who was not related to the singer Johnny Moore [John Alfred Moore], of the Drifters) and his younger brother Oscar grew up in Texas and then Phoenix, Arizona, where they both started playing guitar and formed a string band. In the mid-1930s they relocated to Los Angeles, where Oscar Moore, who had been influenced by Charlie Christian and turned to jazz, joined the King Cole Trio.

Johnny Moore remained devoted to rhythm and blues. His guitar style is considered to have been an influence on Chuck Berry. He joined and formed several groups, before forming the Three Blazers with two other Texans, the bassist Eddie Williams and the pianist and singer Charles Brown, who was newly arrived in the city. After the King Cole Trio moved from Atlas Records to Capitol in 1943, Oscar Moore suggested to Atlas boss Robert Scherman that he replace them with his brother's group. Scherman agreed to record the Blazers if Oscar Moore would play with them, and the recordings were released under the name "Oscar Moore with the Three Blazers". This upset Johnny Moore, but it brought the group some exposure, and in 1945 they had their first hit, backing Ivory Joe Hunter on "Blues at Sunrise".

In 1946, they had their greatest success with "Driftin' Blues", sung by Brown. Brown was the group's star attraction, but Moore refused to allow him credit on their records. Moore also refused to sign an exclusive contract with any record company, so that the group's early records appeared on various labels, particularly Philo (which later became Aladdin Records), Exclusive Records, and Modern Record. The group followed up the success of "Driftin' Blues" with several other big R&B hits, including "Sunny Road" (1946), "New Orleans Blues" (1947), and "Merry Christmas Baby" (1947, also a hit in 1948 and 1949).

In 1948, frustrated by his lack of recognition and financial reward, Brown left the group for a successful solo career. The remaining two Blazers continued with a succession of vocalists, notably Lee Barnes, Billy Valentine, Floyd Dixon, Mari Jones, Nelson Alexander and, in the mid-1950s, Frankie Ervin. After Nat King Cole broke up his original King Cole Trio, Oscar Moore occasionally played as a guest with Johnny's group. Johnny Moore and the Blazers continued to record for small labels until the early 1960s.

Discography

10" shellac (78-rpm) and 7" vinyl (45-rpm) releases

Atlas releases

Philo releases

Aladdin releases

Moderrn Music releases

Exclusive releases

Modern releases

Exclusive releases

RCA Victor releases

Swing Time releases

10" shellac (78-rpm) two-disc album set

10" shellac (78-rpm) three-disc album set

LP and CD releases and notable compilations

References

  1. ↑ Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 365. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. ↑ Eagle and LeBlanc, p.396
  3. ↑ Eagle and LeBlanc, p.312

External links

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