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Sunday, 6/28/2026, 10pm - Juke In The Back

KCSM
Published June 1, 2026 at 6:45 PM PDT
Ernie Freeman
Ernie Freeman

Imperial Records, Part 11 - 1957-58.

This week, we conclude our Imperial series with part eleven, focusing on Imperial's R&B releases from the end of 1957 and the beginning of 1958. There's a new hit-maker in town as Imperial signs the young heartthrob, Ricky Nelson as well as other Rockabilly, Rock and Pop acts. Chudd begins to move the label away from Rhythm & Blues and that great New Orleans sound that brought the hits over the past decade. Fats is still able to chart and does so with gusto as "What Will I Tell My Heart," "Wait & See," "When I See You," "Sick & Tired" and "The Big Beat" all make the charts. Ernie Freeman scores one of Imperial's best-sellers with his cover of the Bill Justis tune, "Raunchy" and Bobby Mitchell records the first version of "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday." 1958 is a great place for us to stop as we've covered Imperial's R&B heyday over the past eleven weeks on your source for the "soul that came before Rock n' Roll.

He began recording Rhythm & Blues in 1947 and by '49, he had hired Dave Bartholomew to scout talent in fertile New Orleans. The Braun Brother had beat him to The Crescent City by recording Paul Gayten and Annie Laurie first, but with Bartholomew's help, Chudd was able to sign Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Archibald and Jewel King, dominating the New Orleans R&B scene. This week, we continue our Imperial series with part four, focusing on Imperial's R&B releases from 1953. Fats Domino dominated the Imperial roster, racking up four charting singles in '53, one going all the way to #2 nationally. Lew Chudd sent bluesman T-Bone Walker to New Orleans to work with bandleader and producer Dave Bartholomew and record at Cosimo Matassa's famous J&M Recording Studio, while the "unsung hero" of this series, Lil' Son Jackson continued recording in Fort Worth, TX. We'll hear the debut singles from Bobby Mitchell & The Toppers as well as some rare sides from Lil' Willie Gibson, "Boogie Bill" Webb and Rose Mitchell. We're keeping those records spinning as we feature part four of the Imperial Records Story.
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