Connie Curtis Crayton (December 18, 1914 – June 25, 1985), known as Pee Wee Crayton, was an American R&B and

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...

and

singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

Career

Crayton was born in Rockdale, Texas. He began playing guitar seriously after moving to California in 1935, later settling in

Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...

. While there, he absorbed the music of

T-Bone Walker Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker (May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) was an American blues musician, composer, songwriter and bandleader, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues, West Coast blues, and electric blues sounds. In 2018 ''Roll ...

but developed his own unique approach. His aggressive playing contrasted with his smooth vocal style and was copied by many later blues guitarists. In 1948, he signed a

recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...

with

Modern Records Modern Records (Modern Music Records before 1947) was an American record company and label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. Modern's artists included Etta James, Joe Houston, Little Richard, Ike & Tina Turner and John Lee ...

. One of his first

recordings A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, r ...

was the

instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instru ...

Blues After Hours "Blues After Hours" is a 1948 instrumental by West Coast blues guitarist Pee Wee Crayton. Released by Modern Records, it was his first single and the most successful of his three chart entries. "Blues After Hours" went to the number one spot o ...

", which reached number 1 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' R&B

chart A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent tabu ...

late that year. Its

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

, the pop

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

"I'm Still in Love with You", and the quicker "Texas Hop" are good examples of his work. In 1950, Crayton and his Orchestra performed at the sixth Cavalcade of Jazz concert, held at

Wrigley Field Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...

in Los Angeles and produced by

Leon Hefflin, Sr. Leon Norman Hefflin, Sr. (August 17, 1898 – November 20, 1975) was a pioneering African-American producer, director, business owner, furniture manufacturer, and entrepreneur. After losing his large and successful manufacturing business in the ...

on June 25. Featured on the same day were

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...

, Roy Milton's Orchestra,

Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...

, Tiny Davis and Her Hell Divers, and other artists. 16,000 were reported to be in attendance. The concert ended early because of a fracas while Lionel Hampton played "Flying High". He went on to record for many other

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

s in the 1950s, including

Imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Texa ...

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

Vee-Jay Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The label was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

and

Jamie Jamie is a unisex name. It is a diminutive form of James or, more rarely, other names. It is also given as a name in its own right. People Female * Jamie Anne Allman (born 1977), American actress * Jamie Babbit (born 1970), American film and te ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. It is thought he was the first blues guitarist to use a

Fender Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously ...

, playing one given to him by

Leo Fender Clarence Leonidas Fender (August 10, 1909 – March 21, 1991) was an American inventor known for designing the Fender Stratocaster. He also founded the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. In January 1965, he sold Fender to CBS, and later foun ...

. His opening guitar riff on the 1954 single "Do Unto Others" was "quoted" by

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

in the beginning of the B-side single version of "

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

" released by

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

Apple Records Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mar ...

in 1968. Crayton’s album ''Things I Used to Do'' was released by

Vanguard Records Vanguard Recording Society is an American record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York City. It was a primarily classical label at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, but also has a catalogue of recordings by a n ...

in 1971. He continued to tour and record in the following years. A longtime resident of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, California, Crayton died there of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

in 1985. He was interred in the

Inglewood Park Cemetery Inglewood Park Cemetery, 720 East Florence Avenue in Inglewood, California, was founded in 1905. A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed there. History The proposed est ...

Legacy

On May 8, 2019, Crayton was posthumously inducted into the

Blues Hall of Fame The Blues Hall of Fame is a music museum located at 421 S. Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Initially, the "Blues Hall of Fame" was not a physical building, but a listing of people who have significantly contributed to blues music. Started in 1 ...

by long-time friend Doug MacLeod in a ceremony held in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

by the

Blues Foundation The Blues Foundation is an American nonprofit corporation, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, that is affiliated with more than 175 blues organizations from various parts of the world. Founded in 1980, a 25-person board of directors governs the ...

Discography

10" Shellac (78-rpm) and 7" vinyl (45-rpm) records

*"After Hours' Boogie" / "Why Did You Go", Four Star 1304 (1947, released 1949) *"Don't Ever Fall in Love" / "Pee Wee Special", Gru-V-Tone 217 (1947, released 1949) *"Blues After Hours" / "I'm Still in Love with You",

Modern Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Phil ...

20-624 (1948) *"Texas Hop" / "Central Avenue Blues", Modern 20-643 (1948) *"Boogie Woogie Basement" / "Boogie Woogie Upstairs", billed as Al "Cake" Wichard Trio Featuring Pee Wee Crayton on Guitar, Modern 20-657 (1949) *"When Darkness Falls" / "Rock Island Blues", Modern 20-658 (1949) *"The Bop Hop" / "I Love You So", Modern 20-675 (1949) *"Long After Hours" / "Brand New Woman", Modern 20-707 (1949) *"Old Fashioned Baby" / "Bounce Pee Wee", Modern 20-719 (1949) *"Please Come Back" / "Rockin' the Blues", Modern 20-732 (1950) *"Some Rainy Day" / "Huckle Boogie", Modern 20-742 (1950) *"Answer to Blues After Hours" / "Louella Brown", Modern 20-763 (1950) *"Good Little Woman" / "Dedicating the Blues", Modern 20-774 (1950) *"Change Your Way of Lovin'" / "Tired of Travelin'", Modern 20-796 (1951) *"Poppa Stoppa" / "Thinkin' of You", Modern 20-816 (1951) *"When It Rains, It Pours" / "Daybreak",

Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of ...

3112 (1951) *"Cool Evening" / "Have You Lost Your Love for Me" Modern 20-892 (1952) *"Crying and Walking" / "Pappy's Blues", RIH (

Recorded in Hollywood Recorded In Hollywood was an independent American record label specializing in rhythm and blues, active from the late 1940s to the end of the 1950s, which issued several sides by artists significant to the genre. John Dolphin (music producer), Joh ...

) 408 (1953) *"I'm Your Prisoner" / "Baby, Pat the Floor", RIH (Recorded in Hollywood) 426 (1953) *"Steppin' Out" / "Hey Little Dreamboat", Hollywood 1055 (1953, released 1956) *"Do Unto Others" / "Every Dog Has A Day",

5288 (1954) *"Wino-O" / "Hurry, Hurry", Imperial 5297 (1954) *"I Need Your Love" / "You Know, Yeah", Imperial 5321 (1954) *"My Idea About You" / "I Got News for You", Imperial 5338 (1955) *"Eyes Full of Tears" / "Runnin' Wild", Imperial 5345 (1954, released 1955) *"Yours Truly" / "Be Faithful", Imperial 5353 (1955) *"Don't Go" / "I Must Go On", Post (Imperial subsidiary) 2007 (1955, released 1956) *"The Telephone Is Ringing" / "A Frosty Night",

Vee Jay Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The label was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a ...

214 (1956) *"I Don't Care" / "I Found My Peace of Mind", with the El Dorados, Vee Jay 252 (1957) *"Is This the Price I Pay" / "Fiddle De Dee", Vee Jay 266 (1957) *"Look Up and Live" / "Give Me One More Chance", with the Four Temps, Fox 102 (1959) *"Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness If I Do" / "Little Bitty Things", Jamie 1190 (1960, released 1961) *"I'm Still in Love with You" / "Time on My Hands", Guyden 2048 (1961) *"Git to Gittin'" / "Hillbilly Blues", Smash 1774 (1962)

LP and CD releases and compilations of note

*''Pee Wee Crayton'', Crown LP CLP-5175 (1960), P-Vine LP PLP-6625 (1991) *''Things I Used to Do'', Vanguard 6566 (1971) *''Great Rhythm & Blues Oldies, Volume 5: Pee Wee Crayton'', Blues Spectrum (Johnny Otis's label) LP BS-105 (1974) *''Everyday I Have the Blues'', Big Joe Turner with Crayton and Sonny Stitt, Pablo LP 2310-818 (1978) *''Have No Fear Joe Turner Is Here'', Big Joe Turner and Crayton, Pablo LP 2310-863 (1981) *''Peace of Mind'', Charly R&B LP CFM-601 (1982), 10" vinyl LP containing all 10 tracks that Crayton recorded for Vee Jay Records in 1956–1957 *''Blues Guitar Genius: Pee Wee Crayton, Volume 1'', Ace LP CH-23 (1982), 10" vinyl LP containing tracks recorded for Modern Records, 1949–1952 *''Rocking Down on Central Avenue: Pee Wee Crayton, Volume Two'', Ace LP CHA-61 (1982), tracks recorded for Modern Records. *''Make Room for Pee Wee'', Murray Brothers LP MB-1005 (recorded August 1983) *''Early Hour Blues'', Murray Brothers LP MB-1007 (recorded December 1984) *''Pee Wee Crayton: Memorial Album'', Ace LP CHD-177 (1986), tracks recorded for Modern Records *''After Hours Boogie: Pee Wee Crayton and His Guitar'', Blues Boy LP BB-307 (1988), tracks recorded from 1947 to 1962 for numerous labels, with Crayton's first demo recording, "Pee Wee's Hop" (1945), a piano–guitar–bass instrumental *''Pee Wee's Blues: The Complete Aladdin and Imperial Recordings'', Capitol-EMI 36292 (1996) *''Blues After Hours: The Essential Pee Wee Crayton'', Blues Encore 52045 (1996), recordings made for numerous labels, 1947–1956 *''The Modern Legacy, Volume 1'', Ace CHD-632 (1996) *''Early Hour Blues'', Blind Pig 5052 (1999), CD containing both Murray Brothers albums *''Blues Guitar Magic: The Modern Legacy, Volume 2'', Ace CHD-767 (2000) *''Blues After Hours: The Essential Pee Wee Crayton'', Indigo 2526 (2002), tracks recorded for Modern Records, 1948–1951 *''Texas Blues Jumpin' in Los Angeles: The Modern Music Sessions 1948–1951'', Ace CHD-1400 (2014) *''The Pee Wee Crayton Collection 1947–1962'', Acrobat ADDCD-3202 (2017) 2CD *''Texas Hop and Selected Singles (A's & B's): His Golden Decade 1947–1957'', Jasmine JASMCD-3139 (2020) 2CD

References