This Stuff Just Kills Me: The Jerry "Boogie" McCain Story

 Nearly 50 years after his first recordings Jerry McCain remains one of the premiere amplified harp blowers and one of the sharpest, funniest writers in all of blues. McCain recorded his distinctive brand of blues for numerous small labels continuing to this day and remains at the top of his creative powers.

 McCain was born in Etowah County, Alabama in 1930 to a musical family. His mother played guitar in the Holiness Church and a couple of his uncles played harmonica. By the time he was 5 he was playing harp and as a youngster was playing on the streets of his home town of Gadsen, Alabama. Little Walter passed through Gadsen one fateful night in 1953 with his Aces, offering encouragement and McCain got a chance to blow some harp during Walter's break.

 1953 was also important as the beginning of McCain's recording career. He cut a demo record and sent it to Lillian McMurray owner of the Trumpet label in Jackson, Mississippi. who had already launched the recording careers of Elmore James and Sonny Boy Williamson. McCain was summoned to do a session and cut 4 sides for the label. "East of the Sun"/"Wine-O-Wine" was issued selling well enough for an encore in 1954 resulting in "Stay Out of Automobiles"/"Love to Make Up" before the label went bankrupt.

 Jerry McCain signed with Ernie Young's Nashville-based Excello logo in 1955. Recording as Jerry McCain & his Upstarts he cut torrid sides like "That's What They Want", "Run, Uncle John! Run," "Trying to Please," "My Next Door Neighbor" and "Courtin' In a Cadillac." He stayed with the label until 1957 but also cut sides for the While label during this period which have subsequently been reissued on CD under the AVI/Excello label.

 In 1960 McCain cut his classic instrumental "Steady" backed by "She's Tough" for the Rex label. The Fabulous Thunderbirds later covered "She's Tough." During this same period he waxed sides for the Gas label and three 45s for OKeh in Nashville in 1962 including "Red Top" and "Jet Stream."

 After the Okeh sides he continued to record sporadically under his own name and perform in the South. Between 1965-68 he cut some fine sides for Stan Lewis' Shreveport-based Jewel label including a tribute to the company, "728 Texas (Where the Action Is)" (Jewel's address) plus gems like "Homogenized Love" and "She's Crazy 'Bout Entertainers" .

 During the 70's and most of the 80's McCain was absent from the recording studios and it wasn't until 1989 that he signed on with the Ichiban label. He cut three solid records for the label plus a retrospective.

 McCain is still at the top of his game as evidenced by first rate recent releases: the 2000 release of This Stuff Just Kills Me and the 2001 release of Unplugged both recorded for the Music Maker label. He continues to play and tour regularly.

Essential Listening

Strange Kind Of Feelin' (Alligator): McCain's earliest sides, cut in 1953 and 1954 for the Trumpet label. Both sides of his two Trumpet 78s plus the addition of three previously unissued tracks. Also includes cuts by Tiny Kennedy and Clayton Love

That's What They Want: The Best Of Jerry McCain (AVI/Excello): 23 recordings collecting McCain's complete output for Excello Records. Blues meets rock & roll on wild cuts like "My Next Door Neighbors", "Rock & Roll Ball," "Geronimo's Rock" and "Trying To Please" plus many others.

Good Stuff! (Varese): Sixteen prime cuts from the 50's through the 70's including classics like "She's Tough", "Steady" and "Welfare Cadillac Blues."

This Stuff Just Kills Me (Music Maker): Recorded in 1999 this finds McCain in peak form featuring great songs like "Super Woman","Viagra Man" and "Ain't No Use for Drug Abuse' among others.