Larry Dale

A New York session guitarist who backed some of the city's top artists, Larry Dale also made a handful of fine singles as a singer during the 1950s and early '60s.

Taking initial inspiration on his guitar from <a href="spotify:artist:5xLSa7l4IV1gsQfhAMvl0U">B.B. King</a> during the early '50s, Dale made some solid sides as a leader for Groove in 1954 (including "You Better Heed My Warning"/"Please Tell Me") with a band that included another local guitar great, <a href="spotify:artist:2PnyEnxPA8H95IhFEBu5u7">Mickey Baker</a>, and pianist <a href="spotify:artist:1NnRjWELSLqFONDhwc8VU7">Champion Jack Dupree</a>. Dale was a frequent studio cohort of the rollicking pianist, playing his axe on all four of <a href="spotify:artist:1NnRjWELSLqFONDhwc8VU7">Dupree</a>'s 1956-58 sessions for RCA's Groove and Vik subsidiaries and, under his legal handle of Ennis Lowery, on the definitive <a href="spotify:artist:1NnRjWELSLqFONDhwc8VU7">Dupree</a> LP, 1958's Blues from the Gutter, for Atlantic. Dale also recorded with saxist Paul Williams during the mid-'50s for Jax, providing the vocal on "Shame Shame Shame."

Dale worked the New York club circuit during the '50s with pianist <a href="spotify:artist:5MnpSXfT5z3JRg6DPChIr2">Bob Gaddy</a>, who had a fairly successful single for Old Town in 1955, "Operator." From 1956 to 1958, Dale played with bandleader <a href="spotify:artist:4zef2ByBl6wZGFPvYWve6o">Cootie Williams</a> before rejoining <a href="spotify:artist:5MnpSXfT5z3JRg6DPChIr2">Gaddy</a>. At last report, the two still played together.

Dale made most of his best sides as a leader when the decade turned. For "Glover Records," he waxed the storming party blues "Let the Doorbell Ring" and an equally potent "Big Muddy" in 1960, then revived <a href="spotify:artist:0BCKQZLFmeMED0xajg4kMX">Sticks McGhee</a>'s "Drinkin' Wine-Spo-Dee-O-Dee" in 1962 on Atlantic. Alas, none of those worthy sides made much of a splash. ~ Bill Dahl, Rovi