Smiley Lewis › Best of Smiley Lewis - I Hear You Knockin'

Prepare to rock, New Orleans-style, with one of the best. Big-voiced Smiley Lewis arrived in New Orleans in the '40s and immediately became one of the leading proponents of the Big Easy's R&B sound. As you'll hear on this best of collection, Lewis was able to jump, wail, and rock with the best of them . Songs like "I Hear You Knocking", The Bells Are Ringing", "Bumpity Bump" show Smiley off at his exuberant best.

Recorded at J & M/Cosimo Recording Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana. Includes liner notes by Jeff Hannusch.

Digitally mastered from the original mono master session tapes by Bob Norberg (June 1992, Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood, California).

Personnel: Smiley Lewis (vocals, guitar).

Liner Note Author: Jeff Hannusch.

Recording information: 02/??/1950-08/11/1956.

Smiley Lewis made several fabulous singles, had a booming, terrific voice, and received the same great backing and support that defined the city's R&B sound. But Lewis' records seldom made it outside New Orleans, even though they were frequently brilliant. This great 24-track anthology contains the four that did make it to the charts, among them the signature song "I Hear You Knocking." It shows Lewis doing first-rate novelty tracks, ballads, weepers, up-tempo wailers, and blues, and making wonderful recordings. The set also includes a thorough discography and good notes, and is superbly mastered. It's magnificent, exuberant R&B, and deserved a much better national fate than it enjoyed. ~ Ron Wynn