Long John Baldry

John William "Long John" Baldry (12 January 1941 – 21 July 2005) was an English blues singer and a voice actor. He sang with many British musicians, with Rod Stewart and Elton John appearing in bands led by Baldry in the 1960s. He enjoyed pop success in the UK where Let the Heartaches Begin reached No. 1 in 1967 and in Australia where his duet with Kathi McDonald You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' reached number two in 1980. Baldry lived in Canada from the late 1970s until his death; there he continued to make records and do voiceover work. One of his best known roles in voice acting was as Dr. Robotnik in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Blues bands of the 1960s 3 Solo artist 4 Move to Canada, later career 5 Death 6 Discography 6.1 Albums 6.2 Singles 6.3 CD Singles 6.4 EPs 6.5 Other Recordings 7 Acting credits 8 Bibliography 9 References 10 External links

Early life
Baldry's birth was registered in Brixworth Registration District in the first quarter of 1941. His mother's maiden name was Parker. His early life was spent in Edgware, Middlesex where he attended Camrose Primary School until the age of 11, after which he attended Downer Grammar School, now Canons High School. Just before his death, he attended the school's 40th anniversary celebrations.

Blues bands of the 1960s
Baldry grew to 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), resulting in the nickname "Long John". He was one of the first British vocalists to sing blues in clubs. Baldry appeared quite regularly in the early 1960s in the Gyre and Gymble coffee lounge, around the corner from Charing Cross railway station, and at the Brownsville R. & B. Club, Manor House, London, also "Klooks Kleek" (Railway Hotel, West Hampstead). He appeared weekly for some years at Eel Pie Island on the Thames at Twickenham and also appeared at the Station Hotel in Richmond, one of the Rolling Stones' earliest venues.

In the early 1960s, he sang with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, with whom he recorded the first British blues album in 1962, R&B from the Marquee. At stages, Mick Jagger, Jack Bruce and Charlie Watts were members of this band while Keith Richards and Brian Jones played on stage, although none played on the R&B at the Marquee album.[2] When The Rolling Stones made their debut at the Marquee Club in July 1962, Baldry put together a group to support them. Later, Baldry was the announcer introducing the Stones on their US-only live album, Got Live If You Want It!, in 1966.

Baldry became friendly with Paul McCartney after a show at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in the early 1960s, leading to an invitation to sing on one of The Beatles 1964 TV specials, Around The Beatles. In the special, Baldry performs "Got My Mojo Workin'" and a medley of songs with members of The Vernons Girls trio; in the latter, the Beatles are shown singing along in the audience.[3]

In 1963, Baldry joined the Cyril Davies R&B All Stars with Nicky Hopkins playing piano. He took over in 1964 after the death of Cyril Davies, and the group became Long John Baldry and his Hoochie Coochie Men featuring Rod Stewart on vocals and Geoff Bradford on guitar. Stewart was recruited after Baldry heard him busking a Muddy Waters song at Twickenham Station after Stewart had been to a Baldry gig at Eel Pie Island.[4] Long John Baldry became a regular fixture on Sunday nights at Eel Pie Island from then onwards, fronting a series of bands.

In 1965, the Hoochie Coochie Men became Steampacket with Baldry and Stewart as male vocalists, Julie Driscoll as the female vocalist and Brian Auger on Hammond organ. After Steampacket broke up in 1966, Baldry formed Bluesology featuring Reg Dwight on keyboards and Elton Dean, later of Soft Machine, as well as Caleb Quaye on guitar. Dwight, when he began to record as a solo artist, adopted the name Elton John, his first name from Dean and his surname from Baldry.[5] When Elton John and Bluesology left Baldry without a backing group he was in the Mecca at Shaftesbury Avenue where he was watching a five piece harmony group from Plymouth, Devon called Chimera who had then recently turned professional. He approached them after their set and said how impressed he was by the vocal harmonies and that they would be ideal to back him on the cabaret circuit he was currently embarked on. This they did.

Baldry was openly gay during the early 1960s, at least amongst his friends and industry peers. However, he did not make a formal public acknowledgement of this until the 1970s—possibly because until 1967 in Britain, homosexuality was still a criminal offence that could lead to forced medication and/or jail time.

Baldry had a brief relationship with lead-guitarist of The Kinks, Dave Davies,[6][7] and supported Elton John in coming to terms with his own sexuality.[6][8] In 1978 his then-upcoming album Baldry's Out announced his formal coming out, and he addressed sexuality problems with a cover of Canadian songwriter Bill Amesbury's "A Thrill's a Thrill".[9]

Solo artist
In 1967, he recorded a pop song "Let the Heartaches Begin" that went to number one in Britain, followed by a 1968 top 20 hit titled "Mexico", which was the theme of the UK Olympic team that year. "Let the Heartaches Begin" made the lower reaches of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

Bluesology broke up in 1968, with Baldry continuing his solo career and Elton John forming a songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin. In 1969, Elton John tried to commit suicide after relationship problems with a woman. Taupin and Baldry[10] found him, and Baldry talked him out of marrying the woman, helping make Elton John comfortable with his sexuality. The song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" from Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was about the experience.[11] When Elton John and Bluesology left Baldry without a backing group he was in the Mecca at Shaftesbury Avenue where he was watching a five piece harmony group from Plymouth, Devon called Chimera who had then recently turned professional. He approached them after their set and said how impressed he was by the vocal harmonies and that they would be ideal to back him on the cabaret circuit he was currently embarked on. This they did.

In 1971, John and Stewart each produced one side of It Ain't Easy which became Baldry's most popular album and made the top 100 of the US album chart. The album featured "Don't Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll" which became his most successful song in the US. Baldry's first tour of the US was at this time. The band included, Micky Waller, Ian Armitt, Pete Sears, and Sammy Mitchell. Stewart and John would again co-produce his 1972 album Everything Stops For Tea which made the lower reaches of the US album charts. The same year, Baldry worked with ex-Procol Harum guitarist Dave Ball.[12]

Baldry had mental health problems and was institutionalised for a brief time[13] in 1975. The 1979 album Baldry's Out was recorded after his release. He played live at Zolly's nightclub in Oshawa, underneath the Oshawa Shopping Centre, shortly after releasing Baldry's Out. In a 1997 interview with a German television program, Baldry claimed to be the last person to see singer Marc Bolan before Bolan's death on 16 September 1977, having conducted an interview with the fellow singer for an American production company, he says, just before Bolan drove away and had his accident.[14]

Move to Canada, later career
After time in New York City and Los Angeles in 1978, Baldry settled in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he became a Canadian citizen. He toured the west coast, as well as the US Northwest. Baldry also toured the Canadian east, including one 1985 show in Kingston, Ontario, where audience members repeatedly called for the title track from his 1979 album Baldry's Out! – to which he replied, "I'll say he is!"

In 1979, he teamed with Seattle singer Kathi McDonald to record a version of The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin", following which McDonald became part of his touring group for two decades. The song made the lower reaches of the US Billboard charts but was a top 5 hit in Australia in 1980. He last recorded with the Stony Plain label. His 1997 album Right To Sing The Blues won a Juno Award in the Blues Album of the Year category in the Juno Awards of 1997.

He played his last live show in Columbus, Ohio, on 19 July 2004, at Barristers Hall with guitarist Bobby Cameron. The show was produced by Andrew Myers. They played to a small group, some came from Texas. Two years previously the two had a 10-venue sell-out tour of Canada. In 2003 Baldry headlined the British Legends of Rhythm and Blues UK tour, alongside Zoot Money, Ray Dorset and Paul Williams.[15] Baldry's final UK Tour as 'The Long John Baldry Trio' concluded with a performance on Saturday 13 November 2004 at The King's Lynn Arts Centre, King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. The trio consisted of LJB, Butch Coulter on harmonica and Dave Kelly on slide guitar.[16]

Death
Baldry died on 21 July 2005, in Vancouver General Hospital, of a severe chest infection. He was survived by his partner, Felix "Oz" Rexach,[17] a brother, Roger, and a sister, Margaret.[9]

Discography
Albums

Year

Title

Label

Cat. No.

1964 Long John's Blues United Artists ULP 1081 1966 Looking at Long John United Artists ULP 1146 1968 Let the Heartaches Begin Pye Records NPL 18208 1968 Let There Be Long John Pye Records Unreleased 1969 Wait For Me Pye Records NSPL 18366 1971 It Ain't Easy Warner Bros. WS 1921 1972 Everything Stops for Tea Warner Bros. WB 46 160 1973 Good To Be Alive GM Records GML 1005 1976 Welcome To Club Casablanca Casablanca Records NBLP 7035-V 1979 Baldry's Out! EMI Capitol ST 6459 1980 Boys In The Band Quality Records SV 2068 1980 Long John Baldry EMI Capitol SW 17038 1982 Rock With The Best EMI Capitol ST 6490 1982 The Best Of Long John Baldry EMI Capitol SN 66124 1986 Silent Treatment Musicline Records ML 000l 1986 Long John Baldry & Friends Musicline Records ML 0002 1987 Live In Toronto Musicline Records Unreleased 1989 A Touch of the Blues Musicline Records ML 0005 1991 It Still Ain't Easy Stony Plain Records / Hypertension-Music SPCD 1163 / HYCD 200 122 1993 On Stage Tonight - Baldry's Out! Stony Plain Records / Hypertension-Music SPCD 1192 / HYCD 200 135 1995 A Thrill's A Thrill: The Canadian Years EMI S22Z 29609 1996 Right To Sing The Blues Stony Plain Records / Hypertension-Music SPCD 1232 / HYCD 296 167 1998 Let The Heartaches Begin: The Pye Anthology Sequel Records 42298 1999 Evening Conversation Stony Plain Records / Hypertension-Music SPCD 1268 / HYP 0191 2001 Remembering Leadbelly Stony Plain Records SPCD 1275 2004 Baldry's Back Stony Plain Records Unreleased 2005 Boogie Woogie: The Warner Bros. Recordings Rhino Handmade RHM2 7896 2006 Looking At Long John Baldry: The UA Years 1964-1966 EMI 0946 3 5o899 2009 Live - Iowa State University 1987 Angel Air Records SJPCD310 2014 The Best Of The Stony Plain Years Stony Plain Records SPCD 1376

Singles

Year

A-Side

B-Side

Label

Cat. No.

1964 You'll Be Mine Up Above My Head United Artists UP 1056 1964 I'm On To You Baby Goodbye Baby United Artists UP 1078 1965 How Long Will It Last? House Next Door United Artists UP 1107 1966 Unseen Hands Turn On Your Love Light United Artists UP 1124 1966 The Drifter Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart United Artists UP 1136 1966 Cuckoo Bring My Baby Back To Me United Artists UP 1158 1967 Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart Let Him Go (And Let Me Love You) United Artists UP 1204 1967 Let The Heartaches Begin Annabella Pye Records 7N 17385 1967 Let The Heartaches Begin Hey Lord You Made The Night Too Long Pye Records 7N 17408 1968 Hold Back The Daybreak Since I Lost You Baby Pye Records 7N 17455 1968 When The Sun Comes Shining Thru Wise To The Ways Of The World Pye Records 7N 17593 1968 Mexico We're Together Pye Records 7N 17563 1969 It's Too Late Now The Long And Lonely Nights Pye Records 7N 17664 1969 Wait For Me Don't Pity Me Pye Records 7N 17815 1970 Well I Did Setting Fire To The Tail Of A Fox Pye Records 7N 17921 1970 When The War Is Over Where Are My Eyes? Pye Records 7N 45007 1971 Rock Me When He's Gone Flying Warner Bros. K 16105 1971 Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King Of Rock And Roll Black Girl Warner Bros. GS 45105 1971 Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King Of Rock And Roll Mr. Rubin Warner Bros. WB.16099 1972 Iko Iko Mother Ain't Dead Warner Bros. K 16175 1972 Everything Stops For Tea Hambone Warner Bros. K 16217 1972 Mother Ain't Dead You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover Warner Bros. WB 7617 1973 She Song For Martin Luther King GM Records GMS 9005 1974 Crazy Lady End Of Another Day ABC Records ABC 4016 1975 Let Me Pass High and Low Casablanca Records Casablanca 600 1976 This Boys In Love Again Song For Martin Luther King GM Records GMS 9043 1977 On Broadway On Broadway (instrumental) GM Records GMS 9045 1977 Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King Of Rock And Roll Tell Me Something I Don't Know Atlantic Records CATX 40011 1979 You've Lost That Loving Feeling Baldry's Out EMI Capitol 006-86113 1979 A Thrill's A Thrill Baldry's Out EMI Capitol EA 103 1979 A Thrill's A Thrill Find You EMI Capitol 1A 006-860571979 1979 Come And Get Your Love Lonely Nights EMI Capitol 72808 1979 1980 (Walk Me Out In The) Morning Dew I Want You, I Love You EMI Capitol 006-86329 1980 Any Day Now Work For Me EMI Capitol 72841 1981 Too Late For Crying 25 Years Of Pain EMI Capitol 72874 1982 Stay The Way You Are Midnight Show EMI Capitol 72878 1985 The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Mystery To Me Line Records LS 1.00005 1986 Silent Treatment Our Love Is In Limbo Musicline Records MLS 002 1986 The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Carnival Musicline Records MLS 003 1986 Ain't That Peculiar Spoonful Musicline Records MLS 004 1987 This Is Japan When The World Doesn't Love You Musicline Records MLS 005 1987 Silent Treatment A Life Of Blues Pläne Records B-4791

CD Singles

Year

Title

Label

Cat. No.

Notes

1992 Midnight In New Orleans Hypertension Music HYCDS 100 103 Features three exclusive live tracks from 1992 1995 ...Some Thrills EMI DRPO 1132 5 track promo with a previously unreleased version of 'Passing Glanes'

EPs

Year

Title

Tracks

Label

Cat. No.

1965 Long John's Blues Dimples / Hoochie Coochie Man / My Baby / Times Are Getting Tougher Than Tough United Artists UEP 1013 1967 Cuckoo Cuckoo / You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' / Stop Her On Sight (SOS) / Bring My Baby Back To Me United Artists UEP 36.108

Other Recordings

Year

Title

Notes

1959 Gallows Pole Demo recording 1965 Mister Someone From the ITV television play The End of Arthur's Marriage 1981 Ken's Theme Recorded for the documentary film The Devil at My Heels 1987 The Luckiest Man Alive Self-penned opening song to the comedy Home Is Where The Hart Is

Appearances On Other Albums (1960) 6 Out Of 4 ~ The Thames-Side Four - Folklore (F-EP/1) Live recording of the group with LJB on guitar and vocals. (1962) R&B from the Marquee ~ Blues Incorporated - Decca (ACL 1130) Baldry provides lead vocals on three tracks including 'How Long, How Long Blues.' (1970) The First Supergroup ~ The Steampacket - BYG Records (529.706) Recorded December 1965 the album features tracks with LJB on lead vocals (1971) The First Rhythm & Blues Festival In England ~ Various Artists - BYG Records (529.705) Recorded live in Feb 1964 Baldy sings '2.19' and 'Mojo Working' (1971) Every Picture Tells A Story ~ Rod Stewart - Mercury (6338 063) LJB provides backing vocals on the title track and 'Seems Like A Long Time'. (1972) Mar Y Sol: The First International Puerto Rico Pop Festival ~ Various Artists - Atco Records (SD 2-705) Baldry sings a live version of the self-penned 'Bring My Baby Back To Me'. (1975) Dick Deadeye: Original Soundtrack ~ Various Artists - GM Records (GML 1018) Soundtrack to the animated film of the same name with LJB taking lead vocals on three tracks. (1975) Sumar Á Sýrlandi ~ Stuðmenn - Egg (EGG 0000 1/13) Rare Icelandic album. Baldry sings the track 'She Broke My Heart'. (1996) Bone, Bottle, Brass or Steel ~ Doug Cox - Malahat Mountain LJB performs 'Good Morning Blues' accompanied by Doug Cox. (1998) You Got The Bread... We Got The Jam! ~ Schuld & Stamer - Blue Streak Records (BSCD98001) Long John joins with acoustic blues duo Schuld & Stamer on several tracks. (2002) For Fans Only! ~ Genya Ravan - AHA Music Features a rare duet with Ravan and Baldry on 'Something's Got A Hold On Me'. Recorded in 1978. (2011) The Definitive Steampacket Recordings ~ The Steampacket - Nasty Productions Features two previously unreleased Steampacket tracks with LJB on lead vocals. (2013) Radio Luxembourg Sessions: 208 Rhythm Club - Vol. 5 ~ Various Artists - Vocalion (CDNJT 5319) October 1961 recording. LJB sings 'Every Day I Have The Blues' (2013) Radio Luxembourg Sessions: 208 Rhythm Club - Vol. 6 ~ Various Artists - Vocalion (CDNJT 5320) October 1961 recording of LJB singing 'The Glory Of Love'.

TV Specials (1965) Rod The Mod (1974) The Gospel According To Long John (1985) Long John Baldry: Rockin' The Blues (1987) Long John Baldry At The Maintenance Shop (1993) Long John Baldry In Concert (1993) Leverkusen Blues Festival '93: The Long John Baldry Band (1993) Waterfront Blues Festival: Long John Baldry (1997) Leverkusen Blues Festival '97: Long John Baldry & Tony Ashton (1998) Café Campus Blues with Long John Baldry (2001) Happy Birthday Blues: Long John Baldry & Friends (2007) Long John Baldry: In The Shadow Of The Blues

Acting credits
(1971) Up The Chastity Belt [Film] - as Little John (1973) The Big Rock Candy Mountain [Play] - as The Cowboy aka Narrator (1975) Dick Deadeye, or Duty Done [Animated film] - as The Major General / Monarch Of The Sea (1985) Star Wars: Ewoks [Animated TV series] - as Additional Voices (1985) Star Wars: Droids [Animated TV series] - as Proto One / The Great Heep (1988) Peter Pan: The Musical [Play] - as Captain Hook (1989) Captain N: The Game Master [Animated TV series] - as King Charles / Little John / Clock Man / The Poltergeist King (1989) Dragon Warrior [Animated TV series] - as Narrator (1990) The New Adventures of He-Man [Animated TV series] - as Treylus (uncredited) (1990) Angel Square [Film] - as Radio Announcer (1990) The Comic Book Christmas Caper [Film] - as Voice (1990) A Klondike Christmas [Animated TV special] - as Bear-Paw (1991) Captain Zed and the Zee Zone [Animated TV series] - as Captain Spring (1991) MacGyver [TV series] - as Man #2 (1991) Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars [Animated TV series] - as KOMPLEX (1991) Nilus the Sandman: The Boy Who Dreamed Christmas [Animated TV Christmas special] - as Nilus the Sandman (1992) Bucky O'Hare: The Arcade Game [Game] - as KOMPLEX (1993) Jack's Place [TV series] - as Tall Man (1993) Hurricanes [Animated TV series] - as Additional Voices (1993) Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog [Animated TV series] - as Doctor Robotnik (1993) Madeline [Animated TV series] - as Greybeard the Pirate (1994) ReBoot [Animated TV series] - as Captain Capacitor / Old Man Pearson (1994) Nilus the Sandman: Monsters in the Closet [Animated TV special] - as Nilus the Sandman (1995) Blame It One The Blues [Film] - as Bartender (1995) Nilus the Sandman: The First Day [Animated TV special] - as Nilus the Sandman (1996) Nilus the Sandman [Animated TV series] - as Nilus the Sandman (1997) The Original Story Of Winnie The Pooh [Audiobook] - as Narrator (1998) Camelot: The Legend [Animated film] - as Merlin (1998) Pocket Dragon Adventures [Animated TV series] - as King Bigoty (1998) Fat Dog Mendoza [Animated TV series] - as The Golden Volcano God (1998) RoboCop: Alpha Commando [Animated TV series] - as The Premier (1999) Toad Patrol [Animated TV series] - as Mistle-Toad (1999) Sabrina the Animated Series [Animated TV series] - as Captain Jean Lafitte (2002) The New Beachcombers [TV special] - as Member Of JJ's Jugband (2002) Snow Queen [Film] - Rutger The Reindeer (voice) (2003) Ben Hur [Animated film] - as Balthazar