When you think of Shreveport songs, what comes to mind? The standard answers might include Huddie Ledbetter’s “Goodnight Irene,” Jimmie Davis’s “You Are My Sunshine,” or Dale Hawkins’ “SusieQ.” These are great, but digging deeper into the history of music connected to our city yields many additional rewarding results.
Here are a few of my favorite songs. Perhaps they’ll become your favorites, too.
Lillian Glinn “Shreveport Blues” (Columbia, 1929)
The Deep Ellum district in Dallas, Texas, served as Glinn’s stomping grounds. She sang this lament directed at our city during her fourth and final recording session. The memorable lyrics mention a “long, tall papa who lives mostly on Texas Avenue,” as well as a woman who wants “lovin’ ten or twelve times a week.”
Claude King “Beer and Pinballs” (Gotham, 1951)
King had more commercial success with his other country songs. However, none of those provided relationship advice that suggested drinking beer and playing pinball.
Willie Caston and
the Ever Ready Gospel Singers “When the Moon Goes Down” (Abbott, 1953)
It took awhile for Shreveport’s rich gospel heritage to appear on records. Once it did, though, one of the most productive groups was the Ever Ready Gospel Singers led by disc jockey Willie Caston. This song is one of their more upbeat numbers.
Grace Tennessee and the American Spirits “Pow Wow” (WLS, 1961)
Mira Smith (the person behind the pseudonym Grace Tennessee) represents a renaissance woman of the Shreveport music scene. She founded the Ram recording studio, Ram record label, and Ram record shop. She was also a songwriter, recording engineer, and musician. This instrumental prominently features her guitar skills.
The In-Crowd “Nothing You Do” (Ronn, 1966)
Garage rock with horns is a fairly appropriate way to describe this song. It appears on the band’s only record, whose flipside is a cover of Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour.” Stan Lewis released this as the first record on his Ronn label.
Reuben Bell with the Casanovas “It’s Not That Easy” (Murco, 1967)
A melancholy song if there ever was one. Many of Bell’s recordings relate sad stories about lost love. Here’s one of the best by my favorite Shreveport soul singer.
African Music Machine “Black Water Gold (Pearl)” (Soul Power, 1972)
Bass player Louis Villery led this band that might win the local prize for the greatest number of funk records released. Their recording sessions occurred down the street from Byrd High School at the Sound/City recording studio located at 3316 Line Avenue.
The Wedgeheads “Shreveport Means Business” (demo, 1981)
The Wedgeheads, who once billed themselves as “the world’s worst rock ‘n roll band,” only made demo recordings and played a handful of live shows. Nevertheless, I consider them one of Shreveport’s first punk bands. “Shreveport Means Business” hijacks the 1980s slogan of the local Chamber of Commerce, and produces entertaining results.
Chris Brown is the archivist at Centenary College of Louisiana. By day, he helps researchers access material related to the history of Centenary as well as United Methodism in Louisiana. By night, he researches, writes and chases down most anything related to Shreveport music history… especially vinyl records. Brown’s radio show, “Romp and Stomp,” airs Tuesdays from 5 – 6 p.m. on Centenary’s radio station, KSCL 91.3 FM. Brown also operates the Shreveport Songs blog.