LaVern Baker
Delores LaVern Baker (November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" (1955), "Jim Dandy" (1956), and "I Cried a Tear" (1958).
Early life
Baker was born in Chicago and is occasionally referred to as Delores Williams because of an early marriage to Eugene Williams.
Career
She began singing in Chicago clubs such as the Club DeLisa around 1946, often billed as Little Miss Sharecropper, and first recorded under that name in 1949. She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for Okeh Records in 1951, and then became LaVern Baker when singing with Todd Rhodes and his band in 1952.
In 1953 she signed for Atlantic Records as a solo artist, her first release being "Soul on Fire". Her first hit came in early 1955, with the Latin-tempo "Tweedlee Dee" reaching #4 on the R&B chart and #14 on the national US pop charts. Georgia Gibbs' note-for-note cover of Baker's "Tweedle Dee" reached #1; subsequently Baker made an unsuccessful attempt to sue her and petitioned Congress to consider such covers copyright violations.
Podcasts:
LaVern Baker
ALBUMS
- It's So Fine: The Complete Singles A's & B's 1953 - 1959 released: 2010
- Saved released: 2007
- The Platinum Collection released: 2007
- Blues Ballads released: 2005
- Lavern / Lavern Baker released: 1998
- Woke Up This Mornin' released: 1992
- Soul On Fire released: 1991
- Sings Bessie Smith released: 1988
- See See Rider / Blues Ballads released: 1987
- Precious Memories / Sings Bessie Smith released: 1985
- Let Me Belong to You released: 1970
- Lavern Baker released: 1957
- Blues Side of Rock 'n'Roll released:
It's So Fine: The Complete Singles A's & B's 1953 - 1959
Released 2010- How Can You Leave a Man Like This
- Soul on Fire
- Living My Life for You
- I Can't Hold out Any Longer
- Tomorrow Night
- Tweedle Dee
- That's All I Need
- Bop Ting a Ling
- That Lucky Old Sun
- Play It Fair
- My Happiness Forever
- Get Up Get Up (You Sleepy Head)
- Fee Fi Fo Fum
- I'll Still Do the Same for You
- Jim Dandy
- Tra La La
- Still
- I Can't Love You Enough
- Jim Dandy Got Married
- The Game of Love
The Platinum Collection
Released 2007- Soul on Fire
- Tomorrow Night
- Tweedle Dee
- That's All I Need
- Bop-Ting-A-Ling
- Play It Fair
- Jim Dandy
- My Happiness Forever
- Get Up, Get Up (You Sleepy Head)
- Still
- I Can't Love You Enough
- Jim Dandy Got Married
- I Cried a Tear
- Whipper Snapper
- I Waited Too Long
- Shake a Hand
- How Often (feat. Ben E. King)
- You Said
- Saved
- See See Rider
Lavern / Lavern Baker
Released 1998- Lots and Lots of Love
- Of Course I Do
- You'll Be Crying
- Miracles
- I'm in a Crying Mood
- Mine All Mine
- Harbor Lights
- I'll Never Be Free
- Romance in the Dark
- Everybody's Somebody's Fool
- How Long Will It Be
- Fool That I Am
- Jim Dandy
- Tra La La
- I Can't Love You Enough
- Get Up, Get Up (You Sleepy Head)
- That's All I Need
- Bop-Ting-A-Ling
- Tweedlee Dee
- Still
- Play It Fair
- Tomorrow Night
- That Lucky Old Sun
- You Set My Soul on Fire
- My Happiness Forever
- How Can You Leave a Man Like This?
Woke Up This Mornin'
Released 1992- That's My Desire
- You've Got a Friend
- Body and Soul
- Woke Up This Mornin'
- Misty Blue
- Knock on Wood
- Trouble in Mind
- To Love Somebody
- Why Don't You Do Right
- Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
- Rock Me Baby
- You Don't Miss Your Water
- I Can't Turn You Loose
- Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
- Tennessee Waltz
Soul On Fire
Released 1991- Soul on Fire
- Tomorrow Night
- Tweedle Dee
- That's All I Need
- Bop-Ting-a-Ling
- Play It Fair
- Jim Dandy
- My Happiness Forever
- Get Up, Get Up (You Sleepy Head)
- Still
- I Can't Love You Enough
- Jim Dandy Got Married
- I Cried a Tear
- Whipper Snapper
- I Waited Too Long
- Shake a Hand
- How Often
- You Said
- Saved
- See See Rider
See See Rider / Blues Ballads
Released 1987- See See Rider
- You Better Stop
- He's a Real Gone Guy
- Story of My Love
- You Said
- I'm Leavin' You
- Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes
- Trying
- Half of Your Love
- A Little Bird Told Me So
- Endless Love
- All the Time
- I Cried a Tear
- If You Love Me
- You're Teasing Me
- Love Me Right
- Dix-A-Billy
- So High, So Low
- I Waited Too Long
- Why Baby Why
- Humpty Dumpty Heart
- It's So Fine
- Whipper Snapper
- St. Louis Blues
Precious Memories / Sings Bessie Smith
Released 1985- Precious Memories
- Carrying the Cross for My Boss
- Just a Closer Walk With Thee
- Touch Me, Lord Jesus
- Didn't It Rain
- Precious Lord
- Somebody Touched Me
- In the Upper Room
- Journey to the Sky
- Everytime I Feel the Spirit
- Too Close
- Without a God
- Gimme a Pigfoot
- Baby Doll
- On Revival Day
- Money Blues
- I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle
- Back Water Blues
- Empty Bed Blues
- There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
- Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
- After You've Gone
- Young Woman's Blues
- Preaching the Blues
Blues Side of Rock 'n'Roll
- Hey, Memphis 1961
- Voodoo Voodoo 1958
- Tweedlee Dee 1954
- Jim Danday 1955
- Tralala 1956
- St. Louis Blues 1957
- Still 1956
- Jim Dandy Got Married 1957
- Whipper Snapper 1957
- Substitute 1957
- Bop-Ting-A-Ling 1955
- Humpty Dumpty Heart 1957
- Saved 1960
- Dix-A-Billy 1958
- That's All I Need 1955
- He's a Real Gone Guy 1968
- I Can't Love You Enough 1956
- Itty Bitty Girl 1962
- Oh, Johnny Oh, Johnny 1962
- See See Rider 1962
- So High So Low 1959
- Shake a Hand 1959
- I Cried a Tear 1958
- Bumble Bee 1960
- You Said 1960
- I Waited Too Long 1959
Born: 1929-11-11
Died: 1997-03-10
