Call Her Name: The Complete Recordings 1951-1965 [Import]

Christine Kittrell (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 16, 2010)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Bear Family
• ASIN: B002XKUWJ4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,575 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Call His Name

2. Leave My Man Alone

3. Don't Do It

4. Old Man You're Slipping

5. Sittin' Here Drinking

6. I Ain't Nothin' But a Fool

7. Heartache Blues

8. You Ain't Nothin' But Trouble

9. Slave to Love

10. Gotta Stop Loving You

11. I'll Help You Baby

12. L&N Special

13. Every Night in the Week

14. Evil-Eyed Woman

15. The Price You Pay for Love

16. Snake in the Grass (2)

17. Snake in the Grass (1)

18. Lord Have Mercy (I'm So Lonely)

19. Sittin' Here Drinking Again

20. Black Cat Crossed My Trail

See all 31 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Christine Kittrell made some of the best R&B of the 1950s and '60s without ever becoming a household name. She was the leading nightclub vocalist on the rocking Nashville scene in the late 1940s and '50s. A marvelous singer - far more versatile than most of her contemporaries - Christine worked with Joe Turner, Fats Domino, Memphis Slim, Little Walter, Johnny Otis and even Count Basie. Her relatively few recordings, mainly on unfashionable labels, possessed rare expressiveness that could elevate a mundane song into something exceptional. She sang late night mood songs like Heartache Blues and Don't Do It, and pounding rockers like Call His Name and Lord Have Mercy - where she is backed by Little Richard on piano and vocals. Her rerecording of Call His Name in the 60s, became a northern soul classic. She also recorded the original version of the anthemic I'm A Woman. Her biggest hit, Sittin' Here Drinking, featured one of her trademark spoken intros.

Nashville-born Kittrell settled in Columbus, Ohio where she became a matriarch of her local blues scene. She suffered a number of falls and illnesses, starting with mortar bomb injuries received on a singing tour during the war in Vietnam - she liked to say that she was the only blues singer wounded in action! She died in 2001. This 31-track CD collects together all 29 different songs Christine recorded in the 1950s and 1960s for the Tennessee, Republic, Champion, Vee-Jay, Hit/Spar and Federal labels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sadly forgotten Nashville R&B Chantusse, January 29, 2011

By 

Mark Schlesinger "former Secretary, Columbus ... (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Call Her Name: The Complete Recordings 1951-1965 (Audio CD)

Christine Kittrell, who died here in Columbus in 2001, should be remembered right along with Sarah Vaughan, Ruth Brown, and Helen Humes. She considered herself a "versitile singer", and was basically a cross among those ladies. As with Brown, Christine recorded under the name of her second husband. Kittrell penned several blues standards during her 50's heyday, including "Sitting Here Drinking" and "Call His Name", her biggest hit. She recorded for Chess (unreleased and lost), Federal, and Vee Jay,among others. Her backing bands featured such legends as Little Richard (on "Call His Name"), Hardrock Gunter, Billy Sherill, Red Holloway, and Little Walter (on guitar!).

She performed often for the troops in Vietnam, where she was critically injured by shrapnel in 1968. Moving to Columbus, Christine became a social worker, and suffered a broken back after an attack by a mentally ill patient. She was out of music until the 1980's,rediscovered by rising blues star Sean Carney. Life of EaseThis great CD features all 31 of her surviving 50's-60's recordings, with nice sound. A 39 page booklet features biographical and personnel notes, photos, and label shots of her 45's. Bear Family intends to release another disc of her 80's and 90's recordings with Carney, mostly from local broadcasts. Some of Christine's music also appears on the great anthology "Night Train To Nashville".Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970)