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Biography
Nofootnotes|date=December 2007Jackie Brenston (August 15, 1930 & nbsp;– December 15, 1979) http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1970.html Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed December 2009 was an African United States|American Rhythm and blues|R& B singer and saxophone|saxophonist , who recorded, with Ike Turner 's band, the first version of the proto- rock and roll song " Rocket 88 ".
Biography
Brenston was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi|Clarksdale , Mississippi , United States . Returning to Clarksdale from army service in 1947, Brenston learned to play the tenor saxophone , linking up with Ike Turner in 1950 as sax player and occasional singer in his band. The local success of Turner’s Kings of Rhythm prompted B. B. King to recommend them to studio owner Sam Phillips in Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis , Tennessee , where the band made several sound recording and reproduction|recordings in early March 1951, including "Rocket 88", on which Brenston sang lead and which he was credited with songwriter|writing .
Phillips passed the recordings on to Chess Records in Chicago, who released "Rocket 88" as by "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", rather than under Turner's name. The record soon reached chart-topper|#1 on the United States|U.S. Billboard (magazine)|Billboard Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs|R& B record chart|chart and stayed at that position for over a month. Phillips' later claimed that this was the first rock and roll record , this has often been repeated by others, although there are numerous other candidates. Phillips used the success of the record to start Sun Records the following year.
After one further recording session, Brenston and Turner parted company, and Brenston went on to perform in Lowell Fulson 's band for two years. He returned to play in Turner's band from 1955 to 1962. Although he occasionally sang with the band, Turner apparently debarred him from singing "Rocket 88".
By now an alcoholic , Brenston continued playing in local bands. After a final recording session with Earl Hooker in 1963, he worked occasionally as a truck driver before a fatal myocardial infarction|heart attack in Memphis at the age of 49.
References
Reflist
Main sources
Jim Dawson, and Steve Propes, ''What Was The First Rock'n'Roll Record? , ISBN 0-571-12939-0
Nick Tosches, ''Unsung Heroes Of Rock'n'Roll , ISBN 0-436-53203-4
Persondata | NAME = Brenston, Jackie | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = United States|American R& B singer and saxophonist | DATE OF BIRTH = August 15, 1930 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Clarksdale, Mississippi , United States | DATE OF DEATH = December 15, 1979 | PLACE OF DEATH = Memphis, Tennessee , United States DEFAULTSORT:Brenston, Jackie Category:1930 births Category:1979 deaths Category:Jump blues musicians Category:Memphis blues musicians Category:Electric blues musicians Category:African American musicians Category:American rhythm and blues musicians Category:People from Clarksdale, Mississippi Category:Blues musicians from Mississippi Category:Chess Records artists Category:Sue Records artists Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction
