Born: James Crawford, Jr. - October 12, 1934 - New Orleans, LA
James "Sugar Boy" Crawford is a unique rhythm and blues artist - one of
New Orleans' greatest performers. James Crawford recorded under the names Shaw Weez, Shaweez, Sugar Boy & the Cane Cutters,
James Sugar Boy, and later simply James Crawford, Jr. The group the Shaw-Weez consisted of Edgar "Big Boy" Myles,
James Crawford, Warren "Jake" Myles, guitarist Irving Banister, and Eugene "Bones" Jones on drums.
James "Sugar Boy" Crawford is the only child of Mary and James Crawford Sr. Sugar Boy grew up in the Uptown
section of New Orleans. He got his first introduction to music on Sundays at
the Baptist Church. By the time he reached his teens, he had learned to
play the trombone, piano, and joined a marching band.
While in high school he had a band, notably with Edgar "Big Boy"
Myles. The group caught a break in 1952, when Doctor Daddy-O (a New Orleans DJ) invited them
to perform on his Saturday morning radio show. The group didn't have a name
until Daddy-O dubbed them, "The Chapaka Shawee" (Creole for "We Aren't Raccoons"),
the title of an instrumental the group played.
By the late 1959 through 1963 Sugar Boy was extremely popular with white audiences.
Sugar Boy and his band performed at dances, clubs, and private parties in Louisiana.
Sugar Boy never had a large, record buying, black audience .
Aladdin Sessions - 11/23/52
Sugar Boy Crawford on piano; Big Boy Myles lead vocal sometimes shared with Sugar Boy.
Only one single release on the Aladdin label by Shaw-Weez
No One to Love Me / Early Sunday Morning
"You Made Me Love You" / "Feeling Sad" was never issued by Aladdin, so Aladdin 3170A is a
bootleg that allegedly was taken from the Aladdin Unissued track
No One to Love Me (45-AL-3170-X D); Early Sunday Morning (45-AL-3170-Q D)
Specialty label - Shaweez
The following Shaweez sessions are believed to be part of an Aladdin archive. Subsequently
they were released by Imperial on vinyl LPs in 1968.
Imperial label - vinyl LPs
Imperial LP 94003:End of an Era: Rhythm 'N' Blues, Volume 1 - Various Artists [1968]
Imperial LP 94005:Sweet ‘N Greasy: Rhythm 'N' Blues, Volume 2 - Various Artists [1968]
The following are tracks from a "30 New Orleans Classics" CD. Imperial owns the masters
for these tracks, and they were never released as singles. Information courtesy of Tapio.
Imperial Sessions - Year: 1957
Sugar Boy had three sessions for Imperial and was backed up by Dave
Bartholomew, Lee Allen, Herb Hardesty, Justin Adams, Frank Fields and Earl
Palmer.
Chess Sessions
The Chess/Checker recordings were played on New Orleans black radio. Often rough, with
sometimes amateurish musicianship, the Chess/Checker recordings are a patch work of good and mediocre
material. However, all tracks are worthy of listening, and all tracks
are collectors items!
Members of Sugar Boy's Cane Cutters included: Edgar "Big Boy" Miles, David Lastie,
Eric Warner, Alfred Bernard, Frank Fields, Slim Saunders on some sessions, Snooks Eaglin, gtr. on some sessions.
The following Chess sessions include both single releases and songs that were unissued as singles, but are subsequently
released on a Chess
vinyl LP set, "Chess Masters Blues Series," 2ACMB-209 - Sugar Boy Crawford - Sugar Boy Crawford [1976]
(2-LP set). "Chess Masters," CH-2-9215 - Sugar Boy Crawford - Sugar Boy Crawford [1984] Reissue of Chess 2ACMB-209. (2-LP set)
-- "Chess Masters," CH2-92508 - Sugar Boy Crawford - Sugar Boy Crawford (2-LP set) another Reissue of Chess 2ACMB-209.
Disc:1
Slim Saunders recorded as a backup singer with Sugar Boy Crawford's band sometimes. Session:
Slim Saunders (v) with Snooks Elgin (g); Frank Fields (b); James “Sugar Boy” Crawford (p);
Edgar “Big Boy” Myles (tb); David Lastie (ts); Alfred Bernard (as); Eric Warner (d)
The track was issued by Chess under Paul Gayten's
supervision, as a single sung by Slim Saunders - (Chess 1563 1954)
Let's Have Some Fun (Honey) / Get Away
Humorous song about personal misfortune
Disc:2
reissued by Dave Bartholomew: released in 1956 as a 45-rpm single "Would You" on Imperial 5390
The following are 78-rpm singles released by Chess/Checker in the U.S.
Checker Sessions
- James "Sugar Boy" Crawford - vocals, piano
- Leroy "Batman" Rankin - tenor saxophone
- Edgar "Big Boy" Myles - trombone
- Billy Tate - guitar
- Frank Fields - bass
- Chester Jones - drums
Sugar Boy & His Cane Cutters - Source - "Rhythm & Blues in New Orleans,"
John Broven, Pelican Publishing Co. USA 1995
Also "Overboard" is part of soundtrack for "Eve's Bayou," a film about a black family living in
Louisiana, set in the 1960s.
Mardi Gras classic - placed Sugar Boy into eternal stardom!!!
The following are 45-rpm singles released in the U.S.
Imperial Sessions - singles
The Imperial years from 1956 to 1957 represent a crossover mark, aimed to please his mainly
white audience. Unlike earlier Aladdin and Chess recordings, the Imperial records were
well received on white New Orleans radio.
Sugar Boy had three sessions for Imperial and was backed up by Dave
Bartholomew's band: Lee Allen, Herb Hardesty, Justin Adams, Frank Fields and Earl
Palmer. These were recorded at Cosimo's Studio in New Orleans.
Thanks to Tapio for 45-single Imperial discographies that follow:
Mardi Gras favorite
I Don't Need You / Morning Star
"Morning Star" Written by Dave Bartholomew - also released later on
EMI/Capitol 80184 2-CDs 1993 "Spirit of New Orleans: The Genius of Dave Bartholomew"
"I Need Your Love" later released on Imperial Singles Collection Vol 1 - Released in Japan; Label: KING Records Imperial GXF 2081 vinyl LP, Year: Unknown
Montel label
Considered his signature song and his best record ever!!!
Produced by Sam Montalbano (aka Sam Montel); Montel label - Baton Rouge, La
Ace label
1963 - stay in the hospital - Sugar Boy and his band were on their way to a job in North Louisiana,
when state troopers pulled him over for the crime of being a black man in a flashy
brand-new automobile. One of Louisiana's "finest" took exception to Sugar Boy's attitude
and proceeded to pistol-whip him on the side of the road.
Sugar Boy spent three weeks in the hospital and was incapacitated for two years.
(Excerpt from Offbeat Magazine, New Orleans, LA)
Peacock label
The record lists 'Sugarboy' as the artist, although 'Sugar Boy' was recovering from
a hospital stay and had nothing to do with the session.
A vinyl 2-LP set was issued by Chess/Vogue 427017 (France) 1976, named Sugar Boy Crawford
"Chicago Golden Years," reissued on CD in 1988.
Track listing courtesy of Tapio.
Sugar Boy Crawford "Chicago Golden Years" (Chess/Vogue 427017), 2LP
Disc 1 Side 1: tracks -
Overboard; I Don't Know What I'll Do; You Know I Love You; Stop;
Watch Her Whip Me; Honey (Slim Saunders on "Honey" track)
Disc 1 Side 2: tracks -
I Bowed On My Knees; Wandering Baby; No More Heartaches;
What's Wrong; Love Love Love; Troubled Mind Blues
Disc 2 Side 1: tracks -
Ooh Wee Sugar; There Goes My Baby; Jockomo;
You You You; You Call Everybody Sweetheart; If I Loved You Darling
Side 2: tracks -
Get Away; Please Believe Me; For Me; Wondering;
Night Rider; Long Lost Stranger
A vinly LP named "New Orleans Classics" includes 4 tracks by the Shaweez
Vinyl LP released in 1985, by Pathe Marconi (France) catalogue number 1561351.
James "Sugar Boy" Crawford & The Shaweez: New Orleans Classics (vinyl LP, Pathe
Marconi/Imperial 1561351), Side 1: tracks -
Morning Star; You Gave Me Love; She's Gotta Wobble (When She Walks);
I Don't Need You; The Facts; It's Over; I Need Your Love
Side 2: tracks -
I Have A Feeling; No One But You Dear; She's The One;
You Made Me Love You (The Shaweez); No One To Love Me (The Shaweez);
Feeling Sad (The Shaweez); Early Sunday Morning (The Shaweez)
The following is a compilation CD.
Sugar Boy Crawford - track: White Christmas
