Louisiana Jukebox Cafe

Happy “Heavenly” Birthday to Jazz and rhythm & blues bassist and bandleader Lloyd Lambert.
Lloyd Joseph Lambert was born in the LaFourche Parish town Thibodaux on June 4, 1928.
By age nine, he was playing piano with Teddy Johnson’s band, along with his father, who played guitar.
Lambert switched to the trumpet shortly afterwards and was on the road with ‘Hosea Hill’s Serenaders’ and opened the ‘Sugar Bowl’ bar at age 14 in 1942.
In 1953, Lambert switched instruments a third time, this time to the bass, and ‘Serenaders’ became the ‘Lloyd Lambert Orchestra.’ They toured briefly with a young Ray Charles, who at the time made New Orleans his residence.
Hill, from the earlier “Serenaders,’ started managing a young guitarist named ‘Guitar Slim’ in 1953 and soon after, Lambert joined him as his back-up band.
Lambert ended up playing on all of Guitar Slim’s Specialty Record releases, which talent scout and later Mississippi-based Ace Records producer Johnny Vincent arranged.
In 1955, Lambert recorded the self-written “King Cotton” on a 78 rpm shellac for ‘Specialty Records.’ The flip side, “Heavy Sugar,” was also penned by Lambert.
Also in 1955, his band backed up Albert Hall on a 45 rpm release by Specialty and then in 1956, recorded as ‘Lloyd Lambert and His Band’ back on a Specialty 78 with a self-written “Hop ’N’ Jump.”
On the flip side, he featured saxophonist Joe Tillman with “Whistlin’ Joe,” which was written by Tillman.� Known as "Luscious" Lambert's Band, they backed ‘Guitar Slim’ both in the studio and on the road in the 1950s.
In 1958, Lambert backed up Slim on two 78 rpm releases, which appeared on the ‘Atco Records’ label.� He also worked with the likes of Ray Charles and Little Richard, among many others.
After Guitar Slim’s death, Lambert began worked as a bandleader for Carol Fran and Nappy Brown.
Lambert also worked in the studio with many other musicians, including the legendary guitarist Snooks Eaglin.
Lambert was also the brother of piano great Phamous Lambert.
In his later years, one could listen to him at various Bourbon Street clubs and occasionally sat in at the famous ‘Preservation Hall” in the French Quarter.
He also toured with New Orleans jazz vocalist Lillian Boutté,
His son, Lloyd Lambert, Jr. is the bassist for Sweden-born Theresa Andersson, who now makes her home in New Orleans.
Lambert died of cancer on October 31, 1995 at the age of 67. He was buried back in his birth town of Thibodaux at Moses Cemetery.

We take “Tuesday’s Time Machine” back 63 years ago today, when Lafayette native Olin Angelle Boudreaux ‘rolled the dice’ on what would be long musical career by releasing his first record….under the moniker…”Roland Dice.”
It was produced by Eloy Dore, who at the time owned the ‘Oriental Club’ in New Iberia. (Formerly the ‘Victory Club.’
The two songs, both written by Boudreaux, “Everybody Loves Somebody” and “Tell Me Why, Oh Why,”
appeared on the ‘Oriental Records’ label, most probably being recorded in Robert Thibodeaux’s St. Martinville recording studio, which opened in July of 1961. The songs were published by ‘Hatchet Music Productions,’ the name of the Thibodeaux’s studio.
Boudreaux however, hooked up with southwest Texas record producer Huey Meaux for the release of “Velma” on the Philadelphia-based ‘Jamie’ label.
Shortly after that record’s release, Boudreaux dropped the ‘Roland Dice,’ packed his bags and headed to Los Angeles.
He also took on a new name, “Bobby Angelle.”
Out West, he first joined the group ‘Al & The Originals,” with Angelle handling lead vocals, while the group consisted of Al Navarro (group leader and bass player), Arthur Adams (guitar and vocals), Rick Allen (organ) and Ron Bingo (drums).
They released “Girl You're So Fine” and “Please Take Me Back” on the ‘Ten Star’ label in 1965� Later, the group became, "Originals" of Sight & Sounds, with members, Arthur Reeves (aka Arthur K. Adams on guitar and vocals), Al Navarro (bass), Ron "The Brown Beatle" Barrett (drums) and Bobby Angelle on piano and vocals.� In 1966, they released “Have Mercy” and “Long Boots” on Ron Barrett’s ‘J.J. I. Records’ label.� “Bobby Angelle” became a solo artist later in 1966, with a string of releases on ‘Ten Star’s’ parent company label ‘Money Records.’ They included: “I Love The Way You Love / I'm Begging” in 1966, followed by "Living A Lie / I Wanna Go Back Home” and “Too Much For You / Someone Is Gonna Hurt You” in 1967.
Bobby Angelle’ most popular song on the ‘Money’ label was “I Wanna To Go Back Home,” while another outstanding ballad with strong vocals was “Someone’s Gonna Hurt You.”
In 1968, also on ‘Money Records’ were na Jimmy Reed cover of “It's Just Gotta Be That Way / You Got Me Dizzy.”
Some unissued recording during that time on ‘Money’ was later released posthumously.� He switched to ‘Imperial Records’ in 1969 with “I Used To Be Happy / No Other Love Could Be.” � A Los Angeles resident for the last 31 years of his life, Olin “Angelle” Boudreaux passed away on June 27, 1994 in ‘The City of Angels.’