Lloyd Price was a teenager when he scored his first hit, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," for
Art Rupe's young Specialty imprint. Backed by trumpeter/arranger
Dave Bartholomew's band (featuring special guest
Fats Domino on the 88s),
Price's song soared to the top of the R&B charts, scoring
Rupe his first crossover hit by racking up sales among both white and black audiences. Though
Price's time with Specialty was cut short when he was drafted in 1953, he managed nearly 50 storming, pre-rock & roll sides for the label, 25 of which are gathered on
Lawdy. Though nothing here was as big a hit as his debut, many of these songs easily could have come close were they selected over later Specialty smashes like "Ooh Ooh Ooh" or "Restless Heart." A shout singer with enough edge on his voice to be convincing (even as a teenager),
Price's early style was tailor-made for the 45 format. With little thought to pacing himself, the singer seems to approach each number as if it may be his last time at the microphone and, therefore, his last chance at a hit. Though that sense is exactly what makes the music so thrilling, it's also what makes these 25 sides difficult to digest en masse. That said, for "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" alone this set is worth it, and the high quality of nearly everything else on hand makes for a desirable package of the singer's early work. ~ Nathan Bush