(Clarence 'Frogman' Henry II)
(4LP/CD)
Clarence Henry was born in New Orleans on March 19, 1937. In 1947 he
moved to the Algiers neighborhood, where he resided for the rest of his
life. He started learning piano as a child, with Fats Domino and
Professor Longhair his main influences. When Henry played in talent
shows, he dressed like Longhair and wore a wig with braids on both
sides. He joined Bobby Mitchell & the Toppers in 1952, playing piano
and trombone, and left when he graduated in 1955 to join saxophonist
Eddie Smith's band.
Henry used his trademark croak to improvise the song "Ain't Got No
Home" one night in 1955. Chess Records A&R man Paul Gayten heard the
song, and had Henry record it in Cosimo Matassa's studio in September
1956. Initially promoted by local DJ Poppa Stoppa, the song eventually
rose to number 3 on the national R&B chart and number 20 on the US
pop chart. The gimmick earned Henry his nickname of 'Frogman' and
jump-started a career that endured until his death.
Henry toured nationally with a six-piece band until 1958 and continued
to record.[3] A cover of Bobby Charles' hit "(I Don't Know Why) But I
Do", and "You Always Hurt the One You Love", both from 1961, were his
other big hits.
He opened 18 concerts for the Beatles across the US and Canada in 1964,
but his main source of income came from New Orleans's Bourbon Street
strip, where he played for 19 years.... (Wikipedia)
