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Jesse Stone

Jesse Albert Stone (November 16, 1901 – April 1, 1999)[1] was an American rhythm and blues musician and songwriter whose influence spanned a wide range of genres. He also used the pseudonyms Charles Calhoun and Chuck Calhoun. His best-known composition as Calhoun was "Shake, Rattle and Roll".[2]

This article is about the American musician. For other uses, see Jesse Stone (disambiguation).

Jesse Stone

Jesse Albert Stone

  • Charles Calhoun

(1901-11-16)November 16, 1901
Atchison, Kansas, U.S.

April 1, 1999(1999-04-01) (aged 97)
Altamonte Springs, Florida, U.S.

  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • arranger
  • record producer

Piano

1920s–1966

Atlantic

Ahmet Ertegun once stated that "Jesse Stone did more to develop the basic rock 'n' roll sound than anybody else."[3][4]

Early life[edit]

Stone was born in Atchison, Kansas,[2] and raised in Kansas. His grandparents were formerly enslaved in Tennessee.[4]


Stone was influenced by a wide array of styles. He came from a musical family who put on minstrel shows, and performed with them by age of five.[4] He was part of a trained dog act at the age of four.

Honors and awards[edit]

Stone was honored by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1992 with a Pioneer Award. He was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 1992. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.[7][4]

Personal life[edit]

After leaving Randy Records, Stone relocated to New York and then Florida. In 1975, he married Evelyn McGee[4] (1922–1996), formerly of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm.[1]


Stone died "after a long illness" at age 97 in Altamonte Springs, Florida.[4]

"Hey Sister Lucy" / "An Ace In The Hole", RCA-Victor, 1947

"Who Killed 'er ?" / "Mister Jelly Fingers", RCA-Victor, 1948

"Don't Let It Get Away" / "The Donkey And The Elephant", RCA-Victor, 1948

"Who's Zat ?" / "Bling-a-ling-a-ling", RCA-Victor, 1948

"Get It While You Can" / "Keep Your Big Mouth Shut", RCA-Victor, 1949

"Cole Slaw" / "Do It Now !" RCA-Victor 22–0026, 1949

[8]

covered "Don't Let Go" on the 'b' side of 'Sugartime' (Parlophone R 4402)[9] in 1958.

Jim Dale

performed Stone's "Don't Let Go" in 1958. It reached number 2 on the Billboard US R&B charts, and number 13 on the pop charts.[10]

Roy Hamilton

performed Stone's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" and "Flip, Flop and Fly" in a medley on the January 28, 1956 broadcast of the Dorsey Brothers Stage Show. He also recorded "Money Honey" in 1956 and "Like a Baby" in 1960.

Elvis Presley

performed Stone's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" on his Night Beat album in 1963.

Sam Cooke

recorded a version of "Don't Let Go" on her 1965 album The Name Game.

Shirley Ellis

recorded "Money Honey" on his 1966 album Midnight Man.

Davy Graham

recorded many of Stone's songs including "Don't Let Go", "Flip, Flop, and Fly" and "Shake, Rattle and Roll".

Jerry Lee Lewis

The performed Stone's "Don't Let Go" live in concert at least 154 times, between March 30, 1976, and April 21, 1995.[11]

Jerry Garcia Band

The covered "Your Cash Ain't Nothing but Trash" (written as Charles Calhoun) on the 1973 album The Joker. It was also released as a single in 1974.

Steve Miller Band

covered "Don't Let Go" on their eponymous album (1975).

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen

covered "Don't Let Go" on Polydor's album by the same name in 1979.

Isaac Hayes

covered "Don't Let Go" as track 2 on his 1990 solo album Armchair Theatre.

Jeff Lynne

covered "Your Cash Ain't Nothing but Trash" on their 1994 album Four Chords & Several Years Ago.

Huey Lewis and the News

covered "Shake, Rattle and Roll",[12] which was released in 1996 on The Beatles Anthology 3

The Beatles

wrote in autobiography that Stone had the reputation as the best piano player in Kansas City when Basie first performed there in 1920.

Count Basie

jazz historian Frank Driggs wrote that Stone did the first written horn arrangements for a jazz band, and was instrumental in modernizing the form to be performed in 4/4 time.

Kansas City

One of the 2010 recipients of the Award from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[13]

Ahmet Ertegun

One of the 2010 inductees in the .[14]

Songwriters Hall of Fame

covered "Money Honey" on his 1971 album, Into the Purple Valley, and "Smack Dab in the Middle" on Chicken Skin Music.

Ry Cooder

covered "Like a Baby" on her 2011 album, The Party Ain't Over.

Wanda Jackson

covered "Money Honey" on their 1980 album, Rockin' into the Night.

38 Special

covered "Don't Let Go" on their 1976 album Coming Out.

The Manhattan Transfer

Red Hot Jazz Archive

Jesse Stone and his Blues Serenaders

Soul-Patrol