Reverb

Naturally, I sought out more of Doggett's records, and read up on his background (born in Philadelphia in 1916; worked with the big bands of Jimmy Mundy, Lucky Millinder, and Louis Jordan; did some piano and arranging work for the Ink Spots and Cootie Williams; recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, and Louis Armstrong). He released numerous singles in the wake of "Honky Tonk" -- including "Slow Walk," "Hold It," "Ram-Bunk-Shush" -- but none came close to topping it, commercially or artistically. Nor did subsequent versions by Lonnie Mack and James Brown (nor, for that matter, Doggett's ill-fated version issued a few months after the original, featuring lyrics the song never really needed). Still, it didn't matter. Likewise, it didn't matter that oldies-radio formats steered way clear of "Honky Tonk," despite its status as one of the Fifties' biggest R&B hits. Doggett had cut one of the greatest instrumentals in pop-music history; anything else was just gravy.

Bill Doggett died November 13 in New York City at age 80, his achievements practically overlooked by historians in both the jazz and rhythm-and-blues fields. His stuff never got played on oldies radio, and even noncommercial R&B DJs seem to favor Doggett's more touted contemporaries (e.g., Earl Bostic, with whom Doggett recorded on occasion). Still, I can't help but wonder if any radio stations -- here or anywhere -- bothered to dust off a copy of "Honky Tonk" to honor its creator with a spin.

-- By John Floyd

E-mail: john_floyd@miami-newtimes.com