Pianist, organist, bandleader and arranger, Cleveland born Ernie Freeman (1922-1981) was the man responsible for tons of smoking R&B hits from the 50s and 60s. If you haven’t heard any of his songs, well, you were probably a Russian agent back in the day, as his songs were ubiquitous in the US, comrade.
Freeman had a wide variety of bands and musical incarnations, with songs like “Raunchy” and it’s relentless guitar and greasy sax setting the stage for white boys like Elvis and Eddie Cochrane. Likewise, “Jivin Around”, Dumplin’s” and “Rocking Red Wing” were prototypes for rock and rollers on the other side of the tracks. The juke boxes were blaring hits like “The Dark At The Top Of The Stairs” and “Twistin’ Time” which became hits for both white and black fans. He even delved into the world of country music, with some smoking takes of “I’m Moving On” and an unforgettable take of “I Walk The Line” that gives a whole new meaning of the name “The Man In Black”. Finger popping time!