CD Review: Bill Yates – Blues Like Midnight
by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International
1 Mojo (2:30)
2 All I Need Is You (2:33)
3 Blues Like Midnight (Cecelia G. Camp) (2:12)
4 Fool Around With Love (Carl Perkins) (2:27)
5 Don’t Step On My Dog (2:15)
6 Stop, Wait And Listen (2:45)
7 Carleen (2:47)
8 Too Late To Right My Wrong (2:41)
9 Big Big World (3:10)
10 I Dropped My M & Ms (2:11)
11 Signs In The Sand (Bill Yates) (2:26)
12 Albuquerque (Bill Yates) (3:45)
13 Blues Like Midnight [Alternate Version] (Cecelia G. Camp) (1:38)
14 (I’ll Never) Fool Around With Love [Alternate Version] (Carl Perkins) (2:11)
15 I’m So Lonely Without You (2:11)
16 I Believe To My Soul (Ray Charles) (2:08)
17 World Of Make Believe (Maddux / Mccord) (3:13)
18 Before I Lose My Mind (Roy Drusky / Vic Mcalpin) (3:00)
19 Boom Boom (2:06)
20 Every Night About This Time (3:52)
21 Before I Lose My Mind [Alternate Version] (Roy Drusky / Vic Mcalpin) (3:16)
22 High On The Hill [Instrumental] (1:39)
23 Recipe For Love (Charlie Rich) (2:20)
24 Tiny Tears (2:17)
25 Share Your Love With Me (2:49)
26 Carleen [Alternate Version] (2:54)
27 You Seem Like A Stranger To Me (2:44)
28 Two Can Play The Game (2:32)
29 I Dropped My M & Ms [Alternate Version] (2:19)
30 Big Big World [Alternate Version] (3:10)
31 Popcorn Polly (Charlie Rich) (2:53)
32 She’s Still Got A Hold On Me (2:29)
33 Bill’s Jazz [Instrumental] (Carlton) (2:28)
This is another monster project from Bear Family Records. CD digipack (4-sided) with 48-page booklet and 33 individual tracks, total playing time 87:27 minutes.
The artist featured here, Bill Yates, was born in Columbus, Georgia, in December 1936 and lived until 2012. He grew up with gospel music and also played the piano. He got to know Billy Adams and often worked in his band. Charlie Rich had a particular musical influence on him as well.
This CD contains singles from 1961 to 1977, some tracks in two versions. The CD title “Blues Like Midnight” may cause some confusion because it is a mix of rhythm & blues, pop ballads, soul and some rockabilly. In any case, there are a lot of previously unpublished songs in it. The CD is a reflection of the 60s and is not only interesting for nostalgic listeners.