Air Week: January 28-February 3, 2019

The Lutchers: Nellie & Joe

The “Juke In The Back” is proud to feature The Lutchers, a brother and sister who’s separate works helped define early Rhythm & Blues. Older sister, Nellie Lutcher, the piano playing vocalist, scored more hits and made much more of a national impact than her younger brother Joe. Her style combined blues, jazz, R&B, pop and small elements of what would become Vocalese. She hit the big time in 1947 after more than a decade of working the clubs of Los Angeles. Her firs 2 singles, “Hurry On Down” and “He’s A Real Gone Guy” both went to #2 nationally for Capitol Records. She’d score another #2 with the self-penned “Fine Brown Frame” less than a year later. Her younger brother, the saxophonist Joe Lutcher, made a name for himself fronting many combos at some of LA’s most prestigious clubs. He hit the national charts in 1948 with the instrumental, “Shuffle Woogie” for Capitol. Then he jumped over to Specialty Records for catchy “Rockin’ Boogie” and then to Modern Records for the now classic “Mardi Gras.” They never recorded together, but separately their careers would set the stage for the mainstreaming of Rhythm & Blues Music into Rock n’ Roll. Matt The Cat gives both of these great artists the exposure they so rightly deserve and so decisively earned, on this week’s “Juke In The Back.” 

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