BLACKWELL, ROBERT A. "BUMPS"
Bumps Blackwell, promotional photo, ca. 1956
Homebase: Seattle, WA.
Stats: 1918-1985
Misc Notes: Robert Alexander ‘Bumps’ Blackwell was born in Seattle on May 23, 1918, and graduated from Garfield High School. He earned his nickname as a lad due to his pattern of repeatedly engaging in rumbles with neighborhood and schoolyard kids. By 1935 he was leading a dance-band, Bumps' Rhythm Maniacs. In addition to operating a butcher shop just off East Madison Street, he also led his Bumps Blackwell Band -- which included his younger brother Charlie Blackwell on drums -- and the Bumps Blackwell Orchestra. Among the touring stars that his bands backed were: Nat King Cole, Frankie Laine, Patti Page, Kay Starr, Peggy Lee, and Sammy Davis Jr.
It was 1947 when Blackwell discovered a talented local teenage band led by their drummer, Charles Taylor (a son of the local pianist Evelyn Bundy, who’d formed the pioneering Garfield Ramblers jazz combo here back in the 1920s). Taylor had recruited two of Oscar Holden, Sr.’s kids -- Grace Holden (piano) and Oscar Holden Jr. (sax) – along with a newcomer whose family had just moved to the ’hood: the teen trumpeting phenom Quincy Jones. Blackwell offered to manage them as the Bumps Blackwell Junior Band and began reshaping the band by bringing in new members, including the blind teenage pianist Ray Charles, and singer Ernestine Anderson. Along the way those youngsters got opportunities to play shows backing touring soloist stars like Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway and Billy Eckstine.
In 1951 Blackwell moved to Los Angeles where he initially served as a talent scout and producer for Specialty Records. In 1955 he began working with Little Richard and is crediting with Bumps co-writing such hits as "Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Long Tall Sally,” and “Rip It Up.” In 1956 Blackwell produced a couple songs with the gospel singer, Sam Cooke, and then brought the singer to Seattle where he took him around to meet DJs at various local radio stations, and also introduced Cooke to a few old friends, including Tom and Ellen Ogilvy who had recorded the Junior Band back in 1948 at their Electromart Record shop. 
Their son, Jim Ogilvy, recently (6.23.20) recalled that encounter:
"My mind goes back to our Seattle home located at 1236 19th Avenue East. Before Bumps moved to Los Angeles my dad had supported his Junior Band. After the move dad and Bumps talked on the phone between Seattle and L.A. all the time. It was a Thursday night and here are Blackwell and his new star, Sam Cooke, coming up our rockery walkway in front of the house. Bumps was producing and promoting Cooke as a breakaway pop singer from the Soul Stirrers gospel group. He puts Cooke's new 45 on the turntable telling Tom and Ellen about how great Sam is going to be singing Gershwin's ‘Summertime’!! My parents’ reaction was good, but not as enthusiastic as Bumps had anticipated. Mom said 'Let's hear the B side.' Bumps flips the disc and plays ‘You Send Me.’ Mom flipped and said ‘Summertime’ is an excellent rendition, but “You Send Me” is the hit.!!!’ Bumps got it on the air that night. The next morning at Garfield High guys from the Counts -- the hippest bunch in the school -- were singing parts of ‘You Send Me.’ In passing I (casually) mentioned I had had dinner with Sam last night. As usual, nobody believed me...”
Bumps Blackwell at work in a recording studio with Sam Cooke.
Blackwell also launched his own Bump's Record Co, and Famous Records -- and probably the Chelan Record Co. which issued a single by his brother, Charlie Blackwell. Blackwell also went on to garner seventeen Gold Records while producing a variety of artists.The Blackwell International Academy of the Performing Arts was opened after his death in 1985.
Here's a list of notable artists that Bumps Blackwell assisted in various ways:
- 1948-'49: Quincy Jones [Bumps Blackwell Junior Band]
- 1948: Ray Charles [Bumps Blackwell Junior Band]
- 1948: Ernestine Anderson [Bumps Blackwell Junior Band]
- 1953: Sonny Knight - "But Officer" [producer]
- 1955: Clifton Chenier - "Ay Tete Fille (Hey, Little Girl)" [producer]
- 1955: Jessie Belvin - "Where's My Girl" / "Love, Love of My Life" [Bumps Blackwell Band]
- Vicky Lee - "Goin' Back Home To Mama" [Bumps Blackwell Band]
- 1956: Little Richard - "Long Tall Sally" - "Ready Teddy" - "Rip It Up" [co-writer & producer]
- 1956: Sonny Knight - "Confidential" [producer]
- 1956: The Chimes - "Pretty Little Girl" [Bumps Blackwell Band]
- 1956: Wynona Carr - "Please Mr. Jailer" [Bumps Blackwell Band]
- 1957: Wynina Carr - "What Do You Know About Love" [Bumps Blackwell Band]
- 1957: Sam Cooke - "You Send Me" [producer]
- 1957: The Valiants (w/ Billy Storm) - "This Is The Night" [Bumps Blackwell Band]
- 1958: Little Richard - "Good Golly Miss Molly" [co-writer & producer]
- Clydie King -
- Bessie Griffin -
- Larry Williams -
- Guitar Slim - "Sufferin' Mind"
- The Coasters -
- Herbie Alpert -
- 1959: American Jazz Quintet - [producer]
- 1960: Bat'ya - "Main Theme Of Exodus" (Chelan C-500) [Bumps Blackwell Orchestra and Chorus]
- 1964: Ike and Tina Turner - "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" [producer]
- 1964: Ike & Tina -Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show [producer]
- 1967: Ike & Tina - The Ike & Tina Turner Show - Vol.2 [producer]
- Lou Rawls -
- Five Blind Boys of Alabama - "The Sermon"
- Sly Stone -
- Fifth Dimension -
- Chambers Brothers -
- Art Neville -
- 1981: Bob Dylan - Shot of Love [producer]
- 1985: Gene "Rockin'" Roland & the Ruggley's - "Give it Up (Pay Little Richard)" [arranger / exec producer]
- 1985: Alexis Gershwin -
- 1987: Mary Murphy - Goosebumps [producer]
Robert "Bumps" Blackwell was a musician, producer and composer who worked with the top names in early jazz and rock and roll. Blackwell was born in Seattle on May 23, 1918. By the late 1940s his Seattle-based "Bumps Blackwell Junior Band" featured Ray Charles and Quincy Jones, and played with artists like Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway and Billy Eckstine. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1950s and hired on with Art Rupe's Specialty Records.In 1955, Blackwell flew to New Orleans to record Little Richard (Richard Penniman), a singer who they hoped would become the next Nat King Cole. During a break in the tepid recording session everybody headed to a nearby bar where Mr. Penniman started banging out an obscene club song on the piano. "Daddy Bumps" knew he had a hit so he brought in a local songwriter to clean up the lyrics. "Tutti-Frutti, good booty" became "Tutti Frutti, all rootie," and Little Richard became a star. Bumps wrote or co-wrote other early rock hits including "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Long Tall Sally," and "Rip It Up."
Blackwell produced the hit "You Send Me" against Rupe's wishes. Rupe feared Sam Cooke's crossover from gospel to pop would hurt the sales of his gospel records. Rupe fired Bumps who then took Cooke and his recording cross town to Keen Records where it became the first #1 hit by a solo black artist. He went on to garner 17 Gold Records while producing a variety of artists including Sly Stone, Lou Rawls, the Fifth Dimension, the Chambers Brothers, the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, the Coasters, Ike and Tina Turner and Bob Dylan.
Blackwell taught his artists the business side of music, "because I don't want my pupils to be unprepared like I was, like [Little] Richard was, like we all were." The Blackwell International Academy of the Performing Arts was opened after his death in 1985. - See more at: http://www.blackpast.org/aaw/blackwell-robert-bumps-1918-1985#sthash.2ckTz7Pk.dpuf
Robert "Bumps" Blackwell was a musician, producer and composer who worked with the top names in early jazz and rock and roll. Blackwell was born in Seattle on May 23, 1918. By the late 1940s his Seattle-based "Bumps Blackwell Junior Band" featured Ray Charles and Quincy Jones, and played with artists like Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway and Billy Eckstine. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1950s and hired on with Art Rupe's Specialty Records.In 1955, Blackwell flew to New Orleans to record Little Richard (Richard Penniman), a singer who they hoped would become the next Nat King Cole. During a break in the tepid recording session everybody headed to a nearby bar where Mr. Penniman started banging out an obscene club song on the piano. "Daddy Bumps" knew he had a hit so he brought in a local songwriter to clean up the lyrics. "Tutti-Frutti, good booty" became "Tutti Frutti, all rootie," and Little Richard became a star. Bumps wrote or co-wrote other early rock hits including "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Long Tall Sally," and "Rip It Up."
Blackwell produced the hit "You Send Me" against Rupe's wishes. Rupe feared Sam Cooke's crossover from gospel to pop would hurt the sales of his gospel records. Rupe fired Bumps who then took Cooke and his recording cross town to Keen Records where it became the first #1 hit by a solo black artist. He went on to garner 17 Gold Records while producing a variety of artists including Sly Stone, Lou Rawls, the Fifth Dimension, the Chambers Brothers, the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, the Coasters, Ike and Tina Turner and Bob Dylan.
Blackwell taught his artists the business side of music, "because I don't want my pupils to be unprepared like I was, like [Little] Richard was, like we all were." The Blackwell International Academy of the Performing Arts was opened after his death in 1985. - See more at: http://www.blackpast.org/aaw/blackwell-robert-bumps-1918-1985#sthash.2ckTz7Pk.dpuf