George Davis
A songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, New Orleans native George Davis was a member of the Hawketts, who recorded the classic Crescent City hit "Mardi Gras Mambo" for the Chess label. Additionally, he played on numerous sessions, including the ones that birthed Willie Tee's "Teasin' You" and Lee Dorsey's version of Allen Toussaint's "Working in the Coal Mine." Around the time those songs were released, Davis teamed with saxophonist Alvin "Red" Tyler and ex-school teacher Warren Parker to start a production company. Davis' childhood friend Aaron Neville was their first signee. Songwriting partner Lee Diamond gave Davis a song idea, basically a title, for him to work on. The idea developed into "Tell It Like It Is," recorded by Neville. Davis shopped the song to record labels in New Orleans and New York, but it was rejected, which prompted Davis and his partners to start the Par-Lo label. In 1966, "Tell It Like It Is" was given a small pressing, about 2,000 copies, some of which were taken to local radio stations. The song, which featured Davis not only as the co-songwriter but as the arranger and baritone saxophonist as well, took off; it held the number one Billboard R&B spot for four weeks and went to number two pop. Par-Lo shortly folded thereafter, but the song became a soul classic and was covered by dozens of artists, including Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, George Benson, Nina Simone, and Heart. Davis moved to New York in 1970 and worked with the likes of Joe Zawinul, Sarah Vaughan, and Duke Ellington. He died of heart failure in 2008.
© Ed Hogan & Andy Kellman /TiVo
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Discography
10 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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When Kentucky Had No Union Men
Folk - Released by Folkways Records on 1 jan. 1967
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Politricksians Give Us a Break
Reggae - Released by George Davis on 10 apr. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Friends I've Never Met
Alternative en Indie - Released by JKD Enterprises on 3 feb. 2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Power Surge
Rock - Released by 3988075 Records DK on 5 mrt. 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Never Find This on Amazon
Country - Released by JKD Enterprises on 11 apr. 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Captured by Your Love
Divers - Released by Davash Music on 27 jan. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Captured by Your Love (Radio Version) [feat. Gail Holmes]
Divers - Released by Davash Music on 22 mrt. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let's Get Running
Ambient / New Age / Easy Listening - Released by 3988075 Records DK on 29 mei 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Morning Time (Radio Version)
Divers - Released by Davash Music on 25 apr. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
(I've Got A) Bad Case of the Yous
Folk - Released by JKD Enterprises on 28 sep. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo