Black 50s R&B was not heard in the UK. All these fabulous singers were unknown in Britain. Merchant seamen brought singles and albums back into the ports. They were like gold dust. All the local bands in the early sixties were eager to get their hands on these songs so that they could incorporate them into their act. We see these songs surfacing on all the early albums of bands such as the Beatles and Stones.
Here’s my favourite US R&B singers:
Bo Diddley
Arthur Alexander
Rufus Thomas
Screaming Jay Hawkins
Jimmy Reed
Ray Charles
Ruth Brown
Little Willie John
Ike Turner
James Brown
Ike & Tina Turner
Irma Thomas
Fats Domino
Huey Piano Smith
Sam Cooke
Big Mama Thornton
Hank Ballard
Johnny Otis
Inez and Charlie Foxx
I bet I missed a few off!
I hadn’t thought about these songs outside the US. I can imagine what that was like in the UK in the early 60’s. I know the Beatles often featured R&B groups in their concerts. Even the Chiffons!
I think it was the dearth of R&B on the media that enabled the British Beat groups to cover the songs because most of the audience hadn’t heard the originals.
I think you are exactly right!