Louis Jordan

Louis Jordan (July 8, 1908 - February 4, 1975) was an African-American jazz and rhythm & blues musician who, unlike many of his black peers, was highly popular with mainstream audiences in the post-swing era.

Decline of popularity

By the mid 1950s, Jordan's records were not selling as well as they used to and he began switching labels. At Mercury Records, Jordan managed to update his sound to full rock and roll with such non-charting songs as "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Salt Pork, West Virginia". After this, however, Jordan's popularity waned and he recorded only for a small following of enthusiasts. He seldom recorded at all after the early 1960s. Jordan died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack. During an interview late in life, Jordan made the controversial remark that rock and roll music was simply rhythm and blues music played by white performers, which contradicted the likes of Chuck Berry and Little Richard, both black artists playing what they considered to be rock and roll.

Related Topics:
1950s - Mercury Records - 1960s - Los Angeles, California - Little Richard

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