Bobby Charles - Later Alligator! Recordings & Compositions 1955-62 (2021)

Born Robert Guidry in Abbeville, Louisiana, in 1938, he became famous as songwriter under his birth name, but also had success as a recording artist under the name Bobby Charles, beginning his career as an 18-year-old with an R&B hit with his composition “Later Alligator”, which Bill Haley covered to have a No. 6 pop hit early in the rock ‘n’ roll era. He was very much a pioneer of the Louisiana-based Swamp Pop style alongside Jimmy Clanton, characterised by recordings emanating from Cosimo Matassa’s studio in New Orleans, where Fats Domino, a noted beneficiary of Guidry’s songs, made his records. This 55-track 2-CD set comprises A & B sides and other recordings for the Chess and Imperial labels, including his R&B hits “Later Alligator” and “Only Time Will Tell”. As a bonus, it also features recordings of his songs recorded by other artists, including the hits “See You Later Alligator” by Bill Haley, “Walkin’ To New Orleans”, “Before I Grow Too Old” and “It Keeps Raining” by Fats Domino, and “But I Do”, “On Bended Knees” and “A Little Too Much” by Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry. As such, it provides a fascinating showcase for his talents as both songwriter and artist, underlining the significant contribution he made to the pop music of the rock ‘n’ roll years.