Cash McCall (musician)

Cash McCall (born Morris Dollison Jr., January 28, 1941) is an American electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his 1966 R&B hit, "When You Wake Up". McCall's long career has seen him evolve in musical styles from gospel to soul to the blues.^[1]

Biography

McCall was born in New Madrid, Missouri. He joined the United States Army, and then settled in Chicago where he had lived for a period as a child. In 1964, he played guitar and sang, alongside Otis Clay, with the Gospel Songbirds, who recorded for Excello Records. Cash later joined another gospel singing ensemble, the Pilgrim Jubilee Singers.^[1]

Billed under his birth name, his debut solo single release was "Earth Worm" (1963). Three years later he co-wrote "When You Wake Up" with the record producer, Monk Higgins. His initial soul styled demo was issued by Thomas Records, who chose to call him Cash McCall.^[1][2] The song reached #19 on the US Billboard R&B chart.^[3] This led to McCall touring with Lou Christie and Mitch Ryder in Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars. However, subsequent releases for both the Thomas and Checker labels failed to chart.^[1] These included the song, "It's Wonderful To Be In Love".^[4] In 1967, McCall co-wrote "That's How It Is (When You're in Love)", a Top 30 R&B hit for Otis Clay.^[5][6]

Under the tutelage of Willie Dixon, McCall went on to become a session musician and songwriter for Chess Records.^[1] In the late 1960s, McCall, along with Jimmy Dawkins and Johnny Twist, played guitar on some of George "Wild Child" Butler's early recordings.^[7]

McCall gravitated towards the blues in the 1970s. He issued Omega Man (1973) before relocating to Los Angeles in 1976 and, by 1983, McCall had released No More Doggin'.^[1] In 1985, McCall and his band, appeared at the Long Beach Blues Festival. In 1987, Stony Plain Records released the album, Cash Up Front. The collection included notables such as Nathan East and Welton Gite (bass); Chuck Findley (flugelhorn, trumpet); Hank Cicalo (sound engineer) and Bernie Grundman (mastering); Les McCann and Richard Tee (piano); plus Phil Upchurch (rhythm guitar).^[8]

McCall co-produced Willie Dixon's Grammy Award clinching Hidden Charms (1988), and played in Dixon's All-Stars band. Since then he has toured as a solo artist, and appeared with the Chicago Rhythm and Blues Kings for whom he has written several tracks. He has also provided backing to the singer known as Big Twist, and performed in the Chicago Blues Review.^[1] McCall's songs have been recorded by The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Mighty Reapers, Margie Evans, Tyrone Davis and Mitty Collier.^[9]

Discography

Singles

Albums

^[10]

Compilation albums

^[11]

As sideman

With Dorothy Ashby

• The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby (Cadet, 1970)^[12]

With Jack McDuff

• Gin and Orange (Cadet, 1969)^[13]

With Phil Upchurch

• The Way I Feel (Cadet, 1970)^[14]

See also

• List of electric blues musicians

References