NEWPORT, R.I. -- Before rock 'n' roll was a twinkle in anyone's musical eye, many of America's most popular black singers were captivating the nation with a rhythm & blues sound that evolved from gospel and the Delta blues. In the process, many of those singers were being shortchanged by record companies that presented their songs of love, lust and lament to the public in the 1940s, '50s and '60s yet paid little or no royalties. The redress for those past sins received a major shot of visibility last weekend when a strong dollop of soul was added to the music festival tradition in Newport, R.I., home since the 1950s of world renowned jazz and folk festivals produced by George Wein. This year, Wein teamed up with the Washington-based Rhythm & Blues Foundation on a new event. The Newport Rhythm & Blues Festival was started to benefit musical pioneers who in many cases were cheated financially or faded into obscurity with the advent of disco and other stylistic fads. In addition to working to obtain rightful royalties for musicians, the foundation honors R&B pioneers and provides emergency medical funds to those in need. The one-day Newport R&B Festival was a rousing musical success that drew 5,200 people to seaside Fort Adams State Park. The music was as hot as the searing weather and all left with no doubt there will be sequels for years to come. 'It has taken me 50 years to get to Newport. I may not be back again, but I want you to remember what I have done,' singer Ruth Brown, the undisputed queen of R&B, told the audience during her set.
It was Brown whose early 1950s string of hits for Atlantic Records brought the label the nickname 'the House that Ruth Built.' Brown cut loose on her hit '5-10-15 Hours,' cooled the crowd with the ballad 'Love Letters' and wound down her set with her classic teasing blues 'If I Can't Sell It.' The star-studded festival included musical cameos by foundation vice chairwoman Bonnie Raitt and Eagles founder Don Henley. A backstage visit by Billy Joel to mingle with his friends became a crowd-pleasing bonus when the Piano Man made a surprise appearance. With soulful tenor sax accompaniment, he sat down at the piano and sang 'I'm in a Newport State of Mind.' Other performers included a few of the true R&B pioneers: the gospel group Clarence Fountain and the Blind Boys of Alabama, the jazzy blues of singer/pianist Charles Brown, Delta blues singer Pops Staples, and a two-hour showcase that topped anything seen or heard in Newport in many years. Allen Toussaint, a linchpin of New Orleans R&B, took to the stage with his high-powered band. He started off with his own hits, including 'Mother-in- Law' and 'Southern Nights.' Then his band became the backup group for other artists in the spotlight, including soul singer Irma Thomas, R&B session guitarist Steve Cropper and singer Clarence Carter of 'Patches' and 'Strokin'' fame. Raitt, who earlier joined Staples for a duet version of 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken,' came out to sing 'Your Good Thing Is About To End,' and 'Three-Time Loser.' Braced by Toussaint's hot horn section, Henley sang 'The Long Run,' 'I Can't Tell You Why' and Bobby Blue Bland's 'Yield Not to Temptation.' After the Joel walk-on, the festival climaxed with a heated appearance by Sam Moore of Sam and Dave fame. Raitt joined Moore for a duet on 'When Something Is Wrong With My Baby.' Then Henley came out to sing the late Dav Prater's part on 'I Thank You.' The festival closed with Moore and Henley singing 'Soul Man' with a backup chorus featuring Raitt, Ruth Brown, Thomas, Staples and even '60 Minutes' correspondent Ed Bradley, the festival's celebrity master of ceremonies. Before the festival, Raitt said America must not forget its R&B pioneers, who are anything but musical relics. 'This isn't about bedraggled artists being pulled out of retirement,' she said. 'There are hundreds of R&B artists still out there who perform fantastically and love to work.' Henley showed up in part as a favor to Raitt, who has played his Walden Woods benefits. 'These artists had such a profound impact on people like me. It's just right give back recognition as well as money to them,' said Henley, who before forming The Eagles spent much of the '60s singing in R&B dives stretching from Arkansas to Oklahoma. Backstage last Saturday, Ruth Brown reminisced about the early days when she was paid $69 per song to record and was offered no royalties based on sales. The redress she received from Atlantic in 1988 prompted the company to pony up a $1.5 million endowment that helped start the R&B Foundation, aided by a $450,000 operational grant from Warner Communications. As she talked with journalists backstage, Brown also put the importance of R&B in perspective. 'In schools, they have to study the past heroes of everything but the music we listen to,' she said. 'I want the younger generation to realize where the music comes from. No matter how much they gussy it up, put the electronics into it, this is the basis for it all right here.' (release at will)
