All-Stars (band)
Short-lived English blues combo with shifting lineups and notable session musicians.
The All-Stars were a short-lived English blues group from the early to mid-1960s. They first went by the Cyril Davies (R&B) All-Stars, and later recordings are often called the Immediate All-Stars because they came out on Immediate Records. In 1999, the band got back together as the Carlo Little All-Stars.
The group started as a backing band for singer and blues harmonica player Cyril Davies after he left Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated in October 1962. The early lineup was called the Cyril Davies Blues Band and included former members of Screaming Lord Sutch's band the Savages: Nicky Hopkins on piano, Carlo Little on drums, and Ricky Fenson (also known as Rick Brown) on bass. Jimmy Page played guitar for a short time but left to focus on session work, and Bernie Watson, another ex-Savage, replaced him.
In December 1962, Davies competed with Korner to get Long John Baldry as a second lead singer. Baldry had sung with Blues Incorporated when Davies was still there, and both vocalists appeared on the 1962 album *R&B from the Marquee*. After the All-Stars formed, Baldry played a few shows with each band before joining Davies in January 1963. Around then, Davies added female backing singers: the Velvettes, a South African vocal group who had moved to England after touring with the stage production *King Kong*. They started as a quartet with Peggy Phango, Hazel Futa, Patience Gcwabe, and Eunice Mamsie Mthombeni, but Phango left for a solo career, and the remaining three joined the All-Stars as a trio.
On 27 February, the All-Stars cut their first single for Pye Records: "Country Line Special" and "Chicago Calling," released as Cyril Davies and His Rhythm and Blues All-Stars. Baldry and the Velvettes do not appear on these tracks. In May 1963, Hopkins got sick and was hospitalized for months. Keith Scott, formerly of Blues Incorporated, replaced him on piano, but tensions grew, and Fenson, Watson, and Little left. They were replaced by bassist Cliff Barton, guitarist Geoff Bradford, and drummer Micky Waller. In August, this lineup recorded a second Pye single: "Preachin' the Blues" (a Robert Johnson cover) and "Sweet Mary" (a Lead Belly cover). Again, Baldry and the Velvettes are absent; backing vocals on "Preachin' the Blues" came from Alex Bradford and Madeline Bell. Later in 1963, Scott and Waller were replaced by Johnny Parker and Bob Wackett.
Quick Facts
- Alias
- The R&B All-Stars · The Cyril Davies All-Stars · The Immediate All-Stars · The Carlo Little All-Stars
- Years Active
- 1962–1965 · 1999–2002
- Origin
- London, England
- Genre
- British blues
- Label
- Pye · Immediate · Angel Air
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The All-Stars were initially formed as a backing band for vocalist and blues harmonica player Cyril Davies after his departure from Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated in October 1962. The original lineup included Nicky Hopkins on piano, Carlo Little on drums, Ricky Fenson on bass, and briefly Jimmy Page on guitar, who was replaced by Bernie Watson. In January 1963, Long John Baldry joined as second lead vocalist, and the Velvettes, a South African vocal trio, were added as backing singers. The group recorded two singles for Pye Records in 1963, though Baldry and the Velvettes were not featured on those recordings. After Davies' death in January 1964, Baldry led a splinter group called The Hoochie Coochie Men.
Reader's Guide
The All-Stars' significance lies in their role as a breeding ground for major British blues and rock musicians. Their shifting lineups included future stars like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton, as well as members of The Rolling Stones. The group's recordings, particularly those released on Immediate Records as the Immediate All-Stars, captured pivotal jam sessions that influenced the development of British blues-rock. Despite their short original run, the All-Stars' legacy continued through compilations and the 1999 reformation as the Carlo Little All-Stars, preserving their place in the history of 1960s English blues.
Did You Know?
- The All-Stars were originally called the Cyril Davies Blues Band before being renamed the Cyril Davies (R&B) All-Stars.
- Jimmy Page played guitar for the All-Stars briefly before leaving to focus on session work.
- The Velvettes, a South African vocal trio, were backing singers for the All-Stars but did not appear on any of the group's singles.
- The 1968 compilation Blues Anytime Vol. 3 included tracks from the All-Stars featuring Jeff Beck and from the jam session with Eric Clapton.
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