Chicago Dusties - What Are They?

[Ljblanken]

Couple of questions (and betting Boba will be able to answer this):

 

a) what defines this genre and is there a scene around it?

 

b) is there an iconic list (like a "top 500") anywhere?

 

c) do they have to be recorded in Chicago?

 

When i hear this term I think of things like Unifics - "sentimental man" or Delfonics - "i was there". or more floaty? more sweet?

Edited March 16, 2013 by ljblanken

[George G]

In general terms, dusties are old soul and R&B hits - the African-American cultural equivalent to "oldies" which was originally used for pre Beatles/ British Invasion rock and roll. I think the term may have originated in Chicago (similar to someone from LA coining the use of oldies) but like oldies its now just a generic term for hits from the mid 50s until the mid-late 70s.

[Robbk]

The termed them "moldies" in Pittsburgh. (as in moldie oldies).

[boba]

African American listeners in Chicago don't say "oldies" they say "dusties". There is an "oldies" station targeted toward white people. The term did start in Chicago.

 

As to specific music, it would refer to specific favorites hits in Chicago, just like any local hits in other cities. If you want to get an idea of them, check out Herb Kent on Sunday nights on V103 (you can listen online). One of the original Good Guys DJs in Chicago still playing music.

[Modernsoulsucks]

Alex Jones and I went to a club in Chicago playing this stuff.

 

At first the guys on the door thought we were the police !!

 

People's Choice  "Do it anyway you wanna " was very popular. Kinda line dancing to it.

 

Did hear "The Drifter" and Carolyn Crawford "Forget about me" but played whilst serving food so no one was dancing.

 

Quite an interesting experience but not a history of local groups on local labels. Mostly 70's R&B hits.

 

I dont know if Bob would agree with that overview as we only went the one time to one club.

 

ROD

[George G]

Pittsburgh DJ "Mad Mike" Metrovich came up with this term, nice for the aliteration with his name. It's more commonly known as "Pittsburgh sound" which includes a wide variety of doowop, R&B, instrumentals, garage, a lot of which were only 'hits' in Pittsburgh. The best commercial radio in the US.

 

https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/radio/mad-mike

The termed them "moldies" in Pittsburgh. (as in moldie oldies).

[George G]

I know the original post refered to "Chicago dusties" but the word dusties (without geographical reference) has been a generic term since the 1980s. I remember a show on a Boston non commercial radio station c. 1990 that advertised playing dusties.

The show below is broadcast 7 miles from my house, I listen to it occasionally, from the bio he has been using the name since 1994.

 

https://www.kser.org/content/dusties

Edited March 16, 2013 by George G

[Robbk]

Pittsburgh DJ "Mad Mike" Metrovich came up with this term, nice for the aliteration with his name. It's more commonly known as "Pittsburgh sound" which includes a wide variety of doowop, R&B, instrumentals, garage, a lot of which were only 'hits' in Pittsburgh. The best commercial radio in the US.

 

https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/radio/mad-mike

Yes, "Mad Mike's Moldies"!

[Robbk]

Alex Jones and I went to a club in Chicago playing this stuff.

 

At first the guys on the door thought we were the police !!

 

People's Choice  "Do it anyway you wanna " was very popular. Kinda line dancing to it.

 

Did hear "The Drifter" and Carolyn Crawford "Forget about me" but played whilst serving food so no one was dancing.

 

Quite an interesting experience but not a history of local groups on local labels. Mostly 70's R&B hits.

 

I don't know if Bob would agree with that overview as we only went the one time to one club.

 

ROD

Ha! Ha!  You blew your chance, Rod!  When they asked if you were undercover coppers, you should have said YES!  Then you'd have gotten free food, and the royal treatment to watch the show!  At least that's the way things went down during the '50s and '60s,  as I remember.  Cops were always copping freebies.

[Ljblanken]

good -- all very interesting. thanks!

 

i would love to see playlists if anyone knows any more websites! 

[The Yank]

In his book "Cool Gent", Herb "King Of The Dusties" Kent wrote that he came up with the term "dusties" when he worked

at WBEE in the late 1950's.

[boba]

Alex Jones and I went to a club in Chicago playing this stuff.

 

At first the guys on the door thought we were the police !!

 

People's Choice  "Do it anyway you wanna " was very popular. Kinda line dancing to it.

 

Did hear "The Drifter" and Carolyn Crawford "Forget about me" but played whilst serving food so no one was dancing.

 

Quite an interesting experience but not a history of local groups on local labels. Mostly 70's R&B hits.

 

I dont know if Bob would agree with that overview as we only went the one time to one club.

 

ROD

 

yeah, you're not going to hear ultra rare local chicago records, it's hits in Chicago. "do it any way you wanna" was one of the biggest chicago 70s hits. People did "the football" to it.

[Peter99]

Couple of questions (and betting Boba will be able to answer this):

 

a) what defines this genre and is there a scene around it?

 

b) is there an iconic list (like a "top 500") anywhere?

 

c) do they have to be recorded in Chicago?

Another very interesting thread buddy - nice one.

 

 

Peter

 

 

When i hear this term I think of things like Unifics - "sentimental man" or Delfonics - "i was there". or more floaty? more sweet?

[boba]

Also, re: the specific songs you asked about, "sentimental man" is the flip of "the beginning of my end" which was the hit side. "The beginning of my end" actually still gets played by herb kent (I personally do prefer sentimental man but it doesn't get played). Delfonics "I was there" is an obscure record, it doesn't get played, but their first record "He don't really love you" was a hit and also still gets played.

[boba]

Also, the biggest chicago record in the style you're talking about (again, do it any way you wanna probably gets played a little more...) is the Notations "I'm still here". So Chicago.