Album of the Day

Chicago-born LaVern Baker helped bridge the gap between R&B and rock 'n' roll in the mid-1950s with such hits as “Jim Dandy,” but the vocalist always had a soft spot for the blues. She followed up a collection of Bessie Smith covers with BLUES BALLADS in 1959, and the Atlantic album would have made the Empress proud as well. Highlights include “I Waited Too Long,” “St. Louis Blues” and “I Cried a Tear” - the latter a Top 10 single recorded on this day in 1958. All 12 songs here receive sizzling performances from the singer, and if you want to hear the raw intensity that earned LaVern Baker a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, give a listen to BLUES BALLADS.