Andre Williams “Jail Bait” a compilation of singles from 1956-1958 on Detroit’s Fortune Records. Today, November 1st, is Andre “Mr. Rhythm” Williams’ birthday (b. Zephire Williams, 1936). Williams’ entertaining lyrics, laid-back rhythmic talk-sing style and often wild live performances earned him another nickname, the “godfather of rap” and some lasting success, including many collaborations with modern indie rockers over the past couple of decades. In the 1990′s and early 2000′s he had releases on Bloodshot Records and recorded with The Sadies, The Dirtbombs and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. It was around the time in 2000 when he cut “Lap Dance” and Black Godfather (both on In the Red Records) with JSBX (also recording with Williams on Black Godfather: members of the Cheater Slicks, The Dirtbombs and the Countdowns) that we saw Andre Williams perform at Milwaukee’s Cactus Club. We think we may have also gone down to Chicago to see one of his shows there as well, but recollections from this time are murky at best. It was at one of these shows that I do remember Williams playing ‘The Greasy Chicken” and some lunatic running  down a hallway shrieking “greasy chicken! greasy chicken!” “The Greasy Chicken” appears on this LP, as do other local R&B hits like “Going Down to Tia Juana” and “Jail Bait.” One of his biggest hits, “Bacon Fat” does not appear on Jail Bait – Fortune Records leased the song to Epic Records and with their national reach and distribution, that single hit #9 on the Billboard R&B chart. Fortune refused to do the same for Williams’ subsequent singles and the label’s small regional Midwest reach and lack of distribution kept sales modest.