Wynonie Harris “Good Rockin’ Blues” 1970. King Records. I’m spinning this collection of early rockin’ rhythm and blues in honor of Harris, truly one of the founders of rock-n-roll, who would have been 105 years old today (b. August 24th, 1915, d. 1969). Harris is credited with being the inspiration for Elvis Presley’s style and vocal delivery but despite having several top 10 hits in the mid ‘40′s through early ‘50′s, as a Black man he never saw the mass recognition that Presley did for cementing the rock-n-roll genre into pop culture. Harris’ recording of Roy Brown’s “Good Rocking Tonight” in 1948 leads off this compilation: it went to #1 on the US R&B chart and Brown’s song written in ‘47 is arguably the first rock hit single (Elvis covered it in 1954 on Sun Records). Also included are his hits “I Feel that Old Age Coming On” (#10 R&B), “Grandma Plays the Numbers” (#7 R&B), “Bloodshot Eyes” (#6 R&B), “Good Morning Judge” (#6 R&B), “Lovin’ Machine” (#5 R&B) and a track whose sentiment still hasn’t gone away 70 years later “All She Wants to Do Is Rock” (#1 R&B).