Pearl Reaves
| Pearl Reaves | |
|---|---|
Publicity photo of Pearl Reaves and the Paul Farano Trio taken in the 1960s. Robert Green, Eddie Shaw, Pearl Reaves Farano, Paul Farano.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Pearl Reaves |
| Born |
June 7, 1929 Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Died | March 6, 2000 (aged 70) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Genres | R&B, Rock and roll, Soul, Gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Guitar player |
| Instruments | Vocals, Guitar |
| Years active | 1950s |
| Labels | Harlem |
Pearl Reaves (June 7, 1929 – March 6, 2000), also known by her married name, Pearl Farano, was an American R&B singer and guitar player, best known for her 1955 single, "I'm Not Ashamed (Ugly Woman)". She was unusual for her time in that she sang lead and played guitar, backed by male performers.
Pearl Reaves was born and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1949 she moved to Rahway, New Jersey to live with her sister, who had a teaching job there. The Palace Blue Room in Rahway, owned by Paul Farano, held weekly amateur talent contests. Reaves entered and won five weeks in a row. Farano was impressed, and hired her as his house singer, fronting the Paul Farano Trio. A drummer, he taught her how to play the guitar, piano and organ. Within two years, Reaves and Farano were married.
The Palace Blue Room closed in 1951. Reaves and the band toured the east coast, playing jazz and rock and roll at the Stork Club in New York City, the Peppermint Lounge in Boston, and many other venues. The band's lineup changed frequently over the years; members at various times included Charlie Gilbert (sax), Robert Green (sax), Bobby Malenni (sax), Skip Johnson (organ), Webster Lewis (organ), Lonnie Youngblood (sax), James Lucas (organ), Otis Sutton (drums), Eddie Shaw (organ; formerly of the Knights), and Richie McCrae (organ). Youngblood, who got his start with Reaves, recalled in an interview years later, "Oh, we used to walk the bar, do everything! It was an exciting show, and it was only a four piece band. She played guitar and sang, and she was really fine – she really looked great."
In 1955, Morty Shad of Harlem Records saw Reaves perform in a New York club and signed her to record a single: "You Can't Stay Here (Step It Up And Go)", a rock and roll song, and "I'm Not Ashamed (Ugly Woman)", a blues song in which the narrator admits to being ugly but suggests that other, unnamed, qualities make up for that. The backup group was the Concords, which consisted of Milton Love (who later became the lead singer for the Solitaires), Joe Willis, Bob Thompson, and Jimmy Hunter. Both songs did well in the New York area and were favorably reviewed in Billboard magazine. The reviewer was more impressed with "You Can't Be Here", writing, "Jump blues is taken for a wild ride in this infectious reading by the warbler. It moves well throughout and projects excitement."
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