WRFG’s Route 66 celebrates a time when blues, jazz, and R&B were on the same
page and, often, in the same song. Our primary focus is on the music of the
Jump Blues Era of the 1940s which blended into the early Rock & Roll Era
of the 1950s, and follow on how those styles and artists have evolved over
the years. We also bring you jazz from the era along with the occasional page
from the Great American Songbook.
Listen to Route 66 Sunday from 7:00 to 9:00 A.M. Eastern (U.S.) on
Atlanta’s WRFG 89.3FM. Your independent community radio station is
streaming worldwide over our free mobile app and WRFG.ORG.
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You’ll find the podcast for this week at the bottom of this post.

Today, we countdown the Top 10 R&B songs on the jukeboxes in the jazz and blues clubs along Central Avenue in Los Angeles for this week in 1951. Central Avenue was the heart of the Black business district in L.A. from the 1930s to the mid-1950s. This chart comes from the pages of The Cashbox Magazine for August 4, 1951. You’ll find a second countdown in the podcast for this week’s show, which is included in this post.
WRFG ROUTE 66 PLAYLIST FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2026
Song
Artist
Original Album or Label & Date
COUNTDOWN: TOP 10 R&B SONGS IN LOS ANGELES FOR EARLY AUGUST 1951
10-Castle Rock
Johnny Hodges
Mercury Records 1951
9-T-Town Twist
Roy Milton w/ Johnny G. Rogers on guitar
Specialty Records 1951
8-All Night Long
Mel Walker w/ The Johnny Otis Orchestra
Savoy Records 1951
7-Sleep
Earl Bostic
King Records 1951
6-‘T-99’ Blues
Jimmy “T-99” Nelson & The Peter Rabbit Trio
RPM Records 1951
5-Don’t You Know I Love You
The Clovers
Atlantic Records 1951
4-Shouldn’t I Know
The Cardinals
Atlantic Records 1951
3-Tend To Your Business
James Wayne
Sittin’ In With Records 1951
2-Chains of Love
Big Joe Turner
Atlantic Records 1951
1-I’m Waiting Just For You
Annisteen Allen & John Carrol w/ Lucky Millinder
King Records 1951
Wild Man On The Loose John Hammond Trouble No More 1994
Boogie Chillen John Lee Hooker Modern Records 1948
Rain Down Rain Big Maybelle Okeh Records 1952
My Man’s An Undertaker Dinah Washington Mercury Records 1954
The Danger Zone Rick Vito Slidemaster 2026
Every Breath You Take Deborah Silver & Count Basie Orch. Basie Rocks 2025
Waiting for You Call Johnny Big Stone Juke Joint Sessions Vol.1 2016
That’s Better For Me T-Bone Walker Black & White Records 1948
It’s Nothing Charles Brown Aladdin Records 1949
Bad Tale Boogie Jay McShann Philo Records 1945
Salty Papa Blues Linda Hopkins How Blue Can You Get 2007
I’ve Got News for You Ray Charles Genius + Soul = Jazz 1961
Ain’t Gonna Do It Duke Robillard & Friends Blues Bash 2020
Shame, Shame, Shame Smiley Lewis Imperial Records 1955
C.C. Rider Jimmy Witherspoon …at the Renaissance 1960
Comin’ Home Baby Jennifer Madsen Girl Talk 2026
More Blues At Midnight Willis Jackson Apollo Records 1950
Open The Door Richard Louis Jordan Decca Records 1947
Fine Brown Frame Candye Kane Guitar’d & Feathered 2007
House of Blue Lights Chuck Berry Chess Records 1958
Please Mr. Jailor Jeff Beck w/ Imelda May Rock ‘n’ Roll Party 2010
(sign off)
Tag (You’re It) Little Charlie & The Nightcats Nine Lives 2005

