BLUES The remarkable story of Wesley Devereaux Preston Love, the author of this article, played lead alto with the Count Basie Band in the forties, later toured with Ray Charles and other groups and led his own territory band. Still an_active player in his hometown, Omaha, he writes regularly for the Omaha World Herald, lectures on jazz at colleges and conducts radio and television shows. ‘North Twenty-eight Stret was a bedlam of youthful activity in the days when | O22 The “Love Mansion,” as our place was known, the area kids. There were nine in the Love clan ‘Among the fiends who came diy 0 with my brother Norman, seven yea sravan extrovert named Wynonie Ha "Wymonic had no brothers or sisters and since he ved Buta shor distance frm us, he spent neatly ‘very day and night at the Love Mansion Harris was by far the bes joker and humors in the bunch and one of ts two. bes dancers. Emmitt "Po' Sport” James was the other. floor show's main attraction at the fabled Jim Bel's Harlem at Twenty-fourth and Lake Strets. This was no small accomplishment, The Ch Harlem featured a fullsied orchestra, a line chorus grt and first-class entertainers imported from such ches as Chicago and Kansas City. ‘Woon ended up in Los Angeles a couple years later: Glowing reports started pouring in about his exploits asthe West Coast King ofthe Blues. From then on he was called: Wynonie "Mr. Bluey Harris, The yeas began to pass and big national fame cluded the Omahan. Meanwhile | began playing Saxophone with most ofthe local bands and the | in 1943, with Count Base. In Api 198, lari st the Savoy Ballroom in Lor Angele 10 jo Lucky Milinder’s band. Milinder's vocalist none other than Wynonie "Mr lcs” Haris A tfew weeks lair we did a recording session a Decca with Milinder's band. Wynonie recorded two tunes, Hurry-Hurry and Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well. Both were hts, sling more ‘hana million copies each ‘Wenonie didnt stay with Millinder more than four or five months more. He care a sarin the shythm and blues field which war bepinning © aris signed a contract with King records }drawing card on the rhythm and blues stature of such men as Joe Turner, Jimmy Rushing There are those who public but underneath, Wyonie was lovable ‘Womonie's popularity waned in the mid 1950, he tavern in 1963 and signed for atwo- stand ata Los Angeles nightclub But by then musi fan had changed. 1 wa living in Angele and was witness to the tragedy his the lub became, nce. Ex-Omahans living in Los Angeles her donations. In June of that year Tcame {0 ‘Omaha from Los Angeles on vaca T received a call the day after I arived in Omaha. Wynonie Harris had died, ing group and named themselves the Echc ere Jim Farmer, Willie Barnes, Richard Beasley, Gene ‘McDaniel and. Wesley the day played in Omaha, and soon the Echoes Johnny Otis, they secured a recording contract with Don Robey of Duke and Peacock records ‘tis wae on tour with his band and arranged to ‘meet and record with the Echoes in Houston. the name "Echoes 10 they fone — the Sultans. After two Duke in four months, they beaded for i. They played with Wynonie Harri, who aced asa kind of guardian, Hit records and Hundred Pounds "Of Clay being OX bit Devereaux, who played gutar and sang, remained | Ws anor ake Me lent for ‘iferenate between the rankext amateur and an ‘outstanding performer ‘One singer whose fine talent and unusual versa. titty might not be Fully recognised by his home is Wesley Devereat. I all i just another local singer ual to that of top singe he highest compliment is '0 be called 8 pro The "Mr Blues ile still having the abuity 10 sing ‘and in all ther syles. The ost art among young blacks, although it 29