Piano Red
Willie Lee Perryman (October 19, 1911 – July 25, 1985), usually known professionally as Piano Red and later in life as Dr. Feelgood, was an American blues musician, the first to hit the pop music charts. He was a self-taught pianist who played in the barrelhouse blues style (a loud percussive type of blues piano suitable for noisy bars or taverns). His performing and recording careers emerged during the period of transition from completely segregated "race music" to rhythm and blues, which was marketed to both white and black audiences. Some music historians credit Perryman's 1950 recording "Rocking With Red" for the popularization of the term rock and roll in Atlanta. His simple, hard-pounding left hand and his percussive right hand, coupled with his cheerful shout, brought him considerable success over three decades. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Georgia (state of the United States of America), Died July 25, 1985 (Atlanta (capital city of Georgia, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1966
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, vocalist, composer, leader, lyricist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 52 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | E0VB-5220 | 10-in. | 7/25/1950 | Jumpin' the boogie | Piano Red | Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio | instrumentalist, piano, composer, vocalist, leader | |
| Victor | E0VB-5949 | 10-in. | 10/18/1950 | The wrong yoyo | Piano Red | Instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, piano, leader | |
| Victor | E0VB-5950 | 10-in. | 10/18/1950 | My gal Jo | Piano Red | Instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, piano, leader, composer | |
| Victor | E0VB-5951 | 10-in. | 10/18/1950 | Baby, what's wrong? | Piano Red | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano, composer, leader | |
| Victor | E1VB-1319 | 10-in. | 2/22/1951 | Just right bounce | Piano Red | Instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, composer, leader | |
| Victor | E1VB-1321 | 10-in. | 2/22/1951 | Layin' the boogie | Piano Red | Jazz/dance band, with shouts | leader, instrumentalist, piano, composer | |
| Columbia | CO50524 | 10-in. | 12/10/1953 | Rock me | "Little" Jimmy Dickens | Male vocal solo, with string band | composer, lyricist | |
| Columbia | CO67474 | 10-in. | 5/31/1961 | Doctor Feelgood | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO67475 | 10-in. | 5/31/1961 | Mister Moonlight | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO67476 | 10-in. | 5/31/1961 | The swabble | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO67477 | 10-in. | 5/31/1961 | Right string but the wrong yo yo | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO67478 | 10-in. | 5/31/1961 | I'll be home one day | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO67479 | 10-in. | 5/31/1961 | Sea breeze | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO67480 | 10-in. | 5/31/1961 | I ain't gonna be a lowdown dog no more | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO67481 | 10-in. | 5/31/1961 | Don't let me catch you wrong | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO70021 | 10-in. | 4/3/1962 | What's up doc | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO70022 | 10-in. | 4/3/1962 | I'll give you anything | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO70023 | 10-in. | 4/3/1962 | Love is amazing | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO70024 | 10-in. | 4/3/1962 | Bald-headed Lena | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO76625 | 10-in. | 8/22/1962 | I feel good | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO76626 | 10-in. | 8/22/1962 | It's a sin to tell a lie | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO76627 | 10-in. | 8/22/1962 | The same old things keep happening | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO76628 | 10-in. | 8/22/1962 | Let's have a good time tonight | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO77414 | 10-in. | 12/6/1962 | The double twist | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist | |
| Columbia | CO77415 | 10-in. | 12/6/1962 | Rock me | Dr. Feelgood and the Interns | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano, vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Piano Red," accessed January 5, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/355712.
Piano Red. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 5, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/355712.
"Piano Red." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 5 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Piano Red, 1911-1985 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n94010904
Wikidata: Piano Red - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2091894
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/281239960
MusicBrainz: Piano Red - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/f24a8d62-813c-41be-af24-e7c56d03c37d
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