Shirley & Lee

Shirley & Lee were the first and best of the young male-female duos in R&B during the early '50s. Their pair of hits -- "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Feels So Good" -- were delicious slices of New Orleans R&B with great performances from both the singers as well as studio mainstays Earl Palmer and Lee Allen. The German reissue giant Bear Family had already released a comprehensive box set (Sweethearts of the Blues), and they followed it with Shirley & Lee Rock (part of their burgeoning Rocks series), a 31-track disc that sums up the best of their Aladdin material, from their 1952 street-corner debut "I'm Gone" through the rest of the '50s. Both Shirley Goodman and Leonard Lee had grown up together in New Orleans, and although they were never actually sweethearts, their eccentric sound -- especially Shirley's nasal vocals -- meshed surprisingly well and proved very endearing. "Let the Good Times Roll" and "Feels So Good" are, of course, the highlights here. Beyond that, listeners will find an array of pretenders to the crown that attempted to find a hit with a similar formula, presented with Bear Family's typically commendable attention to detail and sound quality. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide