Doug Quattlebaum – If You’ve Ever Been Mistreated

Track Listing:
1. Hard Luck Blues - 3:16   2. Good Woman Blues - 5:06   3. Baby, Please Don't Go - 1:33   4. Come Back, Baby - 2:58   5. Baby, What You Want Me to Do - 2:14   6. If You've Ever Been Mistreated - 4:50   7. Lizzie Lou - 1:49   8. Driftin' Blues - 3:23   9. What'd I Say - 2:17   10. Kiddio - Clyde Otis 2:38   11.. It's Nobody's Fault But Mine - 2:57   12. The Story of Adam and Eve - 3:53   13. Come Over Here - 4:09   14. The Honeydripper - 1:13   15. I've Been Working on My Baby - 1:31   16. Touch the Hem of His Garment - 2:11   17. He May Not Come When You Want Him - 2:04   18. How Great Thou Art - 2:47   19. Quattlebaum's Boogie - 1:46

Artist Biography:
b. 22 January 1927, Florence, South Carolina, USA.
It was after moving to Philadelphia in the early 40s that Quattlebaum took up the guitar seriously, and toured with a number of gospel groups, claiming to have recorded with the Bells Of Joy in Texas. In 1952, he recorded solo as a blues singer for local label Gotham. By 1961, he was accompanying the Ward Singers but, when discovered by a researcher, was playing blues and popular tunes through the PA of his ice-cream van, hence the title of his album. Softee Man Blues showed him to be a forceful singer, influenced as a guitarist by Blind Boy Fuller, and with an eclectic repertoire largely derived from records. Quattlebaum made some appearances on the folk circuit, but soon returned to Philadelphia, where he recorded a single in the late 60s. He is thought to have entered the ministry soon afterwards.

Reviews:

1. Amazon - Top Customer Reviews - 5.0 out of 5 stars  - Philadelphia blues & gospel player - ByBomojazon April 25, 2006
Doug Quattlebaum has spent most of his life outside the music business, and those times that he was in were spent mainly singing gospel. Born in South Carolina in 1927, he came to Philadelphia in the early 1940s. In 1953 he cut three sides for Gotham records; two of them appeared on a Gotham 78, but the third was only rediscovered years later by Bruce Bastin and released on LP: it's the best of the three (FOOLIN' ME). In 1961 Pete Welding recorded Quattlebaum again, after hearing that he was still around - singing and playing for potential Mr. Softee ice cream customers on the streets of Philly, Doug's employment at the time. Scheduled for issue on a Testament album, the sides remained unissued until the release of this CD. A few months later Quattlebaum recorded for Bluesville, but to my knowledge that LP was never reissued on OBC as were most Bluesvilles and is difficult to come by.
Quattlebaum's years singing gospel are reflected in this CD in that about half the tracks are gospel pieces. Among the best are HE MAY NOT COME WHEN YOU WANT HIM, Sam Cooke's TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT, and the gorgeous COME OVER HERE. IT'S NOBODY'S FAULT BUT MINE is an 8-bar gospel tune, while COME BACK, BABY sounds like a gospel song but is actually a blues. Doug inflects just about everything he sings with gospel mannerism, and his voice is melodic and strong. He often invaded the repertory of other blues/r&b/pop artists, and here sings stuff made famous by Brook Benton (KIDDIO), Charles Brown (DRIFTING BLUES), and Ray Charles (COME BACK BABY). A couple of tracks are short guitar instrumentals, though they are not that impressive. Quattlebaum played in the country blues format, accompanying himself on guitar, a style that urban Philadelphia probably didn't appreciate. But his singing and guitar playing are excellent, and his material quite varied despite the gospel influence. Country blues and gospel fans should enjoy this CD.