Little Ronnie Mudd
This highly obscure deep soul ballad is the original of the more celebrated version by Chuck Carter on Bedford. Mudd’s cut of “A Teardrop Fell” is simple and uncluttered in its construction just an organ, piano, guitar, bass and drums behind him. Mudd himself comes across very well particularly in the half spoke passages – an astonishingly mature performance for a 13 year old.
Malpass was the late Kip Anderson’s label set up in Clinton NC although the tracks were recorded in Charlotte. I assume Kip is the fine keyboard player on the disc but could he also be the excellent second vocalist here? It certainly sounds like it.
Discography
Its alright / A teardrop fell ~ MALPASS 101 (1964)
Notes:-
1. “A Teardrop Fell” can be found on the excellent Black Cats CD “A Little At A Time” (BCCD 117).
2. The information about the Malpass label comes from Martin Goggin’s very informative article on Kip Anderson in Juke Blues No. 52.