Guide to the J.J. Malone Audiovisual Collection
Sean Dickerson
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
659 14th Street
Oakland, California 94612
Phone: (510) 637-0198
Fax: (510) 637-0204
Email: aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org
URL: http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/locations/african-american-museum-library-oakland
© 2013
African American Museum & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Guide to the J.J. Malone Audiovisual Collection
Collection number: MS210
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Oakland, California
- Processed by:
- Sean Dickerson
- Date Completed:
- 2017-05-19
- Encoded by:
- Sean Dickerson
© 2013 African American Museum & Library at Oakland. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: J.J. Malone Audiovisual Collection
Dates: 1972-2001
Collection number: MS 210
Creator:
Malone, J.J.
Collection Size:
1 linear foot
(2 boxes)
Repository:
African American Museum & Library at Oakland (Oakland, Calif.)
Abstract: Bay area blues musician, record company executive, and night club owner John Jacob (J.J.) Malone (1935 – 2004) was born on
August 20, 1935 in Peets Corner, Alabama. The J.J. Malone audiovisual collection consists of recordings documenting his life
and musical career. The recordings are arranged in to six series: Live recordings, studio recordings, promos, KALX interview,
home movies, and assorted.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
No access restrictions. Collection is open to the public.
Access Restrictions
Materials are for use in-library only, non-circulating.
Publication Rights
Permission to publish must be obtained from the African American Museum & Library at Oakland.
Preferred Citation
J.J. Malone Audiovisual Collection, MS 210, African American Museum & Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library. Oakland,
California.
Acquisition Information
Donated to the African American Museum & Library at Oakland by J. Brontez Purnell on May 05, 2017.
Processing Information
Processed by Sean Dickerson.
Biography / Administrative History
Blues musician, record company executive, and night club owner John Jacob (J.J.) Malone (1935 – 2004) was born on August
20, 1935 in Peets Corner, Alabama. When he was a child, Malone bought an old, beat-up acoustic guitar from a second cousin
which he taught himself to play while recovering from an appendix operation. His father, Charlie Malone, was an accomplished
bottleneck guitarist and although a staunch Christian, showed J.J. a few blues chords on the instrument. Malone began singing
at local churches, and started dancing and performing rhythm and blues at chitlin’ parties, fish fries, family gatherings,
and teen parties. His style was greatly influenced by Lightnin 'Hopkins, Louis Jordan, Washboard Sam, Memphis Minnie, Sister
Rosetta Tharpe and Muddy Waters.
At seventeen Malone moved with his brother to Indiana where at first he worked mules and chopped cotton. He then started working
for the Veterans’ Canteen Services as a busboy. Soon he was working two jobs when his older brother got him a job at a local
hospital. In 1958 he enlisted into the United States Air Force and was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base. In Spokane,
Washington Malone formed his first band, the Rockers (later the Tops in Blues). The trio got a gig at a burger joint on the
East side of Spokane called Virgil’s playing with handmade, makeshift equipment such as radio store amps built into suitcases
and paste-board cabinets.
After leaving the armed services, Malone relocated to Fresno, California to find better paying work, and formed the band The
Rhythm Rockers with C.A. Carr, Charles Banks, Calvin Peele, and former rockabilly Troyce Key. In 1962 Malone recorded his
first single, “Does She Love Me” for Chance Records. After C.A. Carr left the group to join James Brown’s band, Malone relocated
to Oakland, California and in 1967 acquired full-time employment as a mechanic at the Alameda Naval Air Station.
Signing with Fantasy Records in 1969, Malone began recording in the late 1960s-1970s for producer Ray Shanklin, owner of the
Galaxy label. For Galaxy, Malone recorded a series of 45s in a style somewhere between soul and rhythm and blues, with “Danger
Zone,” “One Step Away,” and notably “It’s a Shame,” with which he scored a hit in 1972. Shanklin, who was impressed by Malone’s
talents as a composer and arranger, gave him responsibilities in the expanding record company as advisor to Little Johnny
Taylor, Big Mama Thornton, and Sonny Rhodes. Malone during this time wrote, without signing, tracks for Creedence Clearwater
Revival and was credited by Sonny Rhodes as heavily responsible for the band’s signature sound.
Throughout the 1970s, Malone would record for Don Lindenau’s Blues Connoisseur label in Pleasant Hill and with Sonny Rhodes
on Cherrie Records. In 1978, Troyce Key, J.J. Malone and the Rhythm Rockers recorded an albums’ worth of blues material at
San Francisco’s Blossom Studio for Red Ligntnin’ Records in Norfolk, England, which would eventually be released as I've Gotta
a New Car (1980) and Younger than Yesterday (1982). In 1979, Key and Malone purchased Eli’s Mile High Club upon the death
of the club’s founder Eli Thornton. The Rhythm Rockers were elected house band, and the group changed names to the J.J. Malone
Blues Band with Troyce Key.
Known as the "West Coast Home of the Blues," Eli’s Mile High Club attracted notable blues and R&B performers throughout the
1970s-1980s and was awarded the Bay Area Blues Society’s Blues Night Club of the Year award in 1991. In 1986, Key founded
Eli Mile High Records, a blues record label which released Malone’s Bottom Line Blues (1989). During this period Malone returned
to performing as a solo artist, while working a mechanic’s job in Alameda, and cut three albums for Schoolboy Cleve’s Cherrie
label and two for Fedora, continuing to record until 2001. Malone spent his last years in Hawaii playing blues in Luther Tucker’s
ex-harp players’ band, and died in February 2004.
Scope and Content of Collection
The J.J. Malone audiovisual collection consists of recordings documenting the life and musical career of blues musician, record
company executive, and night club owner John Jacob (J.J.) Malone. The recordings are arranged in to six series: Live recordings,
studio recordings, promos, KALX interview, home movies, and assorted.
Arrangement
Series I. Live recordings Series II. Studio recordings Series III. Promos Series IV. KALX interview Series V. Home movies
Series VI. Assorted
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Blues (Music)--California--San Francisco Bay Area.
Eli’s Mile High Club (Oakland, Calif.).
Fantasy Records.
Key, Troyce.
Malone, J.J.
Rhodes, Sonny.
Sound recordings.
Related Material
Banks (Charles) Papers, African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Key (Troyce) Papers, African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Live recordings
1980-2001
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes live recordings of J.J. Malone, performing solo and in various groups such as the J.J. Malone Blues Band with Troyce
Key.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1
J.J. Malone solo on piano in Alabama, featuring Lucy Malone (Lucy Malone singing “Don’t Worry About me,” “Will the Circle
be Unbroken”)
1980-08-24
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 9 (min): 36 (s)
Box 1
J.J. Malone Blues Band with Troyce Key live fundraiser for Jesse Jackson presidential campaign
1988-04
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 46 (min): 50 (s)
Box 1
J.J. Malone with ERA live in Blagòevgrad, Bulgaria at the Ninth Annual Alen Mak International Music Festival
1989-09-22
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 44 (min): 47 (s)
Box 1
J.J. Malone with Chris Daniels (drums), John Graham (guitar), and Tim Walker (bass) at the Third Annual Blues Festival, Pier
47, San Francisco, California
1990-09-14
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 1
The Bobby Blue Brown show with the J.J. Malone Blues Band with Troyce Key, Eli’s Mile High Club
1991-06-08
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 1
J.J. Malone Blues Band with Troyce Key, J.J. Malone's birthday party live at The Fifth Amendment Club
1991-08-20
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 1
J.J. Malone Blues Band with Troyce Key, J.J. Malone's birthday party live at Eli's Mile High Club
1991-08-23
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 1
J.J. Malone Blues Band with Troyce Key featuring Frankie Lee at the Fifth Amendment Club, Oakland
1997-03
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 13 (min): 40 (s)
Box 1
J.J. Malone Blues Band with Troyce Key at the Fifth Amendment Club
1998-08-25
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 46 (min): 51 (s)
Box 1
Malone family reunion, J.J. Malone performing live
1998
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 1
J.J. Malone & the Backroads Blues Band at the 5th Amendment Club
1999-07-27
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 1
J.J. Malone Blues Band with Troyce Key at Eli's Mile High Club
1999-10-02
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 46 (min): 28 (s) Side A
Physical Description: Run Time: 46 (min): 52 (s) Side B
Box 1
J.J. Malone live at Eli's Mile High Club
2000-04-15
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 46 (min): 42 (s) Side A
Physical Description: Run Time: 46 (min): 36 (s) Side B
Box 1
J.J. Malone live at the Muddy Waters Club in Oslo, Norway
2001-08-11
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 31 (min): 49 (s) Side A
Physical Description: Run Time: 31 (min): 48 (s) Side B
Box 1
J.J. Malone (piano) with Chris Millar (drums), Frankie Cold Wasser (guitar) and Bill Troina (bass), Live at the Muddy Waters
Club in Oslo, Norway
2001-11-07—2001-11-09
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 47 (min): 07 (s) Side A
Physical Description: Run Time: 47 (min): 18 (s) Side B
Studio recordings
1972-1999
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes studio recordings by J.J. Malone solo as well as performing with The Rhythm Rockers and Fillmore Slim.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1
The Songs of J.J. Malone from 1972 (“It’s a Shame” / “Danger Zone” / “Come On Up”
1972
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 21 (min): 23 (s)
Box 2
Troyce Key, J.J. Malone & The Rhythm Rockers –
Younger Than Yesterday, Red Lightnin' Records
1982
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 45 (min): 32 (s)
Box 1
J.J. Malone –
Fire & Smoke (Here Comes J.J.), Cherrie Records
1987
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 20 (min): 29 (s) Side A
Physical Description: Run Time: 19 (min): 39 (s) Side B
Box 1
J.J. Malone –
Bottom Line Blues, Eli's Mile High Club Records
1989
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 36 (min): 16 (s)
Box 1
J.J. Malone –
Black Jack II, Cherrie Records
1991
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 18 (min): 43 (s)
Box 2
J.J. Malone –
Blues & Rock Music (“Rock-N-Roll Slave” / “Tenth Street Inn”), Cherrie Records
1993
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 6 (min): 43 (s) Side A
Physical Description: Run Time: 6 (min): 59 (s) Side B
Box 2
Fillmore Slim (vocal, guitar), J.J. Malone (piano, keyboards), Paris Slim (guitar), Jeff Henry (bass), Chris Millar (drums),
and Hans Bass (producer) studio recordings for Fedora Records (eventually released in different running order as Fillmore
Slim –
Other Side Of the Road, Fedora Records, 2000)
1999-08-15
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 50 (min): 49 (s)
Promos
circa 1980s
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes commercial advertisements for Eli’s Mile High Club and KALX’s Blues Plate Special featuring J.J. Malone.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by description.
Box 2
KALX Blues plate special radio show with J.J. Malone promo
circa 1980s
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 47 (s)
Box 2
KSFS Eli's Mile High Club promos
circa 1980s
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 2 (min): 19 (s)
KALX interview
circa 1980s
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes an episode of KALX’s Blues Plate Special featuring J.J. Malone and Troyce Key discussing their lives, careers, and
the blues.
Box 2
J.J. Malone and Troyce Key interview on KALX Blues plate special
circa 1980s
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 44 (min): 42 (s) Side A
Physical Description: Run Time: 40 (min): 30 (s) Side B
Home movies
1988-1992
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes home video taken by J.J. Malone while touring, visiting with friends or family, and discussing his life and career.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Box 2
J.J. Malone with friends for the Fourth of July in Indianapolis, Indiana
1988-07-04
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 2
“The Fresno Caper,” J.J. Malone traveling with Charlie Peele, Bobby Murray, and Charles Banks to perform at the American Legion,
Fresno, California
1989-02-11
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 2
J.J. Malone visiting Cleveland, Ohio, with family and friends
1989-07-02
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 2
J.J. Malone visiting Indianapolis, Indiana and Alabama with family and friends
1989-07
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 2
J.J.'s Birthday at the Fifth Amendment Club, Eli's Mile Club, in Indiana and Alabama
1991-09
Physical Description: 1 videocassette(s) (Hi8)
Box 2
J.J. Malone and Chauncey in Indianapolis plus Alabama
1992-08-13
Physical Description: 1 videocassette(s) (Hi8)
Box 2
Indiana and Eli's Mile High Club
circa 1992
Physical Description: 1 videocassette(s) (Hi8)
Assorted
circa 1980s
Series Scope and Content Summary
Includes recordings taped or collected by J.J. Malone related to the blues.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Box 2
Duke Robillard live on Ohne Filter Extra 1988/Johnny Winter & Dr. John live at the Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany
1987-01-27
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 2
The Fifteenth Annual San Francisco Blues festival
1987-09-15
Physical Description: 1 videotape(s) (VHS)
Box 1
B.B. King –
Live! B.B.King On Stage, Kent Records, 1965 / various Jimmy Reed recordings ("Big Boss Man"/"Take Out Some Insurance on Me, Baby"/"You Don't Have
to Go"/"Hush-Hush"/”You Got Me Dizzy”)
circa 1980s
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 41 (min): 07 (s)
Box 1
ERA –
ERA LP
circa 1980s
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 41 (min): 40 (s)
Box 2
Mark Naftalin's Blue Monday Party live broadcast from the Sleeping Lady Café, Fairfax, California featuring Lady Bianca and
Maurice McKinnies
circa 1980s
Physical Description: 1 audiocassette(s)
Physical Description: Run Time: 46 (min): 52 (s)
