Ollie Shepard
By Marv Goldberg
© 2024 by Marv Goldberg
Ollie Shepard presents some mysteries to me. For one thing, he can't easily be pigeon-holed as to what kind of music he made. I'm not a big blues fan (when the harmonica comes out, I leave), but he only occasionally sounds like a down-home blues singer. His sound also encompasses Jive, Swing, Urban Blues, R&B, R&R, and even Pop to some extent. And I like most of it (or you wouldn't be reading this now). And, yes, his name could be rendered as "Shepard", "Shepherd", "Sheppard", and even "Shepord".
Ollie Shepard was born on July 5, 1909, probably in Lake Charles, Louisiana (which is what he said on his son's 1929 birth certificate). On his WW2 registration, he said Calcasieu, Louisiana (that's the Parish in which Lake Charles is located). However, a family relative said it was Oberlin, Louisiana, near Lake Charles (but not in Calcasieu Parish).
He never appears anywhere as "Oliver"; as far as I can tell, he was "Ollie" from the start.
His father was Stephen Shepard, a minister (although in 1910, he worked in a sawmill); his mother was Martiel Simon (and you can imagine how census-takers mangled that).
In the 1910 census, the family was living in Police Jury Ward 1, Calcasieu, Louisiana. Unfortunately, they've been mangled to Stephen Shippard, Mathilde Sheppard, and Ollie Sheppard (who's enumerated as a daughter; I should mention that "Ollie" was also a popular girl's name).
The 1920 census found the "Shepherd" family (which now included Ollie's brothers, Stephen and Earl) living in Glenmora, Louisiana.
Probably in 1928, Ollie married Bernice McCree from Bunkie, Louisiana (born around 1911; died in 1988 - again, when and where are unknown). Together, they had six known children, all born in Port Arthur, Texas. However, they had tragic luck with their children, the first four dying quickly.
The first, a son, Randolph, was born May 22, 1929 and died on June 3 of that year. On Randolph's birth certificate, Ollie said he'd been born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. However, on Randolph's death certificate, Ollie now said it was Montrose, Louisiana.
In the 1930 census, they (the "Shepherd" family) are all living in Port Arthur, Texas, near Houston and not far from Calcasieu, Louisiana. By now, Ollie is a truck driver for a grain company. He and Bernice are living with his parents and his brothers.
A son, Oliver, was born Jan 10, 1931 and died 18 days later. On the birth certificate, Ollie said he was a musician.
Ollie's daughter, Martie, was born on February 5, 1932, presumably named after his mother, Martiel. However, she completely disappeared after her birth certificate was prepared. She had definitely died by 1940, but it was more likely sometime in 1932. On her birth certificate, he said he was a "laborer", who'd been born in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
His next child, daughter, Martha, was born Nov 17, 1932 and died 31 hours later. I initially thought that this was Martiel, but the death certificate was specific about the 31 hours. However, the Texas Department Of Health must have employed some out-of-work census-takers: the death certificate was for "Martha Shepord", whose parents were Ollie and Burneace Shepord. This time, Ollie said he'd been born in Carson, Louisiana. (I'm beginning to believe that, on the day of his birth, his parents drove all over Louisiana trying to find the perfect place.)
Ollie's son, Isaac, was born on July 23, 1934. On the birth certificate, Ollie said he was a musician. One of the two surviving children, he died on February 5, 1990 in New York. Another son, Clarence, was born October 25, 1936, although there's no birth certificate online for him. He, too, was a survivor, dying in April 1981, in West Babylon, New York.
In 1937, Ollie got to record for Decca, one of the largest record companies in the world. He managed this, in spite of there not being a single mention of him appearing anywhere, up to this point, as an entertainer.
On October 28, 1937, in Chicago, Ollie recorded two songs: "It's A Low Down Dirty Shame" and "If It Ain't Love". Ollie was not only the singer, but the pianist (which will feature heavily in his career over the years). Others on the recording were Edgar Saucier (alto saxophone) and someone named Brown on drums. There was a musician living in Chicago around then named Raymond Brown; he's the same age as the others, so I'll go out on a limb and say it's him.
On these, as on every one of his subsequent Decca recordings, the billing would be "Ollie Shepard and His Kentucky Boys". Why the "Kentucky Boys"? No one seems to know. Ollie, Edgar, and Raymond had all been born in Louisiana, so it can't be that. The name makes them sound like a hillbilly group.
I can't find any evidence that Saucier and Brown ever appeared with him (and there are no ads for the "Kentucky Boys"), but both songs (as well as all the ones from the next session) were written by them (with Ollie's name added to the first two).
Keep in mind that, throughout his Decca career, the "Kentucky Boys" would turn out to be a changing cast of studio musicians.
On November 8, 1937, the same three, plus guitarist Lonnie Johnson, waxed four more songs in Chicago: "She Walks Like A Kangaroo", "Honey Bee", "No One To Call You Dear", and "Sweetheart Land". (The next day, Edgar Saucier, Lonnie Johnson, and probably Brown backed up Georgia White on her Decca recording of "Careless Love". Therefore, it's possible that Saucier and Brown were studio musicians and never appeared with Ollie at all.)
In late 1937, Decca released six of the songs. (Note that almost none of Ollie's Decca releases will have exact dates, since not a single one of his records was reviewed until 1947.) These are the 1937 pairings:
It's Low Down Dirty Shame / If It Ain't Love
Honey Bee (Let Me Be Your Honey Bee) / Sweetheart Land
No One To Call You Dear (Ain't It Tough) / She Walks Like A Kangaroo
Note the label misprint on the first one. The song was written and recorded as "It's A Low Down Dirty Shame" (the title under which Louis Jordan would record the song in 1942). Ollie copyrighted the song on March 25, 1938. I've listened to "She Walks Like A Kangaroo" several times and it really makes no sense to me. I'm ready to believe it's dirty, but I can't figure out why.
There was no known appearance activity in 1937 (there wouldn't be any until 1940).
On March 31, 1938, Ollie had another session for Decca, this time in New York (all his subsequent recording would be done there). The only known musician on the session, beside Ollie, was Lonnie Johnson, although there were a saxophonist, a clarinetist, a bassist, and a drummer. The ten songs were: "One Woman Blues", "Brown Skin Woman", "S-B-A Blues" (the song doesn't bother to tell you what "S-B-A" means), "Good Woman", "Pee Wee Pee Wee", "Drunk Again", "Biscuit Rolling Time", "What's Your Guess?", "Hope You Haven't Forgotten Me", and "At Your Mercy".
The second session that year took place on May 17, 1938. This time there were only four songs: "This Place Is Leaping", "Solid Jack", "Little Pigmeat", and "Frankenstein Blues". Some of these are real blues. Again, Decca threw in studio musicians behind Ollie's piano: Frankie Newton (trumpet), Robert Carroll (tenor saxophone), Teddy Bunn (guitar), Lester Boone (clarinet), and unidentified bassist and drummer.
The 1938 Decca releases were:
Drunk Again / One Woman Blues
S-B-A Blues / Brown Skin Woman
What's Your Guess? / Good Woman
Biscuit Rolling Time / Hope You Haven't Forgotten Me
Solid Jack / This Place Is Leaping
Frankenstein Blues / Little Pigmeat
Pee Wee Pee Wee / At Your Mercy
In 1931, and again in 1938 and 1939, Ollie was in Port Arthur City Directories: in 1931 (as "Ollie Shepherd"), no occupation; in 1938 (as "Ollie Sheppard"), a musician; in 1939 (as "Ollie Shepherd"), a musician. Since the city directory was probably prepared late in the previous year, he and his family could have moved to New York in very late 1938, but not before, otherwise they wouldn't have been in the 1939 book. Certainly they were in the Big Apple in time for the 1940 census.
1939 saw two more sessions, the first of which was held on April 18, 1939. It was another large session, at which nine songs were recorded: "New Low Down Dirty Shame", "The Numbers Blues", "Sweetest Thing Born", "Shepard Blues (Pig Latin Blues)", "Outdoor Blues", "Sugar Woman Blues", "Hell Is So Low Down", "My Dripping Blood Blues", and "Blues 'Bout My Gal". Session musicians were Leon "Chu" Berry (tenor saxophone), Sammy Price (piano), Lonnie Johnson (guitar), and an unidentified drummer. Note that Ollie is only doing vocals on these; Sammy Price is the pianist.
The second session (six songs) was held on July 17, 1939: "Oh Maria" (note that he pronounces it "Mariah"), "(Lovely Little Baby) Don't You Know?", "Jelly Roll", "King of All Evil", "Lil Liza Jane" (I can hear a female voice on this), and "Baby It's My Time Now". This time, Ollie was back to playing the piano; other musicians were Walter Wheeler (tenor saxophone), Wellman Braud (bass), and an unidentified drummer.
The 1939 Decca releases were:
New Low Down Dirty Shame / The Numbers Blues
Sugar Woman Blues / Shepard Blues (Pig Latin Blues)
My Dripping Blood Blues / Outdoors Blues
Sweetest Thing Born / Jelly Roll
Blues 'Bout My Gal / Oh Maria
(Lovely Little Baby) Don't You Know / Li'l Liza Jane
Baby It's My Time Now / King Of All Evil
Ollie's photo was in the May 27, 1939 Chicago Defender, along with Decca producer J. Mayo Williams. The caption read:
Ollie Shepard, left, was signed to a long term contract by a large recording company this week as a result of his several song hits. Here he is shown receiving a contract from J. Mayo Williams, recording manager of Race artists with the company.
I don't know what kind of contract he signed, since he'd already been recording for Decca (the "large recording company" whose name isn't even mentioned) for a year and a half. If he'd had any "song hits" in all that time, I have yet to hear about them.
There was a single 1940 session (his last for Decca) on January 20. The four songs were: "Jitterbugs Broke It Down", "Octavia Blues", "I'm Stepping Out Tonight" (a duet with Ollie Potter), and "You Got Me Wondering" (vocal by Ollie Potter, whose name appears on the record's label). Aside from Ollie's piano, the only other named musician on the session was Stafford "Pazzuza" Simon (tenor saxophone); there was also a drummer. I find it strange that Decca files don't seem to name drummers.
I don't know the relationship between Ollie and female vocalist Ollie Potter. Aside from that session, there were few other mentions of her. The first was in the December 8, 1934 New York Age: "It seems that everybody who's anybody loves to hear Ollie Potter sing 'Love In Bloom'." The February 18, 1939 Age said: "Ollie Potter, a very pleasing personality, made her debut appearance at the Rendezvous by singing a delightful number, 'That's Why I Am In Harlem Every Night' which was well received by the audience." On January 17, 1950, she appeared at the New Apollo Cafe in Harlem. Her career was cut short when she died on August 16, 1953.
Ollie Shepard's Decca releases in 1940 were:
Octavia Blues / Hell Is So Low Down
Jitterbugs Broke It Down / [Little Girl - Harlem Hamfats]
At the time of the April 1940 census (in which their name is miraculously spelled "Shepard"), Ollie and Bernice were living in Manhattan with their only two surviving children, Isaac (5) and Clarence (3). Ollie is a "musician - Decca Recording".
In August 1940, Ollie began appearing at the Swing Club (36 West 52 Street in Manhattan). He's now a member of the Rhythm Buddies, with Courtland Carter (guitar) and Roy Walrond (drums). After all his recordings, this is the first appearance I can find for him.
The Pittsburgh Courier of August 17, 1940 got some of it wrong:
The Rhythm Buddies are among the few colored performers still working in the downtown nite life circles of this city. Appearing nightly at the popular Swing Club on West 52nd Street, the trio is considered among the best of the swing-sweet group in the section [that sentence is sic].
With Ollie Shepherd [sic] at the piano, Courtland Carter, guitarist and Roy Walrond holding the drum spotlight, the act gets more out of the increasingly popular blues numbers than any other group of its kind hereabouts. Recording under the Decca banner, the rhythmic three have waxed such killer dillers as "It's A Low Down Dirty Shame", "Solid Jack" and several others written and arranged by pianist Ollie Shepherd [sic]. Cliff Martinez, their personal manager, also takes credit for starting out Slim and Slam, Pat and Nora, among several other race artists.
At this time, Cliff Martinez was managing Nora Lee King; in the 1950s, he'd manage Viola Watkins, the Crows, the Sparks Of Rhythm, the Pretenders, the Mello-Tones, the Jive Bombers, and the Crickets. Regardless of what that article said, there's no proof that Carter and Walrond were ever on any Ollie Shepard sessions. Note that Courtland Carter had been a member of Nora Lee King's Rhythm Dandies the prior year.
A blurb in the August 17 New York Age said that the Rhythm Buddies would be appearing at Leon & Eddie's (also on West 52nd Street) in early September. However, there was never another word about them.
When Ollie filled out his World War 2 draft registration (on October 16, 1940 - Registration Day), he gave his employer as the Swing Club.
In January 1941 Decca released the last Ollie Shepard record: "You Got Me Wondering" (with vocal by Ollie Potter), backed with "I'm Stepping Out Tonight" (a duet between Ollie Potter and Ollie Shepard).
By April 1941, Ollie had signed with Okeh Records, a subsidiary of Columbia. His first session, held on May 2, 1941 in New York, waxed eight sides: "Hard Times Is On Me", "Cool Kind Papa", "True Love Blues", "Throw This Dog A Bone", "Wreckin' House Joe", "Pay Day Blues", "Army Camp Blues", and "I'm Nuts About My Baby".
Once again, Ollie did vocals and played the piano. Session musicians included Ted McCord (clarinet and tenor sax), George Francis (guitar), and Johnny Wells (drums).
The Okeh releases in 1941 were:
Army Camp Blues / Hard Times Is On Me (in May)
Note that "Army Camp Blues" was made prior to WW2
Cool Kind Papa / Throw This Dog A Bone (in July)
Note that some copies say "Throw The Dog A Bone"
There was a second Okeh session on January 6, 1942, but not one of the eight songs recorded that day was ever released: "I've Got The Blues About My Baby", "Navy Blues", "Young And Innocent", "Untrue Woman Blues", "You're Lucky To Me", "Gee Gee Express", "When My Gal Comes Home", and "Stop That Jive". The musicians on the session were Saxie Payne (tenor sax), Carl Lynch (guitar), and Johnny Wells (drums).
But there was one more Okeh release, "Pay Day Blues", backed with "True Love Blues", in January 1942. Possibly the fact that it, like the first two, went nowhere contributed to Okeh's decision to not release any others.
On February 18-19, 1943, Ollie was at the Penn Theater in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania. Ads called him "The King Of Jive" and "New York's Latest Swing Sensation". From here on, he's almost always advertised as a solo act, and usually as a pianist.
February 22-24, 1943 found Ollie at the Hippodrome in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. In March 1943, he was at Fay's in Providence, Rhode Island, but then disappeared for a year and a half.
From December 8, 1944 to late January 1945, he was at the Queens Terrace Cabaret Restaurant in Woodside, Queens, New York. After that, he opened at the Blue Moon, Newark, New Jersey, on February 12.
Probably in late 1945, Ollie wrote a song called "The House On 52nd Street", which was recorded by Red Allen's Onyx Club orchestra (there's even a 1946 video). 52nd Street was the Jazz, Swing, and Jive capital of Manhattan's music scene.
Another long stretch with no Ollie Shepard until he ("Wizard At The Keys") opened at the Bell Club in Fort Lee New Jersey on November 2, 1946. It couldn't have been a long engagement, since the club had recently re-opened after having been shut down for liquor violations, and, by November 14, had been shut down again.
The May 29, 1947 Billboard reported that "Blues-chanter-pianist Ollie Shepherd [sic] signed to wax with Apollo diskery." They were a bit late; his sole Apollo record, "Hey Boogie Schewoogie", coupled with a second recording of "It's A Low Down Dirty Shame" had already been released in April. The label credited it to the Ollie Shepard Trio, although the signing announcement only mentioned his name. However, a big ad for it has a cropped photo of Ollie, with a bassist behind him, so there may have actually been a trio for a while. If so, there are no appearance ads for them and no member names. (Actually, I can hear some other echoing voices on "Hey Boogie Schewoogie".)
The May 17 Billboard reviewed the sides (12 days before they reported that he'd been signed by Apollo), although there were no ratings:
The spirited and lusty race blues rhythm singing of Ollie Shepard provides plenty of race kick for both of these sides. And with the piano, guitar and brass [sic; they meant "bass"] picking away at the musical notes in low-down style, it's an aid to the song selling. The threesome setting a fast eight-beat pace for Hey Boogie Schewoogie, Shepard sings a typical Harlemese refrain about the gal who likes to boogie-woogie all the time. For the mated side, Shepard gets a lively shuffle rhythm backing as he shouts his own It's A Low Down Dirty Shame. Taps and taverns along Harlem ways will lap up this waxing.
And then Ollie disappears again for almost two years. We next hear of him when, from January 18 to February 11, 1949, he was at the Shore Road Casino in Brooklyn.
So, we can see that Ollie doesn't seem to play all that many places to begin with (at least not ones that advertise), most of those aren't big-time venues at all, and he's not heard of for long stretches. In spite of this, he seemed to have no trouble getting recording contracts with major companies. The next one was with Coral Records, a Decca subsidiary. His signing was announced in the May 28, 1949 Cleveland Call And Post (only three months after he'd recorded and a month after the record had been released and reviewed):
Blues singer Ollie Shepard, who is currently winning recognition with his new jump combo in a series of eastern nitery dates, has been signed to record for the Coral label, subsidiary of Decca Records, Inc., and is in line for a major buildup on wax.
Once again, he's said to be with a combo, and, once again, no one in it is named (and, once again, there are no ads for him appearing anywhere with a combo).
On February 15, 1949, he'd recorded four tunes: "L-U-C-I-L-L-E (Bop The Boogie)", "You Won't Let Me Go", "I Have To Ring Your Door Bell", and "Just Let Me Alone".
On April 1-2, he was at the Fox Hill Manor in Little Ferry, New Jersey. Soon after that, Coral released two of the songs: "L-U-C-I-L-L-E (Bop The Boogie)" and "You Won't Let Me Go". They were reviewed in the April 30 Billboard:
You Won't Let Me Go (74): Shepard turns in a neat race ballad effort.
L-U-C-I-L-L-E (68): Lightweight ditty is handled well by Shepard both on vocals and piano.
"You Won't Let Me Go" was the only "hit" Ollie ever had. On June 11, Cash Box said it was #7 in Atlantic City
On July 1, 1949, Ollie started a week at Mi-Jo's Inn in Mechanicville, New York.
The November 17, 1950 Alabama Tribune had an article titled "Ollie Shepard Signed To Columbia":
Blues singer Ollie Shepard was signed to a Columbia recording contract and waxed his first session for the Columbia label this week.
Shepard, who accompanies himself at the piano, waxed four of his own original compositions with a seven-piece jump combo in his Columbia disc debut. The selections were "Crazy With The Blues", "Baby Blues", "Don't Come Knockin' Upon My Door", and "Big Fine Automobile". His first release on the Columbia label has been scheduled for the week of December 4.
While I'm at a loss to figure out why only an Alabama paper printed that, it was echoed by the November 25 Billboard: "Veteran blues shouter and composer Ollie Shepard was signed to a term recording contract by Columbia records in another step to hypo that diskery's rhythm and blues department."
The four titles mentioned above had been recorded on November 1, 1950 in New York. While the resulting records would be credited to "Ollie Shepard & His Orchestra", the band in question was actually Hot Lips Page's. Besides Ollie on piano, they were: Oran "Hot Lips" Page (trumpet), Alfred Cobbs (trombone), Vincent Bey (alto and baritone sax), George "Buddy" Tate (tenor sax), Carl "Flat Top" Wilson (bass), and Clay Burt (drums). However, there were only six of them, so I suppose the "seven-piece jump combo" included Ollie.
Columbia issued "Crazy With The Blues" and "Big Fine Automobile" in December , not only as a 78 (#39077), but as a 7" 33 1/3 (#1-932). The sides got terrible reviews in the January 13, 1951 Billboard:
Big Fine Automobile (55): Strictly routine effort on a weak rhythm jingle.
Crazy With The Blues (58): Same result with a medium blues.
From August 3 to October 5, 1951, Ollie was at Gorman's Silver Glen in Paramus, New Jersey.
Also in October 1951, Columbia's Okeh subsidiary released the other two masters, "Baby Blues" and "Don't Come Knockin' Upon My Door". They weren't reviewed and it was the end of his association with Columbia.
On July 1, 1952, Ollie started two weeks at The Cove in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. On October 8, 1952, he began a stay at Toto's in Smiths Ferry, Massachusetts for an unknown period.
Nothing at all in 1953, except that he copyrighted a song called "Do You Wonder Why" on February 25. On March 5, 1954, he started at the Silver Pheasant Inn in Pearl River, New York, again for an unknown period. And then, he was missing for another two years.
The April 21, 1956 New York Daily News reported that Ollie was at the Red Carpet, presumably in Manhattan. From September 19-30, 1956, Ollie appeared at the Windsor, in Oneonta, New York.
September 1957 saw the release of "Say Yeah" and "My Babe Is Gone" on New York's Gee Records. By this time, original owner George Goldner had sold the label to Morris Levy.
"Say Yeah" was a cover of the Wayne Handy original (also covered by the Willows on Gone Records). Ollie's version was a Cash Box Best Bet on October 26, 1957, and was also reviewed in that issue.
Say Yeah (B+): An exciting new rock and roller that's starting to make noise in a number of territories, is hopped on by the Gee label with an exciting rendition by Ollie Shepard. Solid Teen fare that should go big with the kids.
My Babe Is Gone (B): The artist is also the author of this torrid hand-clappin' rocker. Side moves. It should keep the happy feet hoppin'.
However, Billboard begged to differ. In their October 28 issue it was listed under the following heading: "The following records, also reviewed by The Billboard music staff, were rated 65 or less". That was the extent of the review.
From February 6-28, 1958, "Jollie Ollie Shepard [as he was now calling himself] and His Basin Street Blues Recording Artists" (whatever that meant) were at Nick's 3 Vets in Mountain View, New Jersey.
Nothing more until August 1960, when Okeh gave him one more chance. "You Care" and a third stab at "Low Down Dirty Shame" were released as by "Jolly Boy" Shepard. They were reviewed in the August 13, 1960 Cash Box, both receiving a "B":
You Care: Blues artist gives a good light blues jump account of the ditty. Mostly a blues market entry. [Doesn't sound at all like blues to me. It actually reminded me of Little Willie John's "Fever".]
Low Down Dirty Shame: A "low-down" blues opus is socked out by the performer.
However, the reviewer put down the wrong record number (7735, instead of 7135). That might be the reason that Cash Box reviewed them again on October 10. This time, however, "Low Down Dirty Shame" had been downgraded to "C+".
You Care: Blues artist and combo accompaniment gives a "Fever"-like account of the lovey-dovey. Some pop appeal to this R&B venture. [Hah! They agreed with me! I get points!]
Low Down Dirty Shame: This stand maintains a strictly R&B feel in its basic, low down blues approach.
On February 10, 1961, Ollie started at Schoentag's Hotel in Kingston, New York, in the Catskills. The ad said he'd come from the Concord Hotel, one of the big area resorts. (However, this wasn't prime Catskills season, which was in the summer.) On April 17, 1961, he began a week at the Novelty Lounge in Oneonta, New York.
Nothing more until 1963. From January 7 to July 20 he was at Jerry's in Oneonta, New York. The ad said he'd come from the Inner Circle in Manhattan.
His last known record (as "Jolly Ollie") was released on the Johnson label in late 1963: "Baby Blues" (previously done for Okeh in 1951), backed with "That's What True Love Can Do". They weren't reviewed.
The last Ollie Shepard appearance I can find is at Kaye's Flamingo Room in Albany, New York, starting on September 20, 1965; but ads only ran until September 25. Now, however, he has "Cee Jay on the drums" (not further identified).
As Hamlet said: "The rest is silence". After that 1965 engagement, there's not a single other word about him. While there are many online family trees that contain him, not one says where he died. (The only reasonable choices are New York or Port Arthur, Texas.) Most of them give a 1978 year, but none are more specific (nor do any offer backup for that date). Actually, I found them: both Ollie and wife, Bernice, died in 1969 and are buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Hastings-On-Hudson, New York (Westchester County).
If you've been following along, you've seen that most of Ollie Shepard's engagements were in small venues (and there don't seem to have been all that many of those). Maybe he preferred an intimate setting; we'll never know. The fact remains though, that he never appeared (to my knowledge) at any top-flight venues once he left the Swing Club in 1940. It also struck me that no ad ever said that it was a return engagement.
As I said in the beginning, it's hard to nail down Ollie's style. Let's just say he could do it all.
DECCA (Ollie Shepard & His Kentucky Boys)
7384 It's Low Down Dirty Shame [sic] / If It Ain't Love - 37
7400 Honey Bee (Let Me Be Your Honey Bee) / Sweetheart Land - 37
7408 No One To Call You Dear (Ain't It Tough) / She Walks Like A Kangaroo - 37
7435 Drunk Again / One Woman Blues - 38
7448 S-B-A Blues / Brown Skin Woman - 38
7463 What's Your Guess? / Good Woman - 38
7480 Biscuit Rolling Time / Hope You Haven't Forgotten Me -38
7493 Solid Jack / This Place Is Leaping - 38
7508 Frankenstein Blues / Little Pigmeat - 38
7541 Pee Wee Pee Wee / At Your Mercy - 38
7585 New Low Down Dirty Shame / The Numbers Blues - 39
7602 Sugar Woman Blues / Shepard Blues (Pig Latin Blues) - 39
7613 My Dripping Blood Blues / Outdoors Blues - 39
7629 Sweetest Thing Born / Jelly Roll - 39
7639 Blues 'Bout My Gal / Oh Maria - 39
7651 (Lovely Little Baby) Don't You Know / Li'l Liza Jane - 39
7665 Baby It's My Time Now / King Of All Evil - 39
7716 Octavia Blues / Hell Is So Low Down - 40
7761 Jitterbugs Broke It Down / [Little Girl - Harlem Hamfats] - 40
7805 You Got Me Wondering / I'm Stepping Out Tonight - 1/41
"Wondering" has a vocal by Ollie Potter; "Stepping" is a duet with her
OKEH (Ollie Shepard) subsidiary of Columbia
06409 Army Camp Blues / Hard Times Is On Me - 5/41
06277 Cool Kind Papa / Throw This Dog A Bone - 7/41
Some copies say "Throw The Dog A Bone"
06533 Pay Day Blues / True Love Blues - 1/42
OKEH UNRELEASED
Wreckin' House Joe (recorded May 2, 1941)
I'm Nuts About My Baby (recorded May 2, 1941)
I've Got The Blues About My Baby (recorded January 6, 1942)
Navy Blues (recorded January 6, 1942)
Young And Innocent (recorded January 6, 1942)
Untrue Woman Blues (recorded January 6, 1942)
You're Lucky To Me (recorded January 6, 1942)
Gee Gee Express (recorded January 6, 1942)
When My Gal Comes Home (recorded January 6, 1942)
Stop That Jive (recorded January 6, 1942)
APOLLO (Ollie Shepard Trio)
385 It's A Low Down Dirty Shame / Hey Boogie Schewoogie - 4/47
CORAL (Ollie Shepard & His Orchestra) - subsidiary of Decca
65006 L-U-C-I-L-L-E (Bop The Boogie) / You Won't Let Me Go - 4/49
COLUMBIA (Ollie Shepard & His Orchestra)
39077 Crazy With The Blues / Big Fine Automobile - 12/50
Also issued as a 7" 33 1/3 - #1-932
OKEH (Ollie Shepard & His Orch.) - subsidiary of Columbia
6839 Baby Blues / Don't Come Knockin' Upon My Door - 10/51
GEE (Ollie Shepard)
1044 Say Yeah / My Babe Is Gone - 9/57
OKEH ("Jolly Boy" Shepard)
7135 Low Down Dirty Shame / You Care - 8/60
JOHNSON (Jolly Ollie)
128 Baby Blues / That's What True Love Can Do - late 63