Doc Sausage


Lucius Antoine Tyson, who performed as Dr. Sausage or Doc Sausage, was an American singer, dancer, drummer and bandleader. He was active from the 1930s to the 1950s and is best known for his 1950 recording of "Rag Mop".

Career

He was born in Brunswick, Georgia, and moved to New York City in 1936. By 1938, he was performing with his group, Dr. Sausage and His Five Pork Chops. Regarded as a novelty act, the group included Al "Dr. Horse" Pittman. His pianist Jimmy Harris was killed in a car crash that year, but the following year the group performed as a "specialty" feature in a revue, Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1939, at the Hudson Theatre. Their act was influenced by performers such as Cab Calloway, and contained comedy, swing jazz, and vocal harmonies. The group first recorded for Decca Records in 1940, on a version of "Wham " featuring Gerry "The Wig" Wiggins on piano. However, neither it nor other tracks for Decca were commercially successful.
Tyson did not record again until 1950, when his new group, Doc Sausage and His Mad Lads, recorded for the Regal label. As well as Doc Sausage on vocals and drums, the group comprised Earl Johnson, Charles Harris, Charlie Jackson, and Jimmy Butts. The group recorded eight tracks, including a version of "Rag Mop" which reached number 4 in the Billboard R&B chart, and its follow-up, "Sausage Rock". The record company went out of business soon afterwards, and Tyson seems not to have recorded again.
Tyson died in New York in 1972 at the age of 61.

Selected discography

Singles

Doc Sausage and His Five Pork Chops

  1. Side A : "Wham"

    By Taps Miller ''

    By Eddie Durham





  2. Side B : "Doctor Sausage's Blues"

    By Lucius Tyson





  1. Side A : "Cuckoo Cuckoo Chicken Rhythm"

    By Lucius Tyson

  2. Side B : "Birthday Party"

Doc Sausage and his Mad Lads

  1. Side A : "She Don't Want Me No More"

    By Lucius Tyson
  2. Side B : "Please Don't Leave Me Now"

    By Lucius Tyson

  1. Side A : "Rag Mop"

    By Johnnie Lee Wills & Deacon Anderson



  2. Side B : "You Got Me Cryin'"

    By Howard Biggs & Fred Madison




  1. Side A : "Sausage Rock"

    By Lucius Tyson
  2. Side B : "I've Been a Bad Boy"

    By Lucius Tyson
Doc Sausage

  1. Side A : "Poor Man's Blues"

    By Lucius Tyson



  2. Side B : "Doormat Blues"

    By Lucius Tyson



Compilations

Doc Sausage and His Five Pork Chops

  1. The Complete Recordings 1946–1949: Luke Jones & Doctor Sausage

    : "Cuckoo Cuckoo Chicken Rhythm," DE 7776

    : "Wham", DE 7736

    : "Birthday Party," DE 7776

    : "Doctor Sausage's Blues," DE 7736
Doc Sausage and his Mad Lads

  1. The Complete Recordings 1940–1953: Lem Johnson, Doc Sausage & Jo Jo Jackson

    : "Door Mat Blues," RE 3283

    : "She Don't Want Me No More," RE 3248

    : "Please Don't Leave Me Now," RE 3248
    : "Poor Man's Blues" RE 3283

    : "Rag Mop," RE 3251

    : "You Got Me Cryin'," RE 3251

    : "I've Been a Bad Boy," RE 3256

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

  1. The Swing Session

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

  1. Sax Blowers & Honkers

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

  1. The Big Horn: The History of the Honkin' & Screamin' Saxophone

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

  1. The Big Horn: Boogie's The Thing

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

  1. Honkers & Bar Walkers

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

  1. The Rocking 40's

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

  1. Rock Before Elvis, Before Little Richard, Before Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley or Bill Haley

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

  1. Blowing the Fuse: 28 R&B Classics That Rocked the Jukebox in 1950

    : "Rag Mop" RE 3251

  1. The Hoy Hoy Collection: Rock Before Elvis

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256

    Track 13, Disc 1 of 2

  1. Rhythm 'n' Blues: Nasty

    : "Sausage Rock," RE 3256