Pee Wee Crayton

Connie Curtis Crayton (December 18, 1914 – June 25, 1985), known as Pee Wee Crayton, was an American R&B and blues guitarist and singer.

Career

Crayton was born in Rockdale, Texas. He began playing guitar seriously after moving to California in 1935, later settling in San Francisco. While there he absorbed the music of T-Bone Walker but developed his own unique approach. His aggressive playing contrasted with his smooth vocal style and was copied by many later blues guitarists.

In 1948 he signed a recording contract with Modern Records. One of his first recordings was the instrumental "Blues After Hours", which reached number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart late that year. Its B-side, the pop ballad "I'm Still in Love with You", and the quicker "Texas Hop" are good examples of his work.

He went on to record for many other record labels in the 1950s, including Imperial in New Orleans, Vee-Jay in Chicago and Jamie in Philadelphia. It is thought he was the first blues guitarist to use a Fender Stratocaster, playing an instrument given to him by Leo Fender.

His opening guitar riff on the 1954 single "Do Unto Others" was "quoted" by John Lennon in the beginning of the B-side single version of "Revolution" released by The Beatles on Apple Records in 1968.

Crayton’s album Things I Used to Do was released by Vanguard Records in 1971. He continued to tour and record in the following years.

A longtime resident of Los Angeles, California, Crayton died there of a heart attack in 1985. He was interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery.