Ray Charles
ListenConfession Blues · 1949
The Maxin Trio, with Ray Charles — “Confession Blues,” released in 1949.
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1949 · Down Beat
I Love You, I Love You (I Will Never Let You Go) / Confession Blues
Ray Charles travelled from Florida to Seattle looking for a fresh start. There he formed a trio, found work in the clubs and made his first commercial record: a small-group performance that still bears the influence of Nat King Cole and Charles Brown. [1] [2]
| Accession | OMMA-0113 |
|---|---|
| Artist | The Maxin Trio · vocal by Ray Charles |
| Release | 1949 · United States |
| Label | Down Beat · 171 |
| Format | 10-inch shellac disc · 78 rpm |
| Issue | U.S. commercial issue |
| Runouts | Not documented |
| Recorded grade | VG+ · E− visual / V+ playback · NM− labels |
Release history and significance
In March 1948, Charles arrived in Seattle after a five-day bus journey from Tampa. He had chosen the city by asking a friend to find somewhere far from Florida. With a guitarist and bassist, he formed the McSon Trio and began building a life in the city’s busy nightclub scene. [1]
Producer Jack Lauderdale heard the group at the Rocking Chair and offered to record them. Charles later recalled his excitement at the prospect of a contract. The trio cut Charles’s “Confession Blues” and Joe Lee Lawrence’s “I Love You, I Love You” in Seattle; the coupling appeared in early 1949 with the group credited as the Maxin Trio. [1]
The piano-led trio sound places this record in the musical world Charles was working in before his later gospel-inflected rhythm and blues. His first record catches that beginning, with his singing and piano already at the centre of the performance. [2] [3]
Market context
Discogs lists sales for Down Beat 171 from US$9.99 to US$39.95, with a median of US$26.50, as recorded on 14 September 2026. The latest listed sale was 7 May 2026. [3]
Physical Description
A black shellac disc with maroon-and-cream Down Beat labels. The “Confession Blues” side is numbered 171-B and credits the Maxin Trio, with Ray Charles identified separately as vocalist beside the centre hole.
Condition
The disc is graded VG+ overall, with a glossy E− visual appearance, V+ playback and NM− labels.
Provenance
Acquired through Discogs from seller blackgem on 6 May 2026.
Sources
- Cassandra Tate, Ray Charles, HistoryLink, 17 June 2004. Charles’s Seattle move, trio, recollection of Lauderdale and first record.
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Ray Charles. First recording and the influence of Nat King Cole and Charles Brown.
- Discogs, The Maxin Trio, release 11430808. Down Beat 171, personnel, coupling and sales history.
Catalogue text reviewed 14 September 2026.