(Dec. 29, 2015) -- LongBeachReport.com is saddened to report the passing of Joe Houston, in recent years a Long Beach resident, whose raucous, untamed 1950's saxophone performance on "All Night Long" became an L.A. anthem for a generation first exposed to authentic rock n roll's R&B roots via six transistor AM radios using earplugs to avoid parental detection.
Mr. Houston passed away on Dec. 28 at a Long Beach assisted living facility; he was 89 years old. Jonny Whiteside has a fine tribute on LAWeekly.com at this link.
In the mid-1950s, a savvy African-American businessman, John Dolphin, owned an all-night record store that he boldly named "Dolphin's of Hollywood."
Except it wasn't in Hollywood. It was at the less than glamorous corner of Central and Vernon -- described as "just twenty magic steps west of Central on Vernon" by DJ's including Dick Hugg ("Huggy Boy"). "Huggy Boy" drew crowds by broadcasting from "Dolphin's of Hollywood's" window from midnight into unmentionable hours and the all-night record store was among his sponsors.
As with DJ's of that era, "Huggy Boy" had a "sign on" theme song. It was Joe Houston's "All Night Long." "Huggy Boy" played songs like "Work With Me Annie" and "Sixty Minute Man" that other stations didn't play...and Joe Houston's "All Night Long" told teenagers that they'd found the music they couldn't hear elsewhere.
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