Aired on Treasure Island Oldies – Aug 17, 2025

In the mid 50s, Jesse Belvin introduced a young and upcoming pianist/singer to Bumps Blackwell at Speciality Records.

Blackwell liked what he saw and recorded a song in 1955 that the young performer had written That song proved to be his only major release but it has endured as a gem of the doo-wop era and epitomizes the mid 50s moment when R&B was beginning to stretch its emotional and sonic boundaries, paving the way for soul and early Rock & Roll.

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Our featured artist was born in New Orleans in August of 1932 and learned to play the piano in church when he was six years old. He grew up in the Ninth Ward, not too far from Fats Domino’s house where he would watch Fats play.

Eventually settling down in  Los Angeles, he lived with his Aunt Nila Love who sadly passed away during the Watts riots of 1965.

His Aunt gave him a nickname that aptly described his constant staying out late at night. He turned that phrase into a little song and recorded it on July 4, 1955, at Master Recorders in Hollywood, with the Chimes, a session group who backed everybody on Specialty records (and not the group who gave us “Once In A While”). On the record the group was billed as the Champs – not to be confused with the more widely known Champs of “Tequila” fame.

At that time, Specialty Records was a powerhouse in the R&B world, a label that help launch stars like Little Richard and Sam Cooke. In fact our featured artist would go on to tour with the likes of Little Richard, Llyod Price, and Larry Williams, all on the strength of his one recording and great talent.

This recording by Tony Allen & The Champs stood out due to its eerie, nocturnal tone and its lyrical focus on a lonely, watchful character wandering the streets at nights. It captures a sense of urban loneliness and mystery that resonated with listeners, making it a regional hit and it has become a cult favorite among doo-wop collectors and to those late night prowlers who are referred to as being a ”Nite Owl,” and it’s this week’s Tom Locke moment in time.

YouTube listing of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZroOIE8lkQ

This “Moments In Time” story is yet another example of a “golden oldie” or forgotten favorite that earned its place in the evolution of Rock & Roll.