Elmore James was born 97 years ago today. A blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader, James was known as the King of the Slide Guitar and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice. James was born Elmore Brooks in the old Richland community in Holmes County, Mississippi (not to be confused with two other locations of the same name in Mississippi). He was the illegitimate son of 15-year-old Leola Brooks, a field hand. His father was probably Joe Willie Frost James, who moved in with Leola, and so Elmore took this as his name. James began making music at the age of 12 using a simple one-string instrument (diddley bow or jitterbug) strung up on a shack wall. As a teen he was playing at local dances under the names Cleanhead and Joe Willie James. His first marriage, circa 1942, was to Minnie Mae (maiden name unknown) and whom he apparently never divorced. He subsequently married twice more, to Georgianna Crump in 1947 and to a woman called Janice, circa 1954. James (like many other musicians) was strongly influenced by Robert Johnson, as well as by Kokomo Arnold and Tampa Red. He recorded several of Tampas songs, and even inherited from his band two of his famous Broomdusters, Little Johnny Jones (piano) and Odie Payne (drums). There is a dispute as to whether Robert Johnson or Elmore wrote James trademark song, Dust My Broom.” During World War II, James joined the United States Navy, was promoted to coxswain and took part in the invasion of Guam against the Japanese. Upon his discharge, he returned to central Mississippi and eventually settled in Canton with his adopted brother Robert Holston; it was at this time he learned that he had a serious heart condition. Working in Roberts electrical shop, he devised his unique electric sound, using parts from the shop and an unusual placement of two DArmond pickups. He began recording with Trumpet Records in nearby Jackson in January 1951, first as sideman to the second Sonny Boy Williamson and also to their mutual friend Wille Love and possibly others, then debuting as a session leader in August with Dust My Broom.” It was a surprise R&B hit in 1952 and turned James into a star. He then broke his recording contract with Trumpet Records to sign up with the Bihari Brothers through their scout Ike Turner (who played guitar and piano on a couple of his early Bihari recordings). His I Believe was another hit a year later. During the 1950s, he recorded for the Bihari brothers Flair Records, Meteor Records and Modern Records labels, as well as for Chess Records and Mel Londons Chief Records. His backing musicians were known as the Broomdusters. In 1959, he began recording for Bobby Robinsons Fire Records label. These include The Sky Is Crying (credited to Elmo James and his Broomdusters), My Bleeding Heart, Stranger Blues, Look on Yonder Wall, Done Somebody Wrong and Shake Your Moneymaker, all of which are among the most famous of blues recordings. James died of his third heart attack in Chicago in 1963, just prior to a tour of Europe with that years American Folk Blues Festival. He was 45 years old. Many electric slide guitar players will admit to the influence of James style. He was also a major influence on such successful blues guitarists as Homesick James, (who was a member of Elmores band The Broomdusters and featured on many of his recordings) John Littlejohn, Hound Dog Taylor and J. B. Hutto. He also influenced many rock guitarists such as The Rolling Stones Brian Jones (Keith Richards writes in his book that at the time he met Brian Jones, Brian called himself Elmo Lewis, and that he wanted to be Elmore James. James was covered by blues-rock band Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble many times in concert. The most famous of these covers is one that came by an indirect route — James fellow bluesman Albert King recorded a cover of The Sky Is Crying, and Stevie Ray Vaughan copied Kings version of the song. That song was also covered by George Thorogood on his second album, Move It On Over and by Eric Clapton on his album, Theres One in Every Crowd. The most famous guitarist who admired James was Jimi Hendrix. Early in his career, Hendrix styled himself variously as “Maurice James” and subsequently as “Jimmy James.” This, according to former bandmate and recording partner Lonnie Youngblood, was a tribute to Elmore James. Here, James performs “The Sky is Crying.”
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 09:08:49 +0000
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