Elmore James (January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an
American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, band leader. He 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 played a wide variety of "blues" (which
often crossed over into other styles of music) similar to that of Muddy Waters,
Howlin' Wolf and some of B. B. King's work, but distinguished by his guitar's
unique tone coming from a modified, hollow body traditional acoustic guitar,
which sounded like an amped up version of the "more modern" solid
body guitars. He most often played using a slide, but on several recordings he
plays without. His voice and style were as instantly recognisable as King's,
Muddy's and Wolf's and until he fell afoul of the Chicago
union, he and his 'Broomdusters' were as popular in the Chicago
clubs as any of these musicians' bands. James could be reportedly 'difficult'
(drinking on the job, not paying out cash, abandoning musicians, double booking
etc.)
I may be mistaken but this may be the only record he recorded on Modern. He recorded prolifically for the other Bihari labels.
Recorded in Chicago on January 4, 1956.
I may be mistaken but this may be the only record he recorded on Modern. He recorded prolifically for the other Bihari labels.
Recorded in Chicago on January 4, 1956.
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