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American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader
- Elmore James (né Brooks; January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader. Noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice, James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. His slide guitar technique earned him the nickname "King of the Slide Guitar".
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Elmore James (né Brooks; January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) [1] was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and bandleader. [2] Noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice, James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. [ 3 ]
Elmore James (born January 27, 1918, Richland, Mississippi, U.S.—died May 24, 1963, Chicago, Illinois) was an American blues singer-guitarist noted for the urgent intensity of his singing and guitar playing.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Associated with Fellow Delta Bluesmen
- Recorded “Dust My Broom”
- Overcame Fear of Recording
- Final Sessions
- Heart Attack Ended World of Trouble
- Selected Discography
- Sources
As a young man James fell in with legendary blues musicians Robert Johnson and Sonny Boy Williamson, whose real name was Rice Miller. Williamson was a noted harmonica player who used several other names as well, including Little Boy Blue. Since another blues musician also used the name Sonny Boy Williamson, he became known as Sonny Boy Williamson #...
Palmer and others have noted that James was initially nervous or reticent about recording in the studio or performing over the radio. In 1951 James and a few other blues musicians accompanied Williamson to a recording session for Trumpet Records in Jackson, Mississippi. Trumpet was a recently established independent label that recorded blues, gospe...
As the 1950s progressed, James seemed to overcome his fear of recording, making numerous recordings with his band. These were heard on a variety of independent blues labels, including Chess, Checker, Meteor, Flair, and Chief. James and the Broomdusters also played the blues clubs of Chicago. When times were hard in Chicago, they went back to Missis...
James suffered a mild heart attack in the late 1950s and had temporarily retired to Mississippi. Chicago disc jockey “Big” Bill Hill contacted James and persuaded him to come back to Chicago to do some radio broadcasts. On his first day back in Chicago, James played in a small blues club and was heard by record producer Bobby Robinson. As Robinson ...
In the early 1960s James was in trouble with the musicians union in Chicago. When he didn’t pay his union dues, he was blacklisted. He was also very ill, and his heart condition appeared to worsen. In the spring of 1963 James was in Chicago to perform at the opening of Big Bill Hill’s new establishment, the Copa Cabana Club. He was staying with his...
Singles
“Dust My Broom,”Trumpet, 1951. “I Believe,”Meteor, 1952. “The Sky Is Crying,”Fire, 1960. “It Hurts Me Too,”Enjoy, 1965.
Albums
Original Folk Blues(includes early sessions recorded 1952-56 for Meteor and Flair), Kent, 1964, reissued, United, 1975. The Legend of Elmore James(includes early sessions recorded 1952-56 for Meteor and Flair), Kent, 1964, reissued, United, 1975. The Resurrection of Elmore James(includes early sessions recorded 1952-56 for Meteor and Flair), Kent, 1964, reissued, United, 1975. One Way Out (includes 1951 recording of “Dust My Broom”), Charly, 1980. The Complete Fire and Enjoy Sessions, Parts 1...
Books
Finn, Julio, The Bluesman, Quartet Books, 1986. Guralnick, Peter, Listener’s Guide to the Blues, Facts on File, 1982. Harris, Sheldon, Blues Who’s Who, Da Capo, 1979. Marcus, Greil, Mystery Train, Dutton, 1975 and 1982. Palmer, Robert, Deep Blues, Viking, 1981.
Periodicals
Blues Unlimited, June 1970; September 1971; October 1971; November 1971. Goldmine, March 20, 1992. Guitar Player, April 1992. Living Blues, number 54, 1982; number 66, 1985; number 67, 1986; January/February 1988; March/April 1989. Rolling Stone, November 14, 1991; February 6, 1992.
Other
Liner notes, The Complete Fire and Enjoy Sessions, Parts 1-4, Collectables, 1989. —David Bianco
Elmore James’ signature was his thundering full-octave slide guitar opening. Though borrowed from fellow Mississippi bluesman Robert Johnson, that “Dust My Broom” riff laid the foundation for an eleven-year recording career, with nearly 80 titles released on some seven different labels.
Jul 16, 2018 · James’s distinctive, jagged tone, the result of fitting a pickup to a flat top acoustic and plugging into a small valve amp, is now revered as one of the most celebrated blues guitar tones in history. However, just as celebrated is Elmore’s beautiful, soulful vocal performance.
- Denny Ilett
Jan 27, 2022 · Elmore James was a formidable talent and one who has been credited with forming the modern-day template for slide-guitar. His approach was simple and direct, but performed with great power, his fingers pressed on the fret-board. And he certainly proved influential, as is apparent in Keith Richards’ 2010 memoir, Life.
Apr 3, 2024 · Elmore James, often referred to as “slide guitarist James,” is a legendary blues musician known for his exceptional talent and innovative slide guitar technique. Born in Mississippi in 1918, Elmore James rose to prominence as one of the most influential figures in the history of blues music.
