Jimmy Reed
Jimmy Reed (birth name: Mathis James Reed, born September 6, 1925 in Dunleith, Mississippi; † August 29, 1976 in Oakland, California ) was an American blues singer and musician.
Career
Reed learned the basics of the guitar and harmonica play by his friend Eddie Taylor, who went about himself as a semi-pro in pubs. In 1943, Reed moved to Chicago, where he was, however, initially called up for two years of military service in the Navy. After his release, and after her marriage to Mary ( "Mama Reed " ), he worked in 1945 in Gary / Indiana as a meat packer in the factory. Here, he also blues scene of the neighboring city of Chicago, where he was admitted for a short time in the band by John Brim 's Gary Kings, which also occasionally played Eddie Taylor. After Reed was not accepted at the Chicago blues label Chess Records, he went to the neighboring Chance Records label, where he, with the support of John Brim (guitar) and Morris Wilkerson (drums), the single High And Lonesome / Roll And Rhumba (Chance # 1142 ) was allowed to upload on June 6, 1953. She appeared in July 1953 without special resonance, Chance Records was set up shortly after the liquidation process; Reed worked now back in a slaughterhouse in Chicago.
Vee -Jay Records
Jimmy Reed - You Do not Have To Go
Jimmy Reed - Is not That Lovin ' You Baby
Jimmy Reed - Honest I Do
Then Reed heard of, which was founded in April 1953 Label Vee -Jay Records, which was initially housed in his former home and work Gary. On December 29, 1953 was with Jimmy Reed & His Trio ( Eddie Taylor, bass; Morris Wilkerson, drums ) a first recording session held in the once High and Lonesome / Roll and Rhumba were recorded. Although Vee Jay had already taken the Spaniels in May, it was decided as a first ever plate of the catalog for Jimmy Reed (Vee -Jay # 100). The privilege did not help, because the single was unable to obtain chart note following its publication in July 1953, while the Spaniels (Vee -Jay # 101) penetrated to number 10 of the Rhythm & Blues charts. Unsuccessful remained his next single I Found My Baby / Jimmy 's Boogie (# 105 ), which came on the market in January 1954. But already his third single You Do not Have to Go / Boogie in the Dark, who came from a recording session of 30 December 1953 came to its publication in October 1954 to fifth place the Rhythm & Blues charts. With a ranking of the three published in the January 1955 single Is not That Lovin 'You Baby / Baby, Do not Say That No More (# 168) fared even better. The same ranking also reached 've Got Me Dizzy / Honey, Do not Let Me Go, which was released in November 1956. A first crossover succeeded with The Sun Is Shining / Baby, What's On Your Mind (# 248 ), which came after its publication in June 1957, next to a 12th place in the R & B charts and up to rank 65 of the pop singles chart. Reed's best crossover was then recorded on April 3, 1957 Honest I Do / signal of Love, which reached a rank 32 in the pop charts after its release in October 1957 and was able to advance to # 4 on the R & B charts. His most successful hit ever was published in August 1961 with Bright Lights, Big City / I'm Mr. Luck and listed on rank three of the R & B charts.
Reeds is reinforcing problems with alcohol and his epilepsy were parallel to the economic decline of his record company. With catalog # 709 Reed took the beginning of 1966 the telling title Do not Think I'm Through his final single for Vee -Jay. Overall, Reed has 39 singles and numerous LPs released in more than 12 years at Vee -Jay and escaped with 18 titles in the R & B and 8 titles in the pop singles chart. His manager Al Smith gave him after mid-1966 a short-lived record deal with the new ABC Bluesway label. Here he played on 4 and November 8, 1966 a total of 12 tracks with an accompaniment by Lefty Bates and Jimmy Reed, Jr. (guitar, vocals), Jimmy Gresham (bass) and Al Duncan (drums). None of the five other labels brought him back his former success. Around 1970 Jimmy Reed swore the alcohol from final, but the long-term consequences were a fragile state of health, which prevented long tours. Nevertheless, he played at the prestigious Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1972 and died four years later. He was posthumously as his album "I'm Jimmy Reed " in 2008 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 added to the Blues Hall of Fame Blues Foundation in 1980.
Style
Reed wrote most of the tracks himself but he could not memorize them, but had most of his wife "Mama Reed " in the recording sessions here. "Give me the text, Mama Reed " he asked her, and her whispered Soufflage is weak to hear about in " You Got Me Dizzy ". Reed played guitar and harmonica at the same time ( the harmonica was attached by means of a rack around his neck, like Bob Dylan later ). While Reed for the boogie rhythm made on the guitar and a Harpsolo blew, Eddie Taylor played lead guitar on the striking Blue slicks and riffs that should go down in pop history. Reed's lecture was loose and easy, rather distant and not as intense or intrusive as the other contemporary artists Blue. Eddie Taylor has denied his rhythm and bass guitar most sessions as a trio and was partly responsible for the typical Jimmy Reed sound. Taylor was the driving force behind the success of Reed. Reed was the most consistent sales success for Vee Jay, especially since his records almost always came as a crossover from 1957 in the pop charts. Reed reached with his relaxed style a larger audience than many performers from the legendary Chess Records.
Cover versions / Statistics
For Jimmy Reed 164 songs registered copyright, according to BMI, three of which received a BMI Award.
Reeds clean and relaxed presentation inspired later artists to cover his compositions. Meistgecoverte items are Big Boss Man (37 ), Baby, What You Want Me to Do (31) and You Do not Have to Go (10). So took over Elvis Presley Is not That Lovin 'You, while Baby What You Want Me to Do by John Cale, in turn, Elvis Presley, Hot Tuna, Them, The Grateful Dead, Van Halen or the Byrds was taken. The Big Boss Man is, in turn, can be heard in versions of Grateful Dead, John Hammond Elvis Presley, while Big Legged Woman was taken by Jerry Lee Lewis. Honest I Do finally have the Rolling Stones gecovert quite authentic.