Jazz Gillum

William McKinley Gillum ( born September 11, 1904 in Indianola, Mississippi, † March 29, 1966 in Chicago, Illinois ), known as Jazz Gillum, was an American blues musician and Hokum. In addition to Sonny Boy Williamson I, he was the most popular harmonica players in the Chicago of the 1930s.

How BB King born in Indianola, Gillum brought to play when you are on the blues harp itself. After he had run away with 7 years of his foster father, he spent the next few years with relatives in Charleston, Mississippi, where he worked and performed on street corners.

In 1923 he went to Chicago. He frequently performed with the guitarist Big Bill Broonzy. 1934 Gillum made ​​his first recordings.

In the 1930s and 1940s he appeared both under his own name and as a sideman on many of Lester Melrose produced plates. After the end of Bluebird Records also Gillums career was over. In 1961 he once more made shots with Memphis Slim.

Jazz Gillum died in 1966 by a headshot with a brawling.