Kokomo Arnold
Kokomo Arnold (actually James Arnold; * February 15, 1901 in Lovejoy's Station, Georgia, † 8 November 1968, Chicago, Illinois ) was an American blues musician.
Life
The basics of playing the guitar he had learned in Georgia by his cousin John Wiggs. After moving north he began in the 1920s in addition to his job, eg as a farm worker in Buffalo or a steelworker in Pittsburgh to play as an entertainment musician. In 1929 he went to Chicago, where he earned his living mainly as, Bootlegger ' ( distributing illegal alcohol during Prohibition ).
On May 17, 1930, a Memphis under the name Gitfiddle Jim his first recordings, Rainy Night Blues and Paddlin ' Madeline Blues for RCA Victor; However, his debut sold poorly. Then he moved back to Chicago. After a 4 -year record pause he took 1934-1938 to a total of 88 titles for Decca Records and was with Peetie Wheatstraw and Amos Easton one of the leading musicians of the Chicago blues. Here he received his nickname in 1934 and, after he had (originally from Scrapper Blackwell ) recorded the song Old Original Kokomo Blues. Named after a coffee brand title was with 3 other titles on September 10, 1934. Among these was also the meantime has become a classic Milkcow Blues, which was # 7026 selected as the A-side of Arnold's first Decca single.
Arnold especially influenced Robert Johnson, the Old Original Kokomo Blues Sweet Home Chicago reworked, while from the Milkcow Blues Milkcow Blues Boogie of the Elvis Presley recorded on 10 December 1954. From the most famous song of his repertoire, the Milkcow Blues, Arnold played a further 4 numbered versions. On April 18, 1935 Busy Bootin '/ Southern Railroad Blues ( Decca # 7139 ), the A-side later as a template for Little Richard Keep A - Knockin' served in September 1957 and became the sixth million-selling emerged.
Already in 1938, Kokomo Arnold moved to disputes back to the Decca producer Mayo Williams from the music business. His last recording session took place on 12 May 1938 where was the last single Going Down In Gallilee / Something's Hot ( Decca # 7485 ). In 1962 he was re- discovered, but could not inspire the blues revival in front of white audiences. He died in Chicago in 1968 of a heart attack and was in Alsip, Illinois, buried.
Arnold was a ( left-handed ) champion on the slide guitar. One of the most striking features of his game is his unusually high for a slide guitarist pace. On some pieces seems to be - sometimes in falsetto executed - song of the guitar with her style, which is characterized by a high recognition value to be able to hardly follow.
Cover versions
His most famous song Milkcow Blues has been covered 47 times. First versions have already appeared on 13 February 1935 by Pinewood Tom on February 27, 1935 by Bumble Bee Slim. The version that was probably inspired Elvis Presley, was a native of Johnny Lee Wills & His Boys (recorded on April 28, 1941), after which his brother Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (20 May 1946) was followed. In addition to Elvis Presley comes another rock & roll version of the Blues by Eddie Cochran (5 January 1962). The version of the Kinks on August 10, 1965 is not based on Arnold's song, but on a completely different composition, the " Milk Cow Blues" by Sleepy John Estes, who was created on 13 May 1930.