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In a way, this is an extension of last week’s Pianos and Guitars; Johnny Jones is present with Elmore James backing him up, and those Johnny Jones recordings are some of the best here. You can safely say that Elmore James “never made a bad record” in his own name, but a few of the ones he played on as sideman weren’t as elevated—it’s because he plays on them that they’re worth bringing together to give them a listen. Even where he’s barely audible, he is present, and it gives us insight into the kind of music he was hearing at the same time he was producing many of his masterpieces.
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Sonny Boy Williamson II (his birth name was Alex Miller, he is also often identified as Alex “Rice” Miller; “Rice” was a childhood nickname, he liked rice for breakfast). He was a real character, known to exaggerate. He began using Sonny Boy Williamson while the first Sonny Boy Williamson, James Lee Williamson, was still alive and still using the name.
Some of the following records are under his name, some also include His Harmonica and Houserockers.
“Eyesight to the Blind”
Sonny Boy Williamson (vocal, harp), Elmore James (probably* on guitar), Willie Love (piano), Henry Reed (bass), Joe Dyson (drums), Jackson, MS, March 12, 1951
“Crazy ’Bout You, Baby,” all credits same as “Eyesight to the Blind”*
*Elmore James definitely played on the first recordings of “Eyesight to the Blind” and “Crazy ’Bout You, Baby” (in January 1951) but those recordings were destroyed soon after they were made. It isn’t certain that he’s on these March recordings, but people with better ears than mine think he probably is.“Stop Crying”
Sonny Boy Williamson (vocal, harp), Elmore James, Joe Willie Wilkins (guitar), Willie Love (piano), Leonard Ware (bass), unknown (drums), Jackson, MS, August 5, 1951
“Come On Back Home,” all credits same as “Stop Crying”
“West Memphis Blues,” all credits same as “Stop Crying”
“I Crossed My Heart”/“West Memphis Blues,” all credits same as “Stop Crying”
“Sonny Boy’s Christmas Blues,” all credits same as “Stop Crying”
“Pontiac Blues,” all credits same as “Stop Crying”
“Cool, Cool Blues,” all credits same as “Stop Crying”
“Do It If You Wanta,” all credits same as “Stop Crying,”
“Mighty Long Time,”
Sonny Boy Williamson (vocal, harp), Elmore James, Joe Willie Wilkins (guitar), Willie Love (piano), Cliff Givens (vocal, bass), Joe Dyson (drums), Jackson, MS, December 4, 1951
“She Brought Life Back to the Dead” ★★★★★, all credits same as “Mighty Long Time”
“Nine Below Zero,” all credits same as “Mighty Long Time”
“Stop Now Baby,” all credits same as “Mighty Long Time”
“Mr. Down Child,” all credits same as “Mighty Long Time” (“Mr. Down Child” is a Robert Johnson song that he didn’t record)
“Too Close Together,” all credits same as “Mighty Long Time”
Interview with Trumpet Records owner Lillian McMurry’s daughter Vitrice and blues researcher Jim O’Neal, discussing Sonny Boy Williamson and Elmore James.
Beps Brown and His Orchestra (aka Sax Man Brown and the Broomdusters) was the band of J.T. “Big Boy” Brown (his birth name was John Thomas Brown)
“Round House Boogie” ★★★★★
J.T. Brown (tenor), Elmore James (guitar), Johnny Jones (piano), Ransom Knowling (bass), Odie Payne (drums), Chicago, IL, November 1952
“Round House Boogie”/“Kickin’ the Blues Around,” all credits same as “Round House Boogie” above; “Kickin’ the Blues Around” starts at 2:42
Little Johnny Jones and the Chicago Hound Dogs
“Dirty By the Dozen” (aka “Sweet Little Woman”) ★★★★★
Johnny Jones (vocal, piano), J.T. Brown (tenor), Elmore James (guitar), Ransom Knowling (bass), Odie Payne (drums), Chicago, IL, October 1953
“I May Be Wrong,” all credits same as “Dirty By The Dozen” ★★★★★
“Chicago Blues,” all credits same as “Dirty By The Dozen”
“Hoy Hoy,” all credits same as “Dirty By The Dozen”
“Doin’ the Best I Can,” all credits same as “Dirty By The Dozen”
Junior Wells (his birth name was Amos Blakemore)
“Ways Like an Angel”
Junior Wells (vocal, harp) Elmore James (guitar), Dave Myers (bass on guitar), Odie Payne (drums), Chicago, IL, June 8, 1953
“Eagle Rock,” all credits same as “Ways Like an Angel”
These two Junior Wells songs are found on Blues Hit Big Town, a convention of blues talent (click on title).Willie Love and His Three Aces
“Everybody’s Fishing” ★★★★★
Willie Love (vocals, piano), Elmore James, Joe Willie Wilkins (guitars), Alex Wallace (drums, ensemble vocal), Jackson, MS, July 25, 1951
“My Own Boogie”
Willie Love (vocals, piano), Otis Green (tenor), Elmore James, Joe Willie Wilkins (guitars), Alex Wallace (drums), Jackson, MS, July 25, 1951
Sammy Myers
“Little Girl”
Sammy Myers (vocal, harp), Johnny “Big Moose” Walker (piano), Elmore James (guitar), Sammy Lee Bully (bass), King Mose (drums), New Orleans, LA, 1961
“Angel Child,” all credits same as “Little Girl”
Joe Turner and His Blues Kings
“TV Mama”
Joe Turner (vocal), Grady Jackson, Joe Tillman (tenors), McKinley Easton (baritone), John Avant or Harlan Floyd (trombone), Elmore James (guitar, you can really hear him on here), Johnny Jones (piano), Jimmy Richardson (bass), Red Saunders (drums), Chicago, IL, October 7, 1953
“Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop,” all credits same as “TV Mama” (the second version is the one with Elmore James, starts at 3:00)
FRONT AND CENTER, ALIVE AND KICKING, YOUR REWARD FOR COMING THIS FAR
“Hawaiian Boogie, Part 1”
Elmore James (guitar), Ike Turner (piano, drums), Canton, MS, January 25, 1952
“Something Inside of Me”
Elmore James (vocal, guitar), possibly J.T. Brown (tenor), unknown (saxophone), Johnny Acey (piano), Wild Jimmy Spruill (guitar), Homesick James (bass on guitar), Sam Myers (drums), New York, May 23-24, 1960. This is the longest song Elmore James ever recorded.
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Here’s a link to the most useful discography for early blues, Stefan Wirz’s American Music.
Don D.
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Thanks for checking these out, Steve.
That song has made the rounds. Here’s what people have said on Wikipedia.
I’ve received notice from Tom Muck on Facebook that Elmore James also played on Junior Wells’ “Hoodoo Man,” “Cut That Out,” “Junior’s Wail,” “Tomorrow Night,” “Ways Like an Angel” and “Eagle Rock” (from Blues Hit Big Town). I’m going to put all of those together (and any further corrections or additions) and make an additional post by next Monday.
Someone who covered it but wasn’t mentioned at Wikipedia is Michael Bloomfield. I think he’s playing it nicely, not too many notes at all.
I thought the Yardbirds covered it, but that isn’t showing up in my searches. Going to look at my vinyl over the weekend.
Don D.
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Thank you, Roberto!
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Thanks to Tom Muck’s diligence (on Facebook), we know that Elmore James also plays on these 4 songs from Blues Hit Big Town. Even with these additions, this list isn’t comprehensive, it’s more of an overview or a survey. I’m sure there are other songs to be added. If I find out what they are, I’ll add them along with recordings, if available.
“Hoodoo Man” (also called “Hodo Man” and on later pressings “Somebody Hoodooed the Hoodoo Man”)
Junior Wells (vocal, harp) Elmore James (guitar), Dave Myers (bass on guitar), Odie Payne (drums), Chicago, IL, June 8, 1953
The link above leads to a playlist containing all of the songs associated with the Blues Hit Big Town session, according to the person who posted them. I haven’t verified this. Fortunately, the first song on the list is the one we want.
“Cut That Out” (same as “Hoodoo Man”)
“Junior’s Wail” (same as “Hoodoo Man”)
“Tomorrow Night” (same as “Hoodoo Man”)
Don D.
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