Lightnin' Slim
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations. |
Lightnin' Slim (March 13, 1913 - July 27, 1974), was an American blues musician.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Specialising in Louisiana and swamp blues, Lightnin' Slim was born Otis Hicks in St. Louis, Missouri, and died of stomach cancer in Detroit, Michigan.
Slim moved from Missouri to Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the age of thirteen. Taught guitar by his older brother Layfield, Slim was playing bars in Baton Rouge by the late 1940s.
He debuted on Jay Miller's Feature Records label in 1954 with "Bad Luck" ("If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all").[1]
Slim then recorded for Excello Records for 12 years, starting in the mid 1950s. Slim often collaborated with his brother-in-law, Slim Harpo. He took time off from the blues for a period of time and ended up working in a steam laundry which resulted in him suffering from constantly having his hands exposed to high temperatures. He was a very well dressed and presentable man, would wear flash suits and had an excellent sense of humour.
In the 1970s Slim performed on tours in Europe, both in the UK and at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland where he was often accompanied by Moses "Whispering" Smith on harmonica.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- A Long Drink of Blues (1964)
- London Gumbo (1971)
- High & Low Down (Excello EX8018, 1971 and Sonet SNTF770, 1974) (CD re-release by Ace Records, 1994)
- Trip To Chicago (1978)
- Blue Lightning (1992)
- Winter Time Blues (the Later Excello Recordings 1962-1965) (Ace Records, CDCHD 674, 2002)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited, p. 135-6. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
