The Aces (blues band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Aces | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Three Deuces, Three Aces, Four Aces |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Genre(s) | Chicago blues |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, Harmonica, Bass, Harmonica, Drums, Harp |
| Years active | 1950s – 1970s |
| Associated acts | Big Time Sarah |
| Former members | |
| Louis Myers, guitar, harmonica, vocals David Myers, guitar, bass, vocals Junior Wells, harmonica, vocals Fred Below, drums Little Walter, harp, Robert Lockwood, Jr., guitar Luther Tucker, guitar |
|
Contents |
[edit] Biography
The Aces was one of the earliest and most influential of the electric Chicago blues band in the 1950's.[1] Led by brothers Louis and Dave Myers, natives of Byhalia, Mississippi, guitarist Louis and bassist Dave originally performed under the name "the Little Boys"; with the subsequent addition of harpist Junior Wells, they rechristened themselves the Three Deuces, followed by the Three Aces. The 1950 enlistment of drummer Fred Below prompted another name change, this time to the Four Aces; finally, to simplify matters once and for all, the group performed as just the Aces. Influenced in large part by jazz, they developed an urbane, sophisticated style well ahead of its time; in particular, Below's refined rhythms led to the rise of the blues shuffle beat, and helped launch the drums to a new prominence within the blues band hierarchy.[2]
In 1952, Wells quit to join the Muddy Waters band, filling the vacancy created by the recent departure of harpist Little Walter; ironically, Walter himself quickly signed the remaining Aces as his new backing unit, renaming the trio the Jukes. A series of seminal recordings followed -- "Mean Old World," "Sad Hours," "Off the Wall," and "Tell Me Mama" among them -- before Louis' 1954 exit resulted in the Jukes' gradual dissolution.
During the '60s and '70s the original Aces would reunited on numerous occasions. The Myers brothers and Below re-formed under the Aces moniker in 1970 to tour Europe before again going their separate ways.[3]
[edit] Formers members
Louis Myers (1929-1994)[4]
David Myers (1926-2001)[5]
Junior Wells (1934-1998)[6]
Fred Below (1926-1988)[7]
Robert Lockwood Jr. (1915-2006)[8]
Luther Tucker (1936-1993)[9]
Marion Walter "Little Walter" Jacobs (1930)-(1968)[10]
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Santelli, Robert. The Big Book of Blues, Penguin Books, page 2-3, (2001) - ISBN 0141001453
- ^ Vladimir, Bogdanov. All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues, Backbeat Books, page 2, (2003) - ISBN 0879307366
- ^ Santelli, Robert. The Big Book of Blues, Penguin Books, page 3, (2001) - ISBN 0141001453
- ^ Louis Myers bio
- ^ Dave Myers bio
- ^ Junior Wells bio
- ^ Fred Below bio
- ^ Robert Lockwood, Jr. bio
- ^ Luther Tucker bio
- ^ Little Walter bio
