Elmore James discography
| Releases | |
|---|---|
| ↙Compilation albums | 8+ |
| ↙Singles | 59 |
| ↙Singles as accompanist | 5 |
Elmore James was an American blues slide guitarist and singer who recorded from 1951 until 1963. As with most blues artists of his era, James' recordings were issued as two-song record singles in the then-standard ten-inch 78 rpm and seven-inch 45 rpm formats. James recorded for several record companies, beginning with Trumpet Records in 1951. From 1952 to 1956, he recorded for the Bihari brothers, who issued singles on their Meteor, Flair, and Modern labels. From 1959 to 1963, he recorded for Fire Records. Along the way, James also recorded some songs which appeared on Chess Records and Chief Records, and as a sideman.
After his death in 1963, Elmore James' former companies began re-issuing a number of his singles on subsidiaries and leasing them out to other companies. These various labels also began releasing numerous compilation albums, often with significant overlap in song selection. With the advent of compact discs, this trend continued. However, some box sets have appeared that collect most or all of James' recordings for a particular label or time period.
Releases 1951–1963
Singles
| Date | Title A-side / B-side |
Label & no. |
R&B chart no.[1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | "Dust My Broom" / (not on B-side) | Trumpet 146[2] | 9 |
| 1952 | "I Believe" / "I Held My Baby Last Night" | Meteor 5000 | 9 |
| 1953 | "Baby, What's Wrong" / "Sinful Women" | Meteor 5003 | |
| 1953 | "Early in the Morning" / "Hawaiian Boogie" | Flair 1011 | |
| 1953 | "Country Boogie" / "She Just Won't Do Right" | Checker 777 | |
| 1953 | "Can't Stop Lovin" / "Make a Little Love" | Flair 1014 | |
| 1953 | "Please Find My Baby" / "Strange Kinda Feeling" | Flair 1022 | |
| 1954 | "Hand in Hand" / "Make My Dreams Come True" | Flair 1031 | |
| 1954 | "Sho' Nuff I Do" / "1839 Blues" | Flair 1039 | |
| 1954 | "Dark and Dreary" / "Rock My Baby Right" | Flair 1048 | |
| 1954 | "Standing at the Crossroads" / "Sunny Land" | Flair 1057[3] | |
| 1955 | "Late Hours at Midnight" / "The Way You Treat Me" | Flair 1062 | |
| 1955 | "Happy Home" / "No Love in My Heart" | Flair 1069 | |
| 1955 | "Dust My Blues" / "I Was a Fool" | Flair 1074 | |
| 1955 | "I Believe My Time Ain't Long" (re-titled re-release of Trumpet 146) / (not on B-side) | Ace 508 | |
| 1955 | "Blues Before Sunrise" / "Goodbye Baby" | Flair 1079 | |
| 1956 | "Wild About You" / "Long Tall Woman" | Modern 983 | |
| 1957 | "Coming Home" / "The 12 Year Old Boy" | Chief 7001[4] | |
| 1957 | "It Hurts Me Too" (1957 recording) / "Elmore's Contribution to Jazz" | Chief 7004[5] | |
| 1957 | "Cry for Me Baby" / "Take Me Where You Go" | Chief 7006[6] | |
| 1959 | "Bobby's Rock" (new) / "Make My Dreams Come True" (re-release of Flair 1031 B-side) | Fire 1011 | |
| 1960 | "Dust My Blues" (re-release of Flair 1074) / "Happy Home" (re-release of Flair 1069) | Kent 331[7] | |
| 1960 | "The Sky is Crying" / "Held My Baby Last Night" | Fire 1016 | 15 |
| 1960 | "I Can't Hold Out" / "The Sun Is Shining" | Chess 1756 | |
| 1960 | "Rollin' And Tumblin'" / "I'm Worried" | Fire 1024 | |
| 1960 | "Knocking At Your Door" / (not on B-side) | Chief 7020[8] | |
| 1960 | "Done Somebody Wrong" / "Fine Little Mama" | Fire 1031 | |
| 1961 | "Shake Your Moneymaker" / "Look on Yonder Wall" | Fire 504[9] | |
| 1962 | "Stranger Blues" / "Anna Lee" | Fire 1503[10] |
Compilation albums
Only one album by Elmore James appeared during his lifetime. Titled Blues After Hours and issued by the Bihari budget label Crown in 1960, it is a compilation of ten selections released as singles by Flair Records in 1954 and 1955. A second compilation album in 1960 by Fire Records featuring 1959–1960 Fire singles appears to have been planned, but was never issued.
| Date | Title | Label & no. | Chart no. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Blues After Hours | Crown 5168 |
Posthumous releases (after 1963)
Singles
| Date | Title A-side / B-side |
Label & no. |
R&B chart no.[1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | "It Hurts Me Too" (1962–63 recording) / "Bleeding Heart" | Enjoy 2015 (1st. pressing)[11] | 25* |
| 1965 | "It Hurts Me Too" (1962–63 recording) / "Pickin' The Blues" | Enjoy 2015 (2nd. pressing)[12] | |
| 1965 | "Cry for Me Baby" (re-release of Chief 7006) / "It Hurts Me Too" (1957 recording, re-release of Chief 7004) | Mel 201–1 | |
| 1965 | "Bleeding Heart" / "Mean Mistreatin' Mama" | Enjoy 2020 | |
| 1965 | "My Bleeding Heart" (re-release of Enjoy 2020) / "One Way Out" | Sphere Sound 702 | |
| 1965 | "The Sky Is Crying" (re-release of Fire 1016) / "Standing at the Crossroads" (1960–61 recording) | Flashback 15 | |
| 1965 | "Everyday I Have the Blues" / "Dust My Broom" (1959 recording) | Enjoy 2027 | |
| 1966 | "Shake Your Money Maker" (re-release of Fire 504) / "I Need You" | Sphere Sound 708 | |
| 1966 | "Sunny Land" (re-release of Flair 1057) / "Goodbye Baby" (re-release of Flair 1079) | Kent 465 | |
| 1966 | "Dust My Broom" (re-release of Enjoy 2027) / ""Rollin' and Tumblin'" (re-release of Fire 1024) | Sphere Sound 712 | |
| 1966 | "Something Inside of Me" / "She Done Move" | Sphere Sound 713 | |
| 1966 | "I Need You" (re-release of Sphere Sound 708) / "Mean Mistreating Mama" (re-release of Enjoy 2020) | Sue UK WI–4007 | |
| 1967 | "Make a Little Love" (re-release of Flair 1014) / (not on B-side) | Jewel 783 | |
| 1968 | "I Believe" (re-release of Meteor 5000) / "1839 Blues" (re-release of Flair 1039) | Kent 508 | |
| 1972 | "Everyday I Have the Blues" (re-release of Enjoy 2027) / "Up Jumped Elmore" | Fury 2000 | |
| 1972 | "Something Inside of Me" (re-release of Sphere Sound 713) /"Fine Little Mama" (re-release of Fire 1031) | Fire 5001 |
*Also reached #106 on the Billboard Pop chart.
Selected compilation albums
Numerous Elmore James compilation albums issued by a number of record companies have been released over the years.[13] The following lists some of the more notable and current releases:[14]
| Date | Title | Label & no. |
R&B chart no. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Whose Muddy Shoes (all Chess recordings)[15] | Chess 1537 | |
| 1975 | Street Talkin' (all Chief recordings)[16] | Muse MCD 5087 | |
| 1992 | Elmore James — King of the Slide Guitar (all Fire/Fury/Enjoy recordings) | Capricorn 9 42006–2 | |
| 1993 | Elmore James — The Classic Early Records 1951–1956 (all Meteor/Flair/Modern recordings) | Virgin America/Flair7243 8 39632 2 5 | |
| 1993 | The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James (21 tracks various labels) | Rhino | |
| 1995 | The Best of Elmore James: The Early Years (28 tracks Meteor/Flair/Modern) | Ace | |
| 2001 | Shake Your Money Maker: The Best of the Fire Sessions (16 tracks Fire/Fury/Enjoy) | Buddha 99781 |
Elmore James as an accompanist
Although it is documented that Elmore James performed with Sonny Boy Williamson II, it is unclear which, if any, of Williamson's early recordings include James as a sideman.[17] It is also unclear if James performed on additional recordings by Big Joe Turner[18] and Junior Wells.[19]
Singles
| Date | Title | Label & no. |
R&B chart no.[20] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | "Round House Boogie" / "Kickin' the Blues Around" with J. T. Brown as Bep Brown |
Meteor 5001 | |
| 1952 | "Sax-ony Boogie" / "Dumb Woman Blues" with J. T. Brown as Saxman Brown (A-side) and J. T. (Big Boy) Brown (B-side) |
Meteor 5016 | |
| 1953 | "TV Mama" / "Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop" with Joe Turner |
Atlantic 1016 | 6 |
| 1953 | "Sweet Little Woman" / "I May Be Wrong" with Little Johnny Jones |
Flair 1010 | |
| 1953 | "Hoodoo Man" / (not on B-side) with Junior Wells |
States 134 |
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Whitburn 1988, p. 216.
- ↑ Re-released in 1966 by Jewel (no. 764).
- ↑ Re-released in 1964 by Kent (no. 433).
- ↑ Also Vee-Jay 249.
- ↑ Also Vee-Jay 259.
- ↑ Also Vee-Jay 269, USA 815, S&M 101.
- ↑ Re-released in 1963 by Kent (no. 394) and Sue UK (no. WI–335).
- ↑ Also Sue UK WI-392.
- ↑ Also Enjoy 2022.
- ↑ Also Bell 719.
- ↑ Also Sue UK WI–383.
- ↑ Re-released by Fire in 1969 (2020) and 1976 (5000).
- ↑ "Elmore James — Discography: compilations". Allmusic. Rovi Corp. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ↑ Koda 1996, pp. 132–133.
- ↑ Also includes songs by John Brim.
- ↑ Also includes songs by Eddie Taylor.
- ↑ Oliver 1989, pp. 1–8.
- ↑ Shurman 1986, pp. 3, 7.
- ↑ Koester 1976, p. 2.
- ↑ Whitburn 188, p. 419.
References
- "Elmore James — Discography: all". Allmusic. Rovi Corp. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- Koda, Cub (1996). Erlewine, Michael, ed. All Music Guide to the Blues. Miller Freeman Books. ISBN 0-87930-424-3.
- Shurman, Dick (1986). Atlantic Blues: Guitar (Media notes). Various. Atlantic Records. 7 81695-2.
- Koester, Bob (1976). Junior Wells: Blues Hit Big Town (Media notes). Junior Wells. Delmark Records. DD-640.
- Welding, Pete (1975). Elmore James: Street Talkin' (Media notes). Elmore James. Muse Records. pp. 1–2. MCD 5087.
- Welding, Pete; Snowden, Don (1991). Whose Muddy Shoes (Media notes). Elmore James. MCA/Chess Records. pp. 5–6. CHD-9114.
- Morris, Chris; Haig, Diana (1992). Elmore James: King of the Slide Guitar (Media notes). Elmore James. Capricorn Records. pp. 12–13. 9 42006-2.
- Oliver, Paul (1989). Sonny Boy Williamson: King Biscuit Time (Media notes). Sonny Boy Williamson II. Arhoolie Records. CD 310.
- Topping, Ray (1993). Elmore James: The Classic Early Recordings 1951–1956 (Media notes). Elmore James. Virgin Records America/Flair. 7243 8 39632 2 5.
- Whitburn, Joel (1988). Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 0-89820-068-7.
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