Bobby sox baby slim harpo biography

American blues musician (1924–1970)

Musical artist

Slim Harpo (born Isiah Moore think of James Isaac Moore; February 11, 1924^[a] – January 31, 1970)^[1][2] was an American blues performer, a leading exponent of high-mindedness swamp blues style, and "one of the most commercially opus blues artists of his day".^[3] He played guitar and was a master of the melancholy harmonica, known in blues loop as a "harp".

His virtually successful and influential recordings be a factor "I'm a King Bee" (1957), "Rainin' in My Heart" (1961), and "Baby Scratch My Back" (1966), which reached number get someone on the blower on Billboard's R&B chart predominant number 16 on its broader Hot 100 singles chart.

Life and career

Moore was born coop up Lobdell, Louisiana,^[4] the eldest babe in his family.

After cap parents died he worked in the same way a longshoreman and construction subordinate in New Orleans in distinction late 1930s and early Decennary. Influenced in style by Prise Reed, he began performing hit down Baton Rouge bars using honourableness name "Harmonica Slim", and further accompanied his brother-in-law Lightnin' Turn in live performances.^[2][3][5][6]

He started consummate recording career in March 1957, working with the A&R fellow and record producerJ.

D. "Jay" Miller in Crowley, Louisiana. Space differentiate himself from another player called Harmonica Slim he took his wife's suggestion and adoptive the name Slim Harpo.^[7] Reward first solo release, for Excello Records, based in Nashville, River, was "I'm a King Bee", backed with "I Got Like If You Want It" encumber 1957.

Harpo played guitar derive his live shows, but put your feet up usually used other guitarists like that which recording. The record was excellent regional hit, but failed compulsion make the national charts.^[5] Soil followed up with several work up singles for Excello before obtaining his first chart hit, "Rainin' in My Heart", in apparent 1961.

The record reached few 17 on Billboard's R&B classify and number 34 on tutor Hot 100,^[8] and it was followed soon after with draw in album of the same designation and additional singles. Many apparent his songs were co-written ordain his wife, Lovelle Moore, though she never received credit.^[6][7]

Never regular full-time musician, Harpo owned unornamented trucking business during the 1960s.^[6] According to writer Ryan Whirty, "Harpo and his band obligatory to tour constantly and entertainment as much as possible; times of yore were frequently lean financially, elitist the men had to bark up whatever they could get."^[3] But, by 1964, several worldly his songs had been floating on albums and singles minute the UK, and British seesaw bands began to include versions of his songs in their early repertoires.

British Merseybeat/R&B grade The Moody Blues reportedly took their name from an auxiliary track of Slim's called "Moody Blues".^[6] Critic Cub Koda wrote of his appeal:

Harpo was more adaptable than [Jimmy] Reserved or most other bluesmen. Diadem material not only made ethics national charts, but also irrefutable to be quite adaptable rationalize white artists on both sides of the Atlantic ...

A people-pleasing club entertainer, he certainly wasn't above working rock & turn over and over rhythms into his music, in the foreground with hard-stressed, country & thriller vocal inflections ... By the former his first single became pure Southern jukebox favorite, his songs were being adapted and afflicted by white musicians left tell off right.

Here was good-time Saturday-night blues that could be voiced by elements of the Waxen persuasion with a straight face.^[2]

He had his biggest commercial come off in 1966, when the mainly instrumental "Baby Scratch My Back" reached number one on nobility R&B chart and number 16 on the broader chart.

Harpo described it as "an ground at rock & roll characterize me" and was again in by Miller. However, disagreements respect Miller and a change advance the record company's ownership in the buff to two follow-ups, "Tip Prickliness In" and "Tee-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu", being authentic in Nashville with new manufacturer Robert Holmes.^[5] Both made position R&B charts.^[8]

He recruited Lightnin' Svelte for his touring band accomplish 1968,^[5] and toured widely limit the late 1960s, mainly movement rock audiences.

With his cap scheduled tour of Europe professor recording sessions already planned, "one of the cleanest living bluesmen of his era"^[2][7][b] died on the hop of a heart attack cloudless Baton Rouge. He was secret in Mulatto Bend Cemetery be bounded by Port Allen, Louisiana.

Influence

Music connoisseur Cub Koda noted that emperor songs "also proved to get into quite adaptable for white artists on both sides of class Atlantic, including the Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Kinks, Dave Edmunds walkout Love Sculpture, Van Morrison appreciate Them, Sun rockabilly singer Smith, Hank Williams, Jr., wallet the Fabulous Thunderbirds".^[2] The Trim faint Harpo Music Awards, awarded per annum in Baton Rouge, are christened in his honor.

Proceeds cause the collapse of the awards benefit the "Music in the Schools" outreach program.^[9]

A biography, titled Slim Harpo: Redolent King Bee of Baton Rouge, by UK blues scholar Thespian Hawkins was published in 2006.

David Fricke of Rolling Stone magazine described the book style "a passionate, encyclopedic triumph, delivery the enigmatic Harpo to blunted and tracing his remarkable mainstream ascension – from the rich central-Louisiana gloominess scene to gigs at probity Fillmore East – with deep local digging and detailed portraits of excellence singer's peers, sidemen and record-business associates."^[10]

Discography

Singles

• 1957 - "I'm a Laborious Bee" / "I Got Passion if You Want It" (Excello 2113)
• 1958 - "Wondering and Worryin'" / "Strange Love" (Excello 2138)
• 1959 - "You'll Be Sorry Predispose Day" / "One More Day" (Excello 2162)
• 1960 - "Buzz Not up to it Babe" / "Late Last Night" (Excello 2171)
• 1960 - "Blues Hang-Over" / "What a Dream" (Excello 2184)
• 1961 - "Rainin' in Tidy up Heart" / "Don't Start Cryin' Now" (Excello 2194) - R&B chart #17, US pop blueprint #34^[8]
• 1963 - "I Love loftiness Life I'm Living" / "Buzzin'" (Excello 2239)
• 1964 - "I Call for Money (Keep Your Alibis)" In confidence "My Little Queen Bee (Got a Brand New King)" (Excello 2246)
• 1964 - "Still Rainin' thrill My Heart" / "We're Join of a Kind" (Excello 2253)
• 1964 - "Sittin' Here Wondering" Note "What's Goin' on Baby" (Excello 2261)
• 1965 - "Harpo's Blues" Archives "Please Don't Turn Me Down" (Excello 2265)
• 1966 - "Baby Want My Back" / "I'm Gonna Miss You (Like The Devil)" (Excello 2273) - R&B make a rough draft #1, US pop chart #16^[8]
• 1966 - "Shake Your Hips" Souvenir "Midnight Blues" (Excello 2278)
• 1966 - "I'm Your Bread Maker, Baby" / "Loving You (The Pathway I Do)" (Excello 2282)
• 1967 - "Tip On In (Part 1)" / "Tip On In (Part 2)" (Excello 2285) - R&B chart #37^[8]
• 1967 - "I'm Gonna Keep What I've Got" Reputation "I've Got To Be Find out You Tonight" (Excello 2289)
• 1968 - "Te-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu" / "Mailbox Blues" (Excello 2294) - R&B chart #36^[8]
• 1968 - "Mohair Sam" / "I Just Can't Leave You" (Excello 2301)
• 1969 - "That's Why Berserk Love You" / "Just Bolster You" (Excello 2305)
• 1969 - "Folsom Prison Blues" / "Mutual Friend" (Excello 2306)
• 1969 - "I've Got My Finger on Your Trigger" / "The Price Is Very High" (Excello 2309)
• 1970 - "Rainin' in My Heart" (reissue w/over-dubs) / "Jody Man" (Excello 2316)

Albums

• 1960 - Tunes to Be Remembered (one track; various artists - Excello LPS-8001)
• 1961 - Rainin' flimsy My Heart (Excello LPS-8003) (CD release: Hip-O/MCA 40135, 1998 - with 3 bonus tracks)
• 1963 - Authentic R & B (three tracks; various artists - Stateside SL-10068)
• 1964 - The Real Heed & B (three tracks; many artists - Stateside SL-10112)
• 1964 - A Long Drink of Blues (six tracks...all of side 2; compilation album shared with Lightnin' Slim - Stateside SL-10135)
• 1966 - Baby Scratch My Back (Excello LPS-8005)
• 1968 - Tip On In (Excello LPS-8008)
• 1968 - Saturday Blackness Function: Rural Blues, Vol.

  2 (two tracks; various artists - Imperial LM-94001)

• 1969 - The Suited of Slim Harpo (compilation ep - Excello LPS-8010)
• 1969 - The Real Blues (one track; many artists - Excello LPS-8011)
• 1970 - Slim Harpo Knew the Blues (Excello LPS-8013)
• 1970 - He Knew the Blues (Blue Horizon 7-63854; UK version of Excello LPS-8013 with two extra tracks: "Shake Your Hips" and "I'm Your Bread Maker Baby")
• 1971 - Trigger Finger (Blue Horizon/Polydor 2431 013)
• 1972 - The Excello Story (three tracks; various artists - Excello LPS-8025) 2LP
• 1976 - Slim Harpo...Knew the Blues (Vol.

  2) (Excello/Nashboro 28030) 2LP/25 tracks compilation observe LPS-8008, LPS-8013, and four singles: Excello 2301, 2305, 2306, 2309; plus one previously unreleased track: "Stick Your Chest Out Baby".

• 1978 - Slim Harpo...He Knew nobleness Blues (Sonet SNTF-769) single LP/14 tracks sampler of Excello 28030.

Compilation albums

• 1989 - I'm a Monarch Bee (Flyright FLYCD-05)
• 1989 - The Best of Slim Harpo (The Original King Bee) (Rhino R2-70169)
• 1993 - The Best of Slender Harpo (Ace Records CDCHM-410)
• 1994 - I'm a King Bee (The Early Swamp Blues Classics) (Ace CDCHD-510)
• 1995 - Hip Shakin': Grandeur Excello Collection (Excello/AVI 2001) 2CD
• 1995 - Shake Your Hips (Ace CDCHD-558) includes the 4 songs Harpo recorded for Imperial propitious 1968.
• 1996 - Tip On In (Ace CDCHD-606)
• 1996 - The Scratch: Rare and Unissued, Volume 1 (Excello/AVI 3015)
• 1997 - Sting Ape Then! (Ace CDCHD-658) note: breathing recording from 1961.
• 1997 - The Best of Slim Harpo (Hip-O/MCA 40072)
• 2003 - The Excello Singles Anthology (Hip-O/UMe B0000583 02) 2CD
• 2011 - Slim Harpo Rocks (Bear Family BCD-17129)^[11]
• 2015 - Buzzin' birth Blues: The Complete Slim Harpo (Bear Family BCD-17339) 5-CD bole set
• 2015 - I'm A Watery Bee 1957-1961 (Jasmine #JASMCD-3047)
• 2015 - Buzz Me Babe: Excello Sides 1957-1962 (Soul Jam #600866)

Notes

References

External links