Jimmy Reed | Artist

Mathis James "Jimmy" Reed was an American blues musician and songwriter born 1927 in Dunleith, Mississippi. His particular style of electric blues was popular with blues as well as non-blues audiences and influenced other musicians, such as Elvis Presley, Hank Williams Jr. and the Rolling Stones. Music critic Cub Koda described him as "perhaps the most influential bluesman of all" due to his easily accessible style. After being turned down at Chess Records, Reed got a contract with Vee-Jay where he began playing again with old friend Eddie Taylor and soon released "You Don't Have to Go", his first hit record. At his best, on Vee-Jay in the '50s, Reed developed his languid self-assured singing style backed by infectious shuffle rhythms, and produced long string of hit songs. Reed maintained his reputation despite his rampant alcoholism; his wife sometimes had to help him remember the lyrics to his songs while recording. In 1957, Reed developed epilepsy though the condition was not correctly diagnosed for a long time, as Reed and doctors assumed it was the D.T's. When Vee-Jay Records closed, his manager signed a contract with the fledgling ABC Bluesway label, but Reed never produced another hit. In 1968, he toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival with Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson. Reed died of respiratory failure in 1976, eight days short of his 51st birthday. The Rolling Stones have cited Reed as a major influence on their sound, and their early set lists included Reed's songs "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby", "The Sun Is Shining", "Bright Lights, Big City", and "Shame, Shame, Shame". Bob Dylan also paid tribute to Reed with the song "Goodbye Jimmy Reed" on his 2020 album Rough and Rowdy Ways. Reed was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. In his lifetime Reed released 17 studio albums plus over 50 Singles. Standout albums include I'm Jimmy Reed (1958), Found Love (1960), Just Jimmy Reed (1962) and Big Boss Man (1968).

Artist Website: wikipedia/Jimmy_Reed

Featured Albums: Jimmy Reed

Related Artists: Eddie Taylor