Guitar Slim
No 1950s blues guitarist even came close to equaling the flamboyant Guitar Slim in the showmanship department. Armed with an estimated 350 feet of cord between his axe and his amp, Slim would confidently stride on-stage wearing a garishly hued suit of red, blue, or green, usually with his hair dyed to match! It's rare to find a blues guitarist hailing from Texas or Louisiana who doesn't cite Slim as one of his principal influences: Buddy Guy, Earl King, Guitar Shorty, Albert Collins, Chick Willis, and plenty more have enthusiastically testified to Slim's enduring sway.
Born Eddie Jones in Mississippi, Slim didn't have long to make such an indelible impression. He turned up in New Orleans in 1950, influenced by the atomic guitar energy of Gatemouth Brown. But Slim's ringing, distorted guitar tone and gospel-enriched vocal style were his alone. He debuted on wax in 1951 with a mediocre session for Imperial that barely hinted at what would soon follow. A 1952 date for Bullet produced the impassioned "Feelin' Sad," later covered by Ray Charles (who would arrange and play piano on Slim's breakthrough hit the next year).
With the emergence of the stunning "The Things That I Used to Do" on Art Rupe's Specialty logo, Slim's star rocketed to blazing ascendancy nationwide. Combining a swampy ambience with a churchy arrangement, the New Orleans-cut track was a monster hit, pacing the R&B charts for an amazing 14 weeks in 1954. Strangely, although he waxed several stunning follow-ups for Specialty in the same tortured vein -- "The Story of My Life," "Something to Remember You By," "Sufferin' Mind" -- as well as the blistering rockers "Well I Done Got Over It," "Letter to My Girlfriend," and "Quicksand," Slim never charted again.
The guitar wizard switched over to Atlantic Records in 1956. Gradually, his waxings became tamer, though "It Hurts to Love Someone" and "If I Should Lose You" summoned up the old fire. But Slim's lifestyle was as wild as his guitar work. Excessive drinking and life in the fast lane took its inevitable toll over the years, and he died in 1959 at age 32. Only in recent years has his monumental influence on the blues lexicon begun to be fully recognized and appreciated. Incidentally, one of his sons bills himself as Guitar Slim, Jr. around the New Orleans circuit, his repertoire heavily peppered with his dad's material.
© Bill Dahl /TiVo
Similar artists
-
Sufferin' Mind
Pop - Released by Fantasy Records on Jan. 1, 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The ATCO Sessions
R&B - Released by Rhino Atlantic on Feb. 8, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carolina Blues
Blues - Released by Arhoolie Records on Jan. 1, 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Magic Guitar of Limber Leg (Remastered)
Blues - Released by Master Tape Records on Jul. 17, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
1956-1958 Sessions
Blues - Released by Tsk Music on Jun. 18, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
You're Gonna Miss Me: The Complete Singles Collection (1951 - 1958)
Blues - Released by Jasmine Records on Jun. 30, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
1951-1954
Blues - Released by Classics Blues & Rhythm Series on Aug. 4, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New Orleans Guitar, CD D
Blues - Released by JSP Records on Aug. 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New Orleans Guitar, CD C
Blues - Released by JSP Records on Aug. 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best Of 1951-1954
Blues - Released by Stardust on Jan. 1, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Les pionniers du Blues, Vol. 16 : Guitar Slim
Blues - Released by Mpm on Oct. 6, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Got Sumpin' for You. The 1953-1958 Recordings
Soul - Released by Yeah Mama Records on Jul. 24, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Quicksand
Jazz - Released by Black & Partner Licenses LLC on May 19, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Guitar Slim: Singles
Blues - Released by Vinyle Numérique on Jan. 30, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Sufferin' Mind (Hd Remastered)
Blues - Released by Reborn recordings on Jul. 10, 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Guitar Slim: Singles
Blues - Released by Ancien Prodige on Jan. 30, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Things That I Used to Do (Hd Remastered)
Blues - Released by Reborn recordings on Jul. 10, 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Atco Sessions (Hd Remastered)
Blues - Released by Reborn recordings on Jul. 5, 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
You're Gonna Miss Me Complete Singles Collection (Hd Remastered)
Blues - Released by Reborn recordings on Jul. 5, 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Stand by Me
Blues - Released by Milestones Records on Sep. 17, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo