Jimmy Witherspoon
One of the great blues singers of the post-World War II period, Jimmy Witherspoon was also versatile enough to fit comfortably into the jazz world. Witherspoon was born on August 8, 1920 in Gurdon, Arizona. As a child, he sang in a church choir, and he made his debut recordings with Jay McShann for Philo and Mercury in 1945 and 1946. His own first recordings, using McShann's band, resulted in a number one R&B hit in 1949 with "Ain't Nobody's Business, Pts. 1 & 2" on Supreme Records. Live performances of "No Rollin' Blues" and "Big Fine Girl" provided 'Spoon with two more hits in 1950.
The mid-'50s were a lean time, with his style of shouting blues temporarily out of fashion; singles were tried for Federal, Chess, Atco, Vee Jay, and others, with little success. Jimmy Witherspoon at the Monterey Jazz Festival (HiFi Jazz) from 1959 lifted him back into the limelight. Partnerships with Ben Webster or Groove Holmes were recorded, and he toured Europe in 1961 with Buck Clayton, performing overseas many more times in the decades to follow. Witherspoon's best 1960s recording is generally considered to be Evening Blues (Prestige), which features T-Bone Walker on guitar and Clifford Scott on saxophone.
As the '70s began, Witherspoon decided to take a short break from live performances, settled in Los Angeles, took a job as a disc jockey, and continued making records. In 1971, Witherspoon teamed up with former Animals vocalist Eric Burdon for the album Guilty. By 1973, Witherspoon was ready to get back on the road and assembled a band featuring a young Robben Ford on lead guitar. Those live shows had received positive reviews, rejuvenating Witherspoon's move toward a definite rock/soul sound. He traveled to London in 1974 to record Love Is a Five Letter Word with British blues producer Mike Vernon, who had produced critically acclaimed British blues albums by John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac, and Ten Years After. By the early '80s, Witherspoon was diagnosed with throat cancer. Although he remained active and was a popular concert attraction, the effect of the disease on his vocals was obvious. Witherspoon passed away on September 18, 1997 at the age of 77.
© Bob Porter, Scott Yanow & Al Campbell /TiVo
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The Complete Evenin' Blues Sessions (Hd Remastered, Prestige Series Edition, Doxy Collection)
Blues - Erschienen bei Doxy Records am 11.05.2017
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Blues for Spoon and Groove (Hd Remastered Edition, Doxy Collection)
Blues - Erschienen bei Doxy Records am 01.01.1965
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In Person (Hd Remastered, Sony Box Edition, Doxy Collection) (Recorded Live at the Olympia, Paris, April 22, 1961)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Doxy Records am 11.05.2017
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Save a Little Piece of Tomorrow
Jazz - Erschienen bei Jazz2Jazz am 09.01.2017
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Easter Singing
Jazz - Erschienen bei Archive & Catapulte am 15.04.2020
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Baby, Baby, Baby (Hq remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Vintage Recordings am 12.06.2022
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Feelin' The Spirit (Hq Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Vintage Recordings am 23.11.2021
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Milestones of Jazz Legends - Male Jazz Singers, Vol. 3 (1959)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Intense Media GmbH am 18.03.2018
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Monterey Jazz Festival
Blues - Erschienen bei SINETONE AMR am 12.01.2016
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The Essential Jimmy Witherspoon Vol 1
Blues - Erschienen bei Leverage am 01.01.2000
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Milestones of Legends: Big Bosses of the Blues, Vol. 6
Blues - Erschienen bei Intense Media GmbH am 05.10.2018
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All the Best
Blues - Erschienen bei Vintage Jukebox am 28.03.2019
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New Orleans Blues
Blues - Erschienen bei SINETONE AMR am 12.01.2016
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In Person (Hq Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Vintage Recordings am 15.10.2021
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Come Here Again With My Best Music
R&B - Erschienen bei mbw music capital am 26.06.2020
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Jimmy Witherspoon Sings the Blues
Blues - Erschienen bei SINETONE AMR am 12.01.2016
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At The Monteray Jazz Festival
Blues - Erschienen bei Marmot Music am 20.02.2013
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Feelin' The Spirit
Blues - Erschienen bei Resurfaced Records am 24.11.2017
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