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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Four Classic Albums Plus (Goin' to Kansas City Blues / Witherspoon Mulligan Webster at the Renaissance / Jimmy Witherspoon at Monterey / In Person (Olympia Concert) [Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Avid Entertainment am 02.03.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Spoon so Easy
Blues - Erschienen bei Lucas RecordsDigital am 22.01.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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At the Monterey Jazz Festival (Live)
Jazz - Erschienen bei HIFI Records am 06.07.1960
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best Of
Blues - Erschienen bei Master Classics Records am 01.02.2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live at the Renaissance & At Monterey (Bonus Track Version)
Blues - Erschienen bei Dark Was the Night Records am 08.04.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues (Album Version)
Blues - Erschienen bei Original Blues Classics am 15.07.1964
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live at the Olympia, Paris (Live)
Blues - Erschienen bei Putlabel am 22.08.2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Please Send Me Someone to Love
Blues - Erschienen bei Westwind am 25.04.2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The King of Blues (Remastered)
Blues - Erschienen bei Master Tape Records am 09.10.2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Six Foot Two Blues
Blues - Erschienen bei 1201 MUSIC am 06.09.2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Urban Blues Singing Legend 1947-1948
Blues - Erschienen bei JSP am 28.11.2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Witherspoon Mulligan Webster at the Renaissance (Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Avid Entertainment am 09.03.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Every Time I Feel the Spirit
Funk - Erschienen bei HIFI Records am 24.08.1959
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kansas City Forever
Blues - Erschienen bei Collecting Records OMP am 12.06.2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Roots Summit
Jimmy Witherspoon, Ben Webster
Blues - Erschienen bei Sleeping Giant Music am 09.06.2014
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Urban Blues Singing Legend 1945-1947
Blues - Erschienen bei JSP am 28.11.2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Love Is a Five Letter Word
Blues - Erschienen bei Avenue records am 01.01.2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Goin' to Kansas City Blues (Remastered)
Jazz - Erschienen bei Avid Entertainment am 09.03.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo