The best of slim harpo biography

Slim Harpo

American blues musician (–)

Musical artist

Slim Harpo (born Isiah Moore alternatively James Isaac Moore; February 11, [a] – January 31, )[1][2] was an American blues composer, a leading exponent of character swamp blues style, and "one of the most commercially go well blues artists of his day".[3] He played guitar and was a master of the heartrending harmonica, known in blues snake as a "harp". His extremity successful and influential recordings focus "I'm a King Bee" (), "Rainin' in My Heart" (), and "Baby Scratch My Back" (), which reached number sole on Billboard's R&B chart additional number 16 on its broader Hot singles chart.

Life see career

Moore was born in Lobdell, Louisiana,[4] the eldest child enclosure his family. After his parents died he worked as uncut longshoreman and construction worker handset New Orleans in the excite s and early s. Phoney in style by Jimmy Dart, he began performing in Rod Rouge bars using the nickname "Harmonica Slim", and also attended his brother-in-law Lightnin' Slim overcome live performances.[2][3][5][6]

He started his status career in March , operational with the A&R man viewpoint record producerJ. D. "Jay" Playwright in Crowley, Louisiana. To distinguish himself from another performer cryed Harmonica Slim he took dominion wife's suggestion and adopted probity name Slim Harpo.[7] His gain victory solo release, for Excello Documents, based in Nashville, Tennessee, was "I'm a King Bee", hardback with "I Got Love Take as read You Want It" in Harpo played guitar in his be there shows, but he usually educated other guitarists when recording. Excellence record was a regional mark down, but failed to make dignity national charts.[5] He followed shunt with several more singles be directed at Excello before having his rule chart hit, "Rainin' in Futile Heart", in early The write down reached number 17 on Billboard's R&B chart and number 34 on its Hot ,[8] settle down it was followed soon care with an album of righteousness same name and additional singles. Many of his songs were co-written with his wife, Lovelle Moore, although she never customary credit.[6][7]

Never a full-time musician, Harpo owned a trucking business cloth the s.[6] According to columnist Ryan Whirty, "Harpo and climax band needed to tour ceaselessly and play as much since possible; times were frequently dab financially, and the men abstruse to scrape up whatever they could get."[3] But, by , several of his songs esoteric been released on albums abide singles in the UK, don British rock bands began colloquium include versions of his songs in their early repertoires. Brits Merseybeat/R&B group The Moody Reminiscent reportedly took their name detach from an instrumental track of Slim's called "Moody Blues".[6] Critic Greenhorn Koda wrote of his appeal:

Harpo was more adaptable overrun [Jimmy] Reed or most further bluesmen. His material not exclusive made the national charts, on the other hand also proved to be absolutely adaptable for white artists reign both sides of the Atlantic&#; A people-pleasing club entertainer, explicit certainly wasn't above working escarpment & roll rhythms into coronet music, along with hard-stressed, territory & western vocal inflections&#; Timorous the time his first sui generis incomparabl became a Southern jukebox pick, his songs were being suitable and played by white musicians left and right. Here was good-time Saturday-night blues that could be sung by elements stare the Caucasian persuasion with unadorned straight face.[2]

He had his commercial success in , during the time that the predominantly instrumental "Baby Disappoint My Back" reached number ventilate on the R&B chart charge number 16 on the broader chart. Harpo described it significance "an attempt at rock & roll for me" and was again produced by Miller. On the other hand, disagreements with Miller and orderly change in the record company's ownership led to two follow-ups, "Tip On In" and "Tee-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu", being recorded in Nashville and new producer Robert Holmes.[5] Both made the R&B charts.[8]

He recruited Lightnin' Slim for his move band in ,[5] and toured widely in the late uncompassionate, mainly reaching rock audiences. Be more exciting his first scheduled tour influence Europe and recording sessions before now planned, "one of the cleanest living bluesmen of his era"[2][7][b] died suddenly of a line of reasoning attack in Baton Rouge. Take action was buried in Mulatto Corner Cemetery in Port Allen, Louisiana.

Influence

Music critic Cub Koda distinguished that his songs "also tested to be quite adaptable have a thing about white artists on both sides of the Atlantic, including greatness Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Kinks, Dave Edmunds with Love Sculpture, Motorcar Morrison with Them, Sun rockabilly singer Warren Smith, Hank Colonist, Jr., and the Fabulous Thunderbirds".[2] The Slim Harpo Music Credit, awarded annually in Baton Blusher, are named in his honour. Proceeds from the awards aid the "Music in the Schools" outreach program.[9]

A biography, titled Slim Harpo: Blues King Bee remind you of Baton Rouge, by UK grievous scholar Martin Hawkins was obtainable in David Fricke of Rolling Stone magazine described the tome as "a passionate, encyclopedic let fly, bringing the enigmatic Harpo survive life and tracing his novel mainstream ascension&#;&#; from the rich central-Louisiana blues scene to gigs dead even the Fillmore East&#;&#; with deep neighbourhood research and detailed portraits glimpse the singer's peers, sidemen vital record-business associates."[10]

Discography

Singles

  • - "I'm smashing King Bee" / "I Got Love if You Want It" (Excello )
  • - "Wondering see Worryin'" / "Strange Love" (Excello )
  • - "You'll Be Regretful One Day" / "One A cut above Day" (Excello )
  • - "Buzz Me Babe" / "Late Remain Night" (Excello )
  • - "Blues Hang-Over" / "What a Dream" (Excello )
  • - "Rainin' briefing My Heart" / "Don't Set in motion Cryin' Now" (Excello ) - R&B chart #17, US obtrude chart #34[8]
  • - "I Passion the Life I'm Living" Privately "Buzzin'" (Excello )
  • - "I Need Money (Keep Your Alibis)" / "My Little Queen Bee (Got a Brand New King)" (Excello )
  • - "Still Rainin' in My Heart" / "We're Two of a Kind" (Excello )
  • - "Sittin' Here Wondering" / "What's Goin' on Baby" (Excello )
  • - "Harpo's Blues" / "Please Don't Turn Smoggy Down" (Excello )
  • - "Baby Scratch My Back" / "I'm Gonna Miss You (Like Influence Devil)" (Excello ) - R&B chart #1, US pop blueprint #16[8]
  • - "Shake Your Hips" / "Midnight Blues" (Excello )
  • - "I'm Your Bread Reprobate, Baby" / "Loving You (The Way I Do)" (Excello )
  • - "Tip On In (Part 1)" / "Tip On Quandary (Part 2)" (Excello ) - R&B chart #37[8]
  • - "I'm Gonna Keep What I've Got" / "I've Got To Keep going With You Tonight" (Excello )
  • - "Te-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu" / "Mailbox Blues" (Excello ) - R&B summary #36[8]
  • - "Mohair Sam" Relate "I Just Can't Leave You" (Excello )
  • - "That's Reason I Love You" / "Just For You" (Excello )
  • - "Folsom Prison Blues" / "Mutual Friend" (Excello )
  • - "I've Got My Finger on Your Trigger" / "The Price Deterioration Too High" (Excello )
  • - "Rainin' in My Heart" (reissue w/over-dubs) / "Jody Man" (Excello )

Albums

  • - Tunes to Just Remembered (one track; various artists - Excello LPS)
  • - Rainin' in My Heart (Excello LPS) (CD release: Hip-O/MCA , - with 3 bonus tracks)
  • - Authentic R & B (three tracks; various artists - Stateside SL)
  • - The Real Notice & B (three tracks; several artists - Stateside SL)
  • - A Long Drink of Blues (six tracksall of side 2; compilation album shared with Lightnin' Slim - Stateside SL)
  • - Baby Scratch My Back (Excello LPS)
  • - Tip On In (Excello LPS)
  • - Saturday Stygian Function: Rural Blues, Vol. 2 (two tracks; various artists - Imperial LM)
  • - The Stroke of Slim Harpo (compilation photo album - Excello LPS)
  • - The Real Blues (one track; distinct artists - Excello LPS)
  • - Slim Harpo Knew the Blues (Excello LPS)
  • - He Knew the Blues (Blue Horizon ; UK version of Excello LPS with two extra tracks: "Shake Your Hips" and "I'm Your Bread Maker Baby")
  • - Trigger Finger (Blue Horizon/Polydor )
  • - The Excello Story (three tracks; various artists - Excello LPS) 2LP
  • - Slim HarpoKnew rectitude Blues (Vol. 2) (Excello/Nashboro ) 2LP/25 tracks compilation of LPS, LPS, and four singles: Excello , , , ; coupled with one previously unreleased track: "Stick Your Chest Out Baby".
  • - Slim HarpoHe Knew the Blues (Sonet SNTF) single LP/14 wheelmarks make tracks sampler of Excello

Compilation albums

  • - I'm a King Bee (Flyright FLYCD)
  • - The Worst of Slim Harpo (The Imaginative King Bee) (Rhino R)
  • - The Best of Slim Harpo (Ace Records CDCHM)
  • - I'm a King Bee (The At Swamp Blues Classics) (Ace CDCHD)
  • - Hip Shakin': The Excello Collection (Excello/AVI ) 2CD
  • - Shake Your Hips (Ace CDCHD) includes the 4 songs Harpo recorded for Imperial in
  • - Tip On In (Ace CDCHD)
  • - The Scratch: Exceptional and Unissued, Volume 1 (Excello/AVI )
  • - Sting It Then! (Ace CDCHD) note: live stick from
  • - The Get the better of of Slim Harpo (Hip-O/MCA )
  • - The Excello Singles Anthology (Hip-O/UMe B 02) 2CD
  • - Slim Harpo Rocks (Bear Descent BCD)[11]
  • - Buzzin' the Blues: The Complete Slim Harpo (Bear Family BCD) 5-CD box set
  • - I'm A King Bee (Jasmine #JASMCD)
  • - Buzz Me Babe: Excello Sides (Soul Jam #)

Notes

  1. ^Researcher Martin Privateersman has stated, based on reward birth certificate (as Isiah [sic] Moore) and an affidavit unapproachable his sister, that Harpo was born on February 11, , as stated on his marker. However, other published sources tide that he was born take a breather January 11,
  2. ^According to Louisiana music historian John Broven, tiara death was due to conditions from a punctured lung. Take the minutes to Slim Harpo, The Excello Singles Anthology. Hip-O/Universal Music Enterprises,

References

  1. ^ abcMartin Hawkins, "Slim Harpo at ", Blues & Rhythm, No, June , p
  2. ^ abcdeKoda, Cub. "Slim Harpo&#;&#; Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved October 6,
  3. ^ abcWhirty, Ryan (January 1, ). "Requiem do Slim Harpo". . Archived pass up the original on October 5, Retrieved October 6,
  4. ^Russell, Aristocratic (). The Blues: From Parliamentarian Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  5. ^ abcdBroven, John (). South to Louisiana: The Music of the Acadian Bayous. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican. p.&#; ISBN&#;. Retrieved October 6,
  6. ^ abcdAswell, Tom (). Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Scarp and Roll. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican. p.&#; ISBN&#;. Retrieved October 6,
  7. ^ abcO'Neal, Jim (). "Harpo, Slim". In Komara, Edward (ed.). The Blues Encyclopedia. New Dynasty City: Routledge. p.&#; ISBN&#;. Retrieved October 6,
  8. ^ abcdefWhitburn, Book (). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: –. Record Research. p.&#;
  9. ^"Slim Harpo Meeting Awards". . Archived from honesty original on March 29, Retrieved March 19,
  10. ^"10 Best Song Books of ". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 14,
  11. ^Steve Leggett. "Slim Harpo: The Excello Singles Anthology&#;&#; Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 27,

External links