Memphis Slim

Memphis Slim, Paris 1980

Tomb of Memphis Slim

Memphis Slim (born September 3, 1915 in Memphis , Tennessee , real name John Len Chatman , † February 24, 1988 in Paris , France ) was an American blues singer and pianist.

Life

John Len Chatman made his first recordings on August 2, 1940 for the Okeh label under the name Peter Chatman (& His Washboard Band) . The results of his second record session (on October 30, 1940 for the Bluebird label ) were released under his artist name Memphis Slim , which he retained for life .

The musical role model of the young musician was his father, a guitar and piano player, from whom he learned to play the piano at the age of seven or eight.

In the late 1930s, Memphis Slim went to Chicago . There he accompanied Big Bill Broonzy , Sonny Boy Williamson II and Washboard Sam . In 1940 he recorded his first own records. Under the title Nobody Loves Me (B-side by Angel Child ) he recorded a version of the blues classic Everyday I Have the Blues on October 10, 1947 with his The House Rockers . It first appeared in October 1949 on the short-lived Miracle Records label (# 145). The A-side reached number six on the Rhythm & Blues charts ; the B-side was passed off as his composition, but was actually written by Aaron Sparks.

In the next few years he became popular not only in the USA. As one of the first blues musicians, Memphis Slim went on extensive world tours. He performed with Willie Dixon in Israel and with Muddy Waters in New York's Carnegie Hall (1959, CD: Chicago Blues Masters, Vol.1 , Capitol Records). In the 1950s, several singles were also created for the United label .

After a European tour in 1962 with the American Folk Blues Festival , Memphis Slim decided to move to France . He lived there until his death in 1988.

The musician is buried in the Galilee Memorial Gardens Cemetery in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

In 1989, Memphis Slim was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame .

Discography

Albums

• 1959: Memphis Slim at the Gate of the Horn [live] , VeeJay Records
• 1960: Real Boogie Woogie 2 , Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
• 1960: Blue This Evening , 1201 Music
• 1960: Frisco Bay Blues , Fontana Distribution
• 1960: Traveling with the Blues

Storyville

• 1960: "Rock me Baby" with Alexis Korner, Black Lion Production
• 1961: Tribute to Big Bill Broonzy etc. , Candid
• 1961: Alone with My Friends , Battle / Original Blues Classics
• 1961: Just Blues
• 1961: Broken Soul Blues
• 1961: Memphis Slim , Chess
• 1961: Steady Rolling Blues , Bluesville / Original Blues Classics
• 1961: The World's Foremost Blues Singer , Strand
• 1962: Blues by Jazz Gillum , Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
• 1962: Memphis Slim's Tribute , Absord
• 1962: Memphis Slim & Willie Dixon in Paris , Battle
• 1962: No Strain
• 1962: Willies Blues , Prestige Records
• 1962: Memphis Slim USA , Delmark
• 1963: All Kinds of Blues , Bluesville / Original Blues Classics
• 1963: Piano Blues , Storyville
• 1964: If the Rabbit Had a Gun , Disc
• 1964: Memphis Slim , King
• 1966: Pinetop's Blues , Polydor
• 1966: Blue Portrait , Scepter
• 1966: Self Portrait
• 1969: Mother Earth , One Way Records
• 1969: Right Now , TRIP
• 1970: Messin 'Around with the Blues , Blue Boar
• 1971: Blue Memphis , Wounded Bird Records
• 1971: Boogie Woogie , Musidisc (import)
• 1971: Born With the Blues , Jewel
• 1971: Memphis Slim , TKO Magnum
• 1972: Bad Luck & Trouble
• 1972: Great Memphis Slim , America
• 1972: Memphis Slim & Willie Dixon , Battle
• 1972: Memphis Slim , Barnaby
• 1972: Memphis Slim, Vol. 2 , Everest
• 1972: South Side Reunion , Wounded Bird Records
• 1973: Blues in Europe , Storyville
• 1973: Very Much Alive and in Montreux , Universal International
• 1974: At Lausanne , Musidisc (import)
• 1974: At the Village Gate [live] , Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
• 1974: Favorite Blues Singers
• 1974: Honky Tonk Sound , Folk Era Records
• 1974: Live Storyville
• 1974: Memphis Slim & Matthew Murphy , Black & Blue
• 1974: Memphis Slim [America] , America
• 1974: Real Boogie Woogie , Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
• 1974: Real Honky Tonk , Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
• 1975: Blues Man , Musidisc (import)
• 1975: Goin 'Back to Tennessee , Barclay
• 1975: Rock Me Baby , Black Lion
• 1976: Chicago Boogie , Black Lion
• 1976: Fattenin 'Frogs for Snakes , Melodisc
• 1977: Memphis Slim & Michel Denis , Adda
• 1978: Chicago Blues
• 1981: Blues & Women , Isabel
• 1981: I'll Just Keep on Singin 'the Blues , Savoy Jazz
• 1981: Memphis Heat , Polygram
• 1981: Rockin 'the Blues , Charly Records
• 1984: Boogie Woogie Piano , CBS Records
• 1985: Sonny Boy Williamson and Memphis Slim in Paris , GNP
• 1989: Dialogue in Boogie , EPM
• 1990: Parisian Blues , Emarcy
• 1990: Steppin 'Out - Live at Ronnie Scott's , DRG
• 1991: Worried Life , Huub
• 1992: Memphis Blues , Milan
• 1993: 1960 London Sessions , Sequel (UK)
• 1993: Jazz in Paris: Aux Trois Mailletz [live] , Verve
• 1994: Live at the Hot Club , Milan
• 1995: Boogie After Midnight , Chicago Records Dist.
• 1995: Blues in the Evening , Drive - (import)
• 1996: Baby Please Come Home! [live] , Original Blues Classics
• 2000: The Gate of the Horn [live] , Collectables Records
• 2000: The Folkways Years 1959-1973 , Smithsonian Folkways
• 2002: Boogie for My Friends , Black And Blue - (import)
• 2002: I Feel So Good , Past Perfect (UK)
• 2002: Come Back , Delmark
• 2003: Live in France 1963 , P-Vine Records
• 2003: Blue This Evening , Jazz Color
• 2004: Very Best Of Memphis Slim: Messin 'Around With The Blues , Collectables
• 2004: Southside Reunion with Buddy Guy Barclay, Universal
• 2004: Memphis Heat
• 2004: Double Barreled Boogie with Roosvelt Sykes Barclay
• 2005: Paris Mississippi Blues , Sunny Side
• 2005: Worried Life Blues , Tim
• 2006: All Kinds of Blues , Bluesville
• 2006: Raining the Blues , Fantasy
• 2007: Ambassador of the Blues , Cadiz Music
• 2008: Mother Earth
• 2009: Nobody Loves Me (Everyday I Have The Blues) , Wolfetones
• 2010: I am the Blues , Passport (in-akustik)
• 2010: Vol. 1-2-Legend of the Blues , Bgo
• Blues for Natalie , Esperance
• Blues Masters, Vol. 9 , Storyville
• Blues Roots, Vol. 10 (I'm So Alone) , Storyville
• Boogies for All Friends , Black & Blue
• House of the Blues, Vol. 1 , Blue Star (poland)
• House of the Blues, Vol. 7 , Blue Star (poland)
• Lonesome Blues , Spinerama
• Memphis Blues (With Roosevelt Sykes) , Olympic
• Memphis Slim / Lowell Fulson , Inner City

DVD

• 1986: Memphis Slim - Live At Ronnie Scott's London

Guest musician

• Willie Dixon Willie's Blues (1959)
• Pete Seeger .. at the Village Gate (1960)
• Pete Seeger Songs of Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon (1960)
• Sonny Boy Williamson II ... in Paris (1963)
• Willie Dixon Blues Every Which Way (1983)
• Matt Murphy, Eddie Taylor Together Again One More Time / Still Not Ready For Eddie (1990)
• Big Bill Broonzy 1934-1947 (1991)
• Terry Timmons 1950–1953 (2004)
• Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey (2001)
• Roosevelt Sykes Blues By Roosevelt "The Honey-Dripper" Sykes (1995)
• Big Bill Broonzy Can't Be Satisfied (2004)
• Big Bill Broonzy Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 12 (1945-1947) (1995)
• Washboard Sam Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 7 (1994)
• Pete Seeger Hard Traveling: The Best Of Pete Seeger (2008)
• Big Walter Horton Harmonica Blues Kings (1987)
• Big Bill Broonzy Key To The Blues (2009)
• John Mayall Picking The Blues: Boogie Woogie Pioneers (2006)
• Lightnin 'Hopkins Prestige Profiles, Vol. 8 (2005)
• Story Of Vee-Jay: America's Premier Black Music Label (2002)
• Theme Time Radio Hour: With Your Host Bob Dylan (2008)
• John Lee Hooker Ultimate Collection (1948-1990) (1991)
• Washboard Sam Washboard Sam 1936–1947 (2000)
• Stefan Diestelmann Folk Blues Band (1978)

Web links

Commons : Memphis Slim  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

• Literature by and about Memphis Slim in the catalog of the German National Library
• Memphis Slim in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Biography at Allmusic Guide (engl.)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ All Music Guide Discography Memphis Slim, CD Universe, Amazon