Elmore James

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Elmore James (January 27, 1918 – May 24, 1963) was an American blues singer and guitarist. He was known as The King of the Slide Guitar.

[edit] Biography

James was born Elmore Brooks in Richland, Mississippi, 50 miles north of Jackson (not to be confused with another Richland just south of Jackson). He began playing as a teen, under the names Cleanhead and Joe Willie James, alongside musicians such as the first Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf, and Robert Johnson. During World War II James joined the United States Navy and was stationed in Guam.

Upon his discharge Elmore returned to central Mississippi and eventually settled in Canton. He began recording with Trumpet Records in nearby Jackson in January 1951, first as sideman to the second Sonny Boy Williamson and others, then debuting as a session leader in August with what became his signature song, "Dust My Broom". It was a surprise R&B hit in 1952 and turned James into a star. His "I Believe" was another hit a year later. During the 1950s he recorded for the Bihari brothers' Flair Records, Meteor Records<ref>Meteor Records. Retrieved on 2006-11-06.</ref> Triumph Records<ref>Trumpet Records Diamonds on Farish Street. Retrieved on 2006-11-06.</ref> and Modern Records labels, as well as for Chess Records. His backing musicians were known as the Broomdusters. In 1959 he began recording what are perhaps his best sides for Bobby Robinson's Fire Records label. These include "The Sky Is Crying" (credited to Elmo James and His Broomdusters), "Stranger Blues", "Look On Yonder Wall", "Done Somebody Wrong", and "Shake Your Moneymaker", all of which are among the most famous of blues recordings.

The slide guitar riff from "Dust My Broom" is one of the best-known openings in all of blues. It is essentially the same riff that appears in the recording of the same song by Robert Johnson, but James plays that riff with electric slide guitar. It was even transformed into a doo-wop chorus on Jesse Stone's "Down in the Alley", recorded by The Clovers and Elvis Presley. Stone transcribed the riff as:

"Changety changety changety changety chang chang!"

• "Dust My Broom" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
  • 8 second sample of the riff
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Categories: Articles with sections needing expansion | Articles lacking sources from October 2006 | All articles lacking sources | African American musicians | American blues singers | American male singers | Blues Hall of Fame inductees | Blues musicians from Mississippi | Blues guitarists | Deaths from cardiovascular disease | Guitarists | Slide guitarists | 1918 births | 1963 deaths