List of juke joint blues musicians

Juke joint blues refers to a form of dance music that combines rhythm and blues and blues music, often played in the 1950s and 1960s (though not isolated to that era). The music tends to be rather heavy on the rhythm, and can encompass both quick and rather slow tunes. Below is a partial list of juke joint blues musicians.

B

• R. L. Burnside - (November 23, 1926 – September 1, 2005) Born in Oxford, Mississippi, Burnside was an acoustic and electric Delta blues and juke joint blues guitarist and singer who recorded for a variety of labels, including Fat Possum Records, Highwater Records and Vogue Records, among others.^[1]

H

• Slim Harpo - (January 11, 1924 – January 31, 1970) Born in Lobdell, Louisiana, Harpo is one of the best known blues neck-rack harmonica players from his era despite having begun his career as a guitarist. He played everything from Louisiana blues, swamp blues, electric blues, Juke Joint blues and harmonica blues, and was also a singer.^[2]
• Jessie Mae Hemphill^[3]
• Big Walter Horton - (April 6, 1917 – December 8, 1981) Born in Horn Lake, Mississippi and also known as Shakey Walter Horton, Horton was one of the better known harmonica players of his day. He played the gambit, including Memphis blues, Chicago blues, juke joint blues and harmonica blues. He performed both acoustic as well as amplified harmonica, and was also a singer.^[4]

K

• Junior Kimbrough - (July 28, 1930 – January 17, 1998) Born in Hudsonville, Mississippi with the first name of David, Kimbrough was a guitarist and singer of country blues, Delta blues and juke joint blues. He performed both acoustic and electric guitar, and recorded several albums for the Fat Possum Records label.^[5]

P

• Brewer Phillips - Born November 16, 1924 in Coila, Mississippi, Phillips was a Chicago blues and juke joint blues guitarist and singer active from the 1970s to the 1990s. He performed on both acoustic and electric guitar, and recorded for Delmark Records and JSP Records.^[6]

R

• Doctor Ross - (October 21, 1925 – May 28, 1993) Born in Tunica, Mississippi as Charles Isaiah Ross, Ross was a harmonica player, guitarist]] and singer of country blues, Delta blues and juke joint blues. He recorded several albums from the 1960s to 1990s for a variety of labels, including Fortune Records and JSP Records.^[7]

S

• George "Harmonica" Smith - (April 22, 1924 – October 2, 1983) Born in Helena, Arkansas, Smith was a Harmonica blues blues harp player and singer and exponent of West Coast blues and Juke Joint blues, spending most of his career in Los Angeles, California. Playing harmonica on an amplified microphone as well as in acoustic settings, he released at least four albums under his own name.^[8]

References