Last week, I caught James Cotton in concert at D.C.’s Howard
Theatre. Just thought I’d put together a few factoids on his life as I know
them:
Although he started out as a drummer, James “Superharp”
Cotton is best known for his work on harmonica, which he played for artists
such as Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters.
He first became interested in music after hearing Sonny Boy
Williamson II over KFFA radio out of West Helena, Arkansas. As a youngster,
Cotton actually did spend time learning blues harp from Williamson.
In the early 1950’s, Cotton
played harp in Howlin’ Wolf’s band. By the mid-fifties he was playing
with Muddy. Still, for most of his recordings during that period, Muddy used
Little Walter on harmonica. Cotton’s
first recording session with Muddy took place in 1957; afterwards he would
alternate with Little Walter.
In 1965 he joined forces with pianist Otis Spann to form the
Jimmy Cotton Blues Quartet, which recorded together between Cotton’s gigs with
Muddy’s band. Cotton toured with Janis Joplin after leaving Muddy’s band in
1966 and then formed the James Cotton Blues Band in 1967.
In 1977 he played harp on Muddy’s award-winning album, Hard Again, which was produced by Johnny
Winter.
In 1984, his band received a Grammy nomination for Live From Chicago:Mr. Superharp Himself!
He received a second Grammy nomination for his 1987 release,
Take Me Back. He finally won a Grammy
in 1996 for Deep in the Blues.
A throat condition left him unable to sing from the mid-1990’s
on, but he continued to tour, using other singers. He recorded the album Baby Don’t You Tear My Clothes in 2004 and joined singer and
multi-instrumentalist Ben Harper in 2008 to induct Little Walter into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame.
In D.C. he was joined on stage by 12-year-old Josh King from Charlotte, N.C.
James Cotton’s website can be reached at http://www.jamescottonsuperharp.com/#inx
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