In 1947, the day after producing a concert by Slim, Broonzy, and Williamson at New York City's Town Hall, the folklorist Alan Lomax brought the three musicians to the Decca Records studios and recorded with Slim on vocal and piano. Among the songs they recorded were "Messin' Around" (which reached number one on the R&B charts in 1948) and "Harlem Bound". Slim and the House Rockers recorded mainly for Miracle through 1949, with some commercial success. One of the songs recorded at the first session was the ebullient boogie "Rockin' the House," from which his band would take its name. With a lineup of alto saxophone, tenor sax, piano, and string bass ( Willie Dixon played the instrument on the first session), he signed with the Miracle label in the fall of 1946. Starting in late 1945, he recorded with trios for the small Chicago-based Hy-Tone Records. With the decline of blues recording by the major labels, Slim worked with emerging independent labels. Īfter World War II, Slim began leading bands that generally included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues. Many of Slim's recordings and performances until the mid-1940s were with Broonzy, who had recruited Slim to be his piano player after the death of his accompanist Joshua Altheimer in 1940. Slim became a regular session musician for Bluebird, and his piano talents supported established stars such as John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson, Washboard Sam, and Jazz Gillum. These were released under the name "Memphis Slim," given to him by Bluebird's producer, Lester Melrose. In 19, he recorded two songs for Bluebird Records that became part of his repertoire for decades, "Beer Drinking Woman" and "Grinder Man Blues". He settled in Chicago in 1939 and began teaming with the guitarist and singer Big Bill Broonzy in clubs soon afterwards. He spent most of the 1930s performing in honky-tonks, dance halls, and gambling joints in West Memphis, Arkansas, and southeast Missouri. He started performing under the name "Memphis Slim" later that year but continued to publish songs under the name Peter Chatman. For his first recordings, for Okeh Records in 1940, he used the name of his father, Peter Chatman (who sang, played piano and guitar, and operated juke joints) it is commonly believed that he did so to honor his father. Memphis Slim was born John Len Chatman, in Memphis, Tennessee. Biography Memphis Slim historic home in Memphis He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989. A song he first cut in 1947, " Every Day I Have the Blues", has become a blues standard, recorded by many other artists. He led a series of bands that, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues, included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.Īs a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business.John Len Chatman (Septem– February 24, 1988), known professionally as Memphis Slim, was an American blues pianist, singer, and composer. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.īBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.īBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment.
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