JIMMY REED
Jimmy Reed (September 6, 1925 – August 29, 1976) was an American blues musician and songwriter. A major player in electric blues, he had a significant impact on rock and roll artists such as Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Hank Williams, Jr, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jerry Garcia, and the Rolling Stones. (More from Wikipedia)
This month’s last-minute replacement as the Under-Appreciated Rock Band of the Month is the Sons of Fred. Bandmembers in the Sons of Fred were Ray Redway (lead vocals), Alan “Boh” Bohling (rhythm guitar and vocals), Mick Hutchinson (lead guitar), Pete Sears (bass guitar), and Tim Boyle (drums). Alan Bohling wrote 5 of the 6 songs on their three singles; “Baby What You Want Me To Do” is the Jimmy Reed blues standard. Pete Sears was just 16 when he joined the band. The Sons of Fred are described by Allmusic as an “obscure but intense British beat band”.
(March 2014/2)
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There is a great story in Keith Richards’ autobiography, Life about a chance meeting that he had with Mick Jagger; I saw something on TV about it also, probably on CBS Sunday Morning. In a series called Letters of Note that was printed (or reprinted) in The Huffington Post is this section of a letter that Keith Richards wrote to his aunt about this meeting – I think the very next day:
“You know I was keen on Chuck Berry and I thought I was the only fan for miles but one mornin’ on Dartford Stn. [that’s so I don’t have to write a long word like station] I was holding one of Chuck’s records when a guy I knew at primary school 7-11 yrs y’know came up to me. He’s got every record Chuck Berry ever made and all his mates have too, they are all rhythm and blues fans, real R&B I mean (not this Dinah Shore, Brook Benton crap) Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Chuck, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker all the Chicago bluesmen real lowdown stuff, marvelous. Bo Diddley he’s another great.
