Louis, missouri was a pianist, vocalist, and songwriter. Jimmy mac cracklin blends beautifully into the stax labels soulblues sound. Jimmy mccracklin biography jimmy mccracklin james david walker, st. Louis, missouri, august, 1921 san pablo, california, december 20, 2012 was an american pianist, vocalist, harmonica player and songwriter. In 2008, mazzolini announced that after 37 consecutive years, the festival was forced to cease production due to economic reasons. Johnny cat soubrand has held the down the dual lead spot as guitarist recording and touring with terry hanck for twelve years. Louis and his main influence would be walter davis, the popular recording artist. He formed a group called jimmy mccracklin and his blues blasters in 1946, with guitarist robert kelton, later replaced by. Mccracklin several times at his longrunning san francisco blues festival. Jimmy mccracklin sings, his first solo album, was released in 1962, in the west coast blues style. Jimmy mccracklin san francisco blues releases discogs.
He continued performing with a style and enthusiasm that would credit a man thirty years younger. As a result of the collaboration with pianist mark naftalin on these festivals, they played together on many of naftalins blues revues. Documentary brings west oaklands musical legacy to light. At a show at san franciscos victoria theater, goldwassers band backs up singer dottie ivory and california blues architect pee wee crayton on his very last san francisco performance. Music and photos belong to their respective owners. Though his music eventually reached a national audience, he was most identified with the west coast blues scene so much so that his obituary appeared on the front page of the san francisco chronicle on friday. Mccracklin recorded the walk with his own band in chicago, where he.
He was brought up in richmond, california, and sang in vocal groups as a youngster. Mccracklin several times at his longrunning san francisco blues. I just took the blues off and joe finally told me, thats jimmy mccracklins name, but you tell im i gave you permission to steal it. Mccracklin was best known for his 1958 dance hit, the walk. Jimmy mccracklin august, 1921 december 20, 2012 was an american pianist, vocalist. Jimmy 66 download on rapidshare search engine the blues collection 66 jimmy mccracklin san francisco blues part1, the blues collection 66 jimmy mccracklin san francisco blues part2. In fact, he vehemently disputed his commonly accepted read full biography. Terence mcardle terence mcardle has been a working blues singer guitarist for 40. Jimmy mccracklin sings, his first solo album, was released in 1962, in the west. Bluesman jimmy mccracklin talks about his career in music at his home in. All images and music are ed to their respective owners. Jimmy mccracklin, a fixture on the san francisco blues scene for over six decades passed away, thursday, june 20, 2012 at the age of 91. Ron started a trio in 1980, the resistors, and won bammie awards in the blues categoryin the few years.
Jimmy mccracklin san francisco blues 1996, cd discogs. Richmonds jimmy mccracklin, a toprank bluesman for many years. Over a career that spanned seven decades, he said he had written almost. Richmonds jimmy mccracklin, a toprank bluesman for many. Lafayette thing thomas was installed as the searing guitarist with mccracklins blues blasters and remained invaluable to the pianist into. Lafayette thing thomas was installed as the searing guitarist with mccracklins blues blasters and remained invaluable to the pianist into the early 60s.
Jimmy mccracklin was one of the leading and most versatile singer songwriters in the field of soulblues. Mccracklins music spanned decades and eras of rhythm and blues, from uptempo jump blues of the 1940s to soul of the 1960s and 70s. During 198689 goldwasser occupies the chair of guitarist and musical director in jimmy mccracklins band, before releasing his first album on belgiums. Jimmy mccracklin, a popular blues singer and pianist whose career spanned more than six decades and whose songs were recorded by such performers as.
Jimmy mccracklin folsom prison blues unreleased youtube. Thompson played at the san francisco blues festival in 1978, 1979 and 1983. Tom mazzolini of the san francisco blues festival said of him, he was probably the most. The black population swelled in the 1940s, due to large manpower needs to work in the u. For a brief period in the early 1970s jimmy mccracklin ran the continental club in san francisco. Jimmy mccracklin biography, albums, streaming links.
Ron thompson is a legendary rhythm and blues guitarist and master keyboardist whose career began in the rough and tumble world of east san francisco bay nightclubs and bars in the early 1970s. In fact, he vehemently disputed his commonly accepted birth date, but since he began recording back in 1945, it seemed reasonable. His real name was reportedly willie boyd or willie gitry. Jimmy mccracklin, west coast bluesman, died on december 20, 2012 after a career that spanned seven decades, having recorded over 30 albums with four gold records and written hundreds of songs including classics like tramp think, and every night, every day. San franciscan local pat wilder has spent the past 30 years working as guitarist in a series of funk, rock, and blues bands around the bay area, including stints with keyboardist billy dunn and singers curtis lawson, zakiya hooker, jimmy mccracklin, and luther tucker. Jimmy mccracklin musician music database radio swiss. By official proclamation of mayor gavin newsom, september 5, 2007, was declared ron thompson day in san francisco. Tom mazzolini, the events producer, founded the blues festival to educate the public about the history and evolution of the blues. Although he was arguably best known for playing in blues legend john lee hooker s band in the 1970s, he worked with many other alltime greats, including lowell fulson, jimmy mccracklin, james.
He recorded much less in the 80s but appeared regularly at the san francisco blues festival and made several visits to europe, which reassured. The blues singer and songwriter jimmy mccracklin, who has died aged. Hire ron thompson blues band in san francisco, california. Today that band includes bay area monster guitarist johnny soubrand, longtime drummer butch cousins younger brother to robert cray bassist richard cousins, and bassist tim wagar, a stalwart of the san francisco blues scene and beyond lavern baker, james cotton, jimmy mccracklin, lowell fulson, and howard tate. Jimmy mccracklin, san francisco blues release by jimmy mccracklin see all versions of this release, 1 available. The singersongwriterpianist will be best remembered for the hit 1957. One story that resonates with the filmmaker is that of 77yearold blues singer and guitarist sonny rhodes who performs at san franciscos biscuits and. Louis, where mccracklin grew up, and mccracklins early records show him to. Type what you are looking for in the box bellow, hit search and download it from.
These days, he has a special place in the hearts of those who collect soulblues records, especially those from the start of his career, upon which this compilation focuses. Ron thompson is a legendary rhythm and blues guitarist and master keyboardist whose career began in the rough and tumble world of east san francisco bay nightclubs and bars in the early 70s. Mccrackln played at the san francisco blues festival in 1973, 1977, 1980, 1981. He first emerged during the immediate postwar boom in independent recording in. Many of the performers at the early concerts were the pioneers and originators of the west coast blues sound. He formed a group called jimmy mccracklin and his blues blasters in 1946, with guitarist robert kelton, later replaced by lafayette thomas who remained with the group until the early 1960s. Jimmy mccracklin, a blues singer and pianist who by his count. In 1962, mccracklin recorded just got to know for his own arttone label in oakland. Over a career that spanned seven decades, he said he had written almost a thousand songs and had recorded hundreds of them. Jimmy mccracklin, a blues singer and pianist who by his count composed nearly a thousand songs and recorded hundreds, including the 1950s hit the walk, died on thursday in san pablo, calif. Tom mazzolini of the san francisco blues festival said of him, he was probably the most important. Bay area blues harmonica great mark hummel, a longtime friend and collaborator of thompsons recalls that the guitarist was part of hummels 20 touring tribute to jimmy reed, along with.
Mccracklin continued to tour and produce new albums in the 1980s and 1990s. Debuting in 1973, the san francisco blues festival was one of the longest running blues festival in the united states. Thomas began his music career in 1947 after a move to san francisco, california, playing with al simmons rhythm rockers. He started out playing a steel guitar, he saved up for his first regular electric guitar by working at the. A full halfcentury from when he started out in the blues business, jimmy mccracklin was still touring, recording, and acting like a much younger man. His death was first reported by the san francisco chronicle. Mccracklin, who remained a major figure on the bay area blues scene, was called the face of oakland blues by san francisco blues festival founder tom mazzolini. The singer guitarist, based in san francisco, was in her mid30s when she discovered the joys of the blues.
Jimmy mccracklin died december 20, 2012, in san pablo, california. Shipyard work more than doubled the citys population during world war ii and. For years, he was known for both his own presence and that of his band the blues blasters, whose name inspired phil alvin, who along with his brother dave was part of a. During many years of touring coast to coast with john lee hooker, hooker was quoted as saying, ron thompson, hes my main man. Jimmys style of jumpblues was very much in vogue as the post war euphoria and consumer boom got under way. Jimmy mccracklin was a renowned blues musician, singer, music industry. Tom mazzolini, founder and producer of the san francisco blues festival, the longest running blues festival in the united states, said, ive always felt ron is the most talented blues guitarist i have ever seen. A west coast native, he was born in san francisco, lived in santa cruz logging lots of time at moes alley and performedtoured with many other bay area blues notables including andy santana and the chrome addicts. For a brief period in the early 1970s mccracklin ran the continental club in san francisco. Back in the 40s, when bluesman jimmy mccracklin first hit town after mustering out of the navy, richmond was booming. He sang in a local church choir as a youth, and was first introduced to blues guitar by his uncle, musician jesse babyface thomas. Jimmy mccracklin august, 1921 december 20, 2012 was an american pianist, vocalist, and songwriter.