More Info on Jimmy WitherspoonSimilar Undetermined MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
For|other persons with the same first and last name|James Witherspoon (disambiguation)Infobox musical artist | | name = Jimmy Witherspoon| image = Jimmy_Witherspoon.jpg| caption = Jimmy Witherspoon in June 1976| image_size = 200px| background = solo_singer| birth_name = James Witherspoon| alias = Spoon| birth_date = birth date|1920|8|8|mf=y| death_date = death date and age|1997|9|18|1920|8|8|mf=y| origin = Gurdon, Arkansas|Gurdon , Arkansas | instrument = Human voice|Vocals | genre = Jump blues | occupation = Singer | years_active = 1940s–1990s| label = Various| associated_acts =| website = http://www.jimmywitherspoon.com Official website| current_members =| past_members =| notable_instruments = Jimmy Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 & ndash; September 18, 1997) was an United States|American jump blues singer .cite book | first= Paul | last= Du Noyer | year= 2003 | title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music | edition= 1st | publisher= Flame Tree Publishing | location= Fulham, London | isbn= 1-904041-96-5 | page= 181
Early life and career
James Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas|Gurdon , Arkansas .cite web |url= http://www.jimmywitherspoon.com/aboutspoon.htm |title=About The Spoon |accessdate=2007-12-08 |work=Official Spoon |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070916112944/ http://www.jimmywitherspoon.com/aboutspoon.htm |archivedate = 2007-09-16 He first attracted attention singing with Teddy Weatherford 's band in Calcutta , India , which made regular radio broadcasts over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service during World War II . Witherspoon made his first gramophone record|records with Jay McShann 's band in 1945. In 1949, recording under his own name with the McShann band, he had his first hit, " Ain't Nobody's Business ," a song which came to be regarded as his signature tune. In 1950 he had hits with two more songs closely identified with him: "No Rollin' Blues", "Big Fine Girl", as well as "Failing By Degrees" and "New Orleans Woman" recorded with the Gene Gilbeaux Orchestra which included Herman Washington and Don Hill on the Modern Records label. These were recorded from a live performance on May 10, 1949 at a "Just Jazz" concert Pasadena, CA sponsored by Gene Norman. Another classic Witherspoon composition is "Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough".
Witherspoon's style of blues - that of the " blues shouter " - became unfashionable in the mid-1950s, but he returned to popularity with his 1959 album, Jimmy Witherspoon at the Monterey Jazz Festival , which featured Roy Eldridge , Woody Herman , Ben Webster , Coleman Hawkins , Earl Hines and Mel Lewis , among others.cite book | first= Tony | last= Russell | year= 1997 | title= The Blues - From Robert Johnson (musician)|Robert Johnson to Robert Cray | edition= | publisher=Carlton Books Limited | location= Dubai | pages= 192 | isbn= 1-85868-255-X He later recorded with Gerry Mulligan , Leroy Vinnegar , Richard Holmes (organist)|Richard "Groove" Holmes and T-Bone Walker .
Tours and successes
In 1961 he toured Europe with Buck Clayton and returned to the UK on many occasions, featuring on a mid-sixties live UK recording Spoon Sings and Swings (1966) with tenor sax player Dick Morrissey 's quartet. In 1970, he appeared on Brother Jack McDuff 's London Blue Note recording To Seek a New Home together with British jazz musicians, including Terry Smith (British jazz guitarist)|Terry Smith and Dick Morrissey . In the 1970s he also recorded the album Guilty& #33; (album)|Guilty! (later released on CD as Black & White Blues ) with Eric Burdon and featuring Ike White & the San Quentin Prison Band. He then toured with a band of his own featuring Robben Ford and Russ Ferrante . A sound recording and reproduction|recording from this period, Spoonful , featured 'Spoon' accompanied by Robben Ford , Joe Sample , Cornell Dupree , Thad Jones and Bernard Purdie .cite web |url= http://www.jimmywitherspoon.com/discography4.htm |title=Spoon's Discography |accessdate=2007-12-08 |work=Official Spoon |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070916005041/ http://www.jimmywitherspoon.com/discography4.htm |archivedate = 2007-09-16 He continued performing and recording into the 1990s.
Other performers with whom Witherspoon recorded include Jimmy Rowles , Earl "Fatha" Hines , Vernon Alley , Mel Lewis , Teddy Edwards , Gerald Wiggins , John Clayton (bassist)|John Clayton , Paul Humphrey , Pepper Adams , Kenny Burrell , Sweets Edison|Harry "Sweets" Edison , Jimmy Smith (musician)|Jimmy Smith , Long John Baldry , Junior Mance , Duke Ellington|Ellington bassist Jimmy Woode , Kenny Clarke , Gerry Mulligan , Jim Mullen , Count Basie , Van Morrison , Gene Gilbeaux and others.
Death
Witherspoon died of Head and neck cancer|throat cancer in Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles , California on September 18, 1997. http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1996.html Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed May 2009
Persondata | NAME = Witherspoon, James | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Witherspoon, Jimmy | SHORT DESCRIPTION = United States|American jump blues singer | DATE OF BIRTH = August 8, 1920 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Gurdon, Arkansas , United States | DATE OF DEATH = September 18, 1997 | PLACE OF DEATH = Los Angeles , California , United States DEFAULTSORT:Witherspoon, Jimmy Category:1920 births Category:1997 deaths Category:African American musicians Category:American blues singers Category:American male singers Category:Modern Records artists Category:Kent Records artists Category:RCA Victor artists Category:Musicians from Arkansas Category:People from Clark County, Arkansas Category:Muse Records artists Category:Prestige Records artists Category:Deaths from esophageal cancer Category:Cancer deaths in California Category:Urban blues musicians Category:Jump blues musicians Category:Jazz-blues musicians Category:Blues Hall of Fame inductees
