Witherspoon, Jimmy - Urban Blues Singing Legend 1945-1953 : 4 x CDs (due to weight, this price for the USA only. Outside of the USA, the price will be adjusted as needed) (Mega Blowout Sale)
SKU
23-JSP 7778
“Jimmy Witherspoon, born in Gurdon, Arkansas on August 8, 1923, was a "blues-shouter" deluxe who got his start entertaining troops over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service in World War II while singing with the Teddy Weatherford band, which operated at that time from Calcutta, India. From there he performed with the Lou Spreignier and Jay McShann orchestras as well as Roy Milton & His Solid Senders before turning solo.
In this fantastic, reasonably-priced 4-CD 108-sides box set from the U.K.-based JSP Records you get most of his Philo and Mercury cuts as vocalist with McShann, all those released by Supreme Records, and most of his Modern releases mixed with some alternate takes (although the released side is always present). These are augmented by excellent sound reproduction, a fully-annotated discography, and informative liner notes written by the noted author and music historian Neil Slaven (Blues Records, 1943-1970: A Selective Discography among others).
Although Jimmy recorded profusely, national hit singles were scarce, something far less to do with his obvious talent and more with the fact neither Supreme nor Modern had the funds available to the giants of the day to promote their records. But with one exception, five of his six hits are here, led by 1949's Ain't Nobody's Business (Parts 1 & 2) which, backed as a solo artist this time by the McShann orchestra, he took to # 1 that spring on what then passed as the R&B listings, spending a total of 34 weeks on the charts (Supreme 1506). Then with the Buddy Tate orchestra backing, in October 1949 he had In The Evening make it to # 5 R&B on Supreme 1533 b/w Six Foot-Two Blues.
Before the year was out, and now with his releases being handled by Modern Records, he had the two-sided hit No Rollin' Blues/Big Fine Girl both start their climb in early 1950 to # 4 R&B on Modern 721 with backing by The Gene Gilbeaux Quartet. His next wouldn't come until April 1952 with the # 7 R&B The Wind Is Blowin' on Modern 45x857 b/w Would My Baby Make A Change?” - George O’Leary