Guitar Slim | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eddie Jones |
| Born | (1926-12-10)December 10, 1926 Greenwood, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | February 7, 1959(1959-02-07) (aged 32) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1940s–1959 |
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Eddie Jones (December 10, 1926 – February 7, 1959),[1] known asGuitar Slim, was an American guitarist in the 1940s and 1950s, best known for the million-selling song "The Things That I Used to Do", forSpecialty Records.[1] It is listed in theRock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.[2] Slim had a major impact onrock and roll and experimented withdistorted tones on the electric guitar a full decade beforeJimi Hendrix.[3]
Jones was born inGreenwood, Mississippi.[4] His mother died when he was five, and he was raised by his grandmother. In histeen years, he worked in cotton fields and spent his free time atjuke joints, where he started sitting in as a singer or dancer; he was good enough as a dancer that he was nicknamed "Limber Leg".[5]
After returning from military service duringWorld War II, he started playing in clubs aroundNew Orleans, Louisiana. BandleaderWillie D. Warren introduced him to the guitar. He was particularly influenced byT-Bone Walker andClarence "Gatemouth" Brown.[4] About 1950 he adopted the stage name Guitar Slim and became known for his wild stage act. He wore bright-colored suits and dyed his hair to match them. He had an assistant who followed him around the audience with up to 350 feet of cord between his guitar and hisamplifier,[6] and occasionally rode on his assistant's shoulders or even took his guitar outside the club, bringing traffic to a stop.[7][8] His sound was just as unusual—he played his guitar withdistortion more than a decade before rock guitarists did, and his gospel-influenced vocals were easily identifiable.[9]
He got together withMuddy Waters in Los Angeles, California, for some lively playing.[10]
His first recording session was in 1951. He had a minorrhythm and blues hit in 1952 with "Feelin' Sad", whichRay Charlescovered. His biggest success was "The Things That I Used to Do" (1954),[4] produced by the young Ray Charles and released byArt Rupe'sSpecialty Records.[11] The song spent weeks atnumber one on theBillboard R&B chart and sold over a million copies,[1] soon becoming ablues standard.[1] It also contributed to the development ofsoul music.[12] He recorded for several labels, includingImperial,Bullet,Specialty, andAtco.
Jones died ofpneumonia in New York City, at the age of 32.[13] He is buried in a small cemetery inThibodaux, Louisiana, where his manager, Hosea Hill, resided.
Buddy Guy,Albert Collins[6] andFrank Zappa[14] were influenced by Guitar Slim. Other musicians have used the nickname Guitar Slim. The North Carolina blues guitarist James Stephens had several releases under this billing.[15] One of Jones's sons bills himself asGuitar Slim Jr. around the New Orleans circuit. His repertoire includes many of his father's songs.[6]
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