James Cotton (born July 1 1935 in Tunica, Mississippi), is an American blues harmonica player, singer, and songwriter who is the bandleader for the James Cotton Blues Band. He also writes songs alone, and his solo career continues to this day.

Genres

• Blues
• Delta Blues
• Harmonica Blues
• Electric Harmonica Blues

Personal history

Cotton became interested in music when he first heard Sonny Boy Williamson on the radio. He left home to find Sonny Boy in West Helena, Arkansas. When Cotton explained to Williamson him that he was an orphan, he took him in and raised him. Cotton would begin his career playing the harp in Howlin Wolf's band. After a gig once, Sonny Boy left to live with his estranged wife in Milwaukee. He left the band in Cotton's hands. Cotton was quoted as saying, ""He just gave it to me. But I couldn't hold it together 'cause I was too young and crazy in those days an' everybody in the band was grown men, so much older than me." Williamson had a lot of faith in Cotton, and his faith would be proved correct.

While he played a few instruments, Cotton was famous for his great work on the harmonica.

Cotton began to work with the Muddy Waters Band in 1955. He performed songs such as I Got My Mojo Working and Nineteen Years Old. Muddy would often compare young Cotton to Little Walter. After leaving Muddy's band in 1966, Cotton toured with Janis Joplin while pursuing a solo career. Alone, Cotton wrote many classic songs. Some of the most famous include Cotton Crop Blues, Rocket 88, and Hold Me In Your Arms. James Cotton got his first gig as a bandleader in 1967 with the James Cotton Blues Band. They performed all of Cotton's classics and more. Two CD's were recorded live in Montreal that year, and Cotton was on his way to becoming a legend. Cotton would become known as the ultimate showman.

In the 1970's, Cotton recorded many albums with Buddah Records. The James Cotton Blues Band would soon become The James Cotton Trio, and by 1987, he was up for his second Grammy Nomination. The first one was for his 1984 release, Live From Chicago: Mr. Superharp Himself!. His second for Take Me Back.

A throat problem leaves Cotton with an extremely raspy voice at this point, but he continues to tour infrequently. Cotton's latest release Baby Don't You Tare My Clothes was released in 2004.

Musical company

Cotton has worked with a number of famous artists.

• Janis Joplin
• Sonny Boy Williamson
• Howlin' Wolf
• Muddy Waters
• Led Zeppelin
• Freddie King
• Steve Miller
• Santana
• B.B. King
• The Grateful Dead
• Johnny Winters
• Jimmy Vaughan
• And Many Others

Trivia

• 2004 was Cotton's 60th year in the entertainment industry
• At 17, he began hosting his own 15-minute radio show on KWEM in West Memphis, Arkansas
• Cotton was famous for doing backflips on stage in his younger days

Samples

• Download James Cotton's "The Creeper" from livinblues.com (Mp3)
• Download James Cotton's "Rocket 88" from livinblues.com (Mp3)

External Links

• James Cotton Bio at Mp3.com
• His official website