born
James Henry Dawkins on October 24, 1936 in Tuchla,
Mississippi ... moved with his family to Pascagoula, where
his father worked on the warships ...his mother bought him
his first guitar in 1952 ... early influences were Guitar
Slim and Earl King ... in July of 1955 he followed his
mother's sisters and brothers to Chicago, where he got a job
at a box factory ... bought his first electric guitar and
amp two years later ... started out on a West Side street
corner (Albany and Roosevelt) with harp player Lester Hinton
... got his own band with guitarist Left Hand Frank Craig
and Eddie King ... played with Jimmy Rogers, Magic Sam and
Earl Hooker ... he met Willie Dixon in 1957, who booked him
for session work with Walter Horton,
Johnny Young and Wild
Child Butler ... quitted his day job ...
1969..70
Trough Magic Sam Jimmy met Bob Koester of Delmark
Records. In 1969 Delmark released his debut album
Fast Fingers, it gained 4 stars from Downbeat
magazine and received the Grand Prix du Disque of the
Hot Club of France in 1971.
Ann Arbor Blues Festival 1969, August 1&2
Ann Arbor Blues Festival 1970
1971..74
In 1971 Delmark released his second album All
For Business with singer Andrew "Big Voice"
Odom and guitarist Otis Rush.
"Ma Bea's - great atmosphere. ... Jimmy "Fast
Fingers" got on after his band'played quite a few
blues standards ("I Believe", "Sweet Home Chicago")
- he did some soul first, but his two blues numbers
were great - he is a hell of a guitarist. Very
withdrawn, he just stands there in his well-dressed
manner PLAYING." These are the words of
Laurence Schilthuis, who visited Chicago's West Side
in 1971
Several European tours with Gatemouth Brown, Otis
Rush and Sunnyland
Slim result in a couple of albums for
Black & Blue and others.
1974
European Tour called Chicago Blues Festival:
03-12-1974: "Atlantic", Stockholm, Sweden
with Sunnyland
Slim, Big Voice Odom, Jesse Williams,
James Green, Robert Plunckett
1975
Jimmy toured Japan together with Otis Rush. His band
included Jimmy Johnson (g), Slyvester Boines (b) and
Tyrone Centuray (dr). They provided a perfect backing.
It can be heard on Otis Rush's album So Many Roads
which was cut live in Tokio and released on Delmark.
1976..78
In 1976 Delmark released the LP Blisterstring
which presents Dawkins' aggresive and over-the-edge
sound.
The French Marcelle Morgantini recorded as much
artists as possible live in Chicago. Jimmy Dawkins and
his band do the backing work on many records for the MCM
label. The results are unique documents of the West Side
sound in these days.
In 1977 Jimi Schutte replaced Tyrone Centuray on
drums.
1979..80
Dawkins' band backed the South Side Blues All
Stars with Junior Wells,
Hubert Sumlin,
Eddie Shaw,
and Jimmy Dawkins. They toured the US east cost. The
band consisted of Billy Flynn, Sylvester Boines and Jimi
Schutte.
1981
During a tour, Jimmy recorded in Paris the
outstanding Hot Wire 81 album. It shows a
different side of him. Though I would say the mood is
more laid-back and his singing is less confident, there
are a couple of very strong and thoughtful songs. The
album received the "Hot Club du France" "Prix du Jazz"
and the "Big Bill
BroonzyAward".
1982
Jimmy and his band backed the American Living
Blues Festival which toured Europe. The show
featured Lafayette Leak, Queen Sylvia Embry, Lester
Davenport, Smokey Smothers, and Jimmy Dawkins.
1980s
Jimmy founded his own record label Leric Music which
released singles by Sylvia Queen Embry, Little Johnny
Christian, Nora Jean Wallace and Tail Dragger
Jimmy managed night clubs
Eddie Burks said in an interview by Dan Enright:
"Well, when Howlin' Wolf passed, Eddie took over the
Wolf Gang. They worked about a year and then I began to
work with them around '78. I worked with him off and on
for a good six or seven years. I worked with Jimmy
Dawkins after I worked with Shaw up until I come out on
my own. I learned the business part of music from Jimmy.
He's the one who taught me about how to be prosperous -
how to make sure I got paid, how to make sure I
protected my music when I record, and how to go about
the business part of music."
Earwig Records released the come-back album Kant
Sheck Dees Bluze. Just three months after the
session long-time keyboard player Eddie Lusk committed
suicide by jumping into the Chicago River.
1992
Chicago Blues Festival (June 5, Friday),
with Nora Jean Wallace, Petrillo Music Shell
Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Davenport,
Iowa
8th Tucson Blues Festival (October 18)
1993
feature in Living Blues No. 108
May 28: 10th Chicago Blues Festival:Delmark Records tribute: Dave Specter with Jesse Fort,
Robert Jr. Lockwood and Mighty Joe Young, Willie Kent
with Bonnie Lee, Barkin' Bill and Jimmy Dawkins, Junior
Wells Band (Petrillo Music Shell)
May 30: Club United Nations (700 S. Wabash),
Chicago: Willie Kent Blues Band with Bonnie Lee and
Johnny
B. Moore, Eddie C. Campbell, Jimmy Dawkins Blues
Band, Ricky Allen, Mary Lane
October 8: "KUNI Blues Blowout", Electric Park
Ballroom, Waterloo
European tour (Unna/Germany, Greece, "koninginnenach"
in Den Haag/Netherlands, etc.)
1994
new album Blues And Pain for the Altlanta-based
Wild Dog label
European Tour,
Torrita Blues Festival (Italy), band members:
Cornelius Boysaw, Ed Turner, Kevin O'Connor
October 13: Trudy Lynn & Jimmy Dawkins at "Blind
Willie's", Atlanta, GA
November 23: Baltimore (w/Kevin O'Connor, Lynwood
Taylor, Mike Anderson, Ray Scott). A bootleg tape was
circulating on the web in the days of Napster. It covers
the entire concert and containes the following 16
tracks: All for business (instr.), Everyday I have the
blues, Boogie chillen, All your love, Feel so bad
(instr.), That´s alright, Ode to Billy Joe, Five long
years, I ain´t got it, Rock me, Howlin´ for my darlin´,
You shook me, Long distance call, Who's been talking,
Hey Joe, Going down, Ode to Billie Joe. The recording
quality is low-fi and the song selection doesn't
satisfy, but it's at least a good showcase of what a
Dawkins gig was like in these days (and still is
nowadays) - there are some great moments! First, you got
hear his version of Magic Sam's "All your love" that
comes with his trademark intro by the drummer, then
Dawkins talks about the Blue Monday parties in the 60s,
just like he always talks to his audience, stating his
appreciation. Second, he gets into an unbelievable
instrumental that sounds like J.D.'s Jam on the MCM
recording, most interesting are the swinging band and
his sound which never was so big, using his terms, 7
minutes of string bending that could go and on. Third,
you'll hear a singer in full command of his voice who is
fully interacting with the crowd - just listen to his
two attempts on "Rock me".
1995
new album B Phur Real received pretty good
reviews, but Living Blues' David Whiteis didn't like it
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
3 nominations for the W.C. Handy Award in the
categories "Best Blues Instrumentalist - guitar",
"Contemporary Blues Album of the Year" (Blues And Pain),
and "Blues Song of the Year" (Fool in Heah)
feature in Blues Revue magazine No. 19
1996
13th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, May 31,
Crossroads Stage: Chicago Pro Jam (Unsigned guitar
slingers at work) - Quintus McCormick, Anthony Palmer,
Will Crosby, Jimmy Dawkins (M.C.)
On September 3 Delmark Records re-released
Blisterstring containing 4 unissued bonus tracks.
1997
JSP Records re-released Feel The Blues from
1985.
The re-release of Come Back Baby by
Storyville Records is reviewed in Living Blues No.
132
At the Chicago Blues Festival Jimmy played
one song together with the band of Mighty Joe Young
including Jimi Schutte and Billy Flynn.
The re-release of Blisterstring is reviewed
in Living Blues No. 134.
On August 26 Ichiban International Records released
the new album Me, My Guitar & The Blues. It got
good reviews by Living Blues and Blues
Access.
Luther Allison Memorial Concerts (House of Blues,
Chicago): J.D. joined the Mighty Joe Young band and
talked of giving Luther his first job, on bass.
A few appearances with his new band DNA (Nick
Laramie on guitar, Abb Locke on sax): House of Blues in
Chicago (11-12-97); Chicago Cultural Center (12-06-97)
Re-release of Fast Fingers from 1968/69 by
Delmark Records. It received a W.C. Handy Award
nomination as Best Reissue Blues Album of the Year 1999.
Cincinatti Blues Festival (07-07-98)
with Billy Flynn at the Up & Under, Milwaukee
(11-14-1998)
A few appearances (with Abb Locke): Savannah Bar &
Grille in Westlake, Ohio (11-22-98)
Birthday Tribute to Hubert Sumlin featuring J.D.,
Abb Locke, Bob Stroger, Little
Smokey Smothers, Willie
"Big Eyes" Smith, Jimmy Lee Robinson, Bonnie Lee, Byther
Smith, Dave Myers, John Brim, Ted Harvey and Phil Guy.
Address: HotHouse, 31 E. Balbo, Chicago, IL (12-18-98)
1999
Tour in Sweden: backed by swedish band
Blue Hammer
- February 03: Gävle - Musikhuset
- February 04: Umeå - Droskan
- February 05: Huddiksvall - Café August
- February 06: Östersund - Resturang Eken
- February 07: Stockholm -
Akkurat
- February 10: Eskilstuna - Galloway Arms
- February 11: Göteborg - Palace
- February 12: Uppsala - Fredmans
- February 13: Västerås - Village
Festivals in Sweden:
- May 28/29:
Mönsterås Blues Festival
- July 10:
Åmål Blues Festival
November 13: Chicago Blues in Los Angeles, Part I
A stellar lineup of Windy City blues artists including
Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson & The Magic Rockers,
Jimmy Dawkins, and B.J. Sharp & Her Huzz Band will kick
off a two-part Chicago Blues in L.A. series on November
13 at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex on the Cal State
L.A. campus.
2000
Tokyo (Japan): In February Jimmy played at the
Rainbow Children's 1st Annual Blues Gala. Jimmy Dawkins
shared the bill with Eddie and Jimmy Burns, Hi-Tide
Harris, Calvin Edwards and the local star Yuka & the Hot
Brothers.
1st European Tour with Sonny Black & The Dukes from
UK:
- July 08:
3rd Harelbeke R&B Festival, Harelbeke, Belgium
- July 13: special appearance at BBC (Birmingham, UK),
national broadcast, show hosted by Paul Jones
- July 15:
Dragon Blues Festival, Wrexham, UK
early August: Millennium 2000 Jazzfest, South Shore
Cultural Center, 7059 South Shore Drive, Chicago
August 18&19: Two shows at
Rosa´s, Chicago, with The Rockin' Johnny Band and
Bobby Radcliff.
2nd European Tour:
- September 7: Quality Hotel, Hell, with Good Time
Charlie
- September 8:
Hell Blues Festival, Norway with Good Time Charlie
- September 9: Odda Bluesweekend, Norway (not confirmed)
- September 11-16: club gigs in Norway (not confirmed)
September 22: Victory Theatre, Johannesburg, South
Africa (not confirmed)
September 24: Awesome Africa Music Festival, Durban,
South Africa - Jimmy will be backed by local blues/roots
band: - Joe "Blu" Mbatha and the Backwater Blues Band.
(not confirmed)
2001
Feature in Southwest Blues Magazine (March Issue)
Texas Tour with Nick Laramie (g), Ronnie Bramhall (keyb),
Jim Milano (b) and Jimi Schutte (dr):
- March 16: Cozy's Blues Lounge, Dallas, TX
- March 17: J&J's, Fort Worth, TX
- March 18: SW Blues Festival - Sons of Hermann, Dallas,
TX
June 28:
Firefly Club, Ann Arbor, Michigan. With Billy Flynn
(g), Willie Black (b) and Jimi Schutte (dr)
2002
On February 26, Fedora Records released the new
album West Side Guitar Hero. It was recorded in
Fresno, California, last October.
at Festivals & Clubs:
- May 12: 2nd Annual Southwest Blues Fest (Mega Star
Jam), Dallas, TX
- June 2: Chicago Blues Festival (Petrillo Music Shell),
Chicago, IL
- June 2: B.L.U.E.S. (Jam), Chicago, IL
- June 8: Muehle Hunzingen, Rubigen (near Bern),
Switzerland
- June 9: Soldatenstube Magletsch, Switzerland
- June 12+13: Bourbon Street, Bordeaux, France
- June 15: Blues in Meudon, Meudon, France
- July 19-20: Kansas Blues Festival, Salina, KS
2003
Nora Jean's debut album "Nora Jean Sings The Blues"
released, JD shares the vocals on "Kant Shak Dez Bluz"
March 14: Illinois Central Blues Club Birthday Bash
in Springfield, Illinois, w/ Nora Jean
April 26: "Martini Steak House" in Trevor,
Wisconsin, w/ Billy Flynn (g), Mike Flynn (b), and Jimi
Schutte (dr)
May 9: "The Delmark Golden All-Stars" at Buddy Guy's
Legends, Wabash, Chicago, w/ Willie Kent, Bonnie Lee,
Shirley Johnson,
Johnny
B. Moore, Jimmy Burns, Tail
Dragger, and Little Arthur Duncan
June 1: Chicago Blues Festival, Front Porch Stage,
w/ Eddie Shaw, Willie Kent, James Wheeler, Billy Flynn,
Rob Waters, Brian Lupo, and Jimi Schutte
June 20: Record Release Party for Nora Jean at
"Rosa's Lounge", Chicago, w/ Nora Jean, Eddie Shaw,
Willie Kent, James Wheeler, Billy Flynn, Rob Waters,
Brian Lupo, and Jimi Schutte
July 11: "Chicago Blues Night" at the renowned Osaka
Imperial Hotel, Japan
July 12 & 13: 2nd Osaka-Chicago Blues Festival, "Delmark
All Stars Blues Band" w/ Carey Bell, Bonnie Lee, Rick
Kreher, Bob Stroger, and Kenny Smith
July 25: 'Biscuits and Blues', San Francisco, CA, w/
Franck Goldwasser, Rich Kirch, and RJ Mischo
September 27: "3rd Annual SW Blues Heritage Fest",
at J&J's Roadhouse & Blues Bar in Fort Worth, TX
2004
On February 3, Fedora Records released the new album
Tell Me Baby. It was recorded in Fresno,
California, last July
March 14: "The 12th Annual Jazz88 Twin Cities Winter
Jazz Fest", Downtown Minneapolis
September 4: "25th Annual Long Beach Blues
Festival", California, w/ Billy Flynn and Jimi Schutte
October 2: "4th Annual SW Blues Heritage Festival",
at J&J's Roadhouse & Blues Bar in Fort Worth, TX
November 12 & 13: "Lucerne Blues Festival", Switzerland,
w/ Billy Flynn and The Flynnstones featuring Bob Stroger,
Jimi Schutte and Nora Jean Bruso
2005
September 18: An interview with Jimmy Dawkins
appeared in the "San Franciso Chronicle".
October 15: "Blues Masters at the Crossroads 8",
Blue Heaven Studios in Salina, Kansas, w/ Nora Jean
Bruso, Billy Flynn, Rob Waters, Bob Stroger, and Jimi
Schutte
September 25: "33rd Annual San Francisco Blues
Festival", Great Meadow, Fort Mason, w/ Nora Jean Bruso,
Billy Flynn, Rich Kirch, Rob Waters, and Jimi Schutte
2006
June 11: "Buddy Guy's Legends", Chicago, IL, with
Billy Flynn and Bob Stroger (last night of the Chicago Blues Festival)
July 29: "Pocono Blues Festival", Lake Harmony, PA,
1:45pm - 3:00pm, Stage 1
June 24: "Beltline Blues Festival", Victoria
Riverside Park, Calgary, Canada
2007
June 6: "24th Chicago Blues Festival", Petrillo
Music Shell, with Billy Flynn and Bob Stroger
born
James Henry Dawkins on October 24, 1936 in Tuchla,
Mississippi ... moved with his family to Pascagoula, where
his father worked on the warships ...his mother bought him
his first guitar in 1952 ... early influences were Guitar
Slim and Earl King ... in July of 1955 he followed his
mother's sisters and brothers to Chicago, where he got a job
at a box factory ... bought his first electric guitar and
amp two years later ... started out on a West Side street
corner (Albany and Roosevelt) with harp player Lester Hinton
... got his own band with guitarist Left Hand Frank Craig
and Eddie King ... played with Jimmy Rogers, Magic Sam and
Earl Hooker ... he met