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Elmore began making music at the age of 12 using a simple one-string instrument ('diddley bow' or 'jitterbug') strung up on a shack wall. As a teen he was playing at local dances under the names Cleanhead and Joe Willie James. His first marriage was to Minnie Mae in c.1942 (whom he apparently never divorced). He subsequently married twice, to Georgianna Crump in 1947 and to a woman called Janice in c.1954. (Another reported marriage of Elmore to a Josephine Harris has been found to be a mistaken record of a different Elmore James.) Becoming a well-known musician in those days, with the not-so-minor rewards of prestige, good free food, illicit free liquor, women's favors, the promise of escape from the hard plantation work, etc., must have been as attractive to Elmore as it was to the other musicians of that time and earlier, such as the 'second' Sonny Boy Williamson, with whom he played and the legendary Robert Johnson with whom he also possibly played. Although Robert Johnson was murdered in 1938, James (like many other musicians) was strongly influenced by him, and also by Kokomo Arnold and Tampa Red. Elmore recorded several of Tampa's songs, and even inherited from his band two of his famous 'Broomdusters', 'Little' Johnny Jones (piano) and Odie Payne (drums). There is a dispute as to whether Robert Johnson or Elmore wrote James's trademark song, "Dust My Broom". An important side to Elmore's character which may have hastened his demise was his lifelong taste for, and manufacture of, moonshine whiskey, to which he was introduced at an early age. Alcohol definitely killed his band mates/friends Willie Love & Johnny Jones at a relatively early age, and probably others too. His regular rhythm guitarist Homesick James maintained his longevity was due to his not partaking of the heavy drinking sessions after - and often during - gigs, a refusal that was unpopular with the rest of the band. Elmore was also reportedly an extremely fast driver who also loved hunting with guns and dogs down in Mississippi, whence he would head off for protracted periods.
Sound Muddy Waters took the Belgian blues fan (George Adins) to see Elmore play in Chicago in 1959, Adins recalled, "Elmore will always remain the most exciting, dramatic blues singer and guitarist that I've ever had a chance to see perform in the flesh. On our way we listened to him on the radio as Big Bill Hill ... was broadcasting direct from that place. I was burning to see Elmore James and before we even pushed open the door of the club, we could hear Elmore's violent guitar sound. Although the place was overcrowded, we managed to find a seat close to the bandstand and the blues came falling down on me as it had never done before. Watching Elmore sing and play, backed by a solid blues band (Homesick James, J.T. Brown, Boyd Atkins and Sam Cassell) made me feel real fine. Wearing thick glasses, Elmore's face always had an expressive and dramatic look, especially when he was real gone on the slow blues. Singing with a strong and rough voice, he really didn't need a mike. On such slow blues as "I'm Worried - "Make My Dreams Come True" - "It Hurts Me", his voice reached a climax and created a tension that was unmistakably the down and out blues. Notwithstanding that raw voice, Elmore sang his blues with a particular feeling, an emotion and depth that showed his country background. His singing was... fed, reinforced by his own guitar accompaniment which was as rough, violent and expressive as was his voice. Using the bottleneck technique most of the time, Elmore really let his guitar sound as I had never heard a guitar sound before. You just couldn't sit still! You had to move..." George also witnessed Elmore at 'Alex Club' in West Side Chicago where... "...he always played for a dance audience and he made the people jump. 'Bobby's Rock' was at that time one of the favorite numbers with the crowd and Elmore used to play [it] for fifteen minutes and more. You just couldn't stand that hysteric sound coming down on you. The place was rocking, swinging!" The nearest we have to a recording of a 'live' set by Elmore is his last recorded session by Bobby Robinson of Fire records & Enjoy records etc., in New York City 1963 shortly before his death, aged only 45. This session features several takes of 'Hand In Hand' which is abandoned and Elmo then plays a 'live' set. His best known song is the blues standard "Dust My Broom" (also known as "Dust My Blues"). The song gave its name to James's band, The Broomdusters. The song's opening slide guitar riff is one of the best-known sounds in all of blues. It is essentially the same riff that appears in the recording of the same song by Robert Johnson, but James played the riff with electric slide guitar. It was even transformed into a doo-wop chorus on Jesse Stone's "Down in the Alley", recorded by The Clovers and Elvis Presley. Stone transcribed the riff as: "Changety changety changety changety chang chang!" Influence The most famous guitarist who admired Elmore James was Jimi Hendrix Early in his career Jimi styled himself variously as 'Maurice James' and subsequently as 'Jimmy James' this - according to former band mate and recording partner Lonnie Youngblood - was a tribute to Elmore James. There is a photo of Hendrix (that can be seen in the sleeve of his :blues album) in London wearing his famous military jacket and holding Elmore James's UK LP The Best Of Elmore James (Hendrix was frequently photographed throughout his performing career holding LP covers of musicians that influenced him) He performed James' "Bleeding Heart" during the Experience's Royal Albert Hall concert in 1969, and also with the Band of Gypsys at their New Year's concerts at the Fillmore East in 1969/70 as well as recording two different versions of it in the studio. Buddy Miles also sang lyrics along with Jimi playing some motifs from James' "The Sky Is Crying" during his famous jam session the Newport Pop Festival on June 22, 1969 (the video is now available in collector's circles)as well as quoting several lyrics and motifs from Elmore's catalogue throughout his career. James is mentioned in The Beatles' song "For You Blue": while John Lennon plays the slide guitar (James' trademark), George Harrison says, "Elmore James got nothin' on this, baby." Other artists influenced by Elmore James include Frank Zappa and Jeffrey Evans of the band 68 Comeback.[8][9] The Grateful Dead, John Primer (Blue Steel CD) Billy Gibbons and Eric Clapton are other notable artists to have recorded Elmore James covers. James's older cousin "Homesick" James Williamson, a regular companion of Elmore's from an early age, played with Elmore in the Broomdusters from 1957 on. He was also a successful blues man who played electric slide guitar in Elmore's style. He continued to record and tour until his death in 2006. |
James
was born Elmore Brooks in the old Richland community in Holmes County,
Mississippi, (not to be confused with two other locations of the same
name in Mississippi, one in Humphrey's Co. & the other in Rankin Co. ).
He was the illegitimate son of 15-year-old Leola Brooks, a field hand.
His father was probably Joe Willie "Frost" James, who moved in with
Leola and so Elmore took this as his name. His parents adopted an
orphaned boy at some point - Robert Holston. 
During
World War II James joined the United States Navy, was promoted to
coxswain and took part in the invasion of Guam. Upon his discharge
Elmore returned to central Mississippi and eventually settled in Canton
with his adopted brother Robert Holston. At this time he learned that he
had a heart condition. Working in Roberts electrical shop he devised his
unique electric sound, using parts from the shop and an unusual
placement of two D'Armond pick ups. He began recording with Trumpet
Records in nearby Jackson in January 1951, first as sideman to the
second Sonny Boy Williamson and also to their mutual friend Wille Love
and possibly others, then debuting as a session leader in August with
"Dust My Broom". It was a surprise R&B hit in 1952 and turned James into
a star. He then broke his contract with Trumpet records to sign up with
the Bihari Brothers through Ike Turner (who played guitar & piano on a
couple of his early recordings). His "I Believe" was another hit a year
later. During the 1950s he recorded for the Bihari brothers' Flair
Records, Meteor Records[4] [5] and Modern Records labels, as well as for
Chess Records. His backing musicians were known as the Broomdusters. In
1959 he began recording what are perhaps his best sides for Bobby
Robinson's Fire Records label. These include "The Sky Is Crying"
(credited to Elmo James and His Broomdusters), "Stranger Blues", "Look
On Yonder Wall", "Done Somebody Wrong", and "Shake Your Moneymaker", all
of which are among the most famous of blues recordings. 
Most
electric slide guitar players will admit to the massive, if not, total
influence of James' style. He was also a major influence on successful
'Blues' guitarists as 'Homesick James' (who was a member of Elmore's
band 'The Broomdusters' and featured on many of his recordings) John
Littlejohn, Hound Dog Taylor, JB Hutto and many others. He also
influenced many rock guitarists such as The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones
and Fleetwood Mac's Jeremy Spencer. His songs "Done Somebody Wrong" and
"One Way Out" were often covered by The Allman Brothers Band, who cited
him as a major influence.[citation needed] James was also covered by
blues-rock band