Died On This Date (December 19, 1997) Jimmy Rogers / Played With Muddy Waters
themusicsover Jimmy Rogers (Born James Lane)
June 3, 1924 – December 19, 1997
Jimmy Rogers was a blues musician and singer who helped develop the Chicago blues sound as a guitarist in Muddy Waters’ band. Rogers first learned to play the harmonica as a child, and by his teen years, he added the guitar and was well on his way to a career in music. He made his first record in 1948, and within a year, he was playing with Waters with whom he worked while continuing to make his own records on Chess. Rogers left Waters in 1954 and worked as a solo act, but joined up with Howlin’ Wolf in later years. He all but retired from the music business during the ’60s, working as a cab driver and later running his own clothing store. He worked with Waters on a reunion album in 1977 and made a complete comeback during the ’80s On December 19, 1997, Jimmy Rogers died of colon cancer at the age of 73.
What You Should Own
Big Joe Williams was a Delta blues guitarist and singer who recorded several blues hits for Bluebird Records during the late ’30s and early ’40s. He was renowned for playing the 9-string guitar. Some of his songs, like “Calling King Snake,” and “Baby Please Don’t Go” have been covered by both blues and rock artists ever since. He enjoyed a career renaissance during the folk revival of the ‘6os, playing the major festivals and coffeehouse circuit of America. Big Joe Williams was 78 when he passed away on December 17, 1982.
