September 3, 1915 – February 24, 1988
John Len Chatman was born in Memphis TN into a family of blues musicians. His father was Peter Chatman, leader of the Washboard Band, whose piano player was Roosevelt Sykes, a great influence on young John. By the age of 15, he was singing and playing the 88 in juke joints and dance halls throughout Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri. In 1939, he joined the diaspora and headed to Chicago, where he met and played with Big Bill Broonzy for a few years and became a session musician for Bluebird Records, playing with Sonny Boy Williamson, Washboard Sam and Jazz Gillum. In 1947, Alan Lomax recorded Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Memphis Slim that became the album “Blues in the Mississippi Night”.
At the end of WWII, Memphis Slim started his own band, The House Rockers with a sax, bass, drums, and piano. He later added a guitarist, Matt “Guitar” Murphy who had been playing for Howlin’ Wolf. He label-hopped for a few years recording for Bluebird, Miracle, Premium, and Hy-tone Records, finally ending with United Records in the early 50s.
In the mid-late 50s, when the major recording companies started cutting back on blues and producing more rock and roll, he didn’t record as much but continued playing. He toured Europe in 1960 and 62 with Willie Dixon and determined that there was much more respect for his music there. He moved to Paris in 1962.
Paris became his hometown, as he toured Europe Blues Festivals over the next 20+ years. He returned to America briefly for tours, but considered himself a Parisian. He opened a Blues Club called Memphis Melodies Club. He became a European icon, performing on television frequently. He passed away at his home in Paris from renal failure.
So what about the music? Well, Memphis Slim’s first recording was a song called, “Beer Drinkin’ Woman”. And it just went up from there! The standard we know as “Every Day I Have the Blues”, he originally recorded as “Nobody Loves Me”. He played the piano on half of Willie Dixon’s debut album, “Willie’s Blues”, Washboard Sam’s “Digging My Potatoes, and at least 4 of Big Bill Broonzy’s albums. Other well-known songs of his include: “Mother Earth”, “Gotta Find My Baby”, and “Steppin’ Out”.
Happy Birthday Memphis Slim, I think maybe, Everybody Loves You!
NOBODY LOVES ME – MEMPHIS SLIM (1949) on Miracle 78 RPM (also known as ‘Every Day I Have The Blues’)