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Artist
Elmore James Jr.
12+ albums
bluesamericanblues rock
about
Earnest Johnson, aka Elmore James, Jr., is indeed the son of one of the most legendary of all bluesmen: slide guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Elmore James. Johnson was born in 1939 in Richmond, MS, and his mother ran a restaurant there; the person he thought was his father was mean and abusive during their subsequent time living in Chicago. He and his sister would be beaten for no reason, and were frequently refused meals. But around 1951, a traveling musician came to town, and Johnson's mother secretly smuggled Johnson and his sister to spend the day with him. The musician, Elmore James, was making a name for himself in Chicago, and earning steady income. He would take the children shopping but didn't tell them an important secret. Concurrently, the man Johnson thought was his dad died, so his mother finally came out with the truth, and told the children Elmore James was their actual father. The real story was that Johnson's mother had been romantically involved with James and became pregnant by him. For the next decade, Johnson spent a lot of time with his famous father. He found his dad to be a bashful guy, although quite the talker when drinking. James became a dedicated father, and one of the stories from this time period involves James giving his family a 1951 Cadillac with money made thanks to his big 1952 hit, "Dust My Broom." As Johnson began blossoming into a young musician who was following in his dad's footsteps, James made sure to follow the progress of
