Jimmy McCracklin

about

Jimmy McCracklin (James David Walker, St. Louis, Missouri, August 13, 1921 – San Pablo, California, December 20, 2012) was an American pianist, vocalist, harmonica player and songwriter. His style contained West Coast blues, Jump blues, and Rhythm & Blues. Over a career that spanned seven decades, he said he had written almost a thousand songs and had recorded hundreds of them. McCracklin recorded over 30 albums, and earned four gold records. Tom Mazzolini of the San Francisco Blues Festival said of him, "He was probably the most important musician to come out of the Bay Area in the post-World War II years." McCracklin was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He joined the United States Navy in 1938, later settled in Richmond, California, and began playing at the local Club Savoy owned by his sister-in-law Willie Mae "Granny" Johnson. The room-length bar served beer and wine, and Granny Johnson served home-cooked meals of greens, ribs, chicken, and other southern cuisine. A house band composed of Bay Area based musicians alternated with and frequently backed performers such as B. B. King, Charles Brown, and L. C. Robinson. Later in 1963 he would write and record a song "Club Savoy" on his I Just Gotta Know album. His recorded a debut single for Globe Records, "Miss Mattie Left Me", in 1945, and recorded "Street Loafin' Woman in 1946. McCracklin recorded for a number of labels in Los Angeles and Oakland, prior to joining Modern Records in 1949-1950. He formed a group called Jimmy Mc

top songs

albums

I Had to Get With It: the Best of the Imperial & Minit Years

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The Walk: Jimmy McCracklin at His Best

A Taste of the Blues

Everybody Rock

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San Francisco Blues (The Blues Collection Vol.66)

My Story

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Modern Recordings, Vol. 2: Blues Blastin'

The Blues Effect - Jimmy McCracklin

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Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour: The Best Of The Second Series

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The Chess Story 1947-1975 (1957-1959 Part One) (Disc 7)

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Chess Pieces: The Very Best Of Chess Records

Jimmy's Blues 1945-1951

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