Jazz Gillum
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William McKinley Gillum (11 September 1904 - March 29, 1966[1]), known as Jazz Gillum, was an American blues harmonica player.
He was born in Indianola, Mississippi. After running away from home at the age of 7, Gillum spent the next few years in Charleston, Mississippi, working and playing for tips on local street corners. He moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1923, meeting up with the guitarist, Big Bill Broonzy[1]. The duo started working club dates around the city and, by 1934, Gillum started recording for both ARC and Bluebird Records.
With his characteristic high, reedy harmonica sound, he appeared on many of the highly popular "Bluebird beat" recordings produced by Lester Melrose in the 1930s and 1940s, under his own name and as a sideman[1]. Gillum joined the United States Army in 1942 and served until 1945.[2] Gillum also originated "Look on Yonder Wall" (1946) with Big Maceo on piano, which was later popularized by Elmore James.[3]
However, after the Bluebird record label folded in the late 1940s he made few further recordings. His last, slightly sad recordings were on a couple of 1961 albums with Memphis Slim and the singer-guitarist Arbee Stidham.[3]
On 29 March 1966, during an argument, he was shot in the head and was pronounced dead on arrival at Garfield Park Hospital in Chicago.[2] He is buried at Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. [2]
[edit] See also
- List of blues musicians
- List of harmonicists
- List of Chicago blues musicians
- List of Country blues musicians
[edit] References
- ^ a b c All Music Guide biography - accessed January 2008
- ^ a b c Document Records website - biographical notes - extracted January 2008
- ^ a b Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited, p. 113. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
