Biography
by Bill Dahl
Guitarist Jimmy Rogers was the last living connection to the groundbreaking first Chicago band of Muddy Waters (informally dubbed "the Headhunters" for their penchant of dropping by other musicians' gigs and "cutting their heads" with a superior on-stage performance). Instead of basking in world-wide veneration, he was merely a well-respected Chicago elder boasting a seminal '50s Chess Records catalog, both behind Waters and on his own.
Born James A. Lane (Rogers was his stepdad's surname), the guitarist grew up all over: Mississippi, Atlanta, West Memphis, Memphis, and St. Louis. Actually, Rogers started out on harp as a teenager. Big Bill Broonzy, Joe Willie Wilkins, and Robert Jr. Lockwood all influenced him, the latter two when he passed through Helena. Rogers settled in Chicago during the early '40s and began playing professionally around 1946, gigging with Sonny Boy Williamson, Sunnyland Slim, and Broonzy.
Rogers was playing harp with guitarist Blue Smitty when Muddy Waters joined them. When Smitty split, Little Walter was welcomed into the configuration, Rogers switched over to second guitar, and the entire post-war Chicago blues genre felt the stylistic earthquake that directly followed. Rogers made his recorded debut as a leader in 1947 for the tiny Ora-Nelle logo, then saw his efforts for Regal and Apollo go unissued.
Those labels' monumental errors in judgment were the gain of Leonard Chess, who recognized the comparatively smooth-voiced Rogers' potential as a blues star in his own right. (He first played with Muddy Waters on an Aristocrat 78 in 1949 and remained his indispensable rhythm guitarist on wax into 1955.) With Walter and bassist Big Crawford laying down support, Rogers' debut Chess single in 1950, "That's All Right," has earned standard status after countless covers, but his version still reigns supreme.
Rogers' artistic quality was remarkably high while at Chess. "The World Is in a Tangle," "Money, Marbles and Chalk," "Back Door Friend," "Left Me with a Broken Heart," "Act Like You Love Me," and the 1954 rockers "Sloppy Drunk" and "Chicago Bound" are essential early-'50s Chicago blues.
In 1955, Rogers left Muddy Waters to venture out as a bandleader, cutting another gem, "You're the One," for Chess. He made his only appearance on Billboard's R&B charts in early 1957 with the driving "Walking by Myself," which boasted a stunning harp solo from Big Walter Horton (a last-second stand-in for no-show Good Rockin' Charles). The tune itself was an adaptation of a T-Bone Walker tune, "Why Not," that Rogers had played rhythm guitar on when Walker cut it for Atlantic.
By 1957, blues was losing favor at Chess, the label reaping the rewards of rock via Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. Rogers' platters slowed to a trickle, though his 1959 Chess farewell, "Rock This House," ranked with his most exciting outings (Reggie Boyd's light-fingered guitar wasn't the least of its charms).
Rogers virtually retired from music for a time during the '60s, operating a Westside clothing shop that burned down in the aftermath of Dr. Martin Luther King's tragic assassination. He returned to the studio in 1972 for Leon Russell's Shelter logo, cutting his first LP, Gold-Tailed Bird (with help from the Aces and Freddie King). There were a few more fine albums -- notably Ludella, a 1990 set for Antone's -- but Rogers never fattened his discography nearly as much as some of his contemporaries have. Jimmy's son, Jimmy D. Lane, played rhythm guitar in his dad's band and fronts a combo of his own on the side. Rogers died December 19, 1997. At the time of his death, he was working on an all-star project featuring contributions from Eric Clapton, Taj Mahal, Robert Plant, and Jimmy Page, and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; upon its completion, the disc was issued posthumously in early 1999 under the title Blues, Blues, Blues.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jimmy-rogers-mn0000769616/biography
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Biografía
por Bill Dahl
El guitarrista Jimmy Rogers era la última conexión viva con la innovadora primera banda de Chicago de Muddy Waters (apodada informalmente "los Headhunters" por su afición a pasarse por los conciertos de otros músicos y "cortarles la cabeza" con una actuación superior sobre el escenario). En lugar de disfrutar de la veneración mundial, era simplemente un anciano de Chicago muy respetado que contaba con un catálogo seminal de Chess Records de los años 50, tanto detrás de Waters como por su cuenta.
Nacido James A. Lane (Rogers era el apellido de su padrastro), el guitarrista creció en todas partes: Mississippi, Atlanta, West Memphis, Memphis y St. Louis. En realidad, Rogers empezó a tocar el arpa de adolescente. Big Bill Broonzy, Joe Willie Wilkins y Robert Jr. Lockwood influyeron en él, los dos últimos cuando pasó por Helena. Rogers se instaló en Chicago a principios de los años 40 y empezó a tocar profesionalmente hacia 1946, actuando con Sonny Boy Williamson, Sunnyland Slim y Broonzy.
Rogers tocaba el arpa con el guitarrista Blue Smitty cuando Muddy Waters se unió a ellos. Cuando Smitty se separó, Little Walter se incorporó a la formación, Rogers pasó a tocar la segunda guitarra, y todo el género del blues de Chicago de la posguerra sintió el terremoto estilístico que le siguió directamente. Rogers hizo su debut discográfico como líder en 1947 para el diminuto sello Ora-Nelle, y luego vio cómo sus trabajos para Regal y Apollo quedaban sin publicar.
Los monumentales errores de juicio de esos sellos fueron obra de Leonard Chess, que reconoció el potencial de Rogers, de voz relativamente suave, como estrella del blues por derecho propio. (Tocó por primera vez con Muddy Waters en un Aristocrat 78 en 1949 y siguió siendo su indispensable guitarrista rítmico en cera hasta 1955). Con Walter y el bajista Big Crawford como teloneros, el primer single de Rogers en Chess en 1950, "That's All Right", se ha ganado el estatus de estándar después de innumerables versiones, pero su versión sigue reinando suprema.
La calidad artística de Rogers fue notablemente alta mientras estuvo en Chess. "The World Is in a Tangle", "Money, Marbles and Chalk", "Back Door Friend", "Left Me with a Broken Heart", "Act Like You Love Me" y los rockeros de 1954 "Sloppy Drunk" y "Chicago Bound" son temas esenciales del blues de Chicago de principios de los 50.
En 1955, Rogers dejó a Muddy Waters para aventurarse como director de orquesta, grabando otra joya, "You're the One", para Chess. Hizo su única aparición en las listas de R&B de Billboard a principios de 1957 con "Walking by Myself", que contó con un impresionante solo de arpa de Big Walter Horton (sustituto de última hora de Good Rockin' Charles). El tema en sí era una adaptación de un tema de T-Bone Walker, "Why Not", en el que Rogers había tocado la guitarra rítmica cuando Walker lo grabó para Atlantic.
En 1957, el blues estaba perdiendo el favor de Chess, que estaba cosechando los frutos del rock a través de Chuck Berry y Bo Diddley. Los discos de Rogers se ralentizaron hasta convertirse en un goteo, aunque su despedida de Chess en 1959, "Rock This House", fue uno de sus trabajos más emocionantes (la guitarra de dedos ligeros de Reggie Boyd no era el menor de sus encantos).
Rogers se retiró prácticamente de la música durante un tiempo en los años 60, regentando una tienda de ropa en el Westside que se incendió tras el trágico asesinato del Dr. Martin Luther King. Volvió al estudio en 1972 para el logotipo Shelter de Leon Russell, y grabó su primer LP, Gold-Tailed Bird (con la ayuda de The Aces y Freddie King). Hubo unos cuantos álbumes más, entre los que destaca Ludella, un conjunto de 1990 para Antone's, pero Rogers nunca engordó su discografía tanto como algunos de sus contemporáneos. El hijo de Jimmy, Jimmy D. Lane, tocaba la guitarra rítmica en la banda de su padre y lidera su propio combo. Rogers murió el 19 de diciembre de 1997. En el momento de su muerte, estaba trabajando en un proyecto en el que colaboraban Eric Clapton, Taj Mahal, Robert Plant y Jimmy Page, además de Mick Jagger y Keith Richards; una vez terminado, el disco se publicó póstumamente a principios de 1999 con el título Blues, Blues, Blues.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jimmy-rogers-mn0000769616/biography
1 - The World Is in a Tangle
2 - Back Door Friend
3 - Chicago Bound
4 - That's All Right
5 - Walking by Myself
6 - My Last Meal
7 - Goin' Away Baby
8 - Blues All Day Long
9 - My Baby Don't Love Me No More
10 - This Has Never Been
11 - Money, Marbles and Chalk
2020
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