James Cotton

**James "Jimmy" Cotton** (July 1, 1935 – March 16, 2017), was an American blues harmonica player, singer, and songwriter. He was an orphan.

## Career

Cotton first became interested in playing music when he heard Sonny Boy Williamson on the radio. He left his home to find Sonny Boy Williamson, and when he found him (in West Helena, Arkansas), Williamson took him in and raised him. Blues singer Bobby Bland was his half-brother.

### First band

Cotton first began playing the blues harp in Williamson's band, called Howlin Wolf's. After one gig, Sonny Boy quit the band to live with his wife in Milwaukee. He left the band in Cotton's hands. Cotton said, "He just gave it to me. But I couldn't hold it together 'cause I was too young and crazy in those days an' everybody in the band was grown men, so much older than me."

### Later career

Cotton started working with the Muddy Waters Band in 1955. He performed songs like "I Got My Mojo Working" and "She's Nineteen Years Old". After leaving Muddy's band in 1966, Cotton toured with Janis Joplin. Alone, Cotton wrote classic songs like "Cotton Crop Blues", "Rocket 88" and "Hold Me In Your Arms".  He formed the James Cotton Blues Band in 1967. They performed all of Cotton's classics and more.

## Death

Cotton died at a medical center in Austin, Texas from pneumonia on March 16, 2017 at the age of 81.

## Awards

Cotton played harmonica on Muddy Water's Grammy Award winning 1977 album _Hard Again_. James Cotton's band would also get nominated for two Grammy Awards. The first one was for his 1984 release, _Live From Chicago: Mr. Superharp Himself!_. His second for _Take Me Back_.

## Performances

Cotton played with the following people:
- Big Mama Thornton
- Janis Joplin
- Sonny Boy Williamson
- Howlin' Wolf
- Muddy Waters
- Led Zeppelin
- Freddie King
- Steve Miller
- Santana
- B.B. King
- The Grateful Dead
- Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
- Johnny Winter
- Jimmie Vaughan
- Todd Rundgren

## Albums

- _Chicago/The Blues/Today!_ vol. 2
- _Take Me Back_
- _3 Harp Boogie
- _Live from Chicago Mr. Superharp Himself_
- _High Compression_
- _100% Cotton
- _Live & On the Move_
- _Cut You Loose!_
- _Mighty Long Time_
- _Fire Down Under the Hill_
- _Baby, Don't You Tear My Cloths_
- _Deep in the Blues_
- _Living the Blues_
- ''35th Anniversary Jam

## Other websites

- All Music Guide
- James Cotton discography from Music City
- His official website
- Review of Breakin' It Up Breakin' It Down CD

## Infobox (musical artist)

- **name**: James Cotton
- **image**: James_Cotton_2007.jpg
- **caption**: James Cotton 2007
- **background**: solo_singer
- **birth place**: Tunica, Mississippi, United States
- **death place**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **instrument**: Vocals, harmonica, drum kit, drums
- **genre**: Blues, Chicago blues, Delta blues, Electric blues, Jazz, Memphis blues, Rock music, Rock
- **occupation**: Musician
- **years active**: 1953–2017
- **label**: Buddah Records
Alligator Records
Telarc International Corporation, Telarc International
- **associated acts**: Muddy Waters
Howlin' Wolf
Matt Murphy (blues guitarist), Matt Murphy
Pat Hare
- **website**: [http://www.jamescottonsuperharp.com/ Official website]