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

 References

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

Category:Chicago blues musicians
Category:Blues harp players
Category:Singers from Mississippi
Category:American guitarists
Category:Musicians from Mississippi
Category:Infectious disease deaths in Texas
Category:Deaths from pneumonia
Category:1935 births
Category:2017 deaths