The Amazing Jimmi Mayes: Sideman to the Stars PDF
Preview The Amazing Jimmi Mayes: Sideman to the Stars
The AmAzing Jimmi mAyes AmericAn mAde music series Advisory Board David Evans, General Editor Barry Jean Ancelet Edward A. Berlin Joyce J. Bolden Rob Bowman Susan C. Cook Curtis Ellison William Ferris John Edward Hasse Kip Lornell Bill Malone Eddie S. Meadows Manuel H. Peña Wayne D. Shirley Robert Walser Jimmi mayes with V. C. speek university Press of mississiPPi ★ JAckson www.upress.state.ms.us Designed by Peter D. Halverson All photographs from the author’s collection. The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the Association of American University Presses. Copyright © 2014 by University Press of Mississippi All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First printing 2014 ∞ Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mayes, Jimmi, 1942– author. The amazing Jimmi Mayes : sideman to the stars / Jimmi Mayes with V.C. Speek. pages cm. — (American made music series) Includes discographies. Includes index. ISBN 978-1-61703-916-4 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-61703-917-1 (ebook) 1. Mayes, Jimmi, 1942– 2. Blues musicians—United States—Biography. 3. Drummers (Musicians)—United States—Biography. I. Speek, Vickie Cleverley, 1953– author. II. Title. ML419.M344A3 2014 786.9’1643092—dc23 [B] 2013017315 British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available never give Up! This page intentionally left blank ConTenTs Acknowledgments [ix] Chapter 1: That Blues Shuffle, 1942–60 [ 3 ] Chapter 2: Little Walter, 1961–62 [ 15 ] Chapter 3: Tommy Hunt, 1962–63 [ 26 ] Chapter 4: Joey Dee and the Starliters, 1964–65 [ 43 ] Chapter 5: Martha and the Vandellas, 1964–65 [ 58 ] Chapter 6: Jimi Hendrix, September 1965–December 1965 [ 70 ] Chapter 7: My Friend, 1966–70 [ 88 ] Chapter 8: The Kousins, Shirelles, and Blood Brothers, 1966–69 [ 102 ] Chapter 9: Mill Street Depo, 1969—72 [ 116 ] Chapter 10: Sweet Home Chicago, 1972–2001 [ 131 ] Chapter 11: Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, 1997–2011 [ 147 ] Chapter 12: Back Where I Belong, 2011–2012 [ 158 ] Jimmi Mayes Discography [ 167 ] Selected Discography [ 168 ] Index [ 176 ] This page intentionally left blank ACknowledgmenTs there comes A time in every gig when you introduce the bAnd. This is that time. There are so many beautiful cats who have helped me along the way—people in the front and those in the back. First of all, there’s Tommy Hunt. This book couldn’t even be written without you, Tommy. You were the one who took me to New York City and launched my career. Thank you for making me your brother and let- ting me drive your awesome Riviera. Joey Dee, you are my brother. You are the man I’ve looked up to over the years as I’ve started my own bands. I’ve always tried to live by your motto: “Be a gentleman and be on time.” Someday, I hope to be as fine a man as you are. What can I say about Martha Reeves, who took me into the heart of her own family and who has remained a true friend for so many years? I love you, Martha, and I always will. I want to give a big shout-out to another person at the front—my buddy Lonnie Youngblood. The two of us are survivors. We did some stuff we aren’t proud of, but we are still here and that says a lot. Hey, Lonnie, think back to all the good times we had playing behind James Brown. Another thank you goes to Wolf Records, for believing in me and re- leasing my CD, and to my producer, Andre Williams, who arranged for me to play behind Bobby “Blue” Bland. I am so grateful. Behind every band, there’s a good support team, and I’ve had a great one. To my crew in Jackson, Mississippi—Jimmy “Pepper” Eastland (the cat who tried to kill me when we were kids), Al Brown, Sam Pickett, and Al Taylor—thanks for sticking with me all these years. To my parents, Carrie and Isaiah Mayes, and my stepfather, Jeff Ivie— thanks for giving me the opportunity to play music and for supporting me when the times were tough. To my brother, Chet, my sisters, my children, and my grandchildren—you are awesome! Just beautiful! So are you, Phyl- lis. Thank you so much for acting as my secretary. I would like to say a very special thanks to two people who brought me back to the blues. Dr. Dan Ivankovich repaired my hip when the other ix
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