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Jimmy Nelson (singer)

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Jimmy Nelson
Nelson at the Long Beach Blues Festival, 1996
Nelson at the Long Beach Blues Festival, 1996
Background information
Birth nameJames Nelson
Also known asJimmy "T99" Nelson
Born(1919-04-07)April 7, 1919
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJuly 29, 2007(2007-07-29) (aged 88)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
GenresJump blues, rhythm and blues,[1] swing
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals
Years active1948–2007
LabelsOlliet Records
RPM Records
Kent Records
Chess Records
Music City Records
Paradise Records
All Boy Records
Bullseye Blues & Jazz
Nettie Marie Records
Ace

James Nelson[2] (April 7, 1919 – July 29, 2007),[3] known as Jimmy "T99" Nelson, was an American jump blues and rhythm and blues shouter and songwriter.[1] With a recording career that spanned over 50 years, Jimmy "T99" Nelson became a distinguished elder statesman of American music. His best known recordings are "T-99 Blues" and "Meet Me With Your Black Dress On". Nelson notably worked with Duke Robillard and Otis Grand.[3]

Career

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Nelson got his start singing in church. In 1941, he saw a performance by Big Joe Turner while he was visiting Oakland, California,[4] and realized he wanted to sing the blues.[5] Turner taught Nelson about singing, performance and the music business. Nelson, in turn, absorbed the shouting style of his mentor.[4]

From 1951 through 1961, Jimmy Nelson and the Peter Rabbit Trio released eight singles with the Bihari Brothers' Modern/RPM label.[4] The biggest of these was "T-99 Blues" (which referred to the old Texas Highway #99), which debuted in June 1951.[4] It stayed on the US Billboard R&B chart for twenty-one weeks and reached number 1. In 1952, Nelson had another RPM hit with "Meet Me With Your Black Dress On".[4]

Nelson began touring, performing with bands led by Joe Liggins and Roy Milton, and playing venues including the Apollo and Howard theaters. He cut singles for a number of labels including Kent, Music City, Paradise and All Boy, and Chess (including for them the 1955 "Free and Easy Mind").[4]

From 1955 to 1975, Nelson took a job working construction, though he continued to write songs and sit in with bands.[4]

In the 1980s, Nelson came to the wider attention of blues fans when Ace issued ten of his sides on an album. Sweet Sugar Daddy a compilation album from the Japanese P-Vine Records, which mainly consisted of unreleased studio recordings from the 1960s and 1970s, was also released in 1988.[6]

Nelson resumed touring and in 1999, released a comeback album Rockin' and Shoutin' the Blues from the Bullseye Blues & Jazz label.[6] This album was nominated in two categories of the W.C. Handy Awards the following year.[7] Two more newly recorded albums followed on his own Nettie Marie label prior to his death, both featuring an all-star back-up band including Duke Robillard. In 2004, Ace released Cry Hard Luck, featuring re-issues of Nelson's Kent and RPM recordings from 1951-1961.[6]

Personal life

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In 1955, Nelson married Nettie (who has since died) and adopted Houston, Texas as his hometown.

Nelson died of cancer at a nursing home in Houston on July 29, 2007.[8]

Discography

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Meet Me With Your Black Dress On (sample)
An audio sample of "Meet Me With Your Black Dress On" (1952)
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Singles

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  • 1951: "T 99 Blues" (RPM 325) as Jimmie Nelson and the Peter Rabbit Trio
  • 1953: "Meet Me With Your Black Dress On" (RPM 385)
  • 1955: "Free and Easy Mind" (Chess 1587)
  • 1956: "The Wheel" (Music City 797)
  • 1960: "Unlock the Lock" (Kent 354)
  • 1962: "What Was I Supposed To Do' (All Boy 8502)
  • 1963: "Tell Me Who" (Paradise 1002; Chess 1877)[9]
  • 1965: "I'll Be Ready" (Paradise 1012)

Albums

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  • 1999: Rockin' and Shoutin' the Blues (Bullseye Blues 9593) feat. Doug James, Rich Lataille, Clarence Hollimon
  • 2002: Take Your Pick (Nettie Marie 001)
  • 2005: The Legend (Nettie Marie 002)[6]

Compilation albums

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  • 1981: Jimmy "Mr. T 99" Nelson (Ace 10CH 35) [10" LP]
  • 1987: Watch That Action (Ace CHD 228)
  • 1988: Sweet Sugar Daddy (P-Vine)
  • 2003: Cry Hard Luck: The RPM and Kent Recordings 1951-61 (Ace CDCHD 976)[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
  2. ^ Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 334. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  3. ^ a b Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2007 July To December". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Blues (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 278/280. ISBN 0-85112-673-1.
  5. ^ Liner notes to "Rockin' and Shoutin' the Blues by Roger Wood
  6. ^ a b c d e "Jimmy Nelson | Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. ^ [1] Archived April 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Log into Facebook". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2021. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  9. ^ "Jimmy Nelson - Tell Me Who (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-10-05.
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