Jimmy Reed

"'The big man on Kat's Karavan was Jimmy Reed, and it remains one of my deepest regrets that I never saw him live. I may have claimed in the past that I did see him once, but if I did, I was lying.'(Margrave Of The Marshes, pp. 151-152)" Jimmy Reed (1925-1976) was one of the generation of electric, urban blues performers who influenced the British rhythm and blues groups of the 1960s, as well as having US chart hits in his own right. These included "Big Boss Man" (later covered by Elvis Presley), "Baby What You Want Me To Do", "Bright Lights, Big City", "Honest I Do" (covered by the Rolling Stones), and "You Don't Have To Go" (covered by the band Peel discovered while working for KMEN in San Bernardino, The Misunderstood). Born in Mississippi, he developed a style based on the repetition of basic blues chords, which was more laid-back than the Chicago blues popularised by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Alcoholism and illness prevented Jimmy Reed from achieving the level of fame of blues contemporaries such as Waters, Wolf and B.B. King, and he died at the age of 50.



The Peel quote above is one of the more unusual remarks in Margrave Of The Marshes. During an early Top Gear, Peel claimed on-air that he had seen Jimmy Reed perform live in Dallas, and years later gave a fairly detailed account of his performances:

"'I saw Jimmy Reed play a few times when I lived in Dallas, Texas in the 1960s. He always looked as though he was on the verge of death: I mean, he used to play sitting down and he looked terrifically unfit. In fact, he looked as though he'd died and been exhumed on a lot of occasions. But he must have been reasonably fit to play the harmonica note that occurs in the middle of that, because he goes on for quite a long time, and those were in the days when you actually had to do it, it couldn't be kind of done in the studio.' (03 February 1996 (BFBS))"

He had already made this claim on 11 October 1979, perhaps due to his bad memory but possibly as an indication of how highly he rated the artist, for him a bluesman rivalled only by Lightnin' Hopkins. (Similar confusion also existed over whether Peel ever saw Elmore James live, although in that case it appears he didn't. See 05 January 2000.)

Jimmy Reed features in Peel's playlists from the Perfumed Garden in 1967 through to the shows he recorded for BBC World Service in 2004 shortly before going on holiday to Peru that were broadcast after his death, as well as his final Radio One show on 14 October 2004. In 1990, Peel had chosen 'Too Much', later a Peelenium choice for 1963, among his eight Desert Island Discs.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions

 * None

Shows Played
(This list below has been compiled only from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive and is certainly incomplete. Please add additional information if known.)


 * 1960s
 * 12 July 1967: Big Boss Man (LP - The New Jimmy Reed Album) HMV


 * 1970s
 * 04 April 1972: Knocking At Your Door (LP - )
 * 09 June 1972: Too Much (LP - )
 * 15 August 1972: Take It Slow (LP - Just Jimmy Reed) Joys
 * 29 August 1972: Hush Hush (LP - unknown)
 * 29 September 1972: Ends And Odds
 * Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 1: Too Much (LP - Just Jimmy Reed)
 * Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 1: I'll Change My Style (LP - Just Jimmy Reed)
 * Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 4: Ain’t That Loving You Baby (LP - History Of Jimmy Reed) Trip
 * Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 5: Ah Shucks, Hush Your Mouth
 * Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 6: Down In Virginia (LP – Big Boss Man)
 * Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 6: Boogie In The Dark
 * Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 6: Found Love
 * 03 May 1973: Knockin’ At Your Door (single?)
 * 31 May 1973: Upside The Wall (LP - ) source unknown
 * 07 June 1973: Cold & Lonesome (LP: source unknown)
 * 21 June 1973: Bitter Sweet (LP: source unknown)
 * 28 June 1973: Too Much (LP: source unknown)
 * 05 July 1973: Let's Get Together (LP - ) unknown
 * 12 July 1973: You Can’t Hide (LP – Just Jimmy Reed) Vee Jay
 * 02 August 1973: Baby What's Wrong?
 * 08 August 1978: Bright Lights Big City
 * 16 August 1978: I'm Mr Luck
 * 21 August 1978: Bright Lights Big City (LP - Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall)
 * 30 August 1979: Too Much (7 inch) Joy (40th birthday)
 * 11 October 1979: I’m Mr Luck


 * 1980s
 * 19 February 1980 (Virgin In-Store): Ah Shucks Shut Your Mouth
 * 19 June 1980: Bright Lights, Big City (single) Charly re-issue
 * 26 June 1980: Bright Lights, Big City (7") Charly (Paul Gambaccini sits in)
 * 03 July 1980: Bright Lights, Big City (single) Charly
 * 07 July 1980: Shame, Shame, Shame (7") Charly
 * 23 October 1980: Down The Road (album - Upside Your Head) Charly R&B CRB 1003
 * 18 March 1981: I'm Gonna Ruin You (LP - High And Lonesome) Charly
 * 23 March 1981: She Don't Want Me No Mo'
 * 01 April 1981: Jimmies Boogie (LP – High And Lonesome) Charly
 * 25 August 1982: Come Love (album - Got Me Dizzy) Charly R&B CRB 1028
 * 20 June 1983: Hush-Hush
 * 11 March 1985: Going To New York
 * 16 September 1985: Hush-Hush
 * 29 October 1985: Let's Get Together (LP - I'm The Man Down There) Charly
 * 17 November 1986: Bright Lights Big City
 * 08 January 1987 (Andy Kershaw): You Can't Hide
 * 27 May 1987: Blue Carnegie (LP-Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall) Vee-Jay
 * 08 June 1987: Take It Slow
 * 03 August 1987: I’m Going Upside Your Head
 * 08 September 1987: talking (on just-received LP)


 * 1990s
 * 14 March 1990: Goin' To New York (album - The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Crescendo GNPS/2-10006 or Veejay VJLP 1039
 * 14 March 1990: Ain't That Lovin' You (album - The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Crescendo GNPS/2-10006 or Veejay VJLP 1039
 * 29 December 1990: I Wanna Be Loved (2xLP-History Of Jimmy Reed) Trip
 * 05 January 1991 (BFBS): 'I'll Change My Style (LP-Got Me Dizzy)' (Charly R&B)
 * 08 June 1991: Hush Hush
 * 18 April 1992: Can't Stand To See You Go (album - Got Me Dizzy) Charly
 * 19 June 1992: When I Woke Up This Morning
 * 28 June 1992 (BFBS): When I Woke Up This Morning (LP - Big Boss Man) Bluesway
 * 12 July 1992 (BFBS): I'm Leaving (LP - Shame Shame Shame) Krazy Kat
 * 26 July 1992 (BFBS): I Gotta Keep Rolling
 * 02 October 1992: Rockin' With Reed (LP - Rockin' With Reed)
 * 11 October 1992 (BFBS): A String To Your Heart (LP - Rockin' With Reed) Vee Jay
 * 18 October 1992 (BFBS): I Know It's A Sin (LP - Rockin' With Reed) Vee Jay
 * 29 May 1993: Found Love (LP – Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee Jay
 * 05 March 1993: Two Ways To Skin A Cat (LP – The New Jimmy Reed Album) Bluesway
 * 22 May 1993: Hush-Hush (LP – Best Of Jimmy Reed)’ (Vee Jay Records)
 * 29 May 1993: ‘Found Love (LP – Best Of Jimmy Reed)’ (Vee Jay Records)
 * 19 June 1993: You Don’t Have To Go (LP – The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee Jay
 * 29 October 1993: High and Lonesome (LP - The Legend - The Man) Joy Records
 * 06 November 1993 (BFBS): High and Lonesome (LP - The Legend - The Man) Joy Records
 * 25 February 1994: Shame, Shame, Shame (LP - The Legend - The Man) Joy Records
 * 30 September 1994 (BFBS): Big Boss Man (Compilation CD-Oldies But Goodies)
 * 21 October 1994: The Sun Is Shining (LP-The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee-Jay
 * 05 November 1994 (BFBS): The Sun Is Shining (LP-The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee-Jay
 * 12 November 1994 (BFBS): The Comeback (6xLP - The Vee-Jay Years)
 * 18 November 1994: Found Love (LP - The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee Jay
 * 26 November 1994 (BFBS): Found Love (LP-The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee Jay
 * 15 April 1995: Aw Shucks Hush Your Mouth (2xLP-Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall) Bluesway
 * 24 April 1995 (BBC World Service): I'm Mr. Luck (2xLP - Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall / The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee Jay
 * 29 April 1995: Found Joy (LP: At Carnegie Hall) Joy
 * 29 April 1995 (BFBS): Aw Shucks Hush Your Mouth (2xLP-Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall) Vee-Jay
 * 25 November 1995: Baby What You Want Me To Do
 * 08 December 1995: Going To New York (unknown release) Vee Jay
 * 27 January 1996: Found Love (LP: The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee Jay
 * 03 February 1996 (BFBS): 'Found Love (LP-Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall / The Best Of Jimmy Reed)' (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab)
 * 16 February 1996: I’ll Change My Style
 * 22 March 1996: Big Boss Man
 * 07 December 1996: Too Much (LP: Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 01 February 1997: I'm The Man Down There (7 inch) Vee Jay
 * 22 July 1997: You Can't Hide
 * 19 February 1998: Caress Me Baby (LP - Rockin' With Reed) Joy
 * 15 April 1999: Found Love (v/a LP: Harp Blues) Ace
 * 26 October 1999: Too Much Peelenium 1963


 * 2000s
 * 02 March 2000: Two Ways to Skin a Cat (LP: Smart) Kent
 * 18 July 2000: Going To New York (unknown release) Joy
 * 21 September 2000: High and Lonesome (LP: The Legend The Man) Joy
 * 07 December 2000 (Radio Eins): Baby What's Wrong (LP-Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall) Vee-Jay
 * 07 December 2000: I'm Mr Luck (LP: Jimmy Reed At Carnegie Hall) Bluesway
 * 01 March 2001: Hush-Hush (LP-The Best Of Jimmy Reed) Vee Jay
 * 13 March 2001: Going To New York
 * 19 June 2001: Bright Lights, Big City
 * 25 September 2001: Take It Slow
 * 25 October 2001: Baby What's Wrong (7" single) Veejay
 * 02 January 2002: I Was So Wrong (LP– Wailin’ The Blues) America
 * 17 January 2002: Hush Hush (Veejay)
 * 13 August 2002: Hush Hush (Charly Records)
 * 30 April 2003: I'll Change My Mind' (LP - Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 06 May 2003: Let's Get Together (LP- Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 14 May 2003: Good Lover (LP- Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 16 May 2003 (BBC World Service): Let's Get Together (LP- Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 27 May 2003: Oh John (LP- Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 30 May 2003 (BBC World Service): Good Lover (LP- Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 05 June 2003 (Radio Eins): Oh John
 * 17 June 2003: Back Home At Noon (LP- Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 25 June 2003: Kansas City Baby (LP- Just Jimmy Reed) Joy
 * 02 July 2003 (Radio Mafia): Kansas City Baby (album - Just Jimmy Reed)
 * 18 September 2003: I Found My Baby (5xCD The Vee-Jay Years) Charly
 * 24 September 2003: You Upset My Mind (LP- The Vee Jay Years) Charly
 * 05 November 2003: I Don't Go For That (LP - Unknown) Charly
 * 06 November 2003: I Don't Go For That
 * 04 December 2003 (Radio Eins): You Got Me Dizzy (2xCD-The Vee-Jay Years) Vee-Jay
 * 09 December 2003: Do The Thing (LP- The Vee Jay Years) Charly
 * 12 December 2003 (BBC World Service): You Got Me Dizzy (LP- The Vee Jay Years) Charly
 * 19 December 2003 (BBC World Service): Do The Thing (LP- The Vee Jay Years) Charly
 * 16 January 2004 (BBC World Service): Baby, What's On Your Mind (LP- The Vee Jay Years) Charly
 * 07 September 2004: Baby, What You Want Me To Do? (LP - The Vee Jay Years) Charly
 * 09 September 2004: Take Out Some Insurance
 * 17 September 2004 (BBC World Service): Baby, What's On Your Mind (LP- The Vee Jay Years) Charly
 * 14 October 2004: Hush Hush (LP - The Vee Jay Years) Charly
 * 04 November 2004 (Rob Da Bank): ‘Found Love’ (LP- The Vee Jay Years) - (Charly Records)


 * Other
 * Desert Island Discs: Too Much
 * Radio Radio: Shame Shame Shame