FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Oct. 5/o07)
For an incredible 63 years, legendary harmonica player JAMES "SUPERHARP" COTTON has toured all over the world, recorded 21 albums with some of the most famous blues players who ever lived, and been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards, winning one for the Muddy Waters album, Hard Again, in 1977.
COTTON, as he's been known since he was a child, grew up in Mississippi working the cotton fields he was nicknamed after, but spent his evenings listening to Sonny Boy Willamson's radio show. He would emulate Williamson's sounds on his own 15-cent harmonica that was given to him as a youngster. COTTON's uncle took him to meet Williamson at the radio station when he was only 9 years old, and Sonny Boy was so impressed with COTTON's playing, that he started to bring COTTON to shows with him as an opening act, letting him play outside on the steps to the crowds coming in, because he was too young to be allowed into the juke joints.
COTTON went on to busk on Beale Street in Memphis, then met Howlin' Wolf and played with him all over the south. By the age of 15, he had his own radio show in West Memphis and was discovered by Muddy Waters at a concert one night. He ended up touring in Waters' band for 12 years, then put together his own band and has never looked back.
COTTON has played with or opened for The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Santana, Steve Miller, Freddie King and B.B. King, among many others.
In Canada for only two shows, THE JAMES COTTON BAND comes to Healey's Roadhouse in Toronto before embarking on a month-long west-coast American tour. Still playing regularly, COTTON is a piece of American blues history and a living legend.
THE JAMES COTTON BAND plays Friday, October 12, 2007, at Healey's Roadhouse, 56 Blue Jays Way. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance at http://www.ticketbreak.com/ or $25 at the door.
Visit his website at http://www.jamescottonsuperharp.com/.
T request a photo or an interview, please contact:
Karen Pace
Pacemaker Productions
416-918-6525
karen@gokarenpace.com
No comments:
Post a Comment