[Harp-L] Fwd: Re: James Cotton

[Garry Hodgson <garry@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

more and better info on cotton,
forwarded with permission.

> Hi Garry & Sonny~
>  
> That's pretty much the truth.
>  
> Cotton is an old and dear friend. I worked with him as his agent in  the 70's 
> and 80's.
>  
> Yes, his mother did play harmonica. Chicken & train sounds.  And  probably 
> hymns. His father was a Baptist preacher.
>  
> Both of his parents had died by the time he was nine. It was his uncle that  
> took him to see (and meet) Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) who had a  radio 
> show on KFFA in Helena, AK at the time. Cotton played Sonny Boy's radio  
> theme song for him, note for note. Impressing Sonny Boy to no end.
>  
> From that time on the two were like father and son.
>  
> There were dozens of juke joints in the South at the time and Sonny Boy  
> played in nearly every one in Mississippi and Arkansas. Now he had an  opening 
> act!  Because Cotton was too young to go inside he would "open" for  Sonny Boy on 
> the steps of these juke joints, sometimes making more money in tips  outside 
> than Sonny Boy did at the gig inside. 
>  
> After a gig early one morning Sonny Boy split for  Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to 
> live with his estranged wife, leaving his band to  Cotton. Cotton being young 
> (much younger than the others in the band) he was  simply unable to keep the 
> group together.  
> Soon, thereafter he met and began playing with  Howlin' Wolf (who was a mean 
> harp player in his own right) 
> More at Cotton's official website: 
> _http://www.jamescottonsuperharp.com/Bio.html_ (http://www.jamescottonsuperharp.com/Bio.html)  


----
Garry Hodgson, Senior Software Geek, AT&T CSO

nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.
do something.