[Harp-L] James Cotton RIP

[Chris Hofstader]

As I wrote in the “Why Did You Decide To Play Harmonica” thread, Cotton gave me a harp as well and told me to learn how to play it. I keep it on a shelf in my living room and show it to the occasional blues person who pays me a visit now and then.

> On Mar 17, 2017, at 7:53 AM, info at xxxxx wrote:
> 
> Like most of us, James was a big influence me as well. I had the pleasure of
> hanging out with him in Vancouver about 1980. He was playing the Commodore
> there. I was playing with Hock Walsh (the singer from Downchild Blues Band).
> I was so broke, that I was running out of harps (wasnąt gettiną paid too
> much on that tour!). Hanging in his hotel room, I asked James if he might
> have an old F harp I could have to get me through the next gig or so. He
> said he had a Blues Harp but that a bottle of Brute aftershave had broken in
> his suitcase and all over the harp and didnąt know if would help me. I could
> smell it as he pulled it out. Yikes. I really needed that F harp! I tried
> it. It was awful, & couldnąt be played much at all, (even if you had a thing
> for the taste of aftershave). But I had a harp from the great łCotton˛ and I
> think that meant more than my need for a working F harp. He was a very down
> to earth guy & it was great to have a chance to hang out with him & the
> band. 
> 
> Roly Platt
> http://rolyplatt.com/
> Slogan: łSerious Harmonica Playing˛Š followed by łNo seriously, I play
> harmonica˛
> 
>