[Harp-L] James Cotton RIP

[philharpn@xxxxx]

I saw Muddy and James Cotton at the Royal Oak Music Theater (a movie theater converted into a concert venue) back in probably 1982. The place was packed. I can't remember anything they played but I was impressed. 

When Muddy Waters recorded his 1957 cover of Ann Coles' 1956 version Preston Foster's "Got My Mojo Working," it was one of the first sessions with James Cotton. Muddy falsely claimed he wrote.  Ann Cole opened for Muddy (with Muddy's band backing her up) during a tour of the South shortly after she recorded the tune. Muddy recorded the tune when he got back to Chicago and told Leonard Chess that he had written it. It was released the same week as Muddy's version. Arc Music Group, the holder of Muddy's copyright settled out of court Dare Music Inc. 

Cotton was probably on the Muddy tour because he played with the band before he recorded with the band. (Muddy usually got Little Walter to record,)

But the important thing is that James did record Mojo.





-----Original Message-----
From: philharpn--- via Harp-L <harp-l at xxxxx>
To: harp-l <harp-l at xxxxx>
Sent: Fri, Mar 17, 2017 12:25 am
Subject: [Harp-L] James Cotton RIP

James Cotton, Blues Harmonica Legend, Dies at 81

<https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/16/arts/music/james-cotton-dead-blues-harmonica-great.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=2&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F03%2F16%2Farts%2Fmusic%2Fjames-cotton-dead-blues-harmonica-great.html&eventName=Watching-article-click&_r=0>