Jimmy McCracklin | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | James David Walker Jr. |
Born | Elaine, Arkansas, U.S. | August 13, 1921
Died | December 20, 2012 San Pablo, California, U.S. | (aged 91)
Genres | West Coast blues Jump blues R&B deep soul[1] |
Occupation(s) | Pianist, singer, songwriter, composer |
Years active | 1945–2012 |
Labels | Globe Records, Swing Time, Checker Records, Imperial, Peacock, Trilon Records, Modern, Rounder, Classics Records, Bear Family, Ace, Stax, Minit; Hi Records |
James David Walker Jr. (August 13, 1921 – December 20, 2012), better known by his stage name Jimmy McCracklin, was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. His style contained West Coast blues, Jump blues, and R&B.[2] Over a career that spanned seven decades, he said he had written almost a thousand songs and had recorded hundreds of them.[3] McCracklin recorded over 30 albums, and earned four gold records. Tom Mazzolini of the San Francisco Blues Festival said of him, "He was probably the most important musician to come out of the Bay Area in the post-World War II years."[4]