Memphis Slim

John Len Chatman (September 3, 1915 – February 24, 1988), known professionally as Memphis Slim, was an American blues pianist, singer, and composer. He led a series of bands that, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues, included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano. A song he first cut in 1947, "Every Day I Have the Blues", has become a blues standard, recorded by many other artists. He made over 500 recordings.

He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 3, 1915 (Memphis), Died February 24, 1988 (Paris)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1953

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, vocalist, composer, leader

Notes: Dixon Godrich Rye states that he was born John L. Chatman, but changed the “L.” to “Len” to conform to the requirements of a school he attended. Columbia files list him with “Len” as middle name. He often published his compositions under the name of his father, Peter Chatman, and used the name as a pseudonym in some early recordings.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-053590 10-in. 10/30/1940 Beer drinking woman Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and cano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-053591 10-in. 10/30/1940 You didn't mean me no good Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and cano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-053592 10-in. 10/30/1940 Grinder man blues Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and cano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-053593 10-in. 10/30/1940 Empty room blues Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and cano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-053594 10-in. 10/30/1940 Shelby County blues Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and cano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-053595 10-in. 10/30/1940 I see my great mistake Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and cano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-059129 10-in. 1/16/1941 Just to prove I love you Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band composer  
Victor BS-059187 10-in. 1/31/1941 She's all in my life Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band composer  
Victor BS-059497 10-in. 4/1/1941 Old Taylor Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano, bass cano, and extra male vocal composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-059498 10-in. 4/1/1941 I believe I'll settle down Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-059499 10-in. 4/1/1941 Jasper's gal Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-064000 10-in. 4/1/1941 You got to help me some Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-064001 10-in. 4/1/1941 Two of a kind Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-064002 10-in. 4/1/1941 Whiskey store blues Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-064003 10-in. 4/1/1941 Maybe I'll lend you a dime Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-064004 10-in. 4/1/1941 Me, myself and I Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Victor BS-064477 10-in. 6/26/1941 Life is just a book Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-064478 10-in. 6/26/1941 I'm not the lad Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-064479 10-in. 6/26/1941 My feet jumped salty Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-064480 10-in. 6/26/1941 Flying crow blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-064481 10-in. 6/26/1941 Levee camp blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-064482 10-in. 6/26/1941 I'm feeling low down Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-064483 10-in. 6/26/1941 Brown and yellow woman blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-064484 10-in. 6/26/1941 She belongs to the devil Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070375 10-in. 11/4/1941 Let me play your vender Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070376 10-in. 11/4/1941 Broadcast blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070377 10-in. 11/4/1941 Gonna hit the highway Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070378 10-in. 11/4/1941 I've been treated wrong Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070379 10-in. 11/4/1941 Evil blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070380 10-in. 11/4/1941 Get down brother Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070381 10-in. 11/4/1941 Lovers' Lane blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070382 10-in. 11/4/1941 You stole my love Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070434 10-in. 12/4/1941 Whiskey and gin blues Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass instrumentalist, piano, composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-070435 10-in. 12/4/1941 You gonna worry too? Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass instrumentalist, piano, composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-070436 10-in. 12/4/1941 This life I'm living Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass instrumentalist, piano, composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-070437 10-in. 12/4/1941 Caught the old coon at last Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass instrumentalist, piano, composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-070438 10-in. 12/4/1941 Don't think that you're smart Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass instrumentalist, piano, composer, vocalist  
Victor BS-070439 10-in. 12/4/1941 Lend me your love Memphis Slim Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-070458 10-in. 12/8/1941 Don't you know me Kansas Katie Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070459 10-in. 12/8/1941 I can't let you go Kansas Katie Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070460 10-in. 12/8/1941 Deep sea diver Kansas Katie Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-070461 10-in. 12/8/1941 He's my man Kansas Katie Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-074682 10-in. 7/31/1942 Don't have to sing the blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-074683 10-in. 7/31/1942 Red River Dam blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-074684 10-in. 7/31/1942 Down South woman blues Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-074685 10-in. 7/31/1942 Ain't that a shame Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-074686 10-in. 7/31/1942 I laid my cards on the table Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-074687 10-in. 7/31/1942 I get the blues at bedtime Washboard Band (Washboard Sam) Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, piano  
Chess U7395 10-in. 1951? Walking alone House Rockers ; Memphis Slim vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Chess U7396 10-in. 1951? Rocking the pad House Rockers ; Memphis Slim vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Chess U7512 10-in. 1953 Bright eyes Washboard Sam instrumentalist, piano  
Chess U7513 10-in. 1953 Diggin' my potatoes Washboard Sam instrumentalist, piano  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Memphis Slim," accessed June 9, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579.

Memphis Slim. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved June 9, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579.

"Memphis Slim." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 June 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579

External Sources

Wikipedia: Memphis Slim

Discogs: Memphis Slim

Allmusic: Memphis Slim

Apple Music: Memphis Slim

IMDb: Memphis Slim

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Memphis Slim - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82047870

Wikidata: Memphis Slim - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1068404

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/287082717

MusicBrainz: Memphis Slim - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e4cfb284-9ab1-47f0-a725-082f84275a16

FAST: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/90171

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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