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 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, vocalist, composer

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 (Results 26-48 of 48 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
(Results 26-48 of 48 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Memphis Slim," accessed April 23, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579.

Memphis Slim. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579.

"Memphis Slim." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 23 April 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

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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