Jimmie Gordon
Jimmie Gordon (probably 1906 – possible October 27, 1993) was an American Chicago blues pianist, singer, and songwriter. In the course of his career he accompanied Memphis Minnie, Bumble Bee Slim, and Big Bill Broonzy, amongst others. He had a hit with "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water" (1936) and was active on the Chicago blues scene for a number of years leading up to World War II. He is known to have recorded 67 tracks between 1934 and 1946. Gordon was a mainstay of Decca Records during the 1930s and early 1940s, with his recorded work utilizing a piano accompaniment (often his own), as well as guitar, or with a small band that he assembled for the work. As a songwriter, Gordon is often credited with writing "Mean Mistreater", later recorded by both Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter. AllMusic noted that "Gordon was a passable pianist who sang with all his heart in a warm and convincing voice." Details of his life outside the recording studio are sketchy and have been the subject of rumor and speculation over the years. |
Birth and Death Data: Died October 27, 1993
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1941
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, piano, guitar, composer, lyricist
Notes: Also listed on disc labels as James Gordon.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 76-82 of 82 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decca | C 9639 | 10-in. | 1/9/1935 | What's the matter with you | Joe McCoy | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | C 9641 | 10-in. | 1/10/1935 | Dirty mother for you | Memphis Minnie | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | C 9642 | 10-in. | 1/10/1935 | Sylvester and his mule blues | Memphis Minnie | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | C 9643 | 10-in. | 1/10/1935 | When you're asleep | Memphis Minnie | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | C 9644 | 10-in. | 1/10/1935 | You can't give it away | Memphis Minnie | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | C 9647 | 10-in. | 1/11/1935 | Drive me away blues | Jimmie Gordon and his Vip Vop Band | vocalist | ||
| Decca | C 9687 | 10-in. | 1/22/1935 | Graveyard blues | Jimmie Gordon | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gordon, Jimmie," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106738.
Gordon, Jimmie. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106738.
"Gordon, Jimmie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Gordon, Jimmie, 1913-1993 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n93005535
Wikidata: Jimmie Gordon - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q19286641
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/54336567
MusicBrainz: Jimmie Gordon - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/b8daba05-94b9-49a8-8ac5-f06eeece26e9
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1860598 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/1860598
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
Feedback
Send the Editors a message about this record.
