Who was/is Elmore James ? - CDs, Vinyl LPs, DVD and more

Elmore James

It didn't seem to much matter whether Fire Records boss Bobby Robinson booked a studio to record slide guitar master Elmore James in Chicago, New York, or New Orleans. Elmore ripped into his own Shake Your Moneymaker at Cosimo Matassa's self-named studio in the Crescent City during the summer of 1961, the Harlem-based Robinson making the trip down to oversee the session.

After supervising Elmore's '59 comeback hit The Sky Is Crying in Chicago with the guitarist's own Broomdusters in sturdy support (see Disc Five), Robinson had helmed a couple of James dates at Beltone Studios in New York with the cream of the city's blues sessioneers behind him. But Elmore was now living mostly in Jackson, Mississippi (problems with the Chicago musicians union made it all but impossible for him to secure work there), so James met Bobby in the Crescent City to record with his Jackson-based band: Johnny 'Big Moose' Walker rattled the 88s, Sammy Lee Bully stroked the electric bass, and King Mose Taylor was on drums.

The non-union session was held under sweltering conditions that don't seem to have slowed the tough little combo down any; Moneymakerrides a fluid glide that's different from the grinding thrust that his platters traditionally had. This is no Dust My Broom retread, but fresh territory for James, whose vocal is all but unintelligible in spots yet thoroughly compelling from one end to the other. Of course, his savage slide work connects as solidly as ever.

Robinson had searched long and hard to locate Elmore prior to the date that spawned The Sky Is Crying, and the producer remained faithful to him to the end. That sad day arrived unexpectedly on May 24, 1963, when James succumbed to a heart attack at his bassist 'Homesick' James Williamson's house on Chicago's near North Side. He was only 45 and had long suffered from a bad ticker. With help from local deejay Big Bill Hill, Elmore had straightened out his longstanding dispute with the union and was primed to resume performing in the Windy City when he died, as well as planning his first European tour.

The electric blues idiom has seen its share of iconic slide guitarists over the decades. For a great many enthusiasts of the genre, there can be no better example of the crashing power of cold bottleneck or metal tube incisively applied to six amplified strings than the classic lick powering Elmore's Dust My Broom.

Bill Dahl
Chicago, Illinois 

PLUG IT IN! TURN IT UP!
Electric Blues 1939–2005 – The Definitive Collection!
Volume 3: 1960–1969

Elmore James on Wikipedia 

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Got To Move (LP)
Elmore James: Got To Move (LP) Art-Nr.: LP30112718

Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

(1991/Charly) 12 tracks - Rare Charly album incl. recordings made between 1952 and 1961!
$20.31
The Fire / Enjoy Singles (9x7inch, 45rpm, Box, Ltd.)
Elmore James: The Fire / Enjoy Singles (9x7inch, 45rpm, Box,... Art-Nr.: 45PVINE40

the very last 1 available
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays

(P-Vine) Towards the end of a career cut tragically short, Elmore James recorded a string of singles between 1959 and 1963 with renowned producer Bobby Robinson under his Fire and Enjoy record labels that would eventually lend their name...
$203.65
The Sky Is Crying (LP)
Elmore James: The Sky Is Crying (LP) Art-Nr.: SPH7002

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(Sphere Sound) 12 tracks
$22.58
Make A Little Love - Catfish Blues
Elmo James: Make A Little Love - Catfish Blues Art-Nr.: 45J783

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(1953(?) Jewel Repro! Great slide guitar blues action with raw singing!
$9.62
Slide Order Of The Blues (2-CD)
Elmore James: Slide Order Of The Blues (2-CD) Art-Nr.: CDJAS3072

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(2016/Jasmine) 51 tracks. His the complete A and B sides of all published singles from the years 1952 to 1962 on Trumpet, Meteor, Flair, Checker, Modern, Chief, Vee Jay, Fire and Enjoy. Most of the recordings were made in Chicago and New...
$19.18
The Classic Early Recordings (3-CD Box)
Elmore James: The Classic Early Recordings (3-CD Box) Art-Nr.: CDABOXCD4

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What an incredible edition! His complete recorded output, from 1951 to '56. The set includes many previously unknown and unreleased takes, plus a beautifully illustrated 40-page booklet.
$24.84
Blues After Hours (CD)
Elmore James: Blues After Hours (CD) Art-Nr.: CDCHM1043

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(2005/ACE) 18 tracks (50:31) 1953-1956 with 12 page booklet. - The original LP artwork plus digital masters transferred from newly discovered master tapes make this mid-price CD the best compilation available today, presenting Elmore's...
$13.52 $16.92
The Sky Is Crying - The Ultimate Collection (3-CD)
Elmore James: The Sky Is Crying - The Ultimate Collection (3-CD) Art-Nr.: CDSBR7947

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(Sunset Blvd Records) 54 tracks, digisleeve Elmore James' last major recordings were made in the 1960s when he was signed by New York producer/label owner Bobby Robinson (Fire, Fury & Enjoy Records). In contrast to many of his...
$37.29
Shake Your Moneymaker: The 'Fire' Sessions
Elmore James: Shake Your Moneymaker: The 'Fire' Sessions Art-Nr.: CD997812

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(1959-61 'Fire') (46:49/16) Schön aufgemachtes und gut klingendes Album mit einer 'Best Of'-Zusammenstellung seiner späten Aufnahmen für das New Yorker 'Fire'-Label / good looking and well sounding 'Best Of' compilation from his great...
$12.17
Big Box Of ... (6-CD)
Elmore James: Big Box Of ... (6-CD) Art-Nr.: CDBLUE171

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(271:07/94)
$21.22
Hits & Rarities (LP, 180g Vinyl)
Elmore James: Hits & Rarities (LP, 180g Vinyl) Art-Nr.: LPSBR7954

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(Sunset Blvd Records) 14 tracks Elmore James is known as the "King of Slide Guitar". He was inspired by the local performances of Robert Johnson, whose "Dust My Broom" became James' signature song and laid the foundation for his...
$28.24
NEW
Blues After Hours (LP, 180g colored Vinyl)
Elmore James: Blues After Hours (LP, 180g colored Vinyl) Art-Nr.: LPBJ8020

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(Blues Joint) 16 tracks, 180g Virgin Vinyl Known as the "King of Slide Guitar", Elmore James was the most influential slide guitarist of the post-war era. His music is known far beyond his untimely death in 1963 at the age of 45. He was...
$28.24
The Best Of Elmore James - The Early Years
Elmore James: The Best Of Elmore James - The Early Years Art-Nr.: CDCHD583

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(1951/56 'Modern') (80:03:28) Die besten Aufnahmen aus seiner kreativsten Phase! Ein Album mit einer extremen Spieldauer. Viel Musik für's Geld / the best recordings from what is regarded as his most creative recording period. Extremely...
$11.26 $18.05
Complete Fire And Enjoy Recordings (3-CD)
Elmore James: Complete Fire And Enjoy Recordings (3-CD) Art-Nr.: CDCOL8829

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(1959-63 'Fire/Enjoy') (180:47/61) Diese Ausgabe enthält alle bekannten Einspielungen für die beiden Labels von Bobby Robinson, einschließlich einiger alternativer Versionen, abgebrochenen Versuchen und Studiogesprächen / this edition...
$39.55
King Of The Slide Guitar (3-CD Box)
Elmore James: King Of The Slide Guitar (3-CD Box) Art-Nr.: CDSNAJ722

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(1951-63) (186:20/64) The complete Trumpet, Chief & Fire Sessions.
$18.05 $31.12
The Blues In My Heart The Rhythm In My Soul
Elmore James: The Blues In My Heart The Rhythm In My Soul Art-Nr.: LPUN7716

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​(2013/UNITEDSUPERIOR) 10 tracks, reissue (originally released in 1969)
$19.18
Blues After Hours...plus!
Elmore James & Broom Dusters: Blues After Hours...plus! Art-Nr.: CD263482

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(2014/Hoodoo Records) 10 tracks + 12 Bonustracks
$11.26
Blues Master Works (180g Vinyl, 2- LP, 1 CD)
Elmore James: Blues Master Works (180g Vinyl, 2- LP, 1 CD) Art-Nr.: LPDB004

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(2013/Delta Blues) 25 tracks.
$37.29
Dust My Broom - The Best Of Elmore James, Vol.2 (CD)
Elmore James: Dust My Broom - The Best Of Elmore James, Vol.2... Art-Nr.: CDREL7040

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(1992/Relic) 22 tracks
$28.24
Rollin' & Tumblin' (CD)
Elmore James: Rollin' & Tumblin' (CD) Art-Nr.: CD702620

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(Relic Record Productions) 22 tracks
$45.21