album · January 18, 1964
Some of My Best Friends Are the Blues
Original Blues ClassicsSee this day
bluesrhythm and blues
This 1964 album finds Jimmy Witherspoon in a swinging, joyful mood, backed by the swinging big band arrangements of his fellow bluesman,++] +++ the saxophonist/arranger-- and trumpeter-- , a release that brought his signature style to a wider audience.
- Recorded in 1963, the album features Witherspoon backed by a jazz-oriented big band, a departure from some of his earlier, more intimate recordings.
- The album was released on the newly formed Original Blues Classics label, a subsidiary of Fantasy Records, which would become a major reissue label for blues and jazz.
- While not one of his most famous albums, it captured Witherspoon's enduring talent for blues shouters and his ability to adapt his style to different settings.
Jimmy Witherspoon was a blues singer from Gurdon, Arkansas, known for his boogie-woogie style and booming voice. By 1964, Witherspoon was a seasoned performer with a career spanning over two decades, having previously recorded for labels like Federal and Kent.
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