The Amazing Secret History of Elmore James Steve Franz

The Amazing Secret History of Elmore James
Steve Franz
BlueSource Publications: St Louis

Initially published in 2002 and reprinted in 2008, Steve Franz's biography of Elmore James, one of the greats of the post World War II blues, was made available in June 2019, shortly before Franz's unexpected passing. This is a richly researched and detailed biography of the slide guitar master, but as Franz shows, James was so much more.

Franz recalls an unusually warm January day in 1987 when he was first formally introduced to Elmore James' music. He had just transferred to Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville when he heard a ceramics student blasting music. It reminded him of a song he heard on a compilation album. Franz reacted similarly to myself when I first heard Elmore a couple of decades earlier.

"I found the music invigorating and mesmerizing, all at the same time. Just then there was a lull in our conversation, as the opening notes of "Standing at the Crossroads" broke out over the speakers. I was completely transfixed. I had heard music that rocked my soul before, but never anything quite like this. My whole being was so focused on the music emanating from the tiny speakers, that all activity, time, and motion in the surrounding world seemed to slow down or fade away, while the only thing that traveled through it was Elmore James, singing this song. I remember thinking to myself at the time that 'Elmore was singing it like was the best goddamn song ever written.'"

Before launching into the biography, Franz provides an overview of how interest in Elmore among blues enthusiasts (himself included) at the same time he had passed. There is a brief description of the early research into James' career, including pioneering research by Europeans. Also, there is a brief overview of the release and reissue of his recordings before Franz details his life.

I am not going to go into great detail about the contents, but Franz takes us from Elmore's early days growing up in the Mississippi farmlands, his learning to play music, and more. There is a description of his playing with Robert Johnson and Sonny Williamson II. Those that knew Elmore, including Homesick James, Floyd Jones, Sunnyland Slim, Houston Stackhouse, and David 'Honeyboy' Edwards, provide their recollections as Elmore became a juke joint musician. Later after serving in the Navy during the Second World War, Elmore worked in a radio shop where "he began to work out the ideas for an acoustic guitar amplification system that would guarantee a unique sound."

 

The original recording of "Dust My Broom"

Elmore and Sonny Boy Williamson II began a fruitful performing relationship, which also led to some of Elmore's earliest recordings on Trumpet Records with Sonny Boy and Willie Love. This led to Elmore recording "Dust My Broom." Franz demolishes the myth that Elmore was tricked into recording the song. He also details how Joe Bihari recorded Elmore while James was under contract to Trumpet, and various legal proceedings that led Bihari to have to sit on the recordings for a period.

There is much devoted to his performing career as well as subsequent recordings. These included discussion of the various specific songs he waxed and sideman sessions he was on with Big Joe Turner for Atlantic and Junior Wells for the States label. The analysis of these sessions also provided considerable space devoted to The Broomdusters. One of the finest post-war Chicago blues bands, it consisted of pianist Little Johnny Jones, tenor saxophonist J.T. Brown, bassist Ransom Knowling, and drummer Odie Payne.

Franz chronicles Elmore's time playing in various Chicago clubs and the problems he had with the union in great detail. The various union issues that prevented him from playing or recording in Chicago, so he relocated back down south, are discussed. Also, the circumstances that led him to record for Bobby Robinson are given. The personnel of the various sessions are listed, including the shifting changes in the personnel of The Broomdusters.

There also are brief snippets of those who saw Elmore live, including James Meredith's relatively well-known recollections. The late George Adins recalled, "Elmore James will always remain the most exciting and dramatic blues singer and guitarist that I've ever had a chance to see perform in the flesh."

In addition to Adins, Jacques Demetre and Marcel Chauvard saw Elmore at a Chicago Lounge. "All was ready for the grand ritual of pure blues. What do I say? What words can I use to describe this? How to put the music on this paper—bluesy, one-hundred percent.... From the public's side, exclusively black except for the two of us, it was a party. A great festival... Elmore James was, at the instant, a shaman, and had a precise role—to exorcise their misery and to make them forget their troubles. It was during this time, while he was singing and playing that exclamations of encouragement came from the public without stop. "Yes, you is right, man!", "Talk to me!" and others "That's the truth!", forming like a choir, sustaining... his presentation... ."

"The band sounded rather wild," Demetre and Chauvard noted, "but their music was very beautiful. Elmore sang just like a preacher, using many gospel effects. He accompanied himself magnificently on his electric guitar, a small metal slide on the little finger of his left hand. His stunning 'Hawaiian' style reminded us of Robert Johnson and Kokomo Arnold. Next to him, Sunnyland Slim played a mean boogie-woogie accompaniment on the piano."

Elmore was about to be reinstated by the Chicago Musicians Union, record again, and play in Chicago when he suddenly passed. Franz considers Elmore's legend among his fellow musicians and fans. He then provides information on the post-Elmore James careers of Johnny Jones, J.T. Brown, and Odie Payne. Another chapter considers Elmore's musical legacy, including the various artists who adopted Elmore's "Dust my Broom" guitar lick. The artists range from Boyd Gilmore, Woodrow Adams, and Lil Son Jackson, to B.B. King and Juke Boy Bonner, L.C. 'Good Rockin' Robinson to Hop Wilson, and Ike Turner, Eddie Taylor, to Earl Hooker to mention some of those artists.

Then there is a chapter devoted to the Keepers of the Flame. It provides an overview of the careers and music of those who played in the style of Elmore. These include Joe Carter, Hound Dog Taylor, Johnny Littlejohn, J. B. Hutto, and Homesick James. These portraits of these artists are reasonably detailed. I do note that Franz missed one Keeper of the Flame. New Orleans guitarist, Deacon John Moore has shown himself in live performance, including on a live CD, more than a little familiar with James' music. One might understand how Deacon John was overlooked because he was a studio musician, and his commercial recordings did not show him as a Keeper of the Fame. But to hear him do "Standing at the Crossroads," one appreciates his love of Elmore, even if only a small portion of his repertoire.

Some appendices deal with various issues. One is devoted to the myths and folklore about Elmore. Here Franz provides considerable detail about the myth Elmore was hoodwinked into recording "Dust My Broom." There is a full discography of Elmore's recording sessions, including the personnel and the various releases a song was issued on.

This book is copiously illustrated with photos, trade magazine ads, label shots, and newspaper ads for club listings. There are over 880 footnotes,  an extensive bibliography, and other sources. This book was a labor of love and joins biographies of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, B.B. King, and others that belong in any blues lover's library. The original printed edition may be hard to find, so, fortunately, this is available as an e-book.

Also, Steve Franz, under the name Sleepy Boy Hawkins,  hosted a radio show, Blues Unlimited, which delved into various blues topics. These shows are available as downloadable podcasts on Bandcamp, https://bluesunlimited.bandcamp.com. There are four episodes devoted to Elmore James that might serve as a musical soundtrack to this book. These are episodes 321, 326, 327, and 328.

I purchased my e-book. Here is Elmore James doing "The Sky Is Crying."