⬇️ LIL' JIMMY REED ⬇️
(Leon Atkins)
(6CD)
BIOGRAPHY
Leon Atkins, better known as Lil’ Jimmy Reed, is the real deal, as will
be attested to by anyone who has been privileged to hear his stinging
guitar work, gritty vocals and haunting harmonica. A tall charismatic
figure, Lil’ Jimmy epitomises the classic Louisiana down-home blues
tradition. Born in the late nineteen-thirties in a shot-gun shack in
Hardwood, LA, a small cotton and sawmill town on the Mississippi River,
Leon grew up near a club where every night he absorbed the wail of the
blues from across the street.
At six he had his own guitar, made from a cigar box, and by the time he
was a teenager he was proficient on both guitar and harmonica, playing
local clubs around Baton Rouge. Filling-in one night for blues star
Jimmy Reed earned him the sobriquet Lil’ Jimmy Reed and started him on
the long path to success.
After years of playing small clubs and taverns, Lil’ Jimmy took time
out to serve his country in the military. Since his return to civilian
life his career has blossomed. He has shared the stage with B. B. King
and Bobby “ Blue” Bland and head-lined festivals in the UK, Ireland,
Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland. In recent
years, he’s added Italy, Spain, Israel and Russia to his tally. His
many fans recognise that Lil’ Jimmy’s performances are almost the last
chance to hear the raw, unadulterated sound of authentic Louisiana
blues.
In the sixties, the blues came to Britain and inspired a generation
of teenagers who in turn took the music to international success.
Prominent amongst these young men was the critically-acclaimed pianist
Bob Hall, whose distinctive blues and boogie style on hundreds of
recordings has influenced a host of others. Bob and his wife, the
dynamic singer and rock-steady bassist Hilary Blythe, have joined
forces with Lil’ Jimmy to form The Lil’ Jimmy Reed Band. Over the past
five years this tight little outfit has given a series of
show-stopping performances all over Europe.
NEW!
2025.03.21-Live at Patronaat, Haarlem, Netherlands @320