The Amazing Jimmi Mayes: Sideman to the Stars

209 Pages·2013·3.07 MB·English

by  Jimmi Mayes

The AmAzing Jimmi mAyes
AmericAn mAde music series
Advisory Board
David Evans, General Editor
Barry Jean Ancelet
Edward A. Berlin
Joyce J. Bolden
Rob Bowman
Susan C. Cook
Curtis Ellison
William Ferris
John Edward Hasse
Kip Lornell
Bill Malone
Eddie S. Meadows
Manuel H. Peña
Wayne D. Shirley
Robert Walser
Jimmi mayes
with V. C. speek
university Press of mississiPPi ★ JAckson
www.upress.state.ms.us
Designed by Peter D. Halverson
All photographs from the author’s collection.
The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the Association of American
University Presses.
Copyright © 2014 by University Press of Mississippi
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
First printing 2014
∞
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mayes, Jimmi, 1942– author.
The amazing Jimmi Mayes : sideman to the stars / Jimmi Mayes with V.C. Speek.
pages cm. — (American made music series)
Includes discographies.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-61703-916-4 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-61703-917-1 (ebook)
1. Mayes, Jimmi, 1942– 2. Blues musicians—United States—Biography.
3. Drummers (Musicians)—United States—Biography. I. Speek, Vickie Cleverley,
1953– author. II. Title.
ML419.M344A3 2014
786.9’1643092—dc23
[B] 2013017315
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
never give Up!
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ConTenTs
Acknowledgments [ix]
Chapter 1: That Blues Shuffle, 1942–60 [ 3 ]
Chapter 2: Little Walter, 1961–62 [ 15 ]
Chapter 3: Tommy Hunt, 1962–63 [ 26 ]
Chapter 4: Joey Dee and the Starliters, 1964–65 [ 43 ]
Chapter 5: Martha and the Vandellas, 1964–65 [ 58 ]
Chapter 6: Jimi Hendrix, September 1965–December 1965 [ 70 ]
Chapter 7: My Friend, 1966–70 [ 88 ]
Chapter 8: The Kousins, Shirelles, and Blood Brothers, 1966–69 [ 102 ]
Chapter 9: Mill Street Depo, 1969—72 [ 116 ]
Chapter 10: Sweet Home Chicago, 1972–2001 [ 131 ]
Chapter 11: Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, 1997–2011 [ 147 ]
Chapter 12: Back Where I Belong, 2011–2012 [ 158 ]
Jimmi Mayes Discography [ 167 ]
Selected Discography [ 168 ]
Index [ 176 ]
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ACknowledgmenTs
there comes A time in every gig when you introduce the bAnd.
This is that time. There are so many beautiful cats who have helped me
along the way—people in the front and those in the back.
First of all, there’s Tommy Hunt. This book couldn’t even be written
without you, Tommy. You were the one who took me to New York City
and launched my career. Thank you for making me your brother and let-
ting me drive your awesome Riviera.
Joey Dee, you are my brother. You are the man I’ve looked up to over
the years as I’ve started my own bands. I’ve always tried to live by your
motto: “Be a gentleman and be on time.” Someday, I hope to be as fine a
man as you are.
What can I say about Martha Reeves, who took me into the heart of her
own family and who has remained a true friend for so many years? I love
you, Martha, and I always will.
I want to give a big shout-out to another person at the front—my buddy
Lonnie Youngblood. The two of us are survivors. We did some stuff we
aren’t proud of, but we are still here and that says a lot. Hey, Lonnie, think
back to all the good times we had playing behind James Brown.
Another thank you goes to Wolf Records, for believing in me and re-
leasing my CD, and to my producer, Andre Williams, who arranged for me
to play behind Bobby “Blue” Bland. I am so grateful.
Behind every band, there’s a good support team, and I’ve had a great
one. To my crew in Jackson, Mississippi—Jimmy “Pepper” Eastland (the
cat who tried to kill me when we were kids), Al Brown, Sam Pickett, and
Al Taylor—thanks for sticking with me all these years.
To my parents, Carrie and Isaiah Mayes, and my stepfather, Jeff Ivie—
thanks for giving me the opportunity to play music and for supporting me
when the times were tough. To my brother, Chet, my sisters, my children,
and my grandchildren—you are awesome! Just beautiful! So are you, Phyl-
lis. Thank you so much for acting as my secretary.
I would like to say a very special thanks to two people who brought
me back to the blues. Dr. Dan Ivankovich repaired my hip when the other
ix