Biography of Jimmy Reed

Lazy, loping, and insistent, Reed's music revolved around his mush-mouthed vocals and countryish harmonica solos against the driving boogie guitar of long-time partner Eddie Taylor. The formula proved to be enormously successful, as Reed crossed over to the pop charts on many occasions, a rare feat for an unreconstructed bluesman. Songs like "Baby, What You Want Me to Do," "Bright Lights, Big City," "Going to New York," and "Big Boss Man" have become such an integral part of the standard blues repertoire, it's almost as if they had existed forever. Because Reed's style was simple and easily imitated, his songs were accessible to everyone from high school garage bands to Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones, making him, in the long run, perhaps the most influential bluesman of all. ~ Cub Koda