Jimmie Gordon facts for kids

Jimmie Gordon (born around 1906, possibly died October 27, 1993) was an American blues musician. He was a talented pianist, singer, and songwriter. Gordon was known for his Chicago blues style. He played with famous musicians like Memphis Minnie and Big Bill Broonzy. He had a popular song called "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water" in 1936. Gordon recorded many songs between 1934 and 1946. He was a key artist for Decca Records during the 1930s and early 1940s. His music often featured his own piano playing, guitar, or a small band.

As a songwriter, Jimmie Gordon is often given credit for writing "Mean Mistreater." This song was later recorded by famous artists like Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter. Music critics noted that Gordon was a good pianist. They also said he sang with a warm and convincing voice. Not much is known about his life outside of music.

Jimmie Gordon's Life and Music Career

For a while, people thought Jimmie Gordon was born in St. Louis. This idea came from a song he recorded with St. Louis-born musician Peetie Wheatstraw. However, his exact birthplace is still a mystery.

By 1934, Jimmie Gordon had signed a record deal. Most of his early songs were released by Decca Records. Gordon often had other talented musicians play with him. These groups were sometimes called the Vip Vop Band. Famous blues and jazz artists like Scrapper Blackwell and members of the Harlem Hamfats played in his bands. Gordon was good at mixing jazz and blues musicians together. This style became popular for many blues bands later on.

His most successful song was "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water," which he wrote in 1936. Gordon also wrote songs about important social issues. For example, "Don't Take Away My P.W.A." (1936) was a song about the Public Works Administration. This was a government program in the United States during the Great Depression. It helped create jobs by building roads and other public projects.

Sometimes, Gordon's record company made mistakes. When they released his song "Black Gal," some early copies had the wrong name listed. They said the song was by "Joe Bullum" instead of Jimmie Gordon. Later copies were corrected.

In 1946, Gordon released four more songs. These songs were a style called jump blues. His band for these songs was called the Bip Bop Band. This name showed how music styles were changing at the time. All of Jimmie Gordon's known recordings have been collected on special albums.

Not much is known about Jimmie Gordon's life after he stopped recording music. He has sometimes been confused with another musician named Jimmy Gordon, who was a bass singer for a group called the Four Tunes.

Jimmie Gordon's Music Albums

Jimmie Gordon's music has been released on several compilation albums. These albums bring together many of his songs.