Jimmy Dotson facts for kids

James Dent Dotson (born October 19, 1933 – died March 26, 2017) was an American blues musician. People sometimes called him Jimmy "Louisiana" Dotson. He was a talented singer, guitarist, and drummer. His most famous song was "I Need Your Love," which he wrote with Jerry West. Jimmy Dotson played music for over 60 years! He performed with many famous blues artists like Silas Hogan, Lightnin' Slim, Slim Harpo, Lazy Lester, Albert King, O. V. Wright, Rufus Thomas, Ivory Joe Hunter, Buddy Guy, Son Seals, and Isaac Hayes. He released three songs on different record labels between 1959 and 1963.

Jimmy Dotson's Musical Journey

Jimmy Dotson was born in Ethel, Louisiana, on October 19, 1933. He started his music career singing in local places called juke joints. When he was a teenager, he moved to New York. There, he sang pop songs in comedy shows. But his dream of being a solo singer didn't quite happen yet.

Around the mid-1950s, he moved back to Louisiana. For a short time, he played music with Lazy Lester. Silas Hogan had moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by the early 1950s. He started a band called the Rhythm Ramblers. Hogan played guitar and sang. Dotson played the drums. Isaiah Chapman played lead guitar, and Sylvester Buckley played harmonica. This group stayed together for almost ten years. They helped create the special "Baton Rouge blues sound." Even though Hogan led the band, Jimmy Dotson sang the main vocals on their first recordings. These songs were released under Dotson's name.

Two of his songs, "I Wanna Know" and "Looking for My Baby," came out in 1959. Another two, "Oh Baby" and "I Need Your Love," were released in 1960. These songs were put out by Zynn and Rocko Records. Both record companies were owned by J. D. "Jay" Miller. Music experts at AllMusic said these songs were "upbeat R&B." This was different from Hogan's more traditional blues style.

In the 1950s, Dotson also played drums for other musicians. These included Slim Harpo, Ivory Joe Hunter, and Lightnin' Slim. Later, Dotson moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He released another song there called "Search No More" with "Feel Alright" on the other side. This song came out on a small record company called Home of the Blues.

Life was tough for Jimmy Dotson in Memphis. He even spent some time without a home. He almost recorded songs for Sun Records, but it didn't work out. He then moved to Osceola, Arkansas. There, he found work playing drums for Albert King. While in Arkansas, Dotson became friends with Son Seals. Seals taught him how to play the guitar. Dotson later learned to play both the bass and the piano. These new skills were very helpful. He started working as a session musician. This means he played instruments for other artists' recordings. He worked with O. V. Wright, Rufus Thomas, Buddy Guy, and Isaac Hayes.

However, music didn't always provide a steady income. So, Dotson became a traveling salesman. He did this job for over 30 years!

In the early 1980s, he moved back to Baton Rouge. He continued to play music part-time. He often performed at Tabby Thomas’ Blues Box club. By the 1990s, Dotson was living in Houston, Texas. He started his own band there called Antique Funk. They became well-known in Houston's blues music scene. But in the early 2000s, health problems started to slow him down.

In August 1994, the Baton Rouge Blues Foundation honored Dotson and Lightnin' Slim at their yearly event. Dotson faced health challenges in his later years. In 2014, the Houston Blues Society held a special event to help him with medical bills.

Jimmy Dotson passed away on March 26, 2017. He was 83 years old.

Jimmy Dotson's Songs