Memphis Slim

John Len Chatman (September 3, 1915 – February 24, 1988), known professionally as Memphis Slim, was an American blues pianist, singer, and composer. He led a series of bands that, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues, included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano. A song he first cut in 1947, "Every Day I Have the Blues", has become a blues standard, recorded by many other artists. He made over 500 recordings. He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 3, 1915 (Memphis), Died February 24, 1988 (Paris)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1953

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, vocalist, composer, leader

Notes: Dixon Godrich Rye states that he was born John L. Chatman, but changed the “L.” to “Len” to conform to the requirements of a school he attended. Columbia files list him with “Len” as middle name. He often published his compositions under the name of his father, Peter Chatman, and used the name as a pseudonym in some early recordings.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BS-053590	10-in.	10/30/1940	Beer drinking woman	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and cano	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-053591	10-in.	10/30/1940	You didn't mean me no good	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and cano	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-053592	10-in.	10/30/1940	Grinder man blues	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and cano	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-053593	10-in.	10/30/1940	Empty room blues	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and cano	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-053594	10-in.	10/30/1940	Shelby County blues	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and cano	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-053595	10-in.	10/30/1940	I see my great mistake	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and cano	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-059129	10-in.	1/16/1941	Just to prove I love you	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	composer
Victor	BS-059187	10-in.	1/31/1941	She's all in my life	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	composer
Victor	BS-059497	10-in.	4/1/1941	Old Taylor	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano, bass cano, and extra male vocal	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-059498	10-in.	4/1/1941	I believe I'll settle down	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-059499	10-in.	4/1/1941	Jasper's gal	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064000	10-in.	4/1/1941	You got to help me some	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064001	10-in.	4/1/1941	Two of a kind	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064002	10-in.	4/1/1941	Whiskey store blues	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064003	10-in.	4/1/1941	Maybe I'll lend you a dime	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064004	10-in.	4/1/1941	Me, myself and I	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and bass cano	vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064477	10-in.	6/26/1941	Life is just a book	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064478	10-in.	6/26/1941	I'm not the lad	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064479	10-in.	6/26/1941	My feet jumped salty	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064480	10-in.	6/26/1941	Flying crow blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064481	10-in.	6/26/1941	Levee camp blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064482	10-in.	6/26/1941	I'm feeling low down	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064483	10-in.	6/26/1941	Brown and yellow woman blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-064484	10-in.	6/26/1941	She belongs to the devil	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070375	10-in.	11/4/1941	Let me play your vender	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070376	10-in.	11/4/1941	Broadcast blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	composer, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070377	10-in.	11/4/1941	Gonna hit the highway	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070378	10-in.	11/4/1941	I've been treated wrong	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070379	10-in.	11/4/1941	Evil blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070380	10-in.	11/4/1941	Get down brother	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070381	10-in.	11/4/1941	Lovers' Lane blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070382	10-in.	11/4/1941	You stole my love	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070434	10-in.	12/4/1941	Whiskey and gin blues	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer
Victor	BS-070435	10-in.	12/4/1941	You gonna worry too?	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer
Victor	BS-070436	10-in.	12/4/1941	This life I'm living	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer
Victor	BS-070437	10-in.	12/4/1941	Caught the old coon at last	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer
Victor	BS-070438	10-in.	12/4/1941	Don't think that you're smart	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass	vocalist, instrumentalist, piano, composer
Victor	BS-070439	10-in.	12/4/1941	Lend me your love	Memphis Slim	Male vocal solo, with piano and imitation string bass	composer, vocalist, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070458	10-in.	12/8/1941	Don't you know me	Kansas Katie	Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070459	10-in.	12/8/1941	I can't let you go	Kansas Katie	Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070460	10-in.	12/8/1941	Deep sea diver	Kansas Katie	Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-070461	10-in.	12/8/1941	He's my man	Kansas Katie	Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-074682	10-in.	7/31/1942	Don't have to sing the blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-074683	10-in.	7/31/1942	Red River Dam blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-074684	10-in.	7/31/1942	Down South woman blues	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-074685	10-in.	7/31/1942	Ain't that a shame	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-074686	10-in.	7/31/1942	I laid my cards on the table	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Victor	BS-074687	10-in.	7/31/1942	I get the blues at bedtime	Washboard Band (Washboard Sam)	Male vocal solo, with washboard band	instrumentalist, piano
Chess	U7395	10-in.	1951?	Walking alone	House Rockers ; Memphis Slim		vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader
Chess	U7396	10-in.	1951?	Rocking the pad	House Rockers ; Memphis Slim		vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader
Chess	U7512	10-in.	1953	Bright eyes	Washboard Sam		instrumentalist, piano
Chess	U7513	10-in.	1953	Diggin' my potatoes	Washboard Sam		instrumentalist, piano

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Memphis Slim," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579.

Memphis Slim. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579.

"Memphis Slim." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.