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 (Results 51-52 of 52 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role	Audio
Chess	U7512	10-in.	1953	Bright eyes	Washboard Sam		instrumentalist, piano
Chess	U7513	10-in.	1953	Diggin' my potatoes	Washboard Sam		instrumentalist, piano

(Results 51-52 of 52 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Memphis Slim," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579.

Memphis Slim. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103579.

"Memphis Slim." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.