Reed, Jimmy

in full Mathis James Reed

(born Sept. 6, 1925, Dunleith, Miss., U.S.—died Aug. 29, 1976, Oakland, Calif.) American singer, harmonica player, and guitarist who was one of the most popular blues musicians of the post-World War II era.

Reed began recording with the Chicago-based label Vee Jay in 1953 and had a string of hits in the 1950s and '60s that included “Honest I Do,” “Baby, What You Want Me to Do,” “Big Boss Man,” and “Bright Lights, Big City.” They almost invariably featured the same basic, unadorned rural boogie-shuffle rhythm accompanied by his thickly drawled, “mush-mouth” vocals and high, simply phrased harmonica solos. Much of his repertoire was composed by his wife, Mary Lee (“Mama”) Reed, who occasionally sang duets with him, and his childhood friend Eddie Taylor often provided the intricate guitar work that fueled Reed's music. Despite his limitations, Reed was an energetic performer, a favourite on college and theatre tours in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and a leading influence on later rock and southern-styled blues musicians. In 1991 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.