Nothing But The Blues VII

Let's put up discs number 7 and 8 of this marvelous collection. These two discs are both dedicated to Kokomo Arnold.
James 'Kokomo' Arnold was born in 1901 in Georgia. He learned to play the guitar at the age of 10 by his cousin. Although his obvious talents James remained working in a factory. As a matter of fact, he would remain holding 'daytime jobs' for the rest of his life.
In 1929 he moved to Chicago to work in the illegal distilling. Some people say that's what made Chicago big: Prohibition and Blues. And James worked in both!
He recorded his first songs in 1930 under the stage name Gitfiddle Jim, and kept recording mainly through the 30's. A lot of people don't know Kokomo's work, but it still sounds familiar to them. And no wonder.....Kokomo was a source of inspiration to people like Ellmore James and Robert Johnson.
Kokomo, as a contradiction to people lie Big Bill Broonzy, Big Joe Williams and Tampa Red, only made music as an easy way to get money. He never really got 'the hang of it'. As a matter of fact he left the music industry as a disappointed man in 1941.
During the early 60's a lot of these old Blues heroes were rediscovered by a young white audience. So was Kokomo. But, different from people like Skip James and Mississippi John Hurt, Kokomo didn't care. He was happy working at a steel factory spending his weekends fishing.

2000 - Nothing But The Blues - disc 7 - Fool Men Blues

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