b. March 21st, 1929 in Lexington (Mississippi)
d. July 23rd, 1993 in Chicago (Illinois)
SMOKEY SMOTHERS SINGS THE BACKPORCH BLUES
King
Ace
THE COMPLETE SESSIONS
Krazy Kat
THE DRIVING BLUES OF SMOKEY SMOTHERS
Polydor
August 1960 / February 1962
Né dans le Mississippi, il apprend l'harmonica et la guitare grâce à sa tante. Il s'installe à Chicago en 1946 et joue aux côtés de Johnny Williams et Johnny Young dès le début des années 50. Puis, Otis joue derrière son cousin Lester Davenport, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Arthur "Big Boy" Spires. En 1956-57, il est un guitariste régulier pour Howlin' Wolf chez Chess. Il signe un contrat d'enregistrement avec le label Federal en 1960. Placé sous la supervision du producteur Sonny Thompson, Otis participe à deux séances en 1960 et 1962 dans lesquelles on sent une forte influence de Jimmy Reed à la demande de Syd Nathan le patron du label : blues brut, trainant, hypnotique. La séance de 1960 présente Freddie King à la guitare (auteur de la plupart des solos) derrière Otis. Otis montre néanmoins qu'il est un excellent chanteur et un bon guitariste. La seconde séance de 1962 voit Otis être accompagné de l'harmoniciste "Little" Louis Boyd. Par son feeling et son inspiration, il s'agit d'un des disques fondamentaux du Chicago Blues. De nombreuses pépites parsèment cet album magnifique : "Come on rock little girl", "You're gonna be sorry", "I ain't gonna be no monkey man no more", "I've been drinking muddy water", "Crying tears", "Blind and dumb man blues", "Midnight and day". Parmi toutes ces éditions, il faut préférer la version CD Ace qui est la plus complète. On note que la version Polydor - en dépit d'une jolie pochette - présente un son stéréo artificiel qui dénature l'enregistrement original. Entretemps en 1961, Otis a participé à une séance pour le label LaSalle qui est resté malheureusement inédite.
Born in Mississippi, he learned harmonica and guitar thanks to his aunt. He moved to Chicago in 1946 and played alongside Johnny Williams and Johnny Young in the early 1950's. Otis then played behind his cousin Lester Davenport, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Arthur "Big Boy" Spires. In 1956-57, he is a regular guitarist for Howlin' Wolf at Chess. He signed a recording contract with the Federal label in 1960. Under the supervision of producer Sonny Thompson, Otis participated in two sessions in 1960 and 1962 in which one feels a strong influence of Jimmy Reed at the request of Syd Nathan the boss of the label : raw, dragging, hypnotic Blues. The 1960 session features Freddie King on guitar (taking most of the solos) behind Otis. Otis nevertheless shows that he is an excellent singer and a good guitarist. The second session of 1962 sees Otis being accompanied by harmonicist "Little" Louis Boyd. By his feeling and his inspiration, it is one of the basic records of the Chicago Blues. Many gems dot this beautiful album : "Come on rock little girl", "You're gonna be sorry", "I'm not gonna be no monkey man no more", "I've been drinking muddy water", "Crying tears", "Blind and dumb man blues", "Midnight and day". Among all these editions, we must prefer the Ace CD version which is the most complete. We can also note that the Polydor version - despite a nice cover - has an artificial stereo sound that distorts the original recording. In the meantime, in 1961, Otis took part in a session for the LaSalle label, which unfortunately remained unissued.
CHICAGO BLUES : HAVE A GOOD TIME
Sunnyland
1968
Sur cette rare anthologie, on trouve un morceau de blues brut d'Otis "Smokey" Smothers gravé pour le label Gamma en 1968 : "I'm lookin' for you".
On this rare anthology, there is a track of raw blues by Otis "Smokey" Smothers engraved for the Gamma label in 1968 : "I'm lookin' for you".
BLUES RARITIES
Rarities
1968
On peut écouter ici un autre morceau enregistré pour le label Gamma, le puissant et excitant "I got my eyes on you".
We can listen here another side recorded for the Gamma label, the powerful and exciting "I got my eyes on you".
GOT MY EYES ON YOU
Red Beans
December 1980 / April 1984 / December 1985
Marié à Earline, il exerce de nombreuses années le métier de vendeur d'ice creams. A la fin des années 70, il intègre le groupe du batteur Steve Cushing et joue avec lui plusieurs années. Cette activité le remet en selle et il trouve l'opportunité de retrouver les studios au début des années 80. Gravé lors de trois sessions distinctes à Chicago et produit par Pete Crawford, il s'agit d'un très bon disque de Chicago Blues brut et sans fioritures dominé par la voix erraillée et trainante d'Otis. Il faut écouter "Searching for my baby", "Got my eyes on you", "Everybody's talking", "Hello little school girl". Son groupe emmené par Steve Cushing s'appelle les Ice Cream Men en référence à son métier régulier.
Married to Earline, he works many years as an ice cream vendor. In the late 70's, he joined drummer Steve Cushing's band and played with him for several years. This activity puts him back in the saddle and he has the opportunity to find studios in the early 80's. Engraved during three separate sessions in Chicago and produced by Pete Crawford, this is a very good raw Chicago Blues record with no frills dominated by Otis' hoarse and trailing voice. You have to listen to "Searching for my baby", "Got my eyes on you", "Everybody's talking", "Hello little school girl". His backing band led by Steve Cushing is called Ice Cream Men in reference to his day job.
AMERICAN LIVIN' BLUES FESTIVAL
Paris Album
EPM
May 1982
Recueil d'un concert sur le sol français où Otis "Smokey" Smothers prend un titre en leader aux côtés de son cousin harmoniciste Lester Davenport, le bon "I wanna be with you".
Collection of a concert on french soil where Otis "Smokey" Smothers takes a title as a leader alongside his cousin harmonicist Lester Davenport, the nice "I wanna be with you".
CHICAGO BLUES SESSION vol.1
Wolf
August 1984 / April 1991
Ce disque rassemble deux belles séances gravées à Chicago dans lesquelles Otis est bien mis en valeur par des musiciens inspirés (Eddie Taylor, John Primer, Willie Kent). On trouve de belles versions de "I can't judge nobody", "Sad sad day", "Do the thing", "Give me back that day". L'autre moitié du disque est consacrée à Boston Blackie.
This album brings together two beautiful sessions recorded in Chicago in which Otis is well showcased by inspired musicians (Eddie Taylor, John Primer, Willie Kent). There are nice versions of "I can't judge nobody", "Sad sad day", "Do the thing", "Give me back that day". The other half of the album is devoted to Boston Blackie.
THAT'S ALRIGHT
Paul Barry
April 1992
Grâce à l'harmoniciste Paul Barry, cette séance d'avril 1992 - donc la dernière d'Otis, 1 an avant sa mort - a pu voir la lumière du jour en 2016. Sa voix a un peu faibli mais demeure toujours expressive. Le groupe derrière Otis - The Crowns, un groupe de Minneapolis - est solide et homogène. Quelques morceaux sortent du lot comme "That's alright" et "Take a little walk with me". Otis décède d'une attaque cardiaque à son domicile du South Side de Chicago en juin 1993. Son jeune frère Abe "Little Smokey" Smothers est également un bluesman important.
Thanks to harmonicist Paul Barry, this session of april 1992 - so the last of Otis, 1 year before his death - could see the light of day in 2016. His voice has a little weakened but remains always expressive. The group behind Otis - The Crowns, a group from Minneapolis - is strong and consistent. Some songs stand out as "That's alright" and "Take a little walk with me". Otis dies of a heart attack at his home on Chicago's South Side in june 1993. His younger brother Abe "Little Smokey" Smothers is also an important bluesman.