Jimmy Liggins (born James L. Elliott; October 14, 1918 – July 21, 1983)Tony Russell (1997). 185868255X, Carlton Books Limited. 185868255X
Career
The son of Harriett and Elijah Elliott, he was born in Newby,
Oklahoma, United States,
and adopted his stepfather's surname, Liggins, as a child.
He moved with his family to San Diego, California in 1932, and graduated from Hoover High School. He fought under the name of Kid Zulu as a professional
Boxing until age 18, when he began as a driver for his brother
Joe Liggins's band, the Honeydrippers.
Liggins started his own recording career as a singer, guitarist, and leader of the Drops of Joy, on Art Rupe's Specialty label in 1947.
Liggins left Specialty in 1954, recording "I Ain't Drunk" (1954), later covered by Albert Collins, at Aladdin Records, before fading from the scene. He began his own management and record company Duplex Records in 1958.
Liggins died in July 1983, at the age of 64, in Durham, North Carolina.
Discography
Singles
Specialty records
-
520 – "I Can't Stop It" // "Troubles Good-Bye" (1947)
-
521 – "Cadillac Boogie" // "Tear Drop Blues" (1948)
-
525 – "Move Out Baby" // "Rough Weather Blues" (1948)
-
319 – "Careful Love" // "Homecoming Blues" (1948)
-
322 – "Baby! I Can't Forget You" // "Lookin' For My Baby" (1949)
-
339 – "Don't Put Me Down" // "Nite Life Boogie" (1949)
-
353 – "Misery Blues" // "Mississippi Boogie" (1950)
-
362 – "Answer To Tear Drop Blues" / "That Song Is Gone" (1950)
-
374 – "Saturday Nite Boogie Woogie Man" // "Sincere Lover's Blues" (1950)
-
380 – "I Want My Baby For Christmas" / "Shuffle-Shuck" (1950)
-
397 – "Down & Out Blues" / "Lonely Nights Blues" (1951)
-
406 – "Lover's Prayer" // "The Washboard Special" (1951)
-
418 – "That's What's Knockin' Me Out" // "Goin' Down with the Sun" (1951)
-
427 – "Low Down Blues" // "Stolen Love" (1952)
-
434 – "Dark Hour Blues" // "Brown Skin Baby" (1952)
-
470 – "Drunk" // "I'll Never Let You Go" (1953)
-
484 – "Going Away" // "Come Back Home" (1954)
Aladdin records
-
3250 – "I Ain't Drunk" // "Talkin' That Talk" (1954)
-
3251 – "Boogie Woogie King" // "No More Alcohol" (1954)
Duplex records
-
9010 – "Ada from Decatur" // "Knocked Out" (1960)
-
9014 – "Good Loving Baby" // "Working Man Blues" (1960)
-
1002 – "Blues for Love" // "Last Round" (1964)
LP/CD compilations
-
Joe & Jimmy Liggins: Saturday Night Boogie Woogie Man (Sonet SNTF-5020 LP, 1976) note: one side each from Jimmy and his brother Joe Liggins; all Specialty material.
-
I Can't Stop It (Route 66 KIX-18 LP, 1981)
-
Jimmy Liggins & His Drops of Joy (Specialty SPCD-7005, 1990)
-
Rough Weather Blues: Jimmy Liggins & His Drops of Joy, Vol. 2 (Specialty SPCD-7026, 1992)
-
Jimmy Liggins Presents 'The Best of Duplex Records' (Bluebeat, 2014)
-
Knocking You Out (A Singles Collection Featuring All The Hits 1947–1959) (Jasmine Records, 2016)
External links
