James Cotton

The musical pedigree of Grammy Award winner James “Superharp” Cotton consists of a veritable who’s who of the world of Blues. Inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame in 2006, the Smithsonian Institute in 1991, and winner of countless W.C. Handy Blues Awards, he has shared the stage with B.B. King, Johnny Winter, The Allman Brothers, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Sam and Dave, The Greatful Dead among many others. As a young teenager Cotton befriended Howlin’ Wolf and joined forces with him playing Mississippi and Arkansas juke joints for two years. In 1954 when Muddy Waters needed a harmonica player, he found Cotton playing in a club in Arkansas and took him to Chicago. Cotton remained with Waters for 12 years not only playing shows but also recording with him on Chess Records. One of the highlights of that period came when Cotton arranged the ever-popular anthem for the blues, “Got My Mojo Workin’, which was played for the first time by the Muddy Waters Band at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1961. In 1966 Cotton formed his James Cotton Blues Band which continues to showcase his immense talent and keeps him one of the most sought after, hard-driving, semin... more...