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Fat Luther Slim Pickin': The Life and Music of a Blues Legend

Jace Mitchell

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Published in Fat Luther Slim Pickin S: A Black Catholic Celebration Of Faith Tradition And Diversity

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Fat Luther Slim Pickin' Playing Guitar Fat Luther Slim Pickin S: A Black Catholic Celebration Of Faith Tradition And Diversity

Fat Luther Slim Pickin' was one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. His unique style of playing, which combined elements of blues, jazz, and rock, helped to shape the sound of modern blues music. Pickin' was also a gifted songwriter, and his songs have been recorded by countless artists, including B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and the Rolling Stones.

Pickin' was born in Mississippi in 1932. He grew up in a musical family, and he began playing guitar at an early age. By the time he was a teenager, Pickin' was playing professionally, and he quickly developed a reputation as one of the best blues guitarists in the country.

Fat Luther, Slim Pickin's: A Black Catholic Celebration of Faith, Tradition, and Diversity

by Marcia Lane-McGee

5 out of 5

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In the early 1950s, Pickin' moved to Chicago, where he became a regular performer at the city's many blues clubs. He also began to record, and his first album, "Fat Luther Slim Pickin'," was released in 1958. The album was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish Pickin' as a major star.

Over the next two decades, Pickin' continued to record and perform. He also toured extensively, both in the United States and abroad. In the 1970s, Pickin' began to struggle with addiction, and his career began to decline. He died in 1978 at the age of 46.

Despite his short life, Pickin' left a lasting legacy on blues music. His unique style of playing and his gifted songwriting continue to influence blues musicians today. Pickin' is considered one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time, and his music continues to be enjoyed by fans around the world.

Pickin's early life and influences

Pickin' was born Luther Johnson in 1932 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. His father was a farmer and his mother was a sharecropper. Pickin' began playing guitar at an early age, and he was influenced by a variety of blues musicians, including Muddy Waters and Elmore James.

Pickin's early influences included Muddy Waters, Elmore James, and B.B. King. He also listened to jazz and rock music, and his unique style of playing combined elements of all of these genres.

Pickin's career

Pickin's career began in the early 1950s, when he moved to Chicago and began playing at the city's many blues clubs. He quickly developed a reputation as one of the best blues guitarists in the country, and he soon began to record.

Pickin's first album, "Fat Luther Slim Pickin'," was released in 1958. The album was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish Pickin' as a major star. Over the next two decades, Pickin' continued to record and perform. He also toured extensively, both in the United States and abroad.

In the 1970s, Pickin' began to struggle with addiction, and his career began to decline. He died in 1978 at the age of 46.

Pickin's legacy

Pickin's legacy is also preserved in the many recordings he made. His albums are considered to be essential listening for any fan of blues music. Pickin's music is also a valuable historical document, as it provides a glimpse into the world of blues music in the 1950s and 1960s.

Fat Luther Slim Pickin' was one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. His unique style of playing, his gifted songwriting, and his tragic life story have all contributed to his legacy as a blues legend. Pickin's music continues to be enjoyed by fans around the world, and his influence on blues music can still be heard today.

Fat Luther, Slim Pickin's: A Black Catholic Celebration of Faith, Tradition, and Diversity

by Marcia Lane-McGee

5 out of 5