Big Boss Man: The Life and Music of Bluesman Jimmy Reed

Credit goes to Will Romano for doing the research and interviews, and writing this book. It's the best place I know of to find out what was going on in Jimmy Reed's life while he was making those beautiful, timeless recordings, and what was happening in the sessions, things like that.Sometimes, as on p. 42, I’d question his judgment (maybe just a word choice), calling the double entendres in John Brim’s “Ice Cream Man” “outrageous” (unless I've missed something, they’re mild). But almost all of my criticisms would be directed at the publisher, editor and proofreader (if there was one). There were far too many avoidable errors.For one complicated example, on p. 52, discussing the harmony of “You Don’t Have to Go,” he calls the IV chord a Bmaj7 (I don’t hear a major chord in the tune at all, but I admit to sometimes being fooled by sounds), while he calls the V a C7 (but says it’s played at the 4th fret, that would likely make it a C#). The IV and V chords are a step apart, not a half step (if they weren't, but they are, this should have been commented on). It sounds to me like the tune is in F natural. At any rate, an editor with an understanding of music should have straightened this out.There are several other mistakes of varying seriousness, including one of my pet peeves, a misspelled name; Buddy Holly is spelled “uddy Holly.”Overall, it’s an enjoyable and worthwhile read. After putting his time and energy into it, Will Romano should have been protected by his publisher and editor from the kind of criticisms I’m making.

Jimmy Reed has a lot in common with other Blues greats like BB King, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. After all, they were all farm hands who had a talent for music and were, unbeknownst to themselves destined the shape and form of blues music. Reed had a unique offering to the music world, in that all his songs featured the same Eddie Taylor shuffle and it was Jimmy's voice, lyrics and harp playing that set songs apart. The stories behind individual songs are amazing, as they were in the biographies of other greats like Wolf and Keith Richards. Jimmy's simple playing left him rather unknown after his death while the younger generation was singing songs of praise for the more famous BB King, Wolf and Waters. However, I was led to Reed's direction by Keith Richards, who in his autobiography alludes to Reed as a major influence and a wizard of simplicity. Like many artists, Reed was also exploited by those around him including recording contracts which effectively deprived him of most recurrent earnings. His wife's role in his career is truly unique among musicians as she was there in the recording booth to help him remember the lyrics (something you can hear on a number of songs). She also wrote a few of the songs and took care of him in testing times like his epileptic fits which would eventually consume him. Reed was surrounded by coworkers who saw him through his grave alcoholism and epilepsy. These included Al Smith, Eddie Taylor and of course Mama Reed among others. Reed was featured in the top charts more than any other blues great as his songs appealed to a wider audience despite being based on the same shuffle. Reed was obviously a simple man, prone to a lot of drinking and strongly dependent on his friends for everything but in the process he did not lose their affection for him. His popularity declined towards the end of his career amid changing labels, rock and roll revolution and rifts within the band as Eddie Taylor (apparently THE sound of the band) decided to tread his own path. Jimmy left the world just as he was making a come back with an album and tours; his financial plight was also not very strong at the time however subsequent legal quagmires would lead to beneficial settlement for the Reed estate. I am very grateful for Keith Richards for leading me to Reed's direction and this book is truly a gem about an under-appreciated blues great.

This is one of the best Bio's I have read. The Big Boss Man writes about all the deatils of the career Of Jimmy reed and his down fall. Read the book and you will love Jimmy Reed forever.

I saw Jimmy twice: at the old Fillmore Auditorium, and later at the Savoy Tivoli in San Francisco. Jimmy died during a second run at the Tivoli. I was there the night he was missing in action, and it turned out he had died sometime after playing the night before. I'm grateful I got to see him. I'm grateful for this book, too.

the best about the best - he wrote, arranged, played harmonica & guitar and sang them!

Jimmy Reed - An American Poet in song - his music stired 50's Teens to their core. Jimmy Reed parties, kids on the floor with their record players, intrepeting his poetry. This book gives us a view into the heart and soul of Jimmy Reed and his music. Little Rain Fallin' Little clock keep a makin' time! Tell it Jimmy! A great book!John Lee Williamson, The Atomic Roots Orchestra

This is a book just for hardcore Jimmy Reed fans! If you can't sing along on every Jimmy Reed song ever recorded don't bother!But if you are a Jimmy Reed fan, you need this book.

Well written book, full of detailed life stores and insight into a unique blues musician who rose to world recognation from humble roots

Jimmy Reed matched John Lee Hooker as the most successful post war delta bluesman,despite not living long enough to attract an autumnal accolade of white celebguesting album projects.He didn't invent the 12 bar blues pattern yet that was thegeneric essence of his whole musical output.This book explains the JR 'sound' andoffers clues to it's enduring subliminal and universal appeal.Reed worked out ofChicago in it's 50's blues heyday,and from this and previously published bios of stars like Wolf,Waters and Walter we now have a much fuller picture of the background players and hustlers.Romano manages to flesh out a central charactersome thirty years after his passing,posting a fitting tribute to Reed's achievementsin the face of adverse circumstance.It's a blues life,but this author manages toblend in the concurrent presence of family and friends that acknowledges humanfrailty but also the ultimate prevailing of positives such as devotion, loyalty, forgiveness,determination.Jimmy drank too much,but that's not the story.

Excellent. Everything you need to know about the phenomenon that is Jimmy Reed.Buy the albums and you'll feel nothing better.