Johnny Temple (musician)
Johnny Temple (October 18, 1906 – November 22, 1968)[1] was an American Chicago blues guitarist and singer, who was active in the 1930s and 1940s.[2] He was variously billed as Johnny Temple, Johnnie Temple and Johnnie "Geechie" Temple.
Johnny Temple | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 18, 1906 Hazlehurst, Mississippi, United States |
| Died | November 22, 1968 (aged 62) Canton, Mississippi, United States |
| Genres | Delta blues, folk blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals, piano, washboard |
Life and career
Temple was born in Canton, Mississippi, and grew up around Jackson.[3] He learned to play guitar and mandolin as a child and began playing house parties as a teenager.[4] While in Jackson he befriended Skip James.[5] He moved to Chicago in the early 1930s and started playing with Joe McCoy in clubs.[3] Temple began recording songs such as "The Evil Devil Blues" and "Lead Pencil Blues" in 1935.[6] His most popular record, "Louise Louise Blues," released by Decca Records, was a hit in 1936.[7] The Harlem Hamfats, a Chicago jazz band formed in 1936, provided backup music for Temple and other singers.[3] By 1940, Decca had released two dozen of his records.[6]
Temple continued recording with various labels through most of the 1940s. His connection with the record producer Mayo Williams provided him with recording opportunities until 1949.[3] After World War II, Temple played an important role in welcoming blues musicians who arrived from the South.[5] Though his recording career ended, he continued to perform gigs, often alongside Big Walter Horton and Billy Boy Arnold. He returned to Mississippi in the mid-1950s, where he continued to perform in clubs and juke joints in and around Jackson.[4]
Temple eventually gave up the blues to become a minister.[5] He died of cancer on November 22, 1968,[1] aged 62, in Jackson.
Discography
| Artist | Recording Date | Matrix | Song | Catalog | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1935 | C-987-A | The Evil Devil Blues | Vocalion 02987 | 1935 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1935 | C-987-B | Jacksonville Blues | Vocalion 02987 | 1935 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1935 | C-983-B | Lead Pencil Blues (It Just Won't Write) | Vocalion 03068 | 1935 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1935 | C-986-B | Big Boat Whistle | Vocalion 03068 | 1935 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1935 | C-985-B | Morning Prayer Blues | Vocalion (unissued) | — |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1935 | C-988-B | Cypress Grove Blues | Vocalion (unissued) | — |
| Johnnie Temple | 12 November 1936 | 90980-A | New Vicksburg Blues | Decca 7244 | 1936 |
| Johnnie Temple | 12 November 1936 | 90981-A | Louise Louise Blues | Decca 7244 | 1936 |
| Johnnie Temple | 12 November 1936 | 90981-B | Big Leg Woman[8] | Decca 7244 | 1936 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1937 | 91249-A | Peepin' Through the Keyhole | Decca 7316 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1937 | 91251-A | East St. Louis Blues | Decca 7316 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1937 | 91247-A | So Lonely and Blue | Decca 7337 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1937 | 91248-A | New Louise Louise Blues | Decca 7337 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple and the Harlem Hamfats | 6 October 1937 | 62653-A | Gimme Some of That Yum Yum Yum | Decca 7385 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple and the Harlem Hamfats | 6 October 1937 | 62654-A | Hoodoo Woman | Decca 7385 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple and the Harlem Hamfats | 6 October 1937 | 62655-A | Mama's Bad Luck Child | Decca 7416 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple and the Harlem Hamfats | 14 May 1937 | 91246-A | Snapping Cat | Decca 7416 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple | 14 May 1937 | 91250-A | Pimple Blues | Decca 7444 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple | 6 October 1937 | 62656-A | Mean Baby Blues | Decca 7444 | 1937 |
| Johnnie Temple | 28 October 1937 | C-2046-2 | Beale Street Sheik | Vocalion (unissued) | — |
| Johnnie Temple | 28 October 1937 | C-2049-2 | The Hoodoo Plan | Vocalion (unissued) | — |
| Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats | 22 April 1938 | 63670-A | What Is That Smells Like Gravy | Decca 7456 | 1938 |
| Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats | 22 April 1938 | 63674-A | County Jail Blues | Decca 7456 | 1938 |
| Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats | 22 April 1938 | 63671-A | Every Dog Must Have His Day | Decca 7495 | 1938 |
| Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats | 22 April 1938 | 63672-A | Fare You Well | Decca 7495 | 1938 |
| Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats | 22 April 1938 | 63673-A | Stavin' Chain | Decca 7532 | 1938 |
| Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats | 22 April 1938 | 63675-A | Gonna Ride 74 | Decca 7532 | 1938 |
| Johnny Temple | 17 October 1938 | 91520-A | Big Leg Woman | Decca 7547 | 1938 |
| Johnny Temple | 17 October 1938 | 91523-A | Between Midnight and Dawn | Decca 7547 | 1938 |
Selected discography
| Year | Title | Genre | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Essential (original recording remastered) | Chicago blues | Classic Blues | 2 CDs, 36 tracks |
References
- "Johnny Temple (2) Discography". discogs. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
- Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. pp. 175–176. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- Koda, Cub. "Johnnie "Geechie" Temple". Allmusic. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
- Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). Encyclopedia of the Blues (2nd ed.). University of Arkansas Press. p. 206. ISBN 1610751396.
- "The Secret History of Chicago Music: Johnnie Temple". Chicago Reader. January 15, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
- Santelli, Robert (2001). The Big Book of Blues. Penguin Books. page 454. ISBN 0-14-100145-3.
- Johnny Temple – Topic (November 7, 2014), Big Leg Woman, retrieved April 10, 2016