Johnny Temple
Born(1906-10-18)October 18, 1906
Hazlehurst, Mississippi, United States
DiedNovember 22, 1968(1968-11-22) (aged 62)
Canton, Mississippi, United States
GenresDelta blues, folk blues
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals, piano, washboard

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.

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

ArtistRecording DateMatrixSongCatalogRelease Date
Johnnie Temple14 May 1935C-987-AThe Evil Devil BluesVocalion 029871935
Johnnie Temple14 May 1935C-987-BJacksonville BluesVocalion 029871935
Johnnie Temple14 May 1935C-983-BLead Pencil Blues (It Just Won't Write)Vocalion 030681935
Johnnie Temple14 May 1935C-986-BBig Boat WhistleVocalion 030681935
Johnnie Temple14 May 1935C-985-BMorning Prayer BluesVocalion (unissued)—
Johnnie Temple14 May 1935C-988-BCypress Grove BluesVocalion (unissued)—
Johnnie Temple12 November 193690980-ANew Vicksburg BluesDecca 72441936
Johnnie Temple12 November 193690981-ALouise Louise BluesDecca 72441936
Johnnie Temple12 November 193690981-BBig Leg Woman[8]Decca 72441936
Johnnie Temple14 May 193791249-APeepin' Through the KeyholeDecca 73161937
Johnnie Temple14 May 193791251-AEast St. Louis BluesDecca 73161937
Johnnie Temple14 May 193791247-ASo Lonely and BlueDecca 73371937
Johnnie Temple14 May 193791248-ANew Louise Louise BluesDecca 73371937
Johnnie Temple and the Harlem Hamfats6 October 193762653-AGimme Some of That Yum Yum YumDecca 73851937
Johnnie Temple and the Harlem Hamfats6 October 193762654-AHoodoo WomanDecca 73851937
Johnnie Temple and the Harlem Hamfats6 October 193762655-AMama's Bad Luck ChildDecca 74161937
Johnnie Temple and the Harlem Hamfats14 May 193791246-ASnapping CatDecca 74161937
Johnnie Temple14 May 193791250-APimple BluesDecca 74441937
Johnnie Temple6 October 193762656-AMean Baby BluesDecca 74441937
Johnnie Temple28 October 1937C-2046-2Beale Street SheikVocalion (unissued)—
Johnnie Temple28 October 1937C-2049-2The Hoodoo PlanVocalion (unissued)—
Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats22 April 193863670-AWhat Is That Smells Like GravyDecca 74561938
Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats22 April 193863674-ACounty Jail BluesDecca 74561938
Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats22 April 193863671-AEvery Dog Must Have His DayDecca 74951938
Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats22 April 193863672-AFare You WellDecca 74951938
Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats22 April 193863673-AStavin' ChainDecca 75321938
Johnny Temple with the Harlem Hamfats22 April 193863675-AGonna Ride 74Decca 75321938
Johnny Temple17 October 193891520-ABig Leg WomanDecca 75471938
Johnny Temple17 October 193891523-ABetween Midnight and DawnDecca 75471938

Selected discography

Year Title Genre Label Notes
2003 The Essential (original recording remastered) Chicago blues Classic Blues 2 CDs, 36 tracks

References

  1. 1 2 "Johnny Temple (2) Discography". discogs. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. pp. 175–176. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  4. 1 2 Koda, Cub. "Johnnie "Geechie" Temple". Allmusic. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). Encyclopedia of the Blues (2nd ed.). University of Arkansas Press. p. 206. ISBN 1610751396.
  6. 1 2 "The Secret History of Chicago Music: Johnnie Temple". Chicago Reader. January 15, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  7. ↑ Santelli, Robert (2001). The Big Book of Blues. Penguin Books. page 454. ISBN 0-14-100145-3.
  8. ↑ Johnny Temple – Topic (November 7, 2014), Big Leg Woman, retrieved April 10, 2016
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