Junior Kimbrough

Born near Hudsonville in Northern Mississippi in 1930, David “Junior” Kimbrough, Jr. was raised by a family of amateur musicians. Kimbrough’s father and siblings regularly performed blues and folk music throughout the area. Due to this early exposure to music, Kimbrough would quickly embrace these traditions. When his siblings were at work, he would regularly drag their guitars from the attic and begin to practice, eventually working his way to performing the songs his family would regularly play by the age of eight. He would also have experience as a gospel singer in an a cappella group during his teen years.

By the 1950’s, Kimbrough was regularly performing as both a solo act, as well as with his band, the Soul Blues Boys. He would spend the rest of his career preferring to perform with this group, though it would have a somewhat rotating cast (primarily in terms of drummers). These shakeups would also be helpful to the group, however, as Kimbrough’s music and style was always dedicated to being on the leading edge of electric blues. 

Kimbrough first came to the attention of Dr. David Evans of High Water Records in 1966, after Evans listened to a single produced under the Philwood label (they listed his name as “Junior Kimbell” though). With his mixture of traditional and contemporary blues, Evans was quick to ask another famous Mississippi blues musician, Fred McDowell, about him. To his surprise, McDowell had also taught Kimbrough guitar in his youth! Sadly, though, due to time constraints Evans was unable to follow up on his search until 1979, shortly after forming High Water. It was at this time that graduate student (and professor at Rust College) Sylvester Oliver was able to formally introduce the two. Oliver was also paramount in producing Kimbrough’s recordings for High Water.

This collaboration would create one single and one album, though Kimbrough and his band would continue to perform wherever possible. From small picnics and juke joints in the region, to a full-blown tour of Europe! The latter of these events would be after he signed with a new label, Fat Possum Records. Despite these high profile gigs, most were quite informal. Sunday evening house parties that were originally set up as a rehearsal time for the band provided the stage for blues fans throughout the area to come and hear him play. As these formalized, Kimbrough kept things at his home, noting how much simpler that was than opening and running an actual juke joint (though he would eventually open one in 1991). 

After a musical career spanning over 40 years, Kimbrough died of a heart attack following a stroke in 1998 in Holly Springs. He was 67 years old.