Biography

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Mighty Joe Young – Blues With A Touch Of Soul
Delmark DD 629 (1998)
Compact Disc

This was Mighty Joe Young’s first LP. Fellow Delmark recording artist Jimmy Dawkins wrote the original LP notes and said “Young is one of the Midwest’s most gifted and conclusive guitarists and certainly Chicago’s best.” Mighty Joe was very active in the 60’s with his own career and as session player; he recorded with Magic Sam on the two classic Delmark albums West Side Soul and Black Magic, with Willie Dixon for Columbia and on Tyrone Davis’ million-seller “Can I Change My Mind.” Similar to Magic Sam’s albums, the music is sound of 60’s soul – Blues With A Touch Of Soul. Jimmy Dawkins’ original notes enclosed.

1) I Walked All Night 3:08
2) Somebody Loan Me A Dime (Fenton Robinson) 10:40
3) Every Man Needs A Woman 8:24
4) Why Baby 5:37
5) Things I Used To Do (Eddie Jones, aka Gtr Slim) 3:52
6) Got A Bad Case Of Loving You 6:00
7) Honky Tonk (Bill Doggett/Billy Butler) 5:23

all songs by Mighty Joe Young unless noted otherwise

Recorded September 8 and Sept 15, 1970
Stu Black, engineer
Bob Koester, producer


Sylvester Boines Bass
Jimmy Dawkins Guest Artist, Guitar, Liner Notes
Dennis Lansing Sax (Tenor)
Hezekiah Roby Drums
Jordan Sandke Trumpet
Johnny "Big Moose" Walker Organ, Piano
Mighty Joe Young Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals

Artist Biography by Bill Dahl

There was a time during the late '70s and early '80s when Mighty Joe Young was one of the leading blues guitarists on Chicago's budding North side blues circuit. The Louisiana native got his start not in the Windy City, but in Milwaukee, where he was raised. He earned a reputation as a reliable guitarist on Chicago's West side with Joe Little & his Heart Breakers during the mid-'50s, later changing his on-stage allegiance to harpist Billy Boy Arnold. Young recorded with Arnold for Prestige and Testament during the '60s and backed Jimmy Rogers for Chess in 1958.

After abortive attempts to inaugurate a solo career with Jiffy Records in Louisiana in 1955 and Chicago's Atomic-H label three years later, Young hit his stride in 1961 with the sizzling "Why Baby"/"Empty Arms" for Bobby Robinson's Fire label. Young gigged as Otis Rush's rhythm guitarist from 1960 to 1963 and cut a series of excellent Chicago blues 45s for a variety of firms: "I Want a Love," "Voo Doo Dust," and "Something's Wrong" for Webcor during the mid-'60s; "Something's Wrong" for Webcor in 1966; "Sweet Kisses" and "Henpecked" on Celtex and "Hard Times (Follow Me)" for USA (all 1967), and "Guitar Star" for Jacklyn in 1969. Young even guested on Bill "Hoss" Allen's groundbreaking 1966 syndicated R&B TV program The Beat in Dallas. Late-'60s session work included dates with Tyrone Davis and Jimmy Dawkins.

Blues with a Touch of SoulDelmark issued Young's solo album debut, Blues With a Touch of Soul, in 1971, but a pair of mid-'70s LPs for Ovation (1974's Chicken Heads and an eponymous set in 1976) showcased the guitarist's blues-soul synthesis far more effectively. Young's main local haunt during the '70s and early '80s was Wise Fools Pub, where he packed 'em in nightly (with Freddy King's brother, Benny Turner, on bass).

Mighty ManIn 1986 Joe began work on a self-financed recording that would finally allow him to have complete artistic control. At this time he also discovered surgery was needed on a pinched nerve in his neck. Following the operation, complications arose that affected his ability to play guitar. As part of psychical therapy he continued to work on the album sporadically until Mighty Man was finally released in 1997. Unfortunately health problems continued to plague Mighty Joe and he passed away on March 25, 1999 in Chicago. He was 71.