Tommy Bankhead (October 24, 1931 – December 16, 2000) was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer who played with Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Elmore James (his cousin), [1] Joe Willie Wilkins, Robert Nighthawk, and Joe Hill Louis. [2] He sometimes played the bass guitar and harmonica. He released a few albums under his own name. [3] In his later years, he toured as Tommy Bankhead and the Blues Eldoradoes.
Life and career
Bankhead was born in Lake Cormorant, Mississippi on October 24, 1931. [1] He moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1949. He formed his own bands, the Landrockers then the Blues Eldorados, and performed around clubs in the city. [4] Bankhead was a fixture in St. Louis blues for over fifty years, playing with musicians such as Little Milton, Oliver Sain, Ike Turner, Henry Townsend, and Albert King. [2] He also worked as a deputy sheriff and a security guard at times. [2]
Bankhead died in St. Louis of respiratory failure due to emphysema on December 16, 2000. [2]
Discography
Albums
- 1983: Tommy Bankhead And The Blues Eldorados (Deep Morgan)
- 2000: Message To St. Louis ( Fedora)
- 2001: Please Mr. Forman (Blue Sky)
- 2002: Please Accept My Love (Fedora) [5]
References
- ^ a b Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2000". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
- ^ a b c d Linda Seida (2000-12-16). "Tommy Bankhead | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
- ^ "Tommy Bankhead profile". Bluesworld.com. 2000-12-16. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
- ^ Olson, Bruce R. (2016). That St. Louis Thing, Vol. 2: An American Story of Roots, Rhythm and Race. Lulu.com. pp. 393–394. ISBN 978-1-4834-5799-4.
- ^ "Tommy Bankhead Albums and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
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- 1931 births
- 2000 deaths
- Deaths from respiratory failure
- American blues guitarists
- American male guitarists
- St. Louis blues musicians
- Delta blues musicians
- Guitarists from Mississippi
- Musicians from St. Louis
- 20th-century American guitarists
- People from DeSoto County, Mississippi
- African-American guitarists
- Guitarists from Missouri
- 20th-century American male musicians
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- American blues musician stubs
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