Hip Linkchain
Encyclopedia
Hip Linkchain was an American
Chicago blues
guitarist, singer and songwriter.
His best known numbers were "Change My Blues" and "That Will Never Do". Allmusic described him as a "solid, no-frills bluesman". Another music journalist
noted, "his composer's talents put him much above the average bluesmen". Linkchain variously worked with Lester Davenport
, Pinetop Perkins
, Tyrone Davis
, and Little Walter
.
, United States
. His stage name
was in deference to his father's nickname of 'Linkchain', due to his habit of sporting logging chains around his neck, and the boy's own childhood nickname of 'Hipstick'. He was inspired by the blues playing of Sonny Boy Williamson II
, Elmore James
and Little Milton
, all of whom Linkchain heard in the Mississippi delta
, prior to him relocating to Chicago
, Illinois
, in 1954. He had been raised in Louise, Mississippi
, and picked cotton before his move north. Linkchain found regular employment playing blues guitar in the clubs
of Chicago throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and he variously worked with the harmonica players, Lester Davenport
, Dusty Brown, and Willie Foster.
By 1959, Linkchain had formed his own band known as the Chicago Twisters, who had Tyrone Davis
as their frontman. Linkchain recorded spasmodically, mainly for small independent record label
s based in Chicago, and a handful of his singles
were released in the 1960s. It was not until 1983 that Linkchain saw his debut album
issued, when the small Teardrop Records outfit released Change My Blues. The recording saw Linkchain play alongside Pinetop Perkins
(piano), Rich Kirch (guitar), Right Hand Frank Bandy (bass) and Fred Grady (drums).
His best known album, Airbusters, was originally released by the Netherlands
based Black Magic record label in 1988. It was re-issued on the Evidence label, but Linkchain was to experience only a short period of fame, before his death from cancer
in Chicago in February 1989.
† Jimmy and Hip Live! was a live album
, originally recorded with Jimmy Dawkins
in Champaign, Illinois
, in 1982
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Chicago blues
Chicago blues
The Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
guitarist, singer and songwriter.
His best known numbers were "Change My Blues" and "That Will Never Do". Allmusic described him as a "solid, no-frills bluesman". Another music journalist
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
noted, "his composer's talents put him much above the average bluesmen". Linkchain variously worked with Lester Davenport
Lester Davenport
Lester "Mad Dog" Davenport , was an American Chicago blues harmonica player and singer.Born in Tchula, Mississippi, United States, Davenport moved from Mississippi to Chicago, Illinois, when he was 14...
, Pinetop Perkins
Pinetop Perkins
Joseph William Perkins , known by the stage name Pinetop Perkins, was an American blues musician, specializing in piano music...
, Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis , born Tyrone Fettson, was a leading American soul singer with a distinctive style, recording a long list of hit records over a period of more than 20 years. He had three no...
, and Little Walter
Little Walter
Little Walter, born Marion Walter Jacobs , was an American blues harmonica player, whose revolutionary approach to his instrument has earned him comparisons to Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix, for innovation and impact on succeeding generations...
.
Life and career
He was born Willie Richard in Jackson, MississippiJackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
was in deference to his father's nickname of 'Linkchain', due to his habit of sporting logging chains around his neck, and the boy's own childhood nickname of 'Hipstick'. He was inspired by the blues playing of Sonny Boy Williamson II
Sonny Boy Williamson II
Willie "Sonny Boy" Williamson was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from Mississippi. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative songwriting skills...
, Elmore James
Elmore James
Elmore James was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader. He was known as "the King of the Slide Guitar" and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.-Biography:James was born Elmore Brooks in the old Richland community in...
and Little Milton
Little Milton
James Milton Campbell, Jr. , better known as Little Milton, was an American electric blues, rhythm and blues, and soul singer and guitarist, best known for his hit records "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "We're Gonna Make It."-Biography:Milton was born James Milton Campbell, Jr., in the Mississippi...
, all of whom Linkchain heard in the Mississippi delta
Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi that lies between the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers. The region has been called "The Most Southern Place on Earth" because of its unique racial, cultural, and economic history...
, prior to him relocating to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, in 1954. He had been raised in Louise, Mississippi
Louise, Mississippi
Louise is a town in Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 315 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Louise is located at ....
, and picked cotton before his move north. Linkchain found regular employment playing blues guitar in the clubs
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
of Chicago throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and he variously worked with the harmonica players, Lester Davenport
Lester Davenport
Lester "Mad Dog" Davenport , was an American Chicago blues harmonica player and singer.Born in Tchula, Mississippi, United States, Davenport moved from Mississippi to Chicago, Illinois, when he was 14...
, Dusty Brown, and Willie Foster.
By 1959, Linkchain had formed his own band known as the Chicago Twisters, who had Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis , born Tyrone Fettson, was a leading American soul singer with a distinctive style, recording a long list of hit records over a period of more than 20 years. He had three no...
as their frontman. Linkchain recorded spasmodically, mainly for small independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
s based in Chicago, and a handful of his singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
were released in the 1960s. It was not until 1983 that Linkchain saw his debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
issued, when the small Teardrop Records outfit released Change My Blues. The recording saw Linkchain play alongside Pinetop Perkins
Pinetop Perkins
Joseph William Perkins , known by the stage name Pinetop Perkins, was an American blues musician, specializing in piano music...
(piano), Rich Kirch (guitar), Right Hand Frank Bandy (bass) and Fred Grady (drums).
His best known album, Airbusters, was originally released by the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
based Black Magic record label in 1988. It was re-issued on the Evidence label, but Linkchain was to experience only a short period of fame, before his death from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in Chicago in February 1989.
Albums
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Change My Blues | Teardrop Records |
| 1993 | Airbusters | Evidence Records |
| 1996 | I Am on My Way | Storyville Records Storyville Records Storyville Records is a large international record label based in Copenhagen, Denmark, specializing in jazz and blues music. Besides its original material, Storyville Records has licensed and reissued many vintage jazz recordings that previously appeared on such labels as Paramount Records,... |
| 1999 | Jimmy and Hip Live! † | Rumble Records |
| 2007 | Westside Chicago Blues Guitar | P-Vine Records P-Vine Records P-Vine Records is a record label started by Blues Interactions, Inc., a firm in Tokyo, Japan established in 1975 by Yasufumi Higurashi and Akira Kochi... |
† Jimmy and Hip Live! was a live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, originally recorded with Jimmy Dawkins
Jimmy Dawkins
James Henry "Jimmy" Dawkins is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer. He is generally considered a part of the "West Side Sound" of Chicago blues.-Career:...
in Champaign, Illinois
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
, in 1982