Early life, family and education

Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father worked as a railroad worker and sang in local choirs, while his mother played the piano. Witherspoon's grandson, Ahkello Witherspoon, is a cornerback for the Los Angeles Rams. Witherspoon worked as a member of the Merchant Marines until the year 1944.

Career

Jimmy Witherspoon first gained attention when he sang in Calcutta, India, with Teddy Weatherford's band. This group regularly broadcast music over the US Armed Forces Radio Service during World War II. In 1945, he made his first records with Jay McShann's band. He recorded his first songs under his own name in 1947. Two years later, still with McShann's band, he had his first hit song, "Ain't Nobody's Business," which became his signature tune. In 1950, he had hits with "No Rollin' Blues" and "Big Fine Girl," and another hit with "Failing by Degrees" and "New Orleans Woman." These songs were recorded with the Gene Gilbeaux Orchestra, which included Herman Washington and Don Hill, for Modern Records. The recordings were made during a live performance on May 10, 1949, at a "Just Jazz" concert in Pasadena, California, organized by Gene Norman. Another classic song written by Witherspoon is "Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough."

Jimmy Witherspoon performed at four Cavalcade of Jazz concerts in Los Angeles at Wrigley Field, which were organized by Leon Hefflin Sr. His first performance was at the fourth Cavalcade of Jazz on September 12, 1948, with Dizzy Gillespie as the main artist. Other performers included Frankie Lane, Little Miss Cornshucks, The Sweethearts of Rhythm, Joe Liggins's Honeydrippers, Joe Turner, The Blenders, and The Sensations. A program description noted that Witherspoon was "one of the most sought-after blues singers in the business. He has a strong, clear voice and diction that you would hear in the classics. Although he has been quite successful singing the blues, Witherspoon can sing ballads with a surprising sweetness." He performed again at the fifth Cavalcade of Jazz on July 10, 1949, with Lionel Hampton, The Hamptones, Buddy Banks and his Orchestra, Big Jay McNeely, and Smiley Turner. Witherspoon returned for the seventh Cavalcade of Jazz on July 8, 1951, and performed alongside Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton and his Revue, Percy Mayfield, Joe Liggins's Honeydrippers, and Roy Brown. His final appearance at the Cavalcade of Jazz was at the eighth edition on June 1, 1952. Other performers that day included Anna Mae Winburn and Her Sweethearts, Jerry Wallace, Toni Harper, Roy Brown and His Mighty Men, Louis Jordan and his Orchestra, and Josephine Baker.

Jimmy Witherspoon's style of blues, as a "blues shouter," was no longer popular in the mid-1950s. However, he regained popularity with his 1959 album Jimmy Witherspoon at the Monterey Jazz Festival, which featured Roy Eldridge, Woody Herman, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Earl Hines, and Mel Lewis. Later in his career, Witherspoon recorded with Gerry Mulligan, Leroy Vinnegar, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and T-Bone Walker.

Tours and successes

In 1961, he traveled to Europe with Buck Clayton and returned to the UK many times. He performed on a live UK recording from the mid-1960s called Spoon Sings and Swings (1966), playing with tenor sax player Dick Morrissey's quartet. In 1970, Witherspoon appeared on Brother Jack McDuff's London Blue Note recording To Seek a New Home, alongside British jazz musicians such as Dick Morrissey and Terry Smith. During the 1970s, Witherspoon recorded the album Guilty! (later released on CD as Black & White Blues) with Eric Burdon and featuring Ike White & the San Quentin Prison Band. He later toured with his own band, which included Robben Ford and Russ Ferrante. A recording from this time, Spoonful, featured Witherspoon performing with Robben Ford, Joe Sample, Cornell Dupree, Thad Jones, and Bernard Purdie. He continued performing and recording music throughout the 1990s.

Other musicians who recorded with Witherspoon include Jimmy Rowles, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Vernon Alley, Mel Lewis, Teddy Edwards, Gerald Wiggins, John Clayton, Paul Humphrey, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Jimmy Smith, Long John Baldry, Junior Mance, Ellington bassist Jimmy Woode, Kenny Clarke, Gerry Mulligan, Jim Mullen, Count Basie, Van Morrison, Dutch Swing College Band, and Gene Gilbeaux.

Acting

In the 1995 movie Georgia, Witherspoon played Trucker, a blues singer who travels and collects guns. Trucker is in a relationship with Sadie, a troubled character portrayed by Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Witherspoon also played Nate Williams in The Black Godfather (1974) and Percy in To Sleep with Anger (1990).

Discography

• 2000: Jazz Casual: Jimmy Witherspoon & Ben Webster, originally recorded in 1962 during a Jazz Casual appearance (Jazz Casual/Idem), reissued in: Jazz Casual: Jimmy Witherspoon/Jimmy Rushing [2003]
• 2003: 20th Century Jazz Masters: Mel Tormé/Jimmy Witherspoon/Carmen McRae/Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan
• 2009: Jimmy Witherspoon: Goin' Down Blues featuring Marshal Royal and John Collins