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Kansas City Red
Kansas
City Red was a blues drummer who recorded little but toured and
performed in Chicago clubs with dozens of noted blues artists, among
them Robert Nighthawk, Earl Hooker, Elmore James, Big Walter Horton,
Blind John David and Jimmy Reed. Red became a musician when still
living in Drew, Mississippi, his hometown, after he filled in for
Nighthaw's errant drummer in 1944. Red continued playing drums for
Nighthawk until 1946, when he began performing in Delta jukes, often
with blues guitarist/singer David "Honeyboy" Edwards. Red eventually
teamed up with guitarist Earl Hooker; however the association landed
the two musicians and bass player Ernest Lane in prison in 1950 after
they were arrested for allegedly stealing audio equipment from a club
they had played in Cairo, Illinois.
Upon his release from prison Red
relocated to Chicago, where he remained for the rest of his life. He
was a regular performer in Chicago blues clubs, backing a variety of
artists. Red made his recording debut in 1975 when tracks of his
appeared on two Barrelhouse recordings, Bring Me Another Half Pint
and Easy Baby and the
House Rockers. In 1979 he recorded the album Old Friends
with Big Walter Horton, Floyd Jones, Sunnyland Slim and Honeyboy
Edwards for the Earwig Music label. Kansas City Red died on May 7, 1991
in Chicago, IL.
-Written
by Robert Santelli
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