Photo: Lioneldecoster · CC BY-SA 3.0 · credits
Tier 2 · legacy legend
Jimmy Dawkins
Person · male · United States · Tchula · born 1936 · died 2013 · recording since 1969
American blues musician (1936–2013)
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Also known as James Henry Dawkins · Jimmy 'Fast Fingers' Dawkins · ジミー・ドーキンズ
Timeline
21 events▣ Album 18◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1† Death 1
1930s
1960s
· Debut release
Debut release: Fast Fingers
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
Biography
English biography460 words · 5 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1320409407
Biography
James Henry “Jimmy” Dawkins (October 24, 1936 – April 10, 2013) was an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer. He is generally considered to have been a practitioner of the "West Side sound" of Chicago blues.
Career
Dawkins was born in Tchula, Mississippi. He moved to Chicago in 1955, where he worked in a box factory, started to play in local blues clubs, and gained a reputation as a session musician.
In 1969, thanks to the efforts of his friend Magic Sam, his first album, Fast Fingers
Fast FingersSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1It Serves Me Right to Suffer4:10A2I Wonder Why3:07A3I'm Good for Nothing5:14A4Triple Trebles2:45A5I Finally Learned a Lesson3:44B1You Got to Keep on Trying4:13B2Night Rock3:23B3Little Angel Child4:00B4I Don't Know What Love Is5:57B5Breaking Down5:32, was released by Delmark Records. It won the Grand Prix du Disque from the Hot Club de France. In 1971, Delmark released his second album, All for Business
All for BusinessSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1All for Business4:41A2Cotton Country8:10A3Moon Man4:58A4Down So Long3:59B1Welfare Blues4:27B2Having Such a Hard Time3:40B3Sweet Home Chicago7:20B4Born in Poverty7:12, with the singer Andrew Odom and the guitarist Otis Rush.
Dawkins toured in the late 1970s, backed up by James Solberg (of Luther Allison and the Nighthawks) on guitar and Jon Preizler (the Lamont Cranston Band, Luther Allison, The Drifters, and Albert King), a Seattle-based Hammond B-3 organ player. Other musicians that toured with Dawkins in the late 1970s include Jimi Schutte (drums), Sylvester Boines (bass), Rich Kirch and Billy Flynn (guitars). Dawkins toured in Europe with this group of musicians. He also toured in Japan and recorded more albums in the United States and Europe. He contributed a column to the blues magazine Living Blues.
In the 1980s he released few recordings but started his own record label, Leric Records, and was more interested in promoting other artists, including Tail Dragger Jones, Queen Sylvia Embry, Little Johnny Christian, and Nora Jean Bruso (née Wallace).
Dawkins died of undisclosed causes on April 10, 2013, aged 76.
Solo
Fast Fingers (1969), Delmark Records
All for Business (1971), Delmark Records
Jimmy Dawkins (1971)
Tribute to Orange (1971)
Transatlantic 770 (1972)
Blisterstring (1976), Delmark Records
Come Back Baby (1976), Storyville Records
Hot Wire '81 (1981), with Rich Kirch, Sylvester Boines, and Jimi Schutte, recorded in Paris
Jimmy and Hip: Live! (1982)
Feel the Blues (1985)
All Blues (1986)
Chicago on My Mind: Living the Blues (1991), recording in 1971, Vogue Records
Kant Sheck Dees Bluze (1992), Earwig Music Company
Blues and Pain (1994)
B Phur Real (1995)
Me, My Guitar & the Blues (1997)
Vol. 2: I Want to Know (1999), recorded in 1975, Storyville Records
Born in Poverty (1999), recorded in 1972 & 1974, Black & Blue Records
American Roots: Blues (2002), compilation 1994–1997
West Side Guitar Hero (2002)
Tell Me Baby (2004)
With other artists
Blues Queen Sylvia & Jimmy Dawkins: Midnight Baby (1983)
Jimmy Dawkins / Chicago Beau / Blue Ice Bragason: Blues from Iceland (1991)
Sunnyland Slim & Big Voice Odom: Chicago Blues Festival 1974 with Jimmy Dawkins (2005)
As sideman
With Luther Allison
Love Me Mama (Delmark, 1969)
With Carey Bell
Carey Bell's Blues Harp (Delmark, 1969)
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 12 | 64.8th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 25 | 88.9th |
| Studio albums | 18 | 95.8th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 21 | 94.3th |
| Recording span (years) | 36 | 75.4th |
| Genres | 3 | 80.4th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (25 release groups · 18 studio albums)
Albums · 18
1969 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 42:05
A1It Serves Me Right to Suffer4:10A2I Wonder Why3:07A3I'm Good for Nothing5:14A4Triple Trebles2:45A5I Finally Learned a Lesson3:44B1You Got to Keep on Trying4:13B2Night Rock3:23B3Little Angel Child4:00B4I Don't Know What Love Is5:57B5Breaking Down5:321972 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 40:05
A1Off Business5:54A2You've Got to Keep on Trying6:08A3Ain't Never Had Nothing3:11A4Born in Poverty4:36B1Marcelle Morgantini's Cassoulet6:00B2Your Love3:25B3Tribute to Orange4:21B4Mississippi Bound6:301972 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 39:55
A1Things I Used to Do3:07A2Make My Way in This World4:30A3Think Twice Before You Speak3:20A41011 Woodland3:44A5The Mighty Hawk4:58B1All for Business5:40B2High Cost of Living2:32B3Stoned Dead4:18B4Love and Understanding4:30B5No More Trouble3:161972 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 47:30
A1The Way She Walks4:29A2Lick for Licks4:19A3Don't Bring Me Your Troubles, Baby6:20A4I Wonder Why Do You Things You Do to Me4:04A5Let Me Have My Way4:39B1Chicago on My Mind7:50B2I've Been Walking All Night Long3:26B3Blues in the Ghetto3:15B4Out of Business5:23B5Low Down Dirty Dog3:451973 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 44:27
A1All for Business4:41A2Cotton Country8:10A3Moon Man4:58A4Down So Long3:59B1Welfare Blues4:27B2Having Such a Hard Time3:40B3Sweet Home Chicago7:20B4Born in Poverty7:121976 · studio album
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Tracklist · 7 tracks · 38:52
A1Feel So Bad7:30A2Blue Monday4:33A3Chitlins Con Carne3:46A4If You're Ready4:58B1Blues With a Feeling5:46B2Ode to Billie Joe4:32B3Welfare Line7:471981 · studio album
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Tracklist · 7 tracks · 42:50
A1You Just a Baby Child6:00A2Ruff Times5:40A3Welfare Line8:30B1Kold Actions7:25B2Roc‐Kin‐Sole5:10B3Peppers Music4:50B4My Way5:151985 · studio album
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Tracklist · 6 tracks · 40:39
A1Feel the Blues4:46A2Highway Man Blues7:52A3Last Days8:20B1(If You Got To) Love Somebody6:10B2Christmas Time Blues5:19B3Have a Little Mercy8:121991 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 1:10:19
1I Ain’t Got It4:142Rockin D Blues5:513Made the Hard Way5:514A Love Like That4:085Kant Sheck Dees Bluze9:096Gittar Rap4:567Too Bad Baby4:308My Man Loves Me4:139Get on the Ball5:1010Wes Cide Bluze4:5711Beetin Nockin Ringin7:0812Luv Sumbody4:0213Gotta Hold On6:101993 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 57:18
1Marcelle Morgantini's Cassoulet6:062You've Got to Keep on Trying6:133Born in Poverty4:424Ain't Never Had Nothing3:195Off Business6:006Your Love3:307Tribute to Orange4:278Mississippi Bound6:409It Serves You Right to Suffer3:4110Ode to Billy Joe3:0111Mean Atlantic Ocean5:4412Marcelle, Jacques et Luc3:551994 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 47:53
1Right to Quit You3:532No Pain5:493Blues and Soul3:334Lonely Guitar Man5:205Fool in Heah5:406Gitar Jive4:237Know Your Lover4:428Driftin' Sand3:549Down With the Blues6:4410Who Done It3:551994 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 53:50
1I'm Hurtin'3:232Life and Troubles4:373New York Bound4:314Baby, What Do I Do5:575Midnight Baby4:056Party4:217Can't Get Along5:418Why Wonder4:419You Treat Me So Mean4:1710I Love You6:5511Baby, What Do I Do5:221995 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks
1Two Timin' Lover2Lonesome Blues3If It Ain't Love4B Phur Real5Walk With Me6Begging Business7You Got It, Baby8Can't Hide My Love1997 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 49:11
1Back To School4:592You Don't Want Me4:273Down Down Baby3:204I'm Running6:095Tuff Girl5:006Me, My Guitar And The Blues6:497Jimmy's Bag3:418Tru Love6:139Back Street Blues3:4210Cold As Hell4:511999 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks
1I Want to Know2Rock Me Baby3I Wonder Why4Cold Sweet Blues5Driving Wheel6Will My Baby Be Home Tonight7Way She Walks8I've Been Mistreated9Are You Ready2002 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 57:53
1Alley Mae7:292Jammin' Gitar4:093Go on Baby6:414I'm What U Need4:485Sweet Li'l Mama6:336Everybody's Jumping5:527Dollar Head Woman5:018Wess Cide Rock4:459Shee Leff Me5:0410So Wurried3:0311U Made Me Luv U4:282004 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 56:09
1Tell Me Baby5:042Falling Tears6:293Kotten Field Jump4:094Mean o' Blues5:425Gitar King4:466Mid Nite Boogie5:387Tired of Krying4:458Bring It Back5:009Rumping 'n' Stomping6:5710Hard Life Blues7:392005 · studio album
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Tracklist · 21 tracks
1Sweet Laura (Take 4)2Come to Me ( Take 3)3No More Troubles4Tell Me Woman5Don't Ever Leave Me Alone6Come to Me (Take 2)7Sweet Laura (Take 1)8Worried About My Baby9She Used to Love Me10So Glad11She Is So Soft and So Mellow (Take 2)12Levee Camp Blues13I Got to Quit My Baby14Depression Blues15See My Lawyer16It's You Baby17No More Whiskey18I Done You Wrong19Swingin' in Paris20She Is So Soft and So Mellow (Take 1)21Untitled Instrumental
Album · 7
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Come Back BabySearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 6 tracks · 40:35A1Come Back Baby5:49 A2I Got Wise8:35 A3Cross Road Blues5:54 B1Blue Shadows Falling5:23 B2Hard Road to Travel6:48 B3Ode to Billy Joe8:06 | Live | 1977 | |
| 1982 | Jimmy and Hip Live!Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 6 tracks · 39:031Mother-In-Law Blues5:16 2Bloodstain on the Walls10:29 3Hideaway4:51 4Little Red Rooster6:57 5Sounds of West Side Chicago6:42 6Boogie Chillun4:48 | Live | 1982 | |
| 1991 | Skopje Jazz Festival '91Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 8 tracks · 51:241You Got Me Runnin'7:43 2Every Day I Have The Blues5:39 3All Your Love6:08 4Fog Came On a Rainy Day6:54 5You Don't Love Me6:09 6You Got It Baby5:55 7Sweet Home Chicago7:11 8Got My Mojo Workin'5:45 | Live | 1991 | |
| 1991 | Blue IceSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks · 1:11:121Too Much Alcohol3:48 2Tin Pan Alley7:02 3Help Me8:57 4Country Shack8:08 5Feel So Bad5:20 6Wellfare Line7:36 7That's Alright6:36 8You Don't Love Me4:08 9Nightlife8:34 10Sometimes I Have a Heartache11:03 | Live | 1991 | |
| 1995 | Blues from IcelandSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks · 1:11:261Welfare Line7:47 2That's Alright6:37 3You Don't Love Me4:07 4Feel So Bad5:22 5Too Much Alcohol3:39 6Tin Pan Alley7:02 7Help Me9:02 8One Room Country Shack8:12 9Nightlife8:33 10Sometimes I Have A Heartache11:05 | Live | 14 April 1995 | |
| 2002 | American Roots: BluesSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks · 50:501Lonesome Blues6:06 2Begging Business3:51 3Can't Hide My Love5:10 4Down, Down Baby (featuring Francine Reed)3:21 5Me, My Gitar And The Blues6:50 6Cold As Hell4:52 7Right To Quit You3:55 8Lonely Guitar Man5:21 9Know Your Lover4:42 10Down With The Blues6:42 | Compilation | 2002 | |
| 2005 | My Head Is Bald: Live at Vern's Friendly Lounge, Chicago)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 13 tracks · 58:491Intro1:18 2Sitting Here Singing My Blues9:23 3Talk1:09 4Tend to Your Business4:22 5Talk0:50 6Prison Blues8:07 7Talk1:42 8So Ezee5:19 9My Woman Is Gone7:29 10Talk3:31 11My Head Is Bald8:48 12You Gotta Go3:38 13Jump for Joy3:13 | Live | 15 November 2005 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Jimmy Dawkins head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 12 | 64.8th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 25 | 88.9th |
| Studio albums | 18 | 95.8th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 21 | 94.3th |
| Recording span (years) | 36 | 75.4th |
| Genres | 3 | 80.4th |
Awards & honours
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhonda and the Great Unknown(band) | 1 July 2015 | present | bass guitar |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jimmy_Dawkins.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/29b6466d-83d5-4011-83d8-1d432eaa6fc2discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/29b6466d-83d5-4011-83d8-1d432eaa6fc2core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q327995genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q327995seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Dawkinsbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Dawkins
Why this artist is in the database
- List of blues musicians — rank #45
| 1936 | 2013 | Mississippi | Chicago blues |
Tier rule: genre canon: blues
Image: Lioneldecoster · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q327995 · MusicBrainz: 29b6466d-83d5-4011-83d8-1d432eaa6fc2
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