Jimmy Reed

Born in rural Mississippi, Mathis James "Jimmy" Reed was a prolific songwriter whose Delta-inflected singing, hypnotic guitar and piercing harmonica patterns resonated with a growing public hunger for the electric blues, achieving an unprecedented level of mainstream popularity in the postwar era.  Reed’s third single, “You Don’t Have To Go,” would be his breakthrough, followed by a string of hits like “Big Boss Man,” “Baby What You Want Me To Do,” and “Bright Lights, Big City” that were highly influential and widely copied.