Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

LITTLE MILTON

(b Milton Campbell, 17 September 1934, Inverness MS; d 4 August 2005) Guitarist, blues singer, influenced by T-Bone Walker and B.B. King. Born to a sharecropping family, his father, "Big" Milton Campbell, was a local blues musician. Little Milton sang in church, began on guitar at about 12, played in public at age 14. He led a trio in Memphis '50, was discovered by Ike Turner and first recorded for Sun Records in 1954, the same year as Elvis Presley. Like Presley and Ray Charles, he had his own take on the blues, bringing to it elements of gospel, R&B and even country music. He recorded on Meteor, Bobbin, and Checker; he had a no. 14 R&B hit 'So Mean To Me' '61, then 15 more '65-71 included no. 1 'We're Gonna Make It' during the Civil Rights Era. He went to Stax for more hits, and appeared in the film Wattstax. His 'The Blues Is Alright' became an anthem in blues clubs, juke joints and on the festival circuit. Albums: Raise A Little Sand on Red Lightnin' UK from Bobbin (St Louis) had backing from Fontella Bass and bandleader Oliver Sain; other LPs: Grits Ain't Groceries, Blues'n' Soul, Waiting For Little Milton, Walking The Back Streets on Stax; Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number on MCA; Live At Westfield Prison '83 later on Delmark; later albums on Malaco included Annie Mae's Cafe '86, Back To Back, Your Wife Is Cheatin' On Us and A Nickel And A Nail. There were many other reissues and compilations on Stax, Chess etc. His last album was Think Of Me on Telarc in 2005.