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announced his intention of heading to New Orleans, with a new name he had given
himself - Guitar Slim.

He initially played the streets and house parties, but his wild guitar style, influenced
by Robert Nighthawk and Gatemouth Brown, soon began to attract attention. Pianist
Cousin Joe saw him soon after he arrived - “I knew Guitar Slim when he was playing

for wine on Conti and Bourbon, at a place called The Savoy”. He then hooked up with
another pianist, Huey Smith, (after a meeting in a grocery store!), and they rehearsed
together. Smith later said “he had a habit of not completing all 12 bars in a song, or
playing too many, but I could jump along with him”. His performances at the Dew

Drop Inn soon caught the attention of the
blues fans, and the Louisiana Weekly
newspaper called him “the newest gift to

the show world”, describing him as a
“blues sensation”. Cousin Joe

He could certainly be described as a
sensation, with a flamboyant act that
eclipsed anything else around the city. He
would buy suits and shoes in a multitude

of bright colours, and dye his hair to
match for the gigs! Guitarist and
songwriter Earl King said “no-one could

out perform Slim. He would come out
with his hair died blue, blue suit, blue
pair of shoes. He had 350 feet of lead
attached to his guitar, and a valet carrying

him on his shoulders all through the
crowd and into the parking lot”!

New Orleans musician Al Reed agreed -

“Guitar Slim was the most profound musician. He had an electric sound like you never
heard. I think he had a greater impact on the electric guitar than any other guitarist”.

His wild stage show included playing the instrument behind his neck and with his
teeth, a decade and a half before Hendrix made a name for himself doing the same
thing. His previously acquired dancing skills were also put to good use, as was his

singing, with the passion of a ‘fire and brimstone’ preacher. He brought energy and
intensity to both playing and singing, with his incendiary approach.

With all the furore around this exciting new talent, the record companies were soon

sniffing around, and the first to offer a deal, in 1951, was Imperial, for which he
recorded 4 sides - only 2 being initially released. The following year, whilst working
in Nashville, his agent Percy Stovall cut a deal with the local Bullet label, resulting in

the gospel based ‘Certainly All” and ‘Feelin’ Sad’.