<back - LITTLE MILTON - September 7, 1934 - August 4, 2005  -Blues Hall of Famer Little Milton, who combined electric Blues sound of the early 1950s with the punchy, arrangements of R&B, Soul and Funk, died in Memphis, August 4/05 of complications from two recent strokes. He was 70. James Milton Campbell Jr. was born September 7, 1934, in Inverness, Mississippi. As a child he was enthralled with the local guitarists who played at his stepfather's house parties. "I'd be tucked in bed," he once recalled, "but the minute that the guy would hit the guitar, they'd look around and I'd be standing there, little long drawers on." By the age of 15, he was performing in a juke joint owned by BB King's mother-in-law. Still a teen Little Milton signed with Sun Records in 1953.

Milton then moved to East St. Louis' Bobbin Records, where he flourished as a recording artist. He also became Bobbin's A&R chief and working partner to its owner, Bob Lyons. In 1958 his skyrocketing success soon drew the attention of Chess Records executives in Chicago, who signed him to Chess/Checker label. 'We’re Gonna Make It', hit #1 on Billboard magazines R&B singles chart in 1965. His Checker recordings included Baby I Love You, If Walls Could Talk, Feel So Bad, Who’s Cheating Who? and  Grits Ain’t Groceries. At Stax, he joined a virtual 'who’s who' of influential black recording artist of the day, including Isaac Hayes, Rufus & Carla Thomas, Booker T & The MGs, Albert King and, the late Johnnie Taylor. In 1984, Little Milton united with Malaco Records and began the longest professional association of his career.  He swept up such honors as the 1988 WC Handy Blues Entertainer of the Year Award and a 2000 Grammy Award nomination. Over the years, Malaco has released 14 Little Milton albums, including the Billboard Blues smash hit Cheatin Habit. His Malaco cuts that have become Blues standards include Annie Mae’s Cafe, The Blues is Alright, Little Bluebird, Room 244, I Was Trying Not to Break Down, Catch You on Your Way Down, and Comeback Kind of Love. His latest CD Guitar Man was released September, 2002. It's celebrated cuts include Guitar Man, and Still Some Meat Left on This Bone, and his soulful rendition of 'My Way'. Little Milton was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1987 and received the R&B Foundation's Pioneer Award in 1997.   Mp3 - Just a Little Bit