Jimmy Witherspoon, one of the most prominent blues singers in the post-World War II era, was also versatile enough that he could easily fit into the jazz world. Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, AR, on August 8, 1920. He sang in a church choir as a child and recorded his first recordings with Jay McShann in 1945 and 1946 for Mercury and Philo. McShann’s band was his first recording. It earned him a number one rating.
