Slim Harpo made his impressive entrance into the world of blues recordings in 1957. Here was a man with an unforgettable name, a strong song – I'm A King Bee - and a finely-crafted minimalist style, at once familiar and novel. In 1961 Slim Harpo made a crossover entry into the American Rhythm 'n' Blues and Popular Music charts when Rainin' In My Heart became one of those barely-categorisable hits that just couldn't be ignored. Then came Baby, Scratch My Back, a soulful rhythmic number that led to tours with the rock elite.
The story of Slim Harpo and his music is among the most fascinating in all blues and Rhythm 'n' Blues. Harpo's music had timeless and mellow qualities that made his sound both authentic and accessible. By many benchmarks he was a success, and for periods in his life he was in the spotlight, yet little, really, is known of him beyond his fading circle of musicians, friends, and family in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Born in 1924, he was among the last of the original down-home bluesmen, but also one of the first to register hits in the popular music charts.
