"All my friends dead and gone on. I miss Little Milton, BB King, Slim Harpo, Tabby Thomas.  They was my friends and I miss all those guys. I hope a lot of young kids will pick it up and carry it on. It seems like they’re not interested in it, but to me, it’s everyday life. When we do blues in the schools, the kids love it!  They be running around, dancing and going on. And the staff be loving it more than the kids, too!"

Lil’ Jimmy Reed: Back To Baton Rouge

Lil’ Jimmy Reed is one of the last original Louisiana bluesmen. Born Leon Atkins in Hardwood, Louisiana in 1938, and growing up across from a Chitlin’ Circuit club, he was exposed to the music of the early blues masters at an early age and cut his teeth on the Baton Rouge music scene soon after his father bought him his first guitar at age 16. He earned his Lil’ Jimmy Reed moniker after being called to fill in for the iconic Jimmy Reed one night, and the rest is history. In addition to being a triple threat on vocals, guitar, and harmonica, he is also a veteran, having served 20 years in the U.S. military. Since returning to civilian life, his career has blossomed. Lil’ Jimmy has shared the stage with B.B. King and Bobby “Blue” Bland, and headlined festivals across Europe (Belgium, Holland), Sweden, UK, Israel, and Russia. Lil’ Jimmy now resides in Alabama.

 (Lil’ Jimmy Reed, 2023 / Photo by Sally Newhouse)

Bluesmen Lil’ Jimmy Reed and Ben Levin are kindred spirits at opposite ends of the career spectrum with 23-year-old Levin in the sunrise of his and 85-year-old Reed in his sunset and yet they have discovered a wonderful synergy working together on material they both hold dear – “down home blues.” Their new ten-song set, "Back To Baton Rouge" (2023 / Nola Blue Records), pays homage to the region where Reed (born Leon Atkins in Hardwood LA) grew up and earned his moniker Lil’ Jimmy Reed as a teenager playing guitar and harmonica on the Chitlin Circuit.

Interview by Michael Limnios

What do you learn about yourself from the blues and what does the blues mean to you?

It means a whole lot to me. Keeps me going. If I feel bad, I grab my guitar, play a couple songs, and I’m OK. When I’m sick or feel down and out, I grab my guitar.  I’m happy when I play them. The blues is medicine. That’s why I play the nursing homes.  Once, there was a man in a wheelchair who wanted to dance so bad. Two nurses helped him to dance, and a few months later he was dancing by himself!  A lot of people don’t get out the rooms until I come. It’s good for ya! When I get there, they be tryin’ to dance and move – it’s good therapy for them!

How do you describe your sound and songbook? Where does your creative drive come from?

When I was coming up, I tried to imitate Jimmy Reed. But now I try to put my own sound with his. It comes from within me. I pick my guitar up and it just comes natural. That’s why I’ll get on stage with anybody! I just do what I do.

Which meetings have been the most important experiences for you? What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Me and Little Milton used to be on shows together. He influenced me a hell of a lot. One time I started to give up the blues, but Little Milton told me not to give up because it was going to pay one day. I couldn’t get jobs and it seemed like nobody liked the blues no more. But he encouraged me, and I kept going. Looks like he was right. It’s payin’ off!

"When I was coming up, I tried to imitate Jimmy Reed. But now I try to put my own sound with his. It comes from within me. I pick my guitar up and it just comes natural. That’s why I’ll get on stage with anybody! I just do what I do." (Lil’ Jimmy Reed and Ben Levin / Photo by Angie Lipscomb)

What do you miss most nowadays from the blues of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

All my friends dead and gone on. I miss Little Milton, BB King, Slim Harpo, Tabby Thomas. They was my friends and I miss all those guys.

I hope a lot of young kids will pick it up and carry it on. It seems like they’re not interested in it, but to me, it’s everyday life. When we do blues in the schools, the kids love it! They be running around, dancing and going on. And the staff be loving it more than the kids, too!

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome as a person and as artist and has this helped you become a better blues musician?

To prove myself to the clubs and restaurants. Getting hired different places. So many places aren’t interested in the blues, but I want to prove to them that the blues is alright! When they hire me and give me a chance, it helps get new fans. I have to give it everything. People go all the way to Memphis to hear the blues but they ain’t gotta do that. There’s blues in your hometowns too!

What is the impact of Blues on the racial and socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

Blues brings people together. These days at festivals, I’m seeing mixed couples and I love it! Everybody is having fun. They talk with each other and dance with each other and I love that!

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?                              (Lil’ Jimmy Reed / Photo by Angie Lipscomb)

Just be yourself and do what you do. Nobody can take that away from you! That’s why I’m not afraid to get on festivals with big headliners. I just be myself and play what I play. Once at Monterey Blues Festival in California Buddy Guy was playing. He was a big timer. Then me. Then Bobby Blue Bland after me. When I got off stage, Bobby said, “Jimmy you burned the damn crowd up!” I’m not afraid to get up with nobody because I just play the blues.

Another time at a gig in Illinois, BB King was playing. I didn’t know he knew me, but he told the crowd that a star was here, and introduced the crowd to me. That made me feel so good. All you gotta do is do your thing and people will recognize.

What's the balance in music between technique and soul? Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?

It ain’t no balance to me. When my daddy bought me a guitar on a Monday, I was in the club playin’ the blues on Friday. It’s in your soul. A lot of guitar players can play better than me, but they can’t beat me because of how I play with soul. The two go together.

It’s very important to preserve the blues. It’s good for the soul! Other types of music, they be playing just to be playin. But the blues is good for ya! I started with one nursing home, and now I’ve got twelve. It’s good for ya. It’s better than medicine. I don’t take no medicine! You take one pill, you get side effects. Some take 15 pills a day. I don’t need that. 

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