Louis Myers born 18th September 2024

Louis Myers (September 18, 1929 - September 05, 1994) was an American blues guitarist, harmonicist, bassist, arranger and singer. Associated with the Chicago blues scene of the 1960's and on, having backed and played with countless Chicago notables. Though he was certainly capable of brilliantly fronting a band Louis Myers will forever be recognized first and foremost as a top-drawer sideman and founding member of the Aces -- the band that backed harmonica wizard Little Walter on his immortal early Checker waxings. 

Born in Byhalia, Mississippi, along with his older brother David they left for Chicago with his family in 1941. Fate saw that the family move next door to blues great Lonnie Johnson, whose complex riffs caught young Louis' ear. Another Myers brother, harp-blowing Bob, hooked Louis up with guitarist Othum Brown for house party gigs. The Myers brothers originally performed as the Little Boys. With the addition of harmonica player Junior Wells, they became the Three Deuces and then the Three Aces. With the enlistment of the drummer Fred Below (pronounced BEE-low) in 1950, they became the Four Aces and finally the Aces. Influenced by jazz, their music led to the rise of the blues shuffle beat and helped launch the drums to a new prominence in blues bands. 

In 1952, Wells quit to join the Muddy Waters band, filling the vacancy created by the recent departure of Little Walter from that group. Walter quickly signed the remaining Aces as his new backing unit, renaming the trio the Jukes to capitalize on his current hit single, "Juke". Myers and the Aces backed Walter on his seminal "Mean Old World," "Sad Hours," "Off the Wall," and "Tell Me Mama" and at New York's famous Apollo Theater before Louis left in 1954 (he and the Aces moonlighted on Wells' indispensable 1953-1954 output for States). 

                                   

The resulting gradual dissolution of the Jukes as Little Walter's band freed the members to reform as a backing band for other Chicago blues musicians. Plenty of sideman work awaited Myers -- he played with Otis Rush, Earl Hooker, and many more. But his own recording career was practically non-existent; after a solitary 1956 single for Abco, "Just Whaling"/"Bluesy," that found Myers blowing harp in Walter-like style. 

In the late 1950s, Dave Myers switched from the guitar to the electric bass, becoming one of the first Chicago bluesmen to adopt this relatively new instrument and helping to popularize it in Chicago blues. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s the original Aces periodically reunited for recordings, tours, festivals and visited Europe often as a trusty rhythm section for touring acts. Myers cut a fine set for Advent in 1978, I'm a Southern Man, that showed just how effective he could be as a leader. 

Myers was hampered by the effects of a stroke while recording his last album for Earwig, 1991's Tell My Story Movin'. He courageously completed the disc but was limited to playing harp only. His health soon took a turn for the worse, ending his distinguished musical career when he died on September 05, 1994 in Chicago, Illinois. 

(Edited from Wikipedia, AllMusic & Discogs)