(Milton Frazier)
(3CD)
Born: March 29, 1939 in Vance, Alabama - Repertoire Summary: Acoustic Blues - Current Location: New Orleans, LA
Alabama Slim was born Milton Frazier in Vance, Alabama on March 29, 1939.
His father worked building trains at the Pullman plant and his mother did
domestic work. In their home, they had a Victrola and a boxful of 78s-
this is where Slim fell in love with the Blues of Bill Broonzy and
Lightnin' Hopkins.
"I grew up listening to the old blues since I was a child. I spent summers with my grandparents who had a farm. Them old folks would get to moanin' while they worked, and I just started moanin' with them. That's where I learned to sing. When I got grown I formed a band and we played little juke joints in the 50s and 60s. In '65, I came to New Orleans after hurricane Betsy. Got me a job with a moving company and then one making cooking oil.
My cousin Freddie King was drinking hard in those days, and I was too. We jammed every once in awhile. By the time the 80s rolled around I was not doing much but Freddie always checked on me. By the 90s I got myself together and we have been the best of friends ever since, tighter than brothers really; there is not a day that goes by when we do not speak or see each other." - Alabama Slim
When MMRF founder Tim Duffy, first met Slim, he recalled, "I met Alabama
Slim in New Orleans while visiting Bluesman Little Freddie King. Slim is a
towering man, close to seven feet tall. He was very well spoken and
dressed in an impeccable tailored suit. He told me he was an old friend of
Freddie's and was originally from Huntsville, Alabama. I told him if he
ever got back there soon, that he should call me and I will get him into a
great recording studio up there."
New Orleans drummer Wacko Wade introduced Music Maker to New Orleans Blues
guitar patriarch Little Freddie King in the late 90s and he and Freddie
and Alabama have since been performing with Music Maker. Upon losing all
of their possession in the floodwater of Hurricane Katrina, Alabama and
Freddie settled in Dallas, TX in an apartment complex and spent most of
their days working up old and new songs.
Soon after, they visited producer/drummer Ardie Dean and recorded a
session. Impressed by Slim's voice and Freddie's guitar work that danced
and followed Slim wherever he went, Tim Duffy asked the two to come to NC
to record. Slim and Freddie visited Music Maker that December and between
fellow New Orleans musicians Slewfoot and Carrie B., they cut The Mighty
Flood.