David “Junior” Kimbrough was an American blues musician. Kimbrough was born in Hudsonville, Mississippi and lived in the northern Mississippi foothills near Holly Springs.
His father, a barber, played guitar and Junior picked up his guitar as a child. He was apparently influenced by guitarists Lightnin’ Hopkins and Mississippi Fred McDowell.
In the late 1950s, Kimbrough began playing guitar in his own style, using mid-tempo rhythms and thumbing the bass strings. This style would later be cited as a prime example of blues in the foothills. In 1966, Kimbrough traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to record for Goldwax Records, owned by R&B and gospel producer Quinton Claunch. Claunch was a founder of Hi Records. Kimbrough recorded one session at American Studios. Claunch refused to release the recordings, considering them too country.
Kimbrough’s debut was a cover version of Lowell Fulson’s “Tramp,” released as a single on the independent Philwood label in 1967. On the record’s label, his name was misspelled as Junior Kimbell, and the song “Tramp” was listed as “Tram?”
Some forty years later, Bruce Watson of Big Legal Mess Records approached Claunch to purchase the original master tapes and the rights to release the recordings made that day. These tracks were released in 2009 by Big Legal Mess Records as First Recordings. Kimbrough came to national attention in 1992 with his debut album, All Night Long. The album featured many of his most celebrated songs, including the title track, the intricately melodic “Meet Me In The City,” and “You Better Run,” a poignant ballad about attempted rape. All Night Long received near-unanimous critical praise, earning four stars in Rolling Stone. His juke joint in Chulahoma began to attract visitors from around the world, including members of U2, Keith Richards and Iggy Pop..
Junior Kimbrough died of a heart attack following a stroke in 1998 in Holly Springs, at age 67. According to Fat Possum Records, he had 36 children. He is buried outside his family’s church, Kimbrough Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, near Holly Springs.
