Today, life is good for Fillmore Slim, but it hasn't always been. Though Slim’s days as the Undisputed Godfather of West Coast Pimpin’ are far behind him, at the tender age of 75, Slim recorded "shout-outs" on Snoop Dogg's CD in the wake of his scene-stealing turn in the 1999 Hughes Brothers documentary film American Pimp. The singer and guitarist has released several well received albums and played several prestigious blues festivals in the USA and Europe. In recent years at the Zurich Blues Festival, San Francisco Blues Festival, the Ponderosa Stomp and Blues Estafette in Utrecht, Holland.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Slim learned about the blues firsthand. "I done lived the blues." "The blues is about picking cotton, working in the fields, living on the streets, and you know I did all these things." "I can sing the blues because I live the blues, I know them, I can express them,
because I've been there, I've been down, I've been out... I'm singing about life". Slim's appreciation for the musical form came directly from his family. "My grandmother had this old hand-crank gramophone, and I use to crank it up and sing along with songs like "Lawdy Miss Clawdy' by Lloyd Price. I learned that song and sung that song for years and years. I came all the way to California singing that song."
After settling in with his sister in Los Angeles in 1955, Slim started entering talent shows at Moore's Swing Club where was spotted by J.R. Fullbright, whom booked him gigs and sent him on a tour of the south with Little Willie John, Joe Tex and Harmonica Slim. When not on tour Slim could be found playing with his band Eddy N and the Blues Slayers at the Hole In The Wall in South Central Los Angeles. Whilst in LA he also had the distinction of becoming Etta James first boyfriend. He played an extended engagement in Anchorage, Alaska, with T-Bone Walker, and the blues guitar great showed the young singer a few licks. In 1959 Slim made his recording debut for Dootsie Williams' Dooto label with the release of ‘You Got The Love Of A Big Brass Monkey / I Want To Hold Your Hand’. Further sessions followed for Kent and Dore, the Dore single, ‘Family Man’, an answer to Ernie K. Doe's hit ‘Mother In Law’.
Disenchanted with L.A. by 1959, Slim relocated with the girls to San Francisco. He began holding court in Fillmore District clubs like the Trees Pool Hall. He still kept his job driving for a warehouse and could still be found playing on the streets as a one man band. He used to sing onstage with a young radio disc jockey who called himself Sly Stone. His lawyer was a young up-and-comer with vague thoughts of a career in politics named Willie Brown. Playing the Bella Plaza with Flip Wilson few bluesmen on the scene these days can recall the golden age of the Fillmore, the glories of the Primalon Ballroom, Jimbo's Bop City and the old Fillmore Theatre. As his reputation grew, further gigs followed at the Blue Mirror and Stardust with Little Willie Littlefield and L.C. "Good Rocking" Robinson (his inspiration for guitar playing) and he made regular appearances with Bobbie Webb and the Rhythm Rockers. It was at the Stardust that he befriended a 15-year-old harmonica player named Rick Estrin who he took in and looked after, allowing him to play with his band. Eventually Slim came to the attention of Charles Sullivan who booked him to open for B.B. King and Dinah Washington. He sat in with Roland Kirk and Groove Holmes; sang in the Ike and Tina Turner Revue; stayed and sang with one of his idols, the great Al King; even moving briefly to Chicago where he could be found at Peppers Lounge sitting in with Muddy Waters and Junior Wells.
In 1985 after incarceration, he found himself living in a halfway house not far from Eli's Mile High Club, Oakland's last authentic blues joint. Club owner Troyce Key, who once recorded with rock 'n' roller Eddie Cochran, took a shine to Slim -- who was using his real name with the felicitous addition of a nickname, Clarence ....Guitar'' Sims -- and cut Slim's first album. In 1987, Key put out Slim's ‘Born to Sing the Blues’ album on his label, Eli's Mile High Records. In order to support the release, Slim put together a band and separated himself from "the life." Years of relentless gigging followed, with Slim finally signing a record deal with New York-based Fedora Records in 1999. Two releases followed, ‘Other Side of the Road’ & ‘Funky Mama's House’, the songs including many originals -- showcase Slim's electric West Coast blues style and his B.B. King / T-Bone hybrid style guitar playing. Several new and reissued discs have also followed the Fedora recordings on Mountain Top Records including 'The Game' and 'The Legend of Fillmore Slim'.
Ironically, the American interest in Slim was minimal until the release of 1999's American Pimp. That has all changed significantly. "Since the movie came out, they've been calling for me," says an excited Slim, referring to the clamoring of booking agents, record labels, and members of the hip hop community. Even with the increased exposure says Slim. "I'm just blessed I'm still here and I'm thankful every day I get to play my music."
