简介：byBillDahl ToheartenorsaxistA.C.Reedbemoanhisfateonstage,onemightgleantheimpressionthathetrulydetestshisjob.Butitsatongueincheekcomplaint—Reedsraspy,gutbucketblowingandlaidbackvocalsbelyanysenseofboredom. SaxblowingbluesbandleadersarescarceashensteethinChicago;otherthanEddieShaw,Reedsaboutallthereis.BorninMissouri,youngAaronCorthen(whetherhesrelatedtoblueslegendJimmyReedremainshazy,buthislaconicvocaldrawlcertainlymirrorshisnamesake)grewupindownstateIllinois.Abigbandfan,helovedthesoundofPaulBascombshornonanobscureErskineHawkins78heheardtrackingonatavernjukeboxsomuchthathewasinspiredtopickupasaxhimself. ArrivinginChicagoduringthewaryears,hepickedupsteadygigswithEarlHookerandWillieMabonbeforethe40swereover.In1956,hejoinedforceswithexIkeTurnercohortDennisLongManBinder,giggingacrossthesouthwestforanextendedperiod.ReedbecameavaluablesessionplayerforproducerMelLondonsAgeandChieflabelsduringtheearly60s;inadditiontoplayingonsidesbyLillianOffitt,RickyAllen,andHooker,hecutalocallypopular1961singleofhisownforAge,ThisLittleVoice. MoregemsforAge—ComeonHome,MeanCop,IStayMad—followed.Hecut45sforUSAin1963(IdRatherFightthanSwitch),Cool(MyBabyIsFine,atunehesrecutcountlesstimessince)andNike(TalkinBoutMyFriends)in1966,andThingsIWantYoutoDoin1969forT.D.S. ReedjoinedBuddyGuysbandin1967,visitingAfricawiththemercurialguitaristin1969and,afterharpistJuniorWellsteamedwithGuy,touringasopeningactfortheRollingStonesin1970.HelefttheemployofGuyandWellsforgoodin1977,onlytohookupwithAlligatoractsSonSealsandthentheMasteroftheTelecaster,AlbertCollins.ReedappearedonCollinssfirstfiveicyAlligatorLPs,includingtheseminalIcePickin. DuringhistenurewithCollins,Reedssolocareerbegantoreignite,withfourcutsonthesecondbatchofAlligatorsLivingChicagoBluesanthologiesin1980andtwosubsequentLPsofhisown,1982sTakeTheseBluesandShoveEm!(onIceCubeRecords,alogocoownedbyReedanddrummerCaseyJones)andImintheWrongBusiness!fiveyearslaterforAlligator(withcameosbyBonnieRaittandStevieRayVaughan).UntilhisdeathfromcancerinFebruaryof2004,ReedremainedanactiveforceontheChicagocircuitwithhisband,theSparkPlugs(getit?ACsparkplugs?Sureyoudo!).