The Aces (blues band)

The Aces
Also known as
  • The Three Deuces
  • the Three Aces
  • the Four Aces
  • the Jukes
OriginChicago, Illinois U.S.
GenresChicago blues, jazz
Years active1950s–1970s
Past members

The Aces was led by the guitarist brothers Louis and Dave Myers,[1] who were from Byhalia, Mississippi.

Career

The Little Boys were created by the Myers brothers. The band had several renames after Junior Wells and Fred Below joined.[2]

The quartet remained until Wells left during the early 1950s.[2] As The Jukes, they joined Little Walter to capitalize on his hit single, "Juke".[2][3] After the end of the group, it freed the members to reform as a backing band for other Chicago blues musicians, including Otis Rush, Eddie Boyd, and others.

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.[4] During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s the original Aces periodically reunited for recordings, tours, and festivals.[5]

Dave Myers in 1978

Personnel

  • Louis Myers, September 18, 1929 – September 5, 1994[6]
  • Dave Myers, October 30, 1926 – September 3, 2001[4]
  • Fred Below, September 16, 1926 – August 14, 1988[3]

References

  1. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Blues (2nd. ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 11. ISBN 0-85112-673-1.
  2. ^ a b c Vladimir, Bogdanov. (2003). All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues. Backbeat Books. p. 2. ISBN 0-87930-736-6.
  3. ^ a b Palmer, Robert (1982). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. pp. 211-2. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
  4. ^ a b Unterberger, Richie. "Dave Myers". AllMusic. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  5. ^ Santelli, Robert (2001). The Big Book of Blues. Penguin Books. p. 3. ISBN 0-14-100145-3.
  6. ^ Dahl, Bill. "Louis Myers". AllMusic. Retrieved November 16, 2010.