Major Works
- King of Chicago Blues 1971 (bass)
- Dust My Broom 1971 (bass)
- Chicago Beat 1976 (bass) Aces &
- Guests 1977 (bass)
- County Fair 2000 1994 (bass)
- Blowin’ the Blues Away 1998 (electric bass)
- Last Night 1973 (bass)
- Sweet Home Chicago 1975 (bass)
- Crudup’s Mood 1969 (bass)
- Look on Yonder’s Wall 1969 (bass)
- Chess Box 1989 (guitar)
- You Can’t Do That 2000 (Myers’s only solo album on his own)
- Please Don’t Leave Me
- Dave’s Boogie Guitar
- You Can’t Do That
- Elevate Me Mama
- Reconsider Baby
- Ting-A-Ling
- Oh Baby
- Legs Up
- Going Home Tomorrow
- Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
- You Can’t Love Me That Way
- Love by the Pound
- Stone Cold Fox
- Blues in Mexico
Biography of Dave Myers
by Latisha Cherrelle Tucker (SHS)
Latisha Cherrelle Tucker (SHS Researcher)
Many musicians have been born in or have lived in Mississippi. One of these important ones is David “Dave” Myers, a very respected person for his musical abilities. On October 30, 1926, Myers was born to Mary and Amos Myers in Byhalia, Mississippi. Both his parents were musical, but Mary played the guitar only at home, while Amos played the guitar at parties in private homes (Moon 34-35). Myers also had three brothers who were musical. Louis played the guitar in the band the “Aces.” Curtis played the piano, and Bob played the harp (Living Blues 35). Myers is married and has one son, Davie, Jr. (Johnson).
Myers grew up as a child listening to Lonnie Johnson, a pioneering blues and jazz guitarist and banjoist who lived in the basement of Myers’ family home (Center Stage Media). Myers, along with his brother Louis, sang in a Baptist church choir Michael James states, “Myers was brought up in Mississippi where he learned how to play the guitar.” However, in 1942, Myers along with his brother Louis, moved to Chicago where his career began. According to Santelli, “Dave Myers is one of the many unheralded architects of the city’s post-World War II blues scene” (305).
Myers sang and played the guitar and bass. He and his brother Louis began playing house parties with Junior Wells, a harp player. Then after Junior Wells left, the brothers, with Little Walter Jacob, a blues musician who played the amplified harmonica, formed a group called The Jukes. Little Walter joined the band in 1952 and worked with Myers for most of the next three years. The Myers brothers left the harmonica player and reformed the Aces with Junior Wells and Fred Below again for a while and then with Otis Rush. David and Louis Myers played guitars and Fred Below drums. The first recordings were for the Checker subsidiary of Chess in 1952. According to Santelli, “Myers left Little Walter in 1955 and joined his brother in a new band led by guitarist Otis Rush that also included drummer Odie Payne, Jr.” (Santelli 305). Myers was also hired by Fender Guitarist during the 1950’s to promote and demonstrate the electric bass around Chicago (James). His percussive style earned him the nickname Thumper.
When the Aces reformed in 1969, Myers had the chance to record with the rock ‘n’ roll band in which Louis played and also as accompanist to many other great artists (Larkin 2977). James notes, “Myers has performed and recorded hundreds of albums with literally every Chicago blues legend.”
He appeared on hundreds of records by artists such as J.B. Hutto, Roosevelt Sykes, Earl Hooker, Buddy Guy; Otis Spann, Robert Lockwood Jr., and many others. He released his only solo recording in 2000 called, “You Can’t Do That” on the Black Top label, featuring Kim Wilson and Rusty Zinn as guest artists. Dave Myers also performed at the 1999 Chicago Blues Festival. He was the last living member of the Aces until 2001 when he died in September (James). In March of 2000, Myers’s left leg had been amputated due to diabetes (Johnson). Then his right leg was amputated on August 29, 2000. Myers never fully recovered from the surgery.
On September 3, 2001, Myers died at the Waterfront Terrace Nursing Home in Chicago at the age of 74. His funeral was held on Chicago’s south side at the Rayner Funeral Home” (Johnson). Dave Myers is survived by his son, David, Jr., two sisters, two grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
Timeline
- 1926- (October 30)- Myers was born in Byhalia, Mississippi, to Mary and Amos Myers.
- 1942- Myers moved to Chicago, Illinois, with his brother
- 1945- Myers, along with Louis Myers, Fred Below, and Junior Wells formed the first electric Chicago blues band, the “Aces.”
- 1952–Little Walter joined the band and worked with Myers for most of the next three years, until the Myers brothers left the harmonica player and reformed the Aces with Junior Wells again for a while and then Otis Rush.
- 1954- Louis left the group.
- 1958- Myers switched from playing rhythm guitar behind his brother to the electric bass, becoming one of the very first Bluesmen in Chicago to do so and earning him the nickname, “Thumper”
- 1969- Myers toured internationally.
- 1970- Myers was an administrator where he carried everyone to Europe.
– The Myers brothers, Louis and Dave, and Below reunited under the “Aces” name to tour Europe. - 1999- Dave Myers performed at the Chicago Blues Festival
- 2000- Myers’ first solo album was released, You Can’t Do That.
– (March)- Myers’ left leg was amputated due to diabetes.
– (August 29)- Myers’ right leg was amputated. - 2001- (September 3)- Myers died at the Waterfront Terrace Nursing Home in Chicago.
Related Websites
- Blues Bytes 1998 review by Mitchell cheers Myers’s solo album.
- Wikipedia page on The Aces
Bibliography
- Center Stage Media. March 13, 2000. Chicago. March 20, 2002. http://centerstage.net/music/whoswho/DaveMyers.html.
- Cox, James L. The Mississippi Almanac: The Ultimate Reference on the State 2001-2002. Florida: Rose Printing Company, 2001. 266.
- James, Michael. “Dave Myers.” American Legends. March 13, 2000. California. March 20, 2002. http://www.oafb.net/once91.html.
- James, Michael. Email interview. March 21, 2002.
- Johnson, Greg. “Dave Myers: In Memorium.” Cascade Blues Association. October 2001. March 21, 2002.http://www.cascadeblues.org/History/DaveMyers.htm.
- Larkin, Collin. “Myers, Dave.” The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume IV. New York: Guinness Publishing, 1995. 2977.
- Moon, D. Thomas. “Dave Myers: Somebody had to Live it First.” Living Blues.Chicago: Checkerboard Lounge, 32-41, 84-85.
- Santelli, Robert. “Myers, David.” The Big Book of Blues. New York: Penguin books, 1993. 305-306.