Cotton Mouth Man

James Cotton

Cotton Mouth Man


Winner Best Traditional Blues Male Artist 2014 Blues Music Award | Grammy Nominee for Best Blues Album!

World-renowned blues harp icon is joined by special guests Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Ruthie Foster, Delbert McClinton, Warren Haynes and Keb Mo for a joyous collection of raucous boogies, sunny country blues and brash Chicago shuffles inspired by Cotton's colorful and sometime perilous life.  Eleven fresh new songs, including "Bonnie Blue," which features a rare Cotton vocal performance. 

"The greatest living blues harmonica player" - New York Daily News


Available On CD
Price: $16.98
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1. Cotton Mouth Man (feat. Joe Bonamassa) 3:47
2. Midnight Train (feat. Gregg Allman) 3:27
3. Mississippi Mud (feat. Keb Mo) 4:00
4. He Was There 3:44
5. Something For Me (feat. Warren Haynes) 3:41
6. Wrapped Around My Heart (feat. Ruthie Foster) 3:22
7. Saint On Sunday 3:31
8. Hard Sometimes (feat. Delbert McClinton) 3:16
9. Young Bold Women 3:25
10. Bird Nest On The Ground 4:18
11. Wasn't My Time To Go (feat. Keb Mo) 4:17
12. Blues Is Good For You 4:24
13. Bonnie Blue 3:33



1 COTTON MOUTH MAN

James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums, Background Vocals
Joe Bonamassa - Lead Guitar
Rob McNelley - Rhythm Guitar
Tommy MacDonald - Bass
Darrell Nulisch - Vocals

2 MIDNIGHT TRAIN
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums
Chuck Leavell - Wurlitzer Piano
Tom Holland - Guitar
Noel Neal - Bass
Gregg Allman - Vocals

3 MISSISSIPPI MUD
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums, Percussion
Chuck Leavell - Piano
Rob McNelley - Guitar
Glenn Worf - Upright Bass
Keb Mo - Vocals

4 HE WAS THERE
James Cotton - Harmonica
Jerry Porter - Drums
Chuck Leavell - Piano
Tom Holland - Guitar
Noel Neal - Bass
Darrell Nulisch - Vocals

5 SOMETHING FOR ME
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums, Percussion
Chuck Leavell - Piano
Tom Holland - Guitar
Noel Neal - Bass
Warren Haynes - Guitar, Vocals

6 WRAPPED AROUND MY HEART
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums, Percussion
Chuck Leavell - Hammond B3 Organ
Rob McNelley - Guitar
Glenn Worf - Bass
Ruthie Foster - Vocals

7 SAINT ON SUNDAY
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums
Chuck Leavell - Wurlitzer Piano
Rob McNelley - Guitar
Glenn Worf - Bass
Darrell Nulisch - Vocals

8 HARD SOMETIMES
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums
Chuck Leavell - Piano
Rob McNelley - Guitar
Glenn Worf - Upright Bass
Delbert McClinton - Vocals

9 YOUNG BOLD WOMEN
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums, Percussion
Chuck Leavell - Hammond B3 Organ
Rob McNelley - Guitar
Glenn Worf - Upright Bass
Darrell Nulisch - Vocals

10 BIRD NEST ON THE GROUND
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums, Percussion
Chuck Leavell - Piano
Tom Holland - Guitar
Noel Neal - Bass
Darrell Nulisch - Vocals

11 WASN'T MY TIME TO GO
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums
Chuck Leavell - Wurlitzer Piano
Rob McNelley - Guitar
Glenn Worf - Upright Bass
Keb Mo - Vocals, Guitar

12 BLUES IS GOOD FOR YOU
James Cotton - Harmonica
Tom Hambridge - Drums, Percussion
Chuck Leavell - Keyboards
Rob McNelly - Guitar
Glenn Worf - Bass
Darrell Nulisch - Vocals

13 BONNIE BLUE
James Cotton - Harmonica, Vocals
Colin Linden - Resonator Guitar


"I feel so happy about the music in this album and I'd like everyone who listens to it to know how it came about and to thank everyone involved with it. The blues is all about feeling-if I don't feel it, I can't play it. My hope is that everyone who listens feels it. I know I sure did!

Making this album was a new experience for me. Tom Hambridge and Richard Fleming wrote a song named Cotton Mouth Man. I really liked it. Tom said that he wanted to be my producer and make an album about my life. I thought this was a good idea and he invited me to Nashville where Gary Nicholson and Richard Fleming joined us in Tom's o'ice. We talked about my funky life. Gary and Richard played some guitars, Tom beat some sticks on the co'ee table, I blew some harp and we all shared some laughs. Most of the songs on this album came from those songwriting sessions. It is a great honor for me to know you wanted to work with me. I hope each of you have as many warm feelings and long-lasting good memories as I have about those sessions. Many thanks.

Tom Hambridge, it's been beautiful to work with you. Thank you for being who you are.

It makes me feel good that so many talented musicians, whose work I've admired for so long, have heard my music over all these years and were willing to come in to hel me complete this album. What a special gift from them to me. This is my special "thank you" from the bottom of my heart to Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Ruthie Foster, Warren Haynes, Chuck Leavell, Colin Linden, Tommy MacDonald, Delbert McClinton, Rob McNelley, Keb Mo and Glenn Worf.

I'd like to say "thank you" to The James Cotton Blues Band: Darrell Nulisch, Tom Holland, Noel Neal and Jerry Porter. I love you all so very much; you are my family. You are always there for me.

Bruce Iglauer has stood behind this album from the very start along with my Alligator Family. You all are the best. Thank you so much.

Jacklyn, you know what you mean to me.

-James Cotton


Produced by Tom Hambridge
Recorded at Sound Stage Studio, Nashville TN
Engineered by Jim Cooley and Nick Autry
Mixed and Mastered by Tom Hambridge and Michael Saint-Leon at The Switchyard, Nashville TN
Executive Producer: Bruce Iglauer

Additional Recording by:
Shane Baldwin at Elevated Basement, Savannah GA
Stuart Sullivan at Wire Recording, Austin TX
Brendan Muldowney at Carriage House, Stamford CT

Photos by Christopher Durst, www.christopherdurst.com

Packaging design by Kevin Niemiec
Alligator logo by Michael Trossman

Booking: The Rosebud Agency
Management: jacklyn@jamescottonsuperharp.com
jamescottonsuperharp.com

James Cotton plays and endorses Seydel Harmonicas (seydelusa.com)

Tom Holland endorses Delaney Guitars (delaneyguitars.com) and GHS Strings (ghsstrings.com)
Jerry Porter endorses Sabian Cymbals (sabian.com), Smith Drums (myspace.com/smithdrums) and Evans Drumheads (evansdrumheads.com)

Gregg Allman appears courtesy of Rounder Records
Joe Bonamassa appears courtesy of J&R Adventures
Ruthie Foster appears courtesy of Blue Corn Music
Warren Haynes appears courtesy of Stax Records
Keb Mo appears courtesy of Yolabelle International/ILG
Darrell Nulisch appears courtesy of Severn Records