Elmore James, born Elmore Brooks on January 27, 1918, in Richland, Holmes County, Mississippi, was a seminal American blues musician celebrated as the "King of the Slide Guitar." Raised in a sharecropping family, he began his musical journey at age 12 with a diddley bow, a simple one-string instrument. Influenced by blues legends like Robert Johnson, Kokomo Arnold, and Tampa Red, James developed a distinctive slide guitar technique that would leave a lasting impact on blues and rock music.

During his teenage years, James performed under various names, including "Cleanhead" and "Joe Willie James." His early career saw him collaborating with prominent musicians such as Sonny Boy Williamson II. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he participated in the invasion of Guam, James returned to Mississippi and began recording with Trumpet Records. His 1952 rendition of "Dust My Broom," originally a Robert Johnson composition, became a surprise R&B hit and established him as a leading figure in the blues genre.

Throughout the 1950s, James recorded for several labels, including Flair Records, Meteor Records, and Modern Records, and worked with notable artists like Ike Turner and Big Joe Turner. His band, the Broomdusters, included musicians such as "Little" Johnny Jones and Odie Payne. In 1959, he began recording for Bobby Robinson's Fire Records, producing classics like "The Sky Is Crying" and "Shake Your Moneymaker."

James's music was characterized by his intense vocal style and innovative use of amplification, which influenced numerous rock musicians, including the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. Tragically, he died of a heart attack on May 24, 1963, in Chicago, just as he was preparing to tour Europe. Posthumously, James was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, cementing his legacy as a pivotal figure in the evolution of modern music.