The Aces (blues band)

The Aces was one of the earliest and most influential of the electric Chicago blues bands in the 1950s,[1] led by the guitarist brothers Louis and Dave Myers, natives of Byhalia, Mississippi. The brothers originally performed as the Little Boys. With the addition of the harmonica player Junior Wells, they rechristened themselves the Three Deuces and then the Three Aces. With the enlistment of the drummer Fred Below in 1950, they became the Four Aces and finally the Aces.[2] Influenced in large part by jazz, they developed an urbane, sophisticated style well ahead of its time; in particular, Below's refined rhythms led to the rise of the blues shuffle beat and helped launch the drums to a new prominence in blues bands.[3]

The Aces
Also known asThe Three Deuces, the Three Aces, the Four Aces, The Jukes
OriginChicago, Illinois, United States
GenresChicago blues
InstrumentsGuitar, harmonica, bass, harmonica, drums
Years active1950s–1970s
Associated actsLittle Walter
Past membersLouis Myers
Dave Myers
Junior Wells
Fred Below

In 1952, Wells quit to join the Muddy Waters band, filling the vacancy created by the recent departure of Little Walter from that group.[4] Walter quickly signed the remaining Aces as his new backing unit, renaming the trio the Jukes to capitalize on his current hit single, "Juke".[4] A series of seminal recordings followed — "Mean Old World," "Sad Hours," "Off the Wall," and "Tell Me Mama" among them, until Louis Myers left the band in 1954. The resulting gradual dissolution of the Jukes as Little Walter's band 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.[2] During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s the original Aces periodically reunited for recordings, tours, and festival gigs.[5]

Dave Myers in 1978

Band member details
  • Louis Myers, September 18, 1929 – September 5, 1994[6]
  • Dave Myers, October 30, 1926 – September 3, 2001[2]
  • Fred Below, September 16, 1926 – August 14, 1988[4]
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References
  1. Santelli, Robert (2001). The Big Book of Blues. Penguin Books. pp. 2–3. ISBN 0-14-100145-3.
  2. Unterberger, Richie. "Dave Myers". Allmusic. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
  3. Vladimir, Bogdanov. (2003). All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues. Backbeat Books. p. 2. ISBN 0-87930-736-6.
  4. Robert Palmer. Deep Blues. Penguin Books. pp. 211-2. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
  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.
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