Jimmy ‘Spoon’ Witherspoon; Enduring Blues Singer

Blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon, whose deep, smoky voice was the trademark of a career that spanned more than five decades, has died, authorities said Saturday. He was 74.

Witherspoon died of natural causes Thursday in Los Angeles, said Claudine Ratcliffe, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. No other details were available, she said.

“He was one of the greatest blues performers of all time,” said Gary “Wagman” Wagner, a disc jockey at KLON-FM (88.1) in Long Beach.

“In terms of being a singer, that’s where he would really shine. He was always a fantastic vocalist.”

“Spoon,” as he was known, recorded dozens of albums and seemed at home fronting both small bands and large orchestras. His career included tours in Europe, prison performances and appearances at such influential venues as the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Some of his hits include “Blues Around the Clock,” “Some of My Best Friends Are the Blues” and “Blue Spoon.”

“No matter what he was singing, people would pay attention,” Wagner said.

Born Aug. 8, 1923, in Gurdon, Ark., Witherspoon had no formal musical training. He performed in the gospel choir at his Baptist church, where he became the main soloist at age 10.

At 16, Witherspoon left home and made his way to California, where he did odd jobs until joining the Merchant Marine in World War II.

His travels took him to Calcutta, where he sat in with Teddy Weatherford’s big band. Weatherford encouraged him to pursue a singing career, which he did in 1944 after his tour of duty ended.

He appeared in the clubs on Los Angeles’ Central Avenue, then a thriving music scene, and got a big break when he was invited to join Jay McShann’s band in Vallejo, Calif. He toured with the band for several years.

In 1949, Witherspoon cut his first single, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business.” It reached No. 1 on rhythm and blues record charts and remained there for nine months.

He continued to record through the 1950s with some success and also began to use a more jazz-inflected style.

His star dimmed with the advent of rock ‘n’ roll, but he made a comeback performance at the 1959 Monterey Jazz Festival.

Over the next decade he recorded with Earl Hines and other jazz greats, made European tours and regularly visited prisons to perform for inmates.

In the 1970s, Witherspoon returned to a deeper, blues style. He toured with guitarist Robben Ford and produced the single “Love Is a Five Letter Word” in 1975.

He appeared at blues and jazz festivals both at home and overseas through the mid-1980s, when a bout of throat cancer took him off the scene.

After surgery, the disease went into remission. Witherspoon returned to the stage in the late 1980s, but his damaged vocal cords had lost some vocal impact.

He rejoined Ford in the early 1990s. Their “Live at the Mint” album was nominated for the 1995 Grammy Award for best traditional blues album.