Question 1

True or false: Elmore James’s distinctive slide style was heavily influenced by Robert Johnson’s recordings.

Accepted Answer

True. James directly adapted Johnson’s 'I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom' and transformed it into his own electric slide masterpiece, honoring Johnson's legacy.

Question 2

True or false: Elmore James performed with a full horn section on most of his 1950s recordings.

Accepted Answer

False. His classic sound was raw, with only guitar, bass, drums, and occasional piano; horns were rare, appearing mainly on later, less-known sessions.

Question 3

True or false: Elmore James was one of the first bluesmen to use a solid-body electric guitar as his main instrument.

Accepted Answer

True. He popularized the electric slide guitar sound using a modified Kay hollow-body, not a solid-body, but he was indeed an early adopter of electric blues amplification.

Question 4

True or false: Elmore James was the cousin of blues legend B.B. King.

Accepted Answer

False. They were not related; James was actually a cousin of slide guitarist Homesick James, not B.B. King, though they often toured together.

Question 5

True or false: Elmore James never had a Billboard R&B chart hit during his lifetime.

Accepted Answer

False. His 1952 classic 'Dust My Broom' reached No. 9 on Billboard's R&B chart, making him a commercial success in the early 1950s.

Question 6

True or false: Elmore James was left-handed but played a right-handed guitar flipped upside down.

Accepted Answer

True. Like Jimi Hendrix, James played a right-handed guitar upside down, stringing it for left-hand use, which contributed to his unique slide technique.

Question 7

True or false: Elmore James recorded his signature song 'Dust My Broom' in a single take with a broken guitar string.

Accepted Answer

True. Legend says his high-string action broke during the session, but he kept playing, creating the iconic slide sound that defined the track.

Question 8

True or false: Elmore James died of a heart attack while visiting his girlfriend in Chicago.

Accepted Answer

False. He died of a heart attack in Chicago, but it was at his cousin’s home, not a girlfriend's. The myth likely stems from his wandering lifestyle.

Elmore James Trivia Questions