James Moore worked the sugarcane fields and loading docks of Baton Rouge before he became Slim Harpo — and then became the most-covered Louisiana bluesman in rock history. The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Grateful Dead all cut his songs. His 1966 'Baby Scratch My Back' hit number one on the R&B chart. He died in Baton Rouge in 1970 at 46, broke, while a generation of British rock stars was getting rich off his catalog.
Quick facts
- ·James Moore worked sugarcane fields and loading docks before becoming Slim Harpo.
- ·The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Grateful Dead all covered his songs.
- ·'Baby Scratch My Back' hit number one on the R&B chart in 1966.
- ·Died in Baton Rouge in 1970 at age 46, broke, while British rock stars got rich off his catalog.
- ·No marker exists in Baton Rouge; his legacy lives entirely in the music.
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Editorial content compiled with AI assistance. Place details verified against public records.