POLKA DOT SLIM

Biography

Polka Dot Slim, born Willie Monroe Vincent on December 9, 1926, in Woodville, Mississippi, was an American blues singer and harmonica player who became a notable figure in the New Orleans blues scene. Performing from a young age, he developed a style that blended New Orleans rhythm and blues with the rural country blues tradition, drawing particular influence from Sonny Boy Williamson II. His early recordings in the late 1950s were produced in Crowley, Louisiana, by Jay Miller, who released them under various pseudonyms on different labels.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Polka Dot Slim was a regular performer in New Orleans clubs and bars, where his music was characterized by its raw, rural blues sound amidst a city known for its more urbanized R&B. He recorded notable tracks such as "A Thing You Gotta Face" and "Ain't Broke Ain't Hungry," produced by Sax Kari and released on the Instant label in 1964. Music historian John Broven described him as one of the last rural country bluesmen active in New Orleans during the 1970s. In his later years, Polka Dot Slim relocated to Oakland, California, where he continued to perform until his death on June 22, 1981.

Fun Facts

• Polka Dot Slim was also credited under several other names, including Vince Monroe, Mr. Calhoun, and Poka-A-Dot Slim.
• His music preserved the rural country blues style within the urban environment of New Orleans, making him a unique figure among his contemporaries.
• He was described by researcher John Broven as one of the last rural country bluesmen still active in New Orleans during the 1970s.
• His first recordings were released under two different pseudonyms on two different labels, a practice not uncommon among blues musicians of his era.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) - Major stylistic influence, particularly in harmonica playing and vocal delivery (General influence, not tied to specific albums) [1940s-1950s]

Key Collaborators

• Jay Miller - Producer of Polka Dot Slim's earliest recordings, released under pseudonyms (Late 1950s singles) [late 1950s]
• Sax Kari - Producer of the 1964 single 'A Thing You Gotta Face' / 'Ain't Broke Ain't Hungry' (Instant label single (1964)) [1964]

Artists Influenced

• Boogie Bill Webb - Contemporary and peer in the New Orleans country blues scene, both maintained rural blues traditions in the city (General scene influence) [1960s-1970s]
• Babe Stovall - Fellow New Orleans bluesman, part of the same rural blues circle (General scene influence) [1960s-1970s]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. A Thing You Gotta Face (House Rockin' 1950s Rhythm & Blues, Vol. 3)
2. Ain't Broke, Ain't Hungry (The Instant & Minit Story)
3. A Thing You Gotta Face (60s Soul Sensations - The Rare 45 RPM Collection)
4. Ain't Broke, Ain't Hungry (Mr Joe's Jambalaya & Loaded Down With the Blues)
5. A Thing You Gotta Face (Mr Joe's Jambalaya & Loaded Down With the Blues)
6. A Thing You Gotta Face (Love You, New Orleans 60's R&B Funk And Soul Vol. 1)
7. A Thing You Gotta Face (Rare Rhythm´n´blues Vol.3, 20 R&B 45 Rpm Nuggets)
8. A Thing You Gotta Face (Stompin' Vol. 3)
9. It's A Thing You Gotta Face (Blues Classics: The Snuggle)
10. A Thing You Gotta Face (Fumigate Funky Broadway)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia