Fifty Photographs: selections from SCUA collections

James Cotton

by Jeff Albertson, Jan. 1968

Mississippi bluesman James Cotton was at the top of his game in 1968, having formed his own blues band after years of playing harmonica with Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Janis Joplin. 

Jeff Albertson was a young student at Boston University, photographing as much live music as he could manage. He had photographed Buddy Guy at the same venue a few months before, among other acts. Albertson was still honing his craft, but here, he captures Cotton and his blues harp in a beatific moment.