Kokomo Arnold, born James Arnold on February 15, 1896/1901, in Lovejoy's Station, Georgia, was an American blues musician known for his distinctive bottleneck guitar playing. He learned guitar from his cousin John Wiggs and adopted the nickname "Kokomo" from a drugstore employee. Arnold's first recordings, "Rainy Night Blues" and "Paddlin' Madeline Blues", were released in 1930 under the pseudonym Gitfiddle Jim. After moving to Chicago, he began working as an illegal bootlegger during Prohibition while also performing music. In 1934, Arnold recorded his signature song "Milk Cow Blues" with Decca Records, which became a classic and was covered by Elvis Presley. His last recording session took place in 1938, after which he retired from the music industry. He died on November 8, 1968, in Chicago.
