The gritty Delta bluesman known as Little Milton has died in Memphis a week after a stroke left him comatose. He was 71.

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The Memphis and Las Vegas resident died Thursday, a spokesman for his record label, Malaco, told the New York Times.

James Milton Campbell was born in Inverness, Miss., less than 10 miles from the birthplace nine years earlier of B.B. King, the Times said. The self-taught guitarist took the name Little Milton to avoid being confused with his musician father, Big Milton Campbell.

Ike Turner discovered Little Milton and he went on to record for Sun Records, the home of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

His mixture of R&B, blues and soul helped score a number of hits on the Checker label in the 1960s. He went on to record for several different labels and his album "Welcome to Little Milton" received a Grammy nomination in 2000.

He is survived by his wife, Pat Campbell.