Error establishing a database connection

I’ve been using WordPress for a while. I wanted to change the user and password – now I can’t get any mySQL account besides root to work in the wp-config.php.

I’m running mySQL (v 14.12) and wordpress on my own Linux box (Debian).

• I login to mySQL as root and create a new user and password, give them access to the database, and flush the privileges.
• I change wp-config.php to that username and password
• I try to load the blog in a browser, and get the “Error establishing a database connection”
• I change wp-config.php to the mySQL root’s username and password
• The blog now comes up
• I can login to mySQL as the new user, and see the tables that it’s been given permission for

Any tips? Thanks!