BLUES N'AT

John Lee Hooker was one of the most influential singer/guitarists in blues history. One of eleven children, he was born on April 22, 1917 in Coahoma County, Mississippi. John Lee started out playing Country Blues and Delta Blues but soon developed more of a Talking Blues style to accompany his unique guitar technique. John Lee left home at 15 and supplemented his income while he honed his playing by gigging in Memphis on Beale Street and at house parties. He eventually worked his way up to Detroit. While in Detroit he made the decision to switch from acoustic to electric guitar. The switched worked and in 1948 he recorded a demo for Modern Records. "Boogie Chillen'" was the first of many hits. During the 1950's, Hooker was able to earn extra money by recording under variations of his name (ex: John Lee Booker, John Lee Cooker, etc.) to help pay the bills. Along the way, he recorded some of the most highly regarding tunes in the blues community, "Boom, Boom", "House Rent Boogie", and "Crawlin' Kingsnake" are just the tip of the iceberg. These songs and many others influenced such artists as Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, and Canned Heat. He appeared in the "Blues Brothers" movie in 1980 along with many other legendary blues acts. That same year, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. He won three Grammy awards during his illustrious career as well as receiving a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He was still going strong at 83 when he passed away on June 21, 2001. John Lee Hooker left a legacy that will span lifetimes. Mrs. Black-N-Gold knows that when she says "I'm in the Mood", she's in the mood for some John Lee Hooker. There are many great collections of his recordings available. Check some out for yourself. You'll be "hooked". Until next time, boys and girls. Keep It Bluesy!