John Lee Hooker
Known to fans worldwide as "King of the Boogie," John Lee Hooker remains one of the superstars of the Blues genre.
Born near Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1917 to a sharecropping family, John's earliest musical influence came from his stepfather. He taught his stepson to play the guitar, and John credits him for his unique style.
By the 40's John had made his way to Detroit, working as a janitor during the day and playing the house party scene at night. Over the next 20 years, John would record and release over 100 songs.
In the 60's John returned to his acoustic and folk sound, grounding himself back to his roots. At the same time, across the pond, British bands were introducing Hookers sound to a whole new audience. This led to John consistently booking tours in both the US and Europe throughout the '70s and '80s.
He would later appear in the legendary Blues Brothers movie, and at 72, he released the biggest album of his career to critical acclaim and the sale of over one million copies.
Entering the 90's with renewed success, John released five more studio albums.
In 2000 shortly before his death, John Lee Hooker was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and on his final Saturday, played to a packed house.
Born near Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1917 to a sharecropping family, John's earliest musical influence came from his stepfather. He taught his stepson to play the guitar, and John credits him for his unique style.
By the 40's John had made his way to Detroit, working as a janitor during the day and playing the house party scene at night. Over the next 20 years, John would record and release over 100 songs.
In the 60's John returned to his acoustic and folk sound, grounding himself back to his roots. At the same time, across the pond, British bands were introducing Hookers sound to a whole new audience. This led to John consistently booking tours in both the US and Europe throughout the '70s and '80s.
He would later appear in the legendary Blues Brothers movie, and at 72, he released the biggest album of his career to critical acclaim and the sale of over one million copies.
Entering the 90's with renewed success, John released five more studio albums.
In 2000 shortly before his death, John Lee Hooker was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and on his final Saturday, played to a packed house.
