John Lee Hooker Biography, Photos and Posters

John Lee Hooker

Biography

Born: 1917
Hometown: Clarksdale, MS
Instrument: Guitar, Vocalist
Music Training:
Awards: 1989 Grammy Best Traditional Blues Recording, "I'm In The Mood;" 1995 Best Traditional Blues Album, Chill Out; 1997 Best Traditional Blues Album, Don't Look Back; 1997 Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals, Don't Look Back; 1991 induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame;
Top Recordings: "Boogie Chillen," "I'm In The Mood"
John Lee Hooker biography: The son of a sharecropping family, John left home in 1930 and joined the army the following year. By the early 1940s John had moved to Detroit stopping in Memphis and Cincinnati along the way. There he found work as a janitor in the car factories while he entertained friends by night. While playing at a house party of one of his friends he was discovered by record storeowner Elmer Barbee who took him to see Bernard Besman who produced for and owned Sensation Records. Besman then leased some of his early recordings to Modern Records including "Boogie Chillen" which became a number 1 jukebox hit. This was followed up by an even bigger hit "I'm In The Mood."

During the 1950s and 60s over 100 of his songs were released. His original Blues sound became a sensation among the aspiring young artists of the early 60s like the Animals, John Mayall, and the Yardbirds. By 1970 he had moved to California where he worked on several projects with Van Morrison and Canned Heat who styled their Blues sound after him. He toured the U.S. during the 1970s and 80 but became increasingly disenchanted with recording. The release of the 1989 movie The Blues Brother did much to return him to prominence. His rcording the Healer was received critical acclaim and sold over a million copies. At the age of 80 he received his third and fourth Grammy Awards for for Best Traditional Blues Recording (Don't Look Back) and for Best Pop Collaboration for the song "Don't Look Back" which he recorded with Van Morrison.
Died: June 21, 2001

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