John Lee Hooker - The World´s Greatest Blues Singer

John Lee Hooker in Detroit.

JLH: "The Boogie Man" - "Po´ Slim" - "The Hook" - "The Blues Giant"
Guitarist and modern urbanized country blues singer, with roots in the rich Delta tradition.
| JLH at NNDB |

Born in Mississippi, raised up in Tennessee
John Lee Hooker was born August 22, 1912 on a sharecropper farm in Tutwiler, Tallahatchie County close to Highway 49, south of Clarksdale, Coahoma County, Mississippi. (Hooker himself has given other dates of birth – in later years often 1920 and other files say anything between 1912 and 1923). After his death - home in his sleep in Los Altos, Santa Clara County at the San Francisco Bay area, California on June 21, 2001 - the Hooker family confirmed his birth date as August 22, 1917. Recent findings by Bob Eagle suggest Hooker was born already in 1912 (information found in the 1920 and 1930 Census / Routledge enumerations outside and in Tutwiler town, Tallahatchie County). John Lee´s mother was Minnie Ramsey (born in Glendora, Miss 1875 or possibly 1880; died around 1950), married to his father (sharecropper and spare-time preacher) William (indexed Wildred) Hooker, who was born in North Carolina around 1871 (or possibly 1865). John had six brothers and four sisters - of which not all survived. Only religious music was allowed in the Hooker family. The family moved to a new farm (the Fewell plantation) at Vance, Miss (again not far from Clarksdale) in circa 1920 (where John said he met Snooky Pryor and Jimmy Lane - later known as Jimmy Rogers).

The parents separated in circa 1926 (or according to the Bob Eagle findings much earlier since John´s father was re-married to Anna from Louisiana already in circa 1922). Johnnie, who was the only child leaving with his mother, got a stepfather - William Moore (from Shreveport, Louisiana, no recordings, but a local Lambert, Miss blues musician, who died before John Lee got to Detroit). From Moore Johnnie learned to play the boogie on guitar, and tunes like "Pea Vine special" (via Charley Patton), "Rather drink muddy water", "My starter won´t start", "Don´t turn me from your door" and "When my first wife quit me". Hooker claimed Blind Lemon Jefferson came to visit Moore, and he also remembered Blind Blake and Charley Patton. Around 1928-30 Hooker had started playing the guitar, which he said was given to him by blues singer Tony Hollins, who had courted his sister – and later he got his second from William Moore. Hooker was also influenced by Tommy McClennan and much of Hooker´s greatness may be due to his natural youth mix of gospel and blues.

Hobo Blues - Drifting from door to door
Hooker left Mississippi and moved to Memphis in 1933-34, first staying at an aunt´s and later working at the cinema "New Daisy" (and possibly also the W.C. Handy Theater) on Beale Street. Johnnie claimed that he during his Memphis stay worked with Robert Nighthawk, Eddie Love (brother of pianist Willie) and the pianist Joe Willard. He soon "hoboed" again - this time he spent a period in Knoxville, Tennessee and arrived in Cincinnati, Ohio in circa 1935. During these early years Hooker sings the blues and works with gospel groups like the Big Six, the Delta Big Four, and the Fairfield Four in the evenings - and in factories, theatres-cinemas and warehouses during daytime. The years between 1939 and 1943 are unaccounted for (except for a short spell in the army - stationed near Detroit; Hooker even may have travelled to the South).

Starting out - Boogie Chillen´
Hooker started his career (eventually leading to become the world´s foremost "traditional blues" singer) via his arrival in Detroit in circa 1943, first working at a receiving hospital and later at Dodge and Comco Steel (possibly also as a janitor at the Chrysler car plant). He first married Alma Hopes - one daughter, Francis (or Frances) - but they soon parted and he later married Sarah Jones. In late 1944 he met Maude Mathis, married her and had two sons and four daughters (after his separation with Maude in 1970 Hooker has been married to Millie Strom). In the evenings of the mid 1940s John got small jobs at the clubs around Hastings Street (like Forest Inn and Club Basin). Legend has it: T-Bone Walker handed Johnny Lee the first electric guitar, as John became T-Bone's "kid" when T-Bone was working in Detroit during 1946-48. "Johnny Lee" (as most of his friends called him) invented his own "unique" style (non-rhyming, sometimes out-of-rhythm) and was introduced in 1948 to Bernie Besman (of Sensation Records at Woodward Avenue; and co-owner with John Kaplan of the Pan American Record Co.) by Elmer Barbee, Hooker´s original "manager", who "discovered" Hooker playing with his trio at the "Apex" bar on Monroe Street (although "legend" says Besman "discovered" Hooker at Lee Sensation´s bar "Russell & Orange" - or at the "Monte Carlo"). Barbee continued to promote Johnnie, after the Besman introduction, for other record labels, mostly recording in Barbee´s record shop at 609 Lafayette Street, but the main records of Hooker´s up into 1952 were recorded by Bernie Besman at United Sound Studios Inc. at 5840 2nd Blvd. Besman leased several tracks to the Bihari brothers (Modern - of Hollywood) and soon issued others on the Detroit label Sensation. A total of eight Besman-recorded Modern singles were issued from November 1948 - December 1950 and seven on Sensation (and Regal) from November 1949 - October 1950, plus a further seven on Modern from 1951 - October 1952. Almost a hundred alternates, variations andf extras were "kept in the can" and later issued on album compilations.

Neil Slaven on Hooker´s Detroit debut
"John Lee Hooker ... became an overnight sensation in 1949 ... (note: edited), his talent already fully formed. Despite his recent biography, it´s likely we´ll never know how his highly individual skill developed because it´s not something he either can or wants to talk about. And why should he, since the creative process defies definition. The huge volume of music that poured through him during the first years was like a dam wall bursting, releasing the pent-up energies of a musician whose time had finally come.... He reached Detroit in 1943 and found work at the Receiving Hospital before taking a series of jobs with Dodge and Comco Steel. He got married for the first time to Alma Hopes but they parted after a few months; his relationship with Sarah Jones managed to last a year. Far more long-lasting and inspirational was his marriage to Maude Mathis and the birth of two sons and four daughters.... There were a host of house parties and small drinking clubs around the Black Bottom and Paradise Valley sections of Detroit. Through his persistence and the conviction that he was meant to be a famous musician, John Lee graduated to clubs such as the Apex, Henry´s Swing Club, the Caribbean Club and the Sensation. He also acquired an influential fan, none other than T-Bone Walker, who gave him his first electric guitar. ´It was just a matter of findin´ the break,´ he told Shaar Murray. ´I got discovered out of a little bar by my manager Elmer Barbee. He the one discovered me, playing´ around nightclubs, little honkytonk bars, house parties. I had a little trio (with pianist James Watkins, and drummer Curtis Foster). I was playin´ a little bar called the Apex on Monroe Street, and I was the talk of the town. Barbee owned a record store at 609 Lafayette, with a small recording studio in the back. For something like six months, John Lee made regular visits and cut a series of acetates, of which "Rocks" (a variant on "Roll Me Over"), cut on June 12, 1948, was one. "Leavin´ Chicago" and the first of many versions of "Wednesday Evening Blues" also survive from this period (cut was also "When My First Wife Left Me"; ed.note). Eventually Barbee took him and his demos downtown to meet Bernard Besman, part owner of Pan American Record Distributors on Woodward Avenue... Besman elected to record John Lee at the city´s United Sound studio."
(Neil Slaven, 2000 - from the first of the Body & Soul Complete Detroit CD series booklets).

First recordings - When my first wife left me
Hooker´s first recording was done for manager Elmer Barbee in Detroit June 12, 1948 - "Rocks" (originally unissued) and shortly thereafter he cut unissued demo recordings of circa July/August 1948: "Leavin´ Chicago" (aka "Highway Blues"), "Wednesday Evening Blues" and two demos of "My First Wife Left Me" (one known as "When My Wife Quit Me" and the other as "When My First Wife Left Me"). The song was issued as "Drifting From Door To Door" on Modern in 1949.

On Johnnie's first recording session for Bernie Besman (written in 1961)
(thanks to Alan Balfour)

An early photo of Hooker in Detroit.

    BOOGIE CHILLEN´

    Well , my Mama she didn´t allow me, just to stay out all night long,
    ... ooh, Lord!
    Well , my Mama didn´t allow me, just to stay out all night long,
    I didn´t care if she didn´t allow me, I was boogie-woogie´n´ anyhow.

    When I first came to town, people, I was walkin´ down Hastings Street,
    I heard everybody talkin´ ´bout the Henry Swing Club.
    I decided to drop in there that night, and when I got there,
    I say, yes people, they we´re really havin´ a ball, yes I know .....
    ... boogie, chillen´!

    One night I was layin´ down, I heard Mama and Papa talkin´,
    I heard Papa tell Mama: Let that boy boogie woogie,
     ´cause it´s in him and it got to come out!
    Well, I felt so good, and I went on boogie-woogie´n´ just the same,
    ... yes .....

      - by John Lee Hooker

First recordings for Bernie Besman - Henry´s Swing Club
Hooker´s debut record was cut at United Sound Studios for Bernie Besman (born 1912 - died January 10, 2003) - with Joe Siracuse, engineer, in September 1948. It was "Sally May" c/w "Boogie Chillen´" (B 7003 and B 7006) - released November 3, 1948 on the West Coast Bihari-owned Modern label, # 20-627 - with "Sally May" titled "Sally Mae" on later issues (just as the second take of that song). The matrix numbers of this session were B 7003 - B 7006, used both by Besman himself and Modern Records. On that session a further titles were recorded. One was "Highway Blues" (B 7004) issued in 1971 as "War Is Over (Goodbye California)" on Specialty LP 2127 and in an alternate as "See, See Baby" on Greene Bottle LP 3130 in 1972. The other was "Wednesday Evening Blues" (B 7005) issued on United Artists LP 5512 as "She Was In Chicago" in 1971 and in an alternate as "Crazy ´Bout That Woman"" on Greene Bottle. Hooker´s two alternate boogies, possibly also recorded that day, were later titled "Johnny Lee´s Original Boogie" (better-suited title would have been "Detroit Boogie") and "Henry´s Swing Club". Today Fancourt and other discographers are agreeing on that the matrixes B 7007 - B 7009 were recorded at the same session as "Boogie Chillen´", since Besman offered those matrixes to the Biharis at the same time as "Boogie Chillen´". "Hobo Blues" (B 7008B), "Drifting From Door To Door" (B 7007), "Playin´ The Numbers" (B 7009 - originally issued as "Numbers Blues" on the Ace CD "House Rent Blues" as late as 2001 and in an alternate as "She Ain´t Good For Nothin´" on Greene Bottle). These versions of "Numbers Blues" are not to be mixed-up with B 8013 "Playin´ The Races" aka "Dream A Number" on Greene Bottle (which also has an alternate titled "Well I Got To Leave" on United Artists LP 127 in 1973), which were re-recordings from late 1949. There is also a first version of "Alberta" (from Specialty LP 2125), which may be master B 7010. In all ten recordings were waxed (plus the alternates) in September, 1948 - the tracks listed above plus "Howlin' Wolf" (B 7011) and "Crawling King Snake" (B 7012). "Hobo Blues" c/w "Hoogie Boogie" (B 7036B from a later session) was Besman´s follow-up record to "Boogie Chillen´", released in March 1949. Before that at least four 78´s by Hooker, recording under different pseudonyms were issued, all recorded by manager Elmer Barbee (although three of them were sold to Joe Von Battle, who resold them to King and Savoy). All of Modern´s B-matrixes 1948-1950 (and they were assigned in recording chronology - not in order of actual issue date) are Bernie Besman productions issued as "John Lee Hooker And His Guitar".

Poor Slim´s Battle - Stomp Boogie
After Hooker´s local success with "Boogie Chillen´" (later known as "Boogie Chillen" - also labeled as "Boogie Children" - and in several re-recordings as "Boogie Chillun") Hooker started "moonlighting" under different pseudonyms for other Detroit producers, especially for manager Elmer Barbee and for Joe Von Battle in Joe´s Record Shop at 3530 Hastings Street. Hooker called himself Poor Slim, Poor Joe, and Tony on many of the early Barbee recordings. The first five pirate issues were: "Black Man Blues" c/w "Stomp Boogie", released on King in November 1948 as Texas Slim, "Goin´ Mad Blues" c/w "Helpless Blues", released in February 1949 on Regent (as Delta John), "Low Down Midnite Boogie" c/w "Landing Blues", released in March on Savoy (as Birmingham Sam), "Do The Boogie" c/w "Morning Blues", released in April on Acorn (as The Boogie Man). All of these were Barbee recordings, although sold to Battle. There was also a Barbee recording, "Wayne County Ramblin´ Blues" c/w "Grievin´ Blues" on Danceland (as Little Pork Chops with an unknown lead singer on the flip). Around August 1949 Joe Von Battle produced "The Numbers" c/w "Devils Jump", by himself (although Fancourt nowadays states they also are Barbee productions sold to Battle) - released on King as Texas Slim. Idessa Malone´s production of "Miss Rosie Mae" c/w "Highway Blues" was released on Prize (as Johnny Williams) during 1949 and later several records were made as "John Lee Booker" (for Battle and Henry Stone); and Idessa Malone continued her "Johnny Williams" recordings - even Gotham (a Philadelphia label) recorded Hooker as "Johnny Williams" and as "John Lee". 26 original pirate singles (that's more then the Besman-produced singles) were issued from December 1949 - June 1952 (under pseudonyms - with only two exceptions for Chess, and including a reissue on King by John Lee Cooker) with the last one on Chance as John L. Booker ("609 Boogie" c/w Road Trouble"). Eddie Burns, hca; John T. Smith, gtr; Andrew Dunham, gtr; James Watkins,pno; Curtis Foster,dms and Johnny Hooks, tenorsax sporadically worked with Hooker during the early years.

From Detroit to Chicago; and from Coast to Coast
- I´m In The Mood / It serves me right to suffer
In 1951 and 1952 JLH cut two sessions direct for Chess Records (the first probably in Chicago and the second possibly in Detroit - experts still argue if it was Besman, Battle, Barbee or Leonard Chess who produced the sessions). On April 26, 1951 "Ground Hog Blues" coupled with "Louise" - which were issued on both Chess and Modern - were waxed together with six other great songs. On April 24, 1952 the second Chess session took place - this time twelve songs were recorded (a.o. "Walkin´ The Boogie"). In between those two sessions Hooker recorded his biggest hit, "I´m In The Mood" for Besman (Modern Records) in Detroit. From mid 1952 - when Bernie Besman moved to Los Angeles - Joe Bihari took over as producer in Detroit (still with United Sounds´ Joe Siracuse as engineer) and Hooker toured with "second" guitarist Eddie Kirkland, with whom he worked several times thruout the years. JLH worked with his own band from 1953 - the Boogie Ramblers in Detroit (including Bob Thurman and sometimes Vernon "Boogie Woogie Red" Harrison, pno; Tom Whitehead, dms; Jimmy Miller, tpt; and Johnny Hooks and later Otis Finch, sax). Hooker was contracted to Art Rupe's Specialty Records in early 1954 (only one single was issued), but the Modern recordings continued for a while later, and the last Modern recordings were made early 1955 (or possibly late 1954). He then signed a contract with Vee-Jay Records around October 1955 and switched recording locations to Chicago (Universal Studios) during 1955 - 1964 (with Jimmy Bracken, Ewart Abner and especially Calvin Carter producing - later also Al Smith). From 1965 Hooker regularly recorded in New York, due to his new-signed contract with ABC Records after Vee-Jay´s bankruptcy (the first couple of albums produced by Bob Thiele). Hooker moved to Oakland, California in 1970 (something he had longed for, and came natural after his separation with Maude). He regularly recorded in Los Angeles and San Francisco during the early ´70s - often produced by Ed Michel. His accompanying Coast To Coast Blues Band of the Frisco/L.A. area (with several famous white rock musicians) backed him in the ´70s (and variations including his son Robert Hooker, Luther Tucker on guitar and later Deacon Jones on keyboard toured with him during the ´80s and ´90s). Hooker settled in the San Francisco Bay suburbs during the ´90s. The Blue Rose organization from 1989 (making Hooker a rich man during later years): manager Mike Kappus, producer Roy Rogers, artist John Lee Hooker

   John Lee Hooker on Records - Boom Boom
   Hooker made records for (among others):
   - Modern and Sensation as John Lee Hooker 1948-1952
   - King, Savoy, Gotham, Chess, DeLuxe, Fortune 1948-1954 (different pseudonyms)
   - Modern 1952-1955, Specialty 1954
   - VeeJay 1955-1964, Riverside 1959-1960
   - Chess 1966, ABC/Bluesway 1965-1974
   - Tomato 1977
   - Chameleon (Silvertone in Europe) 1989
   - Pointblank/Virgin 1990-2001 (+ Eagle 2003)

    John Lee Hooker - Recorded History (original issues and recording dates)

    The Best Historic Recordings (62 great tracks . original and representative albums noted)

DETROIT
Drifting From Door To Door (Modern 714, prob. ca Sept 1948 aka When My First Wife Left Me)
   LP "Sings The Blues" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings", "Original Folk Blues, Plus" and "Hooker" CDbox
Sally May (Modern 627, ca Sept 1948)
   LP "The Great JLH" - CD "The Ultimate Collection", "House Rent Boogie" and "Hooker" CDbox - all as Sally Mae and on
   LP "John Lee Hooker's Detroit" - CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings" as There's A Day Comin' Baby;
   plus in an alternate on LP "The Blues" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings", "Blues Kingpins",
   "Original Folk Blues, Plus" and "Gold"; all as Sally Mae
Boogie Chillen' (Modern 627, ca Sept 1948 - the original)
   LP "The Blues" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings", "Blues Kingpins", "Original Folk Blues, Plus",
   "Half A Stranger", "Boogie Chillen'", "The Very Best of", "The Definitive Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox;
   plus in an alternate on LP "Goin' Down Highway 51" - CD "Graveyard Blues" as Henry's Swing Club, and in a completely
   alternate take on LP "John Lee Hooker's Detroit" - CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings"
   as Johnny Lee's Original Boogie
Black Man Blues (King 4283 as Texas Slim, ca Nov 1948)
   LP "Slim's Stomp" and "No Friend Around"
- CD "Don´t You Remember Me", "I'm A Boogie Man", "I'm The Boogie Man" and "Hooker" CDbox
Low Down-Midnite Boogie (Savoy 5558 as Birmingham Sam, ca Nov 1948 aka Talking Boogie)
   LP "Southern Blues" and "No Friend Around"
   - CD "Savoy Blues Legends Detroit 1948-1949" and "Early Years - The Classic Savoy Sessions"
Hobo Blues (Modern 663, ca Sept 1948 - the original)
   LP "The Blues" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings", "Blues Kingpins", "Half A Stranger",
   "The Very Best of", "The Definitive Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox;
   plus in an alternate on LP "John Lee Hooker's Detroit"
   - CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings" as Long Long Way From Home
Hoogie Boogie (Modern 663, prob. February 18 1949 aka Rhythm No. 2)
   LP "The Blues" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings", "Blues Kingpins", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox, plus in alternates
   on LP "Goin' Down Highway 51" - CD "Graveyard Blues" as Hastings Street Boogie, and on
   LP "John Lee Hooker's Detroit" - CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings"
   as Snap Them Fingers Boogie, plus on LP "Johnny Lee" as My Own Boogie
Crawling King Snake (Modern 714, prob. ca Sept 1948 - the original)
   LP "The Blues" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings", "Blues Kingpins", "Original Folk Blues, Plus",
   "Half A Stranger", "The Very Best of", "The Definitive Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox; plus in an alternate on
   LP "John Lee Hooker's Detroit" - CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings" as I Rule My Den
Talkin' Boogie (Chance 1104 as John Lee Booker, 1949 - aka Slappin' The Boogie)
   LP "John Lee Hooker & His Guitar" - CD "Rare Hooker" and "The Boogie Man" box
Don' t You Remember Me (King 4366 as Texas Slim, ca March 1950)
   LP "Slim's Stomp" - CD "I'm A Boogie Man" and "Hooker" CDbox - with dubbed drums on
   LP "Sings Blues" - CD "Don´t You Remember Me" and "I'm The Boogie Man"
   (also recorded in a different version for Besman November 16, 1950)
Boogie Chillen No. 2 (Sensation 34, prob April 28 1950)
   LP "...Alone" (Specialty) - CD "Graveyard Blues"; plus on LP "John Lee Hooker's Detroit"
   - CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings" as I Gotta Be Comin' Back;
   also in alternates on LP "Goin' Down Highway 51" - CD "Graveyard Blues" as 21 Boogie,
   and on LP "Johnny Lee" as Jump Chillun
Notoriety Woman (Regal 3304, April 28 1950)
   LP "Johnny Lee" as No Place To Stay - CD "Hooker" CDbox; plus in an alternate on
   LP "Coast To Coast Blues Band" and CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings" as Throw This Old Dog A Bone
House Rent Boogie (Staff 710 as Johnny Williams, Blues Classics v.a. LP 12, Oct-Nov 1950 - the original)
   LP "Detroit Blues, 1950-51" and "No Friend Around"
   - CD "Gotham Golden Classics - The Rare Recordings", "Rare Hooker" and "The Boogie Man" box.
   This is not the Besman-produced Modern version recorded Nov 16, 1950
   (included in the "Hooker" CDbox and most of the other compilations, aka as John L's House Rent Boogie)
Women In My Life (Modern 829/Kent v.a LP 9006, April 2 1951)
   LP "Goin' Down Highway 51" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings"; plus "Everybody's Blues"
   as Four Women In My Life; and in an alternate on LP "John Lee Hooker's Detroit"
   - CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings" as I'm Going Away - that alternate also
   on "Boogie Chillen'" as Four Women In My Life
Leave My Wife Alone (Chess 1467 as John Lee Booker, April 26 1951)
   "House Of The Blues", "The Complete 50's Chess Recordings", "The Definitive Collection"and "Hooker" CDbox
I´m In The Mood (Modern 835, Aug 7 1951 - the original three-voice)
   LP "The Blues" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings", "Blues Kingpins", "The Very Best of",
   "The Definitive Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox; with unedited alternate on "Half A Stranger" and "Boogie Chillen'",
   plus in three versions on LPs "Coast To Coast Blues Band" and "John Lee Hooker's Detroit"
   - CD "Alternative Boogie - Early Studio Recordings"; also in an edited-dubbed version on "House Rent Boogie"
The Journey (Chess LP 1454, April 24 1952)
   "Plays And Sings The Blues" and "The Complete 50's Chess Recordings"
Blues For Big Town (Fortune v.a. LP 3002, ca 1952)
   "Blues For Big Town", "The Complete 50's Chess Recordings", "The Boogie Man" box and "Hooker" CDbox
Stuttering Blues (DeLuxe 6032 as John Lee Booker, July 1953)
   "Don't Turn Me From Your Door", "I'm The Boogie Man" and "Hooker" CDbox;
Down Child (Modern 923, late 1953)
   LP "Folk Blues" - CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings", "Half A Stranger", "Boogie Chillen'" and "Hooker" CDbox
Boogie Rambler (Specialty CD 7035, May 13/14 1954 - the "unissued")
   "Everybody's Blues" and "Hooker" CDbox
   (also recorded in a different version for JVB in circa 1954/55)
Baby You Ain't No Good (Crown LP 5295, late 1954)
   LP "Folk Blues" - CD "Half A Stranger", "Boogie Chillen'", "House Rent Boogie" and "Hooker" CDbox
The Syndicator (Modern 966, prob. early 1955)
   LP "Sings The Blues"
   - CD "Blues Kingpins", "Half A Stranger", "Boogie Chillen'" and "Original Folk Blues, Plus"
Hug And Squeeze (Modern 966, prob. early 1955)
   LP "Sings The Blues" - CD "Blues Kingpins", "Half A Stranger" and "House Rent Booge'";
   also in an alternate on "Sings The Blues" and "Half A Stranger" as I Love You Baby

CHICAGO
Every Night (Vee-Jay 188, March 17 1956)
   "I'm John Lee Hooker", "On Vee-Jay 1955-1958", "Testament" and "Hooker" CDbox
Dimples (Vee-Jay 205, March 17 1956 - the original)
   "I'm John Lee Hooker", "On Vee-Jay 1955-1958", "Testament", "The Very Best of", "The Definitive Collection",
   "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
I'm So Excited (Vee-Jay 245, March 1 1957)
   "I'm John Lee Hooker", "On Vee-Jay 1955-1958", "Testament" and "Hooker" CDbox
I See You When You´re Weak (Vee-Jay 245, March 1 1957)
   "On Vee-Jay 1955-1958", "Rare Hooker", and in an alternate on "Dimples" DJM LP
I Love You Honey (Vee-Jay 293, June 10 1958)
   "I'm John Lee Hooker", "On Vee-Jay 1955-1958", "Testament", "Gold", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
Tupelo Blues (Riverside LP 838, April 1959 - the original/acoustic)
   "The Country Blues of", "That's My Story/The Folk Blues of" and "Hooker" CDbox
   (later recorded in a different version for Vee-Jay at Newport June 25, 1960)
Gonna Use My Rod (Riverside LP 321, Febr 9 1960)
   "That's My Story", "That's My Story/The Folk Blues of" and "Hooker" CDbox
(based on his 1954 recording I'm Mad, and later recorded in different versions as I'm Mad Again and
I'm Bad Like Jesse James)
No Shoes (Vee-Jay 349/LP 1023, March 1 1960)
   "Travelin'", "Testament", "Gold", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
Whiskey And Wimmen (Vee-Jay LP 1023, March 1 1960)
   "Travelin'", "Testament" and "Hooker" CDbox
We're All God's Chillun (Fortune 855 as Sir John Lee Hooker, ca July 1960)
   "Rare Hooker", "The Boogie Man" box and "Hooker" CDbox
When My Wife Quit Me (Savoy v.a. LP 16000, ca 1961)
   "Sad And Lonesome", "Sittin' Here Thinkin'", "Early Years - The Classic Savoy Sessions" and "Hooker" CDbox
I'm Going Upstairs (Vee-Jay 379/LP 1033, Jan 4 1961)
   "The Folk Lore", "Testament" and "Hooker" CDbox
You Lost A Good Man (Atco LP 151, ca July 1961)
   "Don't Turn Me From Your Door" and "Hooker" CDbox
Teachin' The Blues (Guest Star LP 1902, ca July 1961)
   "That's Where It's At", "The Ultimate Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox;
Boom Boom (Vee-Jay 438/LP 1043, late 1961 - the original)
   "Burnin'", "Testament", "The Very Best of", "The Definitive Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
Process (Vee-Jay LP 1043, late 1961)
   "Burnin'" and "Testament"
Frisco Blues (Vee-Jay 493/LP 1058, 1962 - the original)
   "The Big Soul", "The Ultimate Collection" and "Hooker" CDbox
Birmingham Blues (Vee-Jay 538/LP 1066, 1963)
   "On Campus", "Testament" and "Hooker" CDbox
It Serves Me Right To Suffer (Vee-Jay 708, mid 1964 - the original)
   "In Person", "Testament", "The Complete 1964 Recordings", "The Very Best of", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
   (later recorded in a different version for Impulse November 23, 1965 as It Serves You Right To Suffer)

COAST TO COAST
Let's Make It Baby (Brunswick LP 109012, Oct 18 1962 - studio live)
   "The Original American Folk Blues Festival", "The Boogie Man" box and "Hooker" CDbox
   (recorded in its original version for Vee-Jay in late 1961)
I'm Losin' You (Verve LP 3003, mid-Nov 1964)
   LP "And Seven Nights" - CD "The Complete 1964 Recordings" and "Hooker" CDbox;
   and (with brass dub) LP "On The Waterfront" - CD "The 1965 London Sessions"
Bottle Up And Go (Impulse 242/LP 9103, Nov 23 1965)
   "It Serves You Right To Suffer", "The Ultimate Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
   (recorded in a different "demo" version for Vee-Jay 1963)
House Rent Blues (Chess CD 9329, May 1966)
   "More Real Folk Blues -The Missing Album" and "The Complete Chess Folk Blues Sessions"
   (based on the 1950 recordings House Rent Boogie, and later recorded as House Rent Boogie for ABC in 1970)
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (Chess LP 1508, May 1966)
   "The Real Folk Blues", "The Complete Chess Folk Blues Sessions",
   "The Best of 1965 to 1974", "The Very Best of", "The Definitive Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
I´ll Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive (Bluesway LP 6002, Aug 30 1966 - the original/live)
    "Live at the Cafe au Go-Go"
    (later recorded in a different version for ABC September, 1971 with Van Morrison)
Mr. Lucky (Bluesway 61014/LP 6012, Nov 27 1967 - the original)
   "Urban Blues" and "The Best of 1965 to 1974"
Mean Mean Woman (Bluesway 61023/LP 6023, September 18 1968)
"Simply The Truth" and "Hooker" CDbox
I Wanna Be Your Puppy, Baby (Bluesway LP 6038, May 29 1969)
"If You Miss 'Im... I Got 'Im"
Burning Hell (Liberty 2LP 35002, May 25, 1970)
"Hooker 'N Heat", "The Very Best of", "The Definitive Collection" and "Hooker" CDbox
    (recorded in its original version for Besman/Sensation 1949)
Sittin' In My Dark Room (Bluesway 11298/LP 2-720, Nov 11 1970)
   "Endless Boogie"
Doin' The Shout (Bluesway 11298/LP 2-720, Nov 12 1970)
   "Endless Boogie", "The Best of 1965 to 1974" and "Hooker" CDbox
Bluebird (ABC LP 838, May 15 1974)
   "Free Beer And Chicken", "The Best of 1965 to 1974" and "Hooker" CDbox
(recorded in different versions for Chess and for Modern in 1952)
Homework (ABC LP 838, May 14 1974)
   "Free Beer And Chicken"
Early One Morning (Pausa LP 7197, 1982)
   "Jealous" and "Hooker" CDbox
Baby Lee (Chameleon LP 74808, Oct 1987 - the revival)
   "The Healer", "The Best of Friends" and "Hooker" CDbox
   (recorded in its original version for Vee-Jay March 27, 1956)
The Healer (Chameleon LP 74808, April 1988)
   "The Healer", "The Best of Friends", "The Definitive Collection", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
Don´t Look Back (Pointblank CD 39, April 1996 - the revival)
   "Don' t Look Back", "The Best of Friends", "50 Years" and "Hooker" CDbox
   (recorded in its original version for Vee-Jay in 1963)
Loving People (Eagle CD 20023, 2003 - the edited, rec 1991)
    "Face To Face" and "Hooker" CDbox

JLH Lyrics | More lyrics

All Music Guide on JLH
including a music video!

"Rock Steady" live 1980 video | JLH at YouTube several videos

John Lee Hooker Foundation
Glenn Thomas (grandson of JLH) Executive Director

A Tribute to John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker news at    Hooker Rosebud Site
JLH on the News at   Google News Directory
Link to: Soulful Detroit

Hooker Audio Search at dogpile.com

Hooker´s recorded output

1948 - 1998
Number of recordings compared - incl alternates (scale: Besman´s c:a 114 tracks)
Note: approx. scaling.

1912
Born on August 22, in Tutwiler Mississippi (not far from Clarksdale), son of preacher and share-cropper William Hooker (born 1871 or even earlier; died according to some files in 1923, other information says much later) and Minnie Ramsey (probably born 1875; died around 1950). They raise a family of eleven children (not all survive).

1917
This is the most frequent published date of Hooker’s birth. Hooker’s Social Security card (ctsy Jim O’Neal), registered late 1942, while living in Lambert, Mississippi, states that Johnie (sic) Lee Hooker was born in Glendora, Tallahatchie County on August 22, 1917, to William Hooker and Lee Ethel Moore (ed note: prob the by-then remarried Minnie).

1920
The Hooker family moves to the nearby Fewell plantation in Vance, Mississippi.

1922 or poss 1926
Hooker's parents separate and John's mother remarries to sharecropper and spare-time blues singer William Moore. John Lee is the only child of the Hooker's who moves with his mother to Moore's farm in Lambert, Miss (again not far from Clarksdale).

1928
Starts to play the guitar seriously. John had been given a guitar as a present from Delta blues singer Tony Hollins earlier and a new guitar from Moore now. John is inspired by Moore (who plays with Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Son House).

1933-1934
After a couple of earlier trips to Memphis (to stay with an aunt´s), Hooker leaves Mississippi for Memphis, Tennessee.

1935
Arrives in Cincinnati, Ohio - singing the gospel and the blues (after a short spell in Knoxville, Tennessee).

1939-1942
Joins the Army forces near Detroit - and later possibly traveling South again. He was registered in Lambert, Mississippi in October 1942 (and possibly also visited Alabama and New Orleans).

1943
Settles in Detroit, Michigan, working as a janitor and playing the blues at night. Short-lived marriage with Alma Hopes - one daughter, Frances, and yet another failed marriage with Sarah Jones (divorced 1944).

1944
Meets and soon marries Maude Mathis (around 16 at the time) - a marriage lasting for 25 years. Their first child, Diane, born on November 24, 1946 - the second Vera (later known as Zakiya) born on April 1, 1948 - and more to come, including John Lee Jr (in January, 1952) and Robert (in July, 1953). Later came daughters Karen, and Shyvonna, plus Lavetta (Williams).

1947
Receiving yet another guitar - this time from T-Bone Walker, who like many others called Johnnie, "The Kid". Settles in a rooming house on Madison Street and finds more club works around Hastings Street, jamming with Eddie Burns and his partner John T. Smith, and with guitarist Andrew Dunham in clubs like the Forest Inn and Club Basin, and with his own small combo featuring James Watkins,pno and Curtis Foster,dms.

1948
Hooker´s first manager, Elmer Barbee, records several demos during the Summer in Barbee's record shop (and also "Miss Sadie Mae" in Toledo). Barbee brings the demos to record producer Bernie Besman around September and Besman produces Hooker´s first commercial recordings at United Sound Studios on 5840 2nd Blvd - with Joe Siracuse the engineer (a total of 10 tracks - plus alternates - are cut at this first regular session). Besman leases the recordings to the Bihari Brothers´ Hollywood-stationed label Modern Records as John Lee Hooker & His Guitar. On November 3, the first Hooker single is issued, titled "Boogie Chillen´" - which actually is the B-side of "Sally May". That same month Hooker starts "moon-lighting", as manager Barbee sells several recordings to Detroit producer Joe Von Battle - the first pseudonym record being "Black Man Blues", released as Texas Slim on King Records in November or December - other recordings, which Barbee sells to Battle are resold from Battle to Savoy and its subsidiary Regent (Regent´s "Goin´ Mad Blues" as by Delta John and Savoy´s "Low Down Midnite Boogie" as by Birmingham Sam are issued during February and March 1949). The pseudonym records will continue to appear on the market during Hooker´s years with Modern Records. Hooker lives with his family at Jameson Street off of McClellan and Charlevois in Detroit.

1949
"Boogie Chillen´" hits the Race Records Juke Box Chart #1 in February. "Hobo Blues" b/w "Hoogie Boogie" (the latter cut at Hooker's second session for Besman, probably on February 18), issued in March (both hit the Race Records Chart, #5 and #9), "Weeping Willow Boogie" and later "Crawling King Snake" become Hooker´s Modern Records three follow-up 78s. The latter, peaking at the new R&B Chart #6 in December, is coupled with "Drifting From Door To Door" (which is actually a re-titling of one of Barbee´s first demos, "When My First Wife Left Me"). Barbee´s production for the tiny Danceland label is issued (as by Little Pork Chops), but noone recognizes the record (Barbee also cuts a Hooker demo of "Cotton Pickin´ Boogie" with James Watkins at the piano - as all Barbee-recordings waxed at 609 Lafayette Street). Around August Joe Von Battle (who records Hooker in his shop - Joe´s Record Shop at 3530 Hastings Street) cuts several Hooker tracks as Texas Slim for King Records (the first issues being "The Numbers" and "Nightmare Blues"). In November and December Besman issues the first two of several singles on the local Detroit label Sensation Records, "Burnin´ Hell" (featuring Eddie Burns on harmonica) and "Huckle Up Baby" (the latter record peaks at the R&B Chart #15 in February 1950).

1950
Several Texas Slim recordings are issued on King (sold to the label by Joe Von Battle - with two of the tracks recorded by Idessa Malone). "House Rent Boogie" c/w a terrific rendition of "Wandering Blues" (based on Charles Brown´s classic "Driftin´ Blues" and which Hooker had recorded in several versions earlier), produced by Idessa Malone on Staff Records, is issued in December as by Johnny Williams and in March 1951 Modern release the Besman produced record of the boogie ("John L´s House Rent Boogie"). Around the end of the year an obscure record on Gone Records surfaces as by John Lee Booker and his Guitar, titled "Mad Man Blues", recorded by Joe Von Battle, where Hooker calls himself Sam (on previous pirate recordings Hooker had often called himself Poor Joe, Poor Slim, and Poor Tony). The single will be reissued during 1951 on Chess Records.

1951
Resigns a contract with Bernie Besman up to February 29, 1952 (although Besman´s last recording session for Modern is dated May 22, 1952). Hooker records several titles as by Johnny Williams for Gotham in the early part of the year (or possibly in late 1950) - a Philadelphia label - although the recordings are done in Detroit - possibly by Joe Von Battle. The last Gotham single though, "Mean Old Train", issued with the obvious pseudonym John Lee in March 1952. Hooker records direct for Chess Records in Chicago on April 26, issued as John Lee Booker during the latter part of the year (a.o. "Leave My Wife Alone"). On some of the tracks Hooker is accompanied by Eddie Kirkland. The original "I´m In The Mood" (with - probably again - Eddie Kirkland on second guitar) is recorded with multi-vocal-tracks on August 7 by Besman and becomes a great hit (reaching US Pop #30 and hitting the R&B Juke Box Chart #1 in November - the hit lasts into 1952). In October Chess Records issue "Ground Hog Blues" (a new version of an unissued recording originally done for Gotham) c/w "Louise" as by John Lee Booker. Several early Barbee-recordings appear on the Chicago-based label Chance during lat 1951 and early 1952 as by John Lee Booker and his Guitar, including the fine "Talkin' Boogie".

1952
Modern Records go to court, winning the right to reissue the Chess-recording "Ground Hog Blues" b/w "Louise" on their label (now issued as by John L´ Hooker in January). Hooker debuts as a radio DJ and tours with Eddie Kirkland and with Muddy Waters in the South. On April 24 Hooker waxes a second huge Chess session (this time probably in Detroit). "High Priced Woman" from the Chess productions of April 1951 is issued, followed by "Walking The Boogie" c/w "Sugar Mama" from the 1952 session - but most tracks from the second session, a.o. "The Journey", will not be issued until the LP market is hitting Europe during the early 1960s. During the Summer Bernie Besman moves to Los Angeles and the Biharis decide to produce Hooker themselves from now on (with Joe Bihari travelling to Detroit to cut records - still with Bernie´s engineer Joe Siracuse in the studios). Besman´s last Hooker production will be "It´s My Own Fault" (issued a couple of years later on Chess, featuring Bob Thurman,pno) and Modern Records´ first Bihari-productions will result in the single "Rock House Boogie" c/w "It´s Been A Long Time Baby".

1953
Eddie Kirkland is featured on most of the Hooker recordings of 1953 (one of the best Modern cuts is "Down Child"). Hooker continues his pirate recordings - now making several singles, a.o. "Stuttering Blues", for Henry Stone on DeLuxe (prob. in Cincinnati) as by John Lee Booker (the recordings will re-appear on the Stone-associated labels Rockin´ and Chart during 1954 and 1956).

1954
Signs a contract with Specialty Records and makes recordings for that label at Esquire Recordings Studios in May, produced by Johnny Vincent (a.o. the single "I´m Mad" and a new version of Hooker´s signature melody, "Boogie Rambler", featuring Johnny Hooks,tens; John Griffith,pno; Theo Roosevelt,b; and regular drummer Tom Whitehead). A second Specialty session is held at United Sounds (where Besman had made his recordings) in October, produced by Besman´s engineer Joe Siracuse. The recordings from that session will remain unissued until the 1970s. Although contracted to Specialty Hooker continues to record for Modern into 1955 (and makes recordings for Devora Brown´s Fortune Records).

1955
His last Modern single, "I´m Ready" (with Otis Finch,tens; Thurman, Kirkland, and Whitehead) is issued in October and Hooker signs with the Chicago label Vee-Jay Records, owned by Vivian Carter and her brother Jimmy Bracken - the first single, "Mambo Chillun", is issued in November (featuring Jimmy Reed,hca - and recorded at Universal Studios).

1956
The classic "Dimples" is recorded in Chicago for Vee-Jay in March (with a combined Chicago/Detroit rhythm section comprising Eddie Taylor,gtr; George Washington,b; and Whitehead,dms).

1957
Becomes an established Vee-Jay artist, recording a.o. the fine "I See Yu When You´re Weak" (although his label-mate Jimmy Reed is selling better).

1958
"I Love You Honey" on Vee-Jay Records hits the R&B Chart #29 in December (featuring Detroit-pianist Joe (Edward) Hunter plus Eddie Taylor,gtr; Everett McCrary,b; and Richard Johnson,dms).

1959
Jaques Demetre and Marcel Chauvard "introduce" Hooker to Europe´s record buyers, and The first Vee-Jay LP, "I´m John Lee Hooker", is issued (including several re-cuts of his famous Modern hits and with some tracks featuring drummer Earl Phillips). Vee-Jay "lease" Hooker for a couple of "country blues" acoustic albums to Riverside (actually Hooker´s first album sessions), recording his first version of "Tupelo Blues" on "The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker" (reissued with several retitlings, a.o. "The Folk Blues of JLH"). Chess Records issue the classic Hooker album comprising 1951-52 recordings, "House Of The Blues", and follow it up with "John Lee Hooker Plays And Sings the Blues" in 1961.

1960
The first Crown budget album, "The Blues", hits the markets (including Hooker´s Detroit-recorded classic Besman and Modern titles). In the years to come three more Crown albums will surface (later reissued several times on the Biharis´ other budget labels United and Custom). A second Riverside album, the highly appreciated "That´s My Story", with several tracks featuring a rhythm section (Sam Jones,b; and Louis Hayes,dms) is issued (including the great "Gonna Use My Rod", in later versions known as "I´m Mad Again" and "I´m Bad Like Jesse James"). In 1964 (but only in England) a third Riverside LP, "Burning Hell", from the 1959 session will be issued. Hooker waxes his wonderful Vee-Jay album "Travelin´" in March, including a.o. the first version of "Whiskey And Wimmen" (with a trio led by guitarist Lefty Bates plus Sylvester Hickman,b; and Jimmy Turner,dms). Hooker and Muddy Waters are the true blues artists on the second annual Newport Folk Festival in June. In July one of the singles from the "Travelin´" LP, "No Shoes", hits the R&B Hot Chart #21. JLH cuts several pirate tracks for Fortune in Detroit (who also had recorded him around 1954). King Records issue "John Lee Hooker Sings Blues" late this year, comprising 12 old Texas Slim recordings (with dubbed drums and echo on a couple of tracks - plus 4 tracks by Earl Hooker, wrongly credited John - although with the track titles as on the remaining Texas Slim recordings).

John Lee Hooker at his prime in the 1960s.

1961
The third Vee-Jay LP, "The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker" is issued, featuring a.o. a handful of tuff rhythm & blues originals with Lefty Bates,gtr & hca (not Jimmy Reed, but Lefty himself); Quinn Wilson,b; Earl Phillips;dms and possibly Pops Staples also present. The six recordings of January 4 (of which only four are included on the album) are nowadays all true classics: "Want Ad Blues", "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", "I´m Going Upstairs", "I Left My Baby", "Hard Headed Woman", "I´m Mad Again". Bob Dylan debuts in New York - opening for Hooker at Gerde´s Folk City. Hooker uses Eddie Kirkland to back him on an album recording for Savoy (Fancourt lists the session in 1959). The recordings stayed in the can and were not issued until more than ten years later as "Sittin´ Here Thinkin´" on Muse - only one track, "When My Wife Quit Me", was to be issued on a Savoy various-artists LP in 1964. Hooker records his "Burnin´" LP in Chicago around Christmas for Vee-Jay with Detroit musicians including reeds (session-men: Joe Hunter (prob not Ivy Jo),pno; Hank Cosby,tens; Mike Terry,bars; Larry Veeder,gtr; James Jamerson,bsg; Benny Benjamin,dms) after a long period of "folk blues" waxing.

1962
"Boom Boom" (from "Burnin´") hits US Pop #60 in July (and the Hot R&B Chart #16). Vee-Jay issue "The Best of JLH" (a compilation of his 1955-1961 period in Chicago). Hooker tours Europe with the Original American Folk Blues Festival package (including T-Bone Walker, Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon).

1963
"The Big Soul of John Lee Hooker" album on Vee-Jay, featuring "Frisco Blues", is issued (with a female backing - not the Vandellas but Mary Wilson and the Andantes). Atco Records issue the album "Don´t Turn Me From Your Door" in February (featuring Henry Stone DeLuxe tracks of 1953 and new recordings of 1961, the latter ones recorded in Miami), where one really can trace Hooker´s gospel roots (and in 1969 Stax Records find more Stone tracks of 1961 to issue on "That´s Where It´s At!" - some of them previously issued on Guest Star and Storyville). Hooker refers to the electric bass player featured on several of the tracks as "Earl". John Lee again uses the soon-to-be-famous Detroit "Motown" musicians to back him on half of the tracks of the Vee-Jay "On Campus" album, featuring "Don´t Look Back" (including reeds, rhythm - and brass - and this time possibly The Vandellas). Another classic from that LP is "Birmingham Blues". JLH cuts several tracks at the Newport Folk Festival originally issued on Vee-Jay ("Concert At Newport") and remixed at Vanguard Records in 2002 ("Live At Newport").

1964
Makes his last session for Vee-Jay Records in early/mid-year, including the original version of "It Serves Me Right (To Suffer)" (featuring a lead guitarist who may be Wayne Bennett). Kent Records (a Bihari label) issue "Original Folk Blues", comprising famous Modern tracks. Hooker tours Britain with John Mayall and a UK issue of "Dimples" reaches UK Pop #23 and he plays it on "Ready Steady Go" TV. Hooker also waxes an album with Tony McPhee´s Groundhogs in London in November. The album will appear on several labels under several titles years later, although the most well-known are "... And Seven Nights" on Verve-Folkways in 1965 and four years later the brass-dubbed "On The Waterfront" on Wand.

1965
Vee-Jay, who soon will go bankrupt, issue "Is He The World´s Greatest Blues Singer?" (covering ten years of Sir John Lee Hooker in Chicago). Johnnie tours The American Folk Blues Festival again (this time with a.o. Buddy Guy and Fred Below - and visits Britain for the fourth time) and later that year signs with ABC Records in the US - the first LP being "It Serve(s) You Right To Suffer" on the jazz-subsidiary Impulse Records, recorded in New York in November by Bob Thiele with a rhythm section comprising Barry Galbraith,gtr; Milt Hinton,b; and Panama Francis,dms.

1966
The legendary T-Bone Walker and Johnny Otis producer Ralph Bass (who produced several 1960s Chess recordings and albums, and refusing to cut n stereo) records Hooker for Chess in Chicago in May (including Lafayette Leake,pno; old Detroit friend Eddie Burns,gtr; unknown bg; and Fred Below or S.P. Leary,dms) and "The Real Folk Blues" is issued later that year (featuring the now famous "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer"). Almost 30 years later "More Real Folk Blues - The Missing Album" from that same session is marketed.

1967
The first ABC-Bluesway album by Hooker is issued, "Live at the Café au Go-Go" (featuring the Muddy Waters Blues Band in August 1966, who back him on a.o. the first version of "I´ll Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive"). The British issue of "House of the Blues" (featuring 1951-52 Hooker Chess tracks) reaches UK Pop #34 - and Hooker visits Britain in June.

1968
The award-winning Bluesway album "Urban Blues" (including the original "Mr. Lucky") is issued, recorded in Chicago during September and November 1967 by Al Smith (musicians: Eddie Kirkland, Wayne Bennett and prob also Buddy Guy, guitars; Phil Upchurch and Eddie Taylor,bsgtrs; Al Duncan,dms; and Louis Myers,hca). Galaxy Records (who already had come up with a Besman recorded Los Angeles LP, simply titled "John Lee Hooker" with "I Lost My Job") issue "Live At Sugar Hill", cut in November 1962 in San Francisco. A second volume will be issued on Ace Records in England in 1972 (the two volumes reissued on a Fantasy 2-LPset as "Boogie Chillun") and in 2002 a true Vol. 2 with further unissued tracks appears on a Fantasy CD. Hooker tours Europe in October with Walter Horton, T-Bone Walker and Eddie Taylor.

1969
Another award-winning Bluesway album, "Simply The Truth", is issued (recorded in New York by Bob Thiele during September 17-18, 1968 with Ernie Hayes,pno; Wally Richardson,gtr; William Folwell,b; and Bernard "Pretty" Purdie,dms; plus the unknown Hele Rosenthal,hca). The Stax LP "That´s Where It´s At!" hits the market with 1961 Henry Stone material plus one new-recorded track featuring blue-eyed soulster Steve Alaimo (who had helped Stone produce soul records in Miami from the mid 1960s). The Bluesway album "If You Miss ´Im ... I Got ´Im" is recorded in May in Los Angeles, where Hooker is backed by cousin Earl Hooker and his band with Jeff Carp,hca (Earl dies in Chicago on April 21, 1970). Hooker tours Europe again (which he has done every year since 1962), this time recording French material enough for more than three albums - some featuring a backing supplied by Lowell Fulson,gtr; Carey Bell,b (not hca); and S.P. Leary,dms. Back home in the U.S. he settles in California (after separating from wife Maude).

1970
At lease from ABC Hooker finds himself recording - in May again - with Canned Heat in Los Angeles for Liberty (featuring the young harmonica-player Al Wilson - who dies shortly after), and headlines the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival in August (with Buddy Guy and Johnny Winter).

1971
In April the Liberty double-LP "Hooker ´N Heat" reaches US Pop #77, and another double-LP recorded in San Francisco in November 1970, "Endless Boogie", is issued on ABC (featuring a.o. Mark Naftalin, Cliff Coulter, Steve Miller, Mel Brown; plus Hooker´s regulars Gino Skaggs,b; and Ken Swank,dms). The album reaches US #126. The editor of this web site publishes a John Lee Hooker albums guide in the Swedish blues magazine "Jefferson". Kent Records re-issue Hooker´s first Crown-album, this time as "The Greatest Hits of JLH".

1972
Bernie Besman issues the 2-set LP "Johnny Lee" on Greene Bottle packed with never-before-issued alternates of Besman´s Detroit-productions of 1948-1952 (these alternates are yet to be issued on regular CD). It is not the first "alternate" Besman issue. Specialty Records and United Artists had already come up with three LPs during 1970-71 ("Alone" and "Goin´ Down Highway 51" on Specialty and "Coast To Coast Blues Band - Any Where Any Time Any Place" on United Artists). The ABC album "Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive" (including the title track duet with Van Morrison, recorded in September 1971) reaches US Pop #130. Again Hooker is backed by famous rock musicians together with regulars Robert Hooker,pno; and Luther Tucker,gtr (who had played with Little Walter and Sonny Boy).

1973
The 3-set LP "John Lee Hooker´s Detroit" on United Artists is issued (comprising further alternate Besman titles of 1948-1952 plus a couple of Besman 1961 recordings). Polydor (leased from King in Nashville) issue "Slim´s Stomp", compiled by Dave Sax - based on the old King "Sings Blues" and Ember album (with that great photo by Valerie Wilmer). This new issue includes all 16 of Johnnie´s Texas Slim recordings of 1948-1950 - and undubbed. ABC issue "Born In Mississippi, Raised Up In Tennessee", where the rock musicians of September 1971 get dubbings added in March via brass, horns and female vocals.

1974
Dynasty Records (reactivated Vee-Jay) issue the album "In Person", which includes Hooker´s last session for Vee-Jay, produced by Al Smith ten years earlier. Ed Michel produces the underrated, and last ABC album, "Free Beer And Chicken", recorded in Sausolito and Los Angeles May 14-23 (this time with the brass direct behind Hooker - no dubs). Among the tracks: the funky "Homework" with Howard Roberts and Wah-Wah Watson,gtrs; Cliff Coulter, synthesisers and bsgtr; plus Ron Beck,dms. The album also features Joe Cocker,vocals; Don "Sugarcane" Harris and Michael White,violins; and a.o. Robert Hooker and Luther Tucker. On September 6 Hooker performs at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival along with among others James Brown and B. B. King.

1975-1985
The days of "The Live Wildrness" - Hooker spends most of his days touring and making live recordings (ABC-Bluesway had already come up with two live-albums of 1971 and 1972 - the second one featuring vocals by John Lee Hooker, Jr.). Hooker, solo or with his "Coast to Coast Blues Band" (featuring a.o. Jim Kahr,gtr) appears on several live albums, recorded in New York ("Alone"), Germany, Chicago, Colorado, Houston, and Oklahoma during the years 1976 to 1984.

1977
Vee-Jay International issue the "Gold" 2-set LP in a short-lived Vintage series (it is actually a re-issue of two original VJ albums - "I´m John Lee Hooker" and "The Big Soul"). DJM of UK issue a superb double-LP titled "Dimples", featuring a 1955-1959 chronology of Hooker´s Vee-Jay recordings, making several titles available on LP for the first time - and also including a couple of never-before-issued songs (one with Otis Finch,tensax and one with Frankie Bradford,pno). "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" is recorded live in Chicago and later issued on an Albert King Tomato CD featuring live recordings ("I'll Play The Blues For You").

1978
Tomato Records issue a 1977 Palo Alto, California live-recorded double-LP, "The Cream" (featuring a.o. John Garcia Jnr and Ron Thompson,gtrs).

1979
Hooker appears with Lightnin´ Hopkins and Big Mama Thornton at New York´s Carnegie Hall.

1980
Inducted into the Blues Foundation´s very first Hall Of Fame. Featured as one of many fine cameo artists in the movie "The Blues Brothers". Charly Records in UK start to reissue most of Hooker´s Vee-Jay recordings, marketing several new album packages during the early 1980s (they also find several unissued tracks).

1981
Records with Canned Heat again (this time for Rhino in Venice, California - live) together with The Chambers Brothers.

1982
Records several tracks for an album (with a.o. Deacon Jones,organ and Mike Osborn,guitar) in Vancouver, Canada. The LP will not appear on the market until 1986 on Pausa (reissued on Pointblank in the late ´90s), titled "Jealous".

1983
Hooker works on in the "Live Wilderness" with concerts all over the States.

1984-1985
The Bihari's sell their catalogue to Kamp Associates after a long legal dispute over the ownership of the John Lee Hooker Modern masters. Later the Duck Soup Music Group purchases the Modern catalogue. Today Ace Records in London have the rights to the Bihari labels (Virgin in the US) - although Besman's (and even John Lee's) estates have the rights to several early masters.

1986
The Spielberg movie "The Color Purple" features Hooker´s music and Hooker records "We´ll Meet Again" in Redwood City, California to be featured on the "Jealous" album.

1987
Krazy Kat in England issue the LP "Detroit Blues 1950 - 1951", with nine Gotham tracks of 1951 (including three originally unissued) plus the Johnny Williams Staff single of 1950 ("House Rent Boogie" c/w "Wandering Blues", which had been reissued on Gotham) and five tracks by Eddie Burns. An album covering the Hooker tracks appears on U.S. Collectables "Gotham Golden Classics - The Rare Recordings". Hooker records with Canned Heat again in January and in October a re-rendition of "Baby Lee", featuring Robert Cray, is produced by Roy Rogers and recorded at Russian Hill in San Francisco by engineer Samuel Lehmer (who will engineer most of Hooker´s later recordings). The recordings will be featured on "The Healer" album of 1989.

1988
Finds himself a new manager, Mike Kappus. The new association had started slow already in 1976 (when Kappus started to be Hooker's agent) but - from now - incredible things will happen - with the Blue Rose organization (Kappus, Roy Rogers and JLH) and the Rosebud Agency - giving Hooker a completely "new career" after more than 40 years in business. Roy Rogers produces several titles with guest artists including Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos and George Thorogood in and around San Francisco during April and May - completing the album that in the year-to-come will make Hooker quite a rich man.

1989
Bernie Besman issues "40th Anniversary Album" on DCC (comprising re-titlings of old Besman Detroit-tracks). In the UK the album is issued a year later on Demon as "The Detroit Lion". Hooker waxes Jimi Hendrix´ "Red House", featuring Booker T. Jones in March. In July Chameleon Records (who recently had issued a couple of CDs featuring Vee-Jay tracks) issue the album "The Healer" from the sessions the years before (the title track featuring Carlos Santana). The album becomes a big seller - first in England on the UK label Silvertone and later reaching US Pop #62 (staying on the albums survey for 38 weeks). Hooker performs at the 30th Newport Folk Festival. In September Hooker is featured on Pete Townshead´s concept album "The Iron Man", and in December Hooker joins The Rolling Stones in an Atlantic City concert.

1990
"I´m In The Mood" (duet with Bonnie Raitt), from "The Healer", wins Best Traditional Blues Recording at the 32nd annual Grammy award´s ceremony in February. "The Healer" album (on Silvertone) hits UK Pop #63. Hooker visits Britain in July. Krazy Kat issue a double LP, comprising 33 very rare recordings (including several unissued Barbee and Battle productions from 1948-1953), compiled by Dave Sax and titled "Boogie Awhile". In October Benson & Hedges promote "A Tribute To John Lee Hooker" at Madison Square Garden, New York City with guests Gregg Allman, Joe Cocker, Albert Collins, Ry Cooder, James Cotton, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, Mick Fleetwood, John Hammond, Al Kooper, Huey Lewis, Charlie Musselwhite, Johnny Winter and members of Little Feat. Hooker is featured as movie soundtrack singer (actually "hummer & moaner") in "The Hot Spot" with music by Jack Nietsche. British Ace re-issue 21 tracks from the first two Riverside albums (1959-1960) on CD, titled "That's My Story/The Folk Blues of..",

1991
Cuts "Up And Down" with Johnnie Johnson (Chuck Berry's old pianist and bandleader) at the piano in May (or January - the recording will surface on a "Chill Out" promotion EP/CD several years later - and on the "Face To Face" CD of 2003). Hooker is Inducted into the Rock ´N´ Roll Hall Of Fame on January 17, at the sixth annual dinner at Waldorf Astoria in New York. The Hooker back-up band "The Coast To Coast Blues Band" of 1991: Vala Cupp, vocals; Deacon Jones - often substituted or supplemented by Lizz Fisher, keyboards; Mike Osborn, lead guitar; Rich Kirch, rhythm guitar; Jim Guyett, bass guitar; Bowen Brown,dms; and Kenny Baker, saxophone. Mainstream Records in the UK issue a superb Hooker CD, titled "Half A Stranger", which has 18 direct-from-tape digitally remastered Modern tracks (most of them concentrating on Hooker´s later Modern years 1953-55 and "I´m In The Mood" in an alternate undubbed one-voice-take. Around the time of Bernie Besman´s death in the year of 2003 an Audio Fidelity CD, titled "Boogie Chillen´", featuring eleven Besman recordings included in the "40th Anniversary Album" plus nine Joe Siracuse-engineered Modern tracks from the "Half A Stranger" CD, is issued. Chess/MCA issue the CD "More Real Folk Blues - The Missing Album" with nine never-before-issued Hooker tracks from Chess´ "The Real Folk Blues" session of 1966. Among the new tracks: a terrific version of "House Rent Blues". In Europe MCA decide to issue the tracks together with the further nine original tracks on "The Complete Folk Blues Sessions" (reissued in US in 2002 as "The Real Folk Blues - More Real Folk Blues"). Pointblank´s "Mr. Lucky" album is issued (again with famous "guests") - and really sells! Rhino Records issue the double-CD "The Ultimate Collection, 1948-1990", comprising tracks from all of Hooker´s long-time career.

1992
Atlantic Records reissue the "Don´t Turn Me From Your Door" album on CD (this time it features a total of 16 tracks, identical to the Atlantic LP "Detroit Special" of 1972). The album "Boom Boom" is Hooker´s next seller (again on Pointblank). UK Charly Records issue a 6CD-box, titled "The Vee-Jay Years 1955-1964", comprising almost all his Vee-Jay recordings. MCA-Universal, who own Hooker´s ABC/Bluesway and Chess material, issue the best of the many Hooker New York / California collections: "The Best Of John Lee Hooker 1965 to 1974" (compiled by Dave Booth with Colin Escott´s fine track comments).

1993
The San Francisco club, John Lee Hooker´s Boom Boom Room, is opened and Hooker cuts a duet with B.B. King (Muddy Waters´ old "You Shook Me"). Hooker joins Van Morrison to cut "Gloria" live in San Francisco. Re-activated Vee-Jay issue the CD "John Lee Hooker on Vee-Jay 1955-1958" (a chronology with all of the 22 songs Hooker made for the company during these years, including "Mama You Got A Daughter" with full rhythm accomp). During 1992 - 1994 Ace Records in England (and Flair and Specialty in US) issue several CDs comprising Modern, Besman and Specialty originals, the most famous being the 1993 CD "The Legendary Modern Recordings 1948-1954" - with Specialty´s chronological "Graveyard Blues" (featuring Besman recordings 1948-1950) and "Everybody´s Blues" (Besman 1950-1951 and almost all Specialty recordings of 1954) also truly worthwhile buys. Ten years later - in August, 2003 - Virgin/EMI in U.S. issue a great Modern compilation in their series "Blues Kingpins" featuring 18 chronological John Lee Hooker tracks for Modern, recorded during 1948-1955.

1994
The 1955-1964 Vee-Jay recordings are by now reissued on all the labels you can imagine and in packages you may not even have dreamt of (mostly bootleg though and no royalty to the Hook). Charly Records issue a great 4CD-bookset, "The Boogie Man", comprising his famous Vee-Jay tracks and several rare pseudonym recordings from 1948-1966.

1995
Hollywood RockWalk inducts John Lee in February. Capitol Records reissue old Besman alternates (originally on United Artists LPs of the 1970s) on their 3CD-set "Alternative Boogie: Early Studio Recordings, 1948-1952" (which also includes some Besman 1961 L.A. recordings).

1996
Gets Grammy award, Best Traditional Blues Album, for Virgin/ Pointblank´s CD-album "Chill Out". Appears in the major charity event Free Tibet Concert in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Receives a Lifetime Achievement Award form The Blues Foundation on November 7.

1997
Celebrates 50 years of recording activities (Besman & Modern in Detroit 1948-1955, Vee-Jay in Chicago 1955-1964, ABC Coast to Coast 1965-1974, live & Virgin in Frisco 1975-1997) with around a hundred original albums to his credit.

1998
MCA in US and Universal in Europe (who had purchased Chess Records) issue a double-CD, "The Complete 50´s Chess Recordings", comprising all of the 1950-1952 classics, previously issued on the two famous early 1960s Chess albums - this time completed with the alternate of "Walkin´ The Boogie" and several Fortune recordings acquired by Chess (creating a chronological collectors´ gem of 31 tracks). Hooker receives Grammy awards for the "Don´t Look Back" album (produced by and featuring Van Morrison) - both Best Traditional Blues Album and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals; and rewaxes "Boogie Chillen" for the last time (guested by Eric Clapton) - to be issued on his "The Best Of Friends" CD-album. Joerg Bundshuh starts shooting the film "John Lee Hooker - That´s My Story" (in 2003 the film is also issued on Docurama DVD). Starting in 1998 Charly reissue the first (and best) four of Hooker's Vee-Jay albums - "I'm John Lee Hooker", "Travelin'", "The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker" and "Burnin'", (originally issued in 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1962 - now including bonus tracks). These CDs will be reissued again in 2003.

1999
Receives a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation on February 25. Charles Shaar Murray´s biography on Hooker, "Boogie Man", is published.

2000
Receives a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement on February 22. "The Unknown John Lee Hooker" CD on British Flyright Records is issued. It features a bunchful of private Detroit 1951 recordings (never-before-issued - and originally thought to be recorded in 1949). That CD will re-surface as "Jack O' Diamonds" on Eagle in 2004. Atlantic Records issue a JLH album in their "Savoy Blues Legends" series, titled "Detroit 1948-1949", comprising tracks from the 1970s Savoy LP "Southern Blues", but also including several bonus tracks (a treat for the Hooker fans, who now can enjoy 20 very early Elmer Barbee-produced pirate recordings). Hooker´s earliest recordings become "public domain" - the best issues being Body & Soul´s two double-CDs "The Complete John Lee Hooker in Chronological Order Vol 1" and "Vol 2" (covering 1948 and 1949). A year later Vol 3 - also a double-CD - covers 1950, and in the year of 2002 Vol 4 (also a 2-set covering 1951) will be issued - followed by the 1952-1953 CD in 2004 and the rest of the Detroit period in 2005.

2001
Ace Records in UK issue "John Lee Hooker Presents his House Rent Boogie" CD early this year, comprising 22 rare Modern originals plus an alternate take of "House Rent Boogie" of November 1950 and a harmonica-dubbed version of the original 1951 recording of "I´m In The Mood". Hooker records his last song in late spring - an overdub to "Ali D'Oro" by Italian rock/blues star Zucchero. It´s the chorus of the song: "I lay down with an angel - I lay down - with an angel". The song is released on Zucchero's album "Shake". Hooker dies in his sleep at home in Palo Alto, California on June 21. Charly Records (who regularly had come up with some strange and some very interesting Hooker Vee-Jay compilations) issue a 3CD-set titled "Testament", comprising his famous Vee-Jay tracks. Collectables Records in US reissue nine original Hooker Vee-Jay LPs plus the Gotham tracks in a 10CD-box titled "The Legend, The Man". Charly (now often on the Snapper and RPM labels) continue their by now 20-year old tradition of releasing compilations and "full-session" issues of Hooker material (mostly Vee-Jay, but also several recordings from other labels - like the Tomato 1977 session and the London 1964 session).

2002
The John Lee Hooker Foundation (established right after Hooker´s death) gets international recognition. Zakiya Hooker and John Lee Hooker, Jr. keep Hooker´s tradition alive together with the whole Hooker Estate.

2003
An official John Lee Hooker web site - www.johnleehooker.com is founded, and 2003 is declared "The Year of the Blues". The Besman/Siracuse "Boogie Chillen´" CD is issued and later that year the Virgin/EMI CD series "Blues Kingpins" (one CD devoted to Hooker, "Blues Immortal") hits the U.S. market (both CDs featuring Modern classics). In September Zakiya produces a completely new Hooker CD in co-operation with Eagle Records and the John Lee Hooker Estate Management. The album is titled "Face To Face", featuring unissued Hooker recordings from the 1980s and 1990s, and late-recordings including "Loving People", featuring Deacon Jones, organ (some files say Duke Jethro); Dan Zemelman, pno; Anthony Cook, Billy Johnson, and Robert Young, gtrs; Joe Thomas, bs; Marlon Green,dms; and the nice voices of Terrance Kelly, Gail Benson, and Tina Bryant - the song written by Hooker, Zakiya and producer Ollan Christopher Bell - recorded in 1991. This CD is the first in a series to be issued on Eagle Records.

2004
In April a 2CD-set on the British label Metro Doubles, titled "Early Years - The Classic Savoy Sessions" is issued comprising the Savoy Jazz/Atlantic early Elmber Barbee/Joe Von Battle recordings of 1948-49 plus the Savoy session of circa 1961. A terrific JLH DVD on Eagle is issued in May, titled "Come See About Me". In June Collectables in the U.S. issue "I' m The Boogie Man" comprising 23 King/Federal/DeLuxe tracks from 1948-1953 - including the never-before-issued "My Baby Left Me" from a Battle-session of 1953 and 15 of the 16 Texas Slim tracks (all 16, undubbed Texas Slim tracks, are later issued on a Varese CD titled "I´m A Boogie Man" - also including the three rare Battle DeLuxe tracks).

2005
The sixth and last of the 2-set CD series "The Complete John Lee Hooker" is issued on Body & Soul. Now all of Hooker's Detroit period (except for four Fortune tracks) is covered. The next "natural" chronological CD to include more than 20 recordings of Hooker's career is the "John Lee Hooker on Vee-Jay, 1955-1958" CD (starting with one Vee-Jay singlie in 1955). During the original rock ' n' roll years of 1956-1958 Hooker delivered a total of a further seven Vee-Jay singles (although Hooker toured heavily).

2006
In the early months the reissue label Hip-O releases a 20-track collection featuring recordings from Hooker's long career (from "Boogie Chillen'" to "The Healer"), titled "The Definitve Collection", which serves as an almost perfect sample for a Hooker "beginner". Hip-O follow up with a 2CD-set featuring a further more 15 classics in April, 2007, titled "Gold". During the Summer Proper Records (ex-Charly) issue i nice litte "public domain" 4CD-box titled "The Boogie Man", featuring 98 recordings from the Detroit-period (including the Modern hits and several psedonym recordings). On October 31 a 4CD-box, titled "Hooker" is issued on Shout!Factory in co-operation with the Hooker Estate, covering the whole of Hooker's career. The Box really has all the true gems and is THE TRUE HOOKER ANTHOLOGY featuring 26 Detroit 48-55, 26 Chicago 56-64, 15 Coast-to-Coast 65-91 and 17 Frisco 88-98 recordings.

from mediabistro.com
Need Some Money:
John Lee Hooker estate, pursued by IRS, licenses catalogue

This scoop from Billboard today /May 19, 2006/ just about breaks our heart:

John Lee Hooker could not read or write, according to his daughter, but the legendary Delta bluesman's estate is hoping to educate a new legion of fans about his 50-year musical legacy. The Hooker estate, which is controlled by daughter Zakiya Hooker, has licensed five of his best-selling albums from the '80s and '90s to reissue specialist Shout Factory for release in North America and two discs for release in Europe. The six-figure deal is for seven years."

John Lee Hooker 4CD Box set on Shout out on October 31, 2006. To even see JLH's name in print about pains me. Back in the mid 90s, when I'd just gotten back from China and was working as a house slave for Charlie Rose, I tried to book Hooker on the show. It turned out, John Lee hated to fly, and wasn't gonna come to New York; Charlie wasn't about to fly to Detroit. Not making that segment happen remains my most unhappy career moment to date. Of course, Charlie would go to DC to tape a whole special on Johannes Vermeer, but... That I didn't push Charlie to go to Detroit, now that that John Lee is lamentably gone forever, simply kills me.

Well, anyway. There is some good news in the Billboard piece: "Out by year's end will be an 84-track, four-disc boxed set, the first ever for Hooker. Shout Factory chief operating officer Bob Emmer expects half the material on the $59.98 set to come from its newly acquired albums, while the other half will be licensed from current rights holders, including EMI, Fantasy and Vee-Jay." I am preordering that monster right now.
Track listing (AllMusicGuide with review)

John Lee Hooker Box Set Named #1 Reissue of the Year by Rolling Stone in December 2006
and # 1 Reissue of the Year at the Blues Foundation Awards in May 2007 /more on this/ More

2007
Shout!Factory start to reissue CDs from Hooker's Rosebud years - now with bonus tracks, and also reissue the legendary "I'm John Lee Hooker" album.

2008
32 tracks are included on the Shout!Factory 2-CD-set "John Lee Hooker Anthology - 50 Years" (with 30 of the tracks from the "Hooker" 4 CD-set plus "Jealous" and "Boogie from Russian Hill").

Compiled by Claus Röhnisch

John Lee at YouTube

Listen to 8+ minutes of
John Lee Hooker with Elvin Bishop
live in Arkansas, 1988

The Guardian Obituary
John Lee Hooker
Blues musician whose career spanned six decades -
Blues giant whose raw voice and singular guitar bridged generations
by Tony Russell, June 22 & 23, 2001

Find out more on the Great R&B Pioneers!
at this R&B Extravaganza
- presented by Claus Röhnisch -

from mediabistro.com Need Some Money: John Lee Hooker estate, pursued by IRS, licenses catalogue

from mediabistro.com
Need Some Money:
John Lee Hooker estate, pursued by IRS, licenses catalogue