John Lee Hooker
May 5th, 2008
For over fifty years the foot-stomping King of the tone-drone, infinite boogie has delivered a multitude of musical styles within the realm of blues music. He has also hopped around more record labels (under pseudonyms) than Woody Guthrie did boxcars. Born in Mississippi, "the Hook" began to play in the club scene on Hastings Street post-WWII when he relocated to the Motor City. In 1948, he recorded "Sally Mae" and "Boogie Chillen," the primeval-sounding hit B-side that best showcased his rustic, deep, and dark, guttural vox. In 1962, the contagious "Boom Boom" leaked from its peak on the R&B charts and trickled down onto the airwaves of mainstream pop. It wasn't until his 1989 album The Healer that Hooker began recording his celebrated albums with guest musicians. From that pivotal album to 1999's Best of Friends collection, the Hook has played with a diverse gathering of musicians such as Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Van Morrison and Robert Cray, to name a few. - Eric Shea
