John Lee Hooker Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: John Lee Hooker
OCCUPATION: Guitarist, Singer
BIRTH DATE: August 22, 1917
DEATH DATE: June 21, 2001
PLACE OF BIRTH: Clarksdale, Mississippi
PLACE OF DEATH: Los Altos, California
AKA: John Lee Booker
AKA: John Lee Cooker
Nickname: Texas Slim

Best Known For

Blues singer and guitarist John Lee Hooker was one of the most distinguished figures in blues and was a great influence on bands such as The Rolling Stones.

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John Lee Hooker

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Synopsis

John Lee Hooker was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on August 22, 1917. As a blues singer and guitarist, he began his career in Detroit in 1948 with the release of Boogie Chillun, the biggest of his several hit records. He toured continually, and among "deep blues" artists enjoyed an unusually successful career, appearing in concerts and on recordings with many of the leading figures in rock.

Profile

Musician. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on August 22, 1917 to a family of sharecroppers. He learned how to play guitar from his stepfather and had a great interest in gospel music. He developed into on the most distinguished figures in blues and was a great influence on bands such as The Rolling Stones.

As a blues singer and guitarist, John Lee Hooker began his career in Detroit in 1948 with the release of "Boogie Chillun," the biggest of his several hit records and a staple of both the blues and rock repertoires. He toured continually, and among "deep blues" artists enjoyed an unusually successful career, appearing in concerts and on recordings with many of the leading figures in rock. He also appeared in the films The Blues Brothers (1980) and The Color Purple (1985).

John Lee Hooker recorded over 100 albums including The Healer (1989), which also features collaborations with Bonnie Raitt and Carlos Santana; the Grammy Award-winning Don't Look Back (1997); and The Best of Friends (1998).

Hooker was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. He died on June 21, 2001 in Los Altos, California.