Oh yeah! One of the greatest blues players of all time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGWHxgG0FA4&index=2&list=RDR_d07EWNoAs
Indeed. Born 1917. Started recording around 1948, in Detroit. I started listening to him in 1959. (I was 16). We lost him in 2001. Among all my John Lee Hooker recordings, I've had a vinyl LP reissue of singles (16 to a side) since the 60s on the King label - this song and 31 other of John Lee's tunes. Got his autograph, when he was here around 1964. I've only ever asked for 4-5 autographs, (including Lonnie Johnson and Louis Armstrong) so you can see I thought he was pretty important. I still do. J.
Second record I ever bought (1963) was a Veejay (Chicago) album by John Lee Hooker: " Travelin' " The very first? A Chess (Chicago) compilation: "The Best of Muddy Waters." Third? A Decca LP re-issue of blues singles on that label, mostly from the 30s: "Out came the Blues" - Kokomo Arnold, Hambone Willie Newbern etc. J.
My favorite was The Healer, on which he did duets with a slew of artists like Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Robert Cray, Los Lobos, and others.
A remarkable collaboration. All amazing musicians! They knew what John Lee was all about -- and he responded in kind, every time. By coincidence, today I was re-reading In the Moon of Red Ponies, a James Lee Burke novel, in which he wrote about a Bonnie Raitt / John Lee duet from that album, playing in the background. Set up the atmosphere beautifully, as he always does! So do I! Wish I could sing like Cesar Rosas - or play accordion as well as David Hidalgo! J.
