484:. The recordings made by Williamson between 1937 and his death in 1948 and those made later by Rice Miller were all originally issued under the name Sonny Boy Williamson. It is believed that Miller adopted the name to deceive audiences (and his first record label) into thinking that he was the "original" Sonny Boy. In order to differentiate between the two musicians, many later scholars and biographers have referred to John Lee Williamson (1914–1948) as Sonny Boy Williamson I and Miller (c. 1912–1965) as Sonny Boy Williamson II.
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Williamson is buried at the former site of the Blairs Chapel Church, southwest of
Jackson, Tennessee. In 1991, a red granite marker was purchased by fans and family to mark the site of his burial. A Tennessee historical marker, also placed in 1991, indicates the place of his birth and describes his
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451:. The top-floor nightclub at the Leland, known as the Sky Club, was used for live broadcasts of big bands on a local radio station and, during off hours, served as a recording studio for Williamson's early sessions and those of other Bluebird artists.
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on
Chicago's South Side as he walked home from a performance at the Plantation Club, at 31st St. and Giles Avenue, a tavern just a block and a half from his home, at 3226 S. Giles. Williamson's final words are reported to have been "Lord have mercy".
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style, but he soon demonstrated skill at making the harmonica a lead instrument for the blues and popularized it for the first time in a more urban blues setting. He has been called "the father of modern blues harp". While in his teens he joined
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Williamson recorded prolifically both as a bandleader and as a sideman over the course of his career, mainly for
Bluebird. Before Bluebird moved to Chicago, where it eventually became part of RCA Records, many early sessions took place at the
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as a solo instrument. He played on hundreds of recordings by many pre–World War II blues artists. Under his own name, he was one of the most recorded blues musicians of the 1930s and 1940s and is closely associated with
Chicago producer
439:(whose first recording in 1946 was as a harmonica player, performing an uncanny imitation of Williamson's style). These and other artists, both blues and rock, have helped popularize his songs through subsequent recordings.
431:. He was the most widely heard and influential blues harmonica player of his generation. His music was also influential on many of his non-harmonica-playing contemporaries and successors, including
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To add to the confusion, around 1940 the jazz pianist and singer Enoch
Williams recorded for Decca under the name Sonny Boy Williams and in 1947 as Sunny Boy in the Sunny Boy Trio.
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Williamson's harmonica style was a great influence on postwar performers. Later in his career, he was a mentor to many up-and-coming blues musicians who moved to
Chicago, including
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began recording and performing as Sonny Boy
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729:) or, after the label was discontinued, RCA Victor. Over the years, RCA has released several compilations of Williamson's material, including:
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and
Chicago, and his name was synonymous with the blues harmonica for the next decade. Other well-known recordings of his include "
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His legacy has been somewhat overshadowed in the postwar blues era by the popularity of the musician who appropriated his name,
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Unreferenced, non-use of wikitables, lack of clear differentiation between singles, EPs and LPs, laundry list appearance.
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This article is about the blues musician who lived from 1914 to 1948. For the Sonny Boy
Williamson who lived from
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Williamson's final recording session took place in
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Louis Prima And His Orchestra / Sonny Boy Williamson – "All Of Me" / "Rub A Dub" (RCA Victor, 1948)
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When The Sun Goes Down: The Secret History of Rock & Roll, Vol. 8: Bluebird Blues
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chart. Williamson's style influenced many blues harmonica performers, including
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611:"Joe Louis & John Henry Blues" / "Thinking My Blues Away" (Bluebird, 1940)
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John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson: The Blues Harmonica of Chicago's Bronzeville
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player, singer and songwriter. He is often regarded as the pioneer of the
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641:"She Don't Love Me That Way" / "Black Panter Blues" (Bluebird, 1942)
599:"Doggin' My Love Around" / "Little Low Woman Blues" (Bluebird, 1939)
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RCA Blues & Heritage Series: The Bluebird Recordings, 1937-1938
638:"I'm Gonna Catch You Soon" / "Million Years Blues" (Bluebird, 1941)
608:"I Been Dealing With The Devil" / "War Time Blues" (Bluebird, 1940)
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680:"Mellow Chick Swing" / "G. M. & O. Blues" (RCA Victor, 1947)
668:"You're An Old Lady" / "Early In The Morning" (RCA Victor, 1946)
581:"Miss Louisa Blues" / "Until My Love Come Down" (Bluebird, 1938)
656:"Decoration Day Blues No. 2" / "Love Me, Baby" (Bluebird, 1944)
587:"Lord, Oh Lord Blues" / "Shannon Street Blues" (Bluebird, 1938)
578:"Up The Country Blues" / "Collector Man Blues" (Bluebird, 1938)
392:", "Shake the Boogie", "Better Cut That Out", "Sloppy Drunk", "
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RCA Blues & Heritage Series: The Bluebird Recordings, 1938
708:"Bring Another Half A Pint" / "Little Girl" (RCA Victor, 1949)
659:"Miss Stella Brown-Blues" / "Desperado Woman" (Bluebird, 1945)
635:"You Got To Step Back" / "Sloppy Drunk Blues" (Bluebird, 1941)
617:"Something Going On Wrong" / "Good Gal Blues" (Bluebird, 1940)
605:"I'm Not Pleasing You" / "New Ailhouse Blues" (Bluebird, 1940)
562:"Skinny Woman" / "Got The Bottle Up And Gone" (Bluebird, 1937)
705:"Southern Dream" / "I Love You For Myself" (RCA Victor, 1949)
620:"Coal And Iceman Blues" / "Mattie Mae Blues" (Bluebird, 1941)
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677:"Lacey Belle" / "Polly Put The Kettle On" (RCA Victor, 1947)
674:"Hoodo Hoodo" / "Sonny Boy's Cold Chills" (RCA Victor, 1947)
662:"Win The War Blues" / "Check Up On My Baby" (Bluebird, 1945)
647:"Springtime Blues" / "Drink On Little Girl" (Bluebird, 1942)
632:"My Baby Made A Change" / "Big Apple Blues" (Bluebird, 1941)
702:"Wonderful Time" / "Blues About My Baby" (RCA Victor, 1949)
644:"I Have Got To Go" / "My Black Name Blues" (Bluebird, 1942)
623:"Welfare Store Blues" / "Train Fare Blues" (Bluebird, 1941)
876:
The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues
671:"Shake The Boogie" / "Mean Old Highway" (RCA Victor, 1946)
653:"Shady Grove Blues" / "She Was A Dreamer" (Bluebird, 1942)
650:"Ground-Hog Blues" / "Broken Heart Blues" (Bluebird, 1942)
626:"Jivin' The Blues" / "My Little Machine" (Bluebird, 1941)
689:"Better Cut That Out" / "The Big Boat" (RCA Victor, 1948)
590:"Honey Bee Blues" / "Whiskey Head Blues" (Bluebird, 1938)
435:(who played guitar with Williamson in the mid-1940s) and
572:"Worried Me Blues" / "Frigidaire Blues" (Bluebird, 1938)
692:"Alcohol Blues" / "Apple Tree Swing" (RCA Victor, 1948)
665:"Sonny Boy's Jump" / "Elevator Woman" (Bluebird, 1946)
629:"Western Union Man" / "Shotgun Blues" (Bluebird, 1941)
584:"Decoration Day Blues" / "Down South" (Bluebird, 1938)
281:(March 30, 1914 – June 1, 1948) was an American
593:"Sunny Land" / "My Little Cornelius" (Bluebird, 1938)
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Sonny Boy Williamson gravesite and historical marker
683:"Sugar Gal" / "Willow Tree Blues" (RCA Victor, 1948)
575:"Suzanna Blues" / "Black Gal Blues" (Bluebird, 1938)
324:. In an attempt to capitalize on Williamson's fame,
602:"Tell Me Baby" / "Honey Bee Blues" (Bluebird, 1940)
301:. His popular songs, original or adapted, include "
69:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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935:How to Play the Harmonica; and Other Life Lessons
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780:Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order
463:. On June 1, 1948, Williamson was killed in a
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1070:Discography of American Historical Recordings
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614:"Good Gravy" / "T. B. Blues" (Bluebird, 1940)
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972:(3rd ed.). Rough Guides. p. 267.
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596:"Susie-Q" / "Goodbye Red" (Bluebird, 1939)
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1006:. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 106.
544:Learn how and when to remove this message
129:Learn how and when to remove this message
1000:Inaba, Mitsutoshi (September 23, 2016).
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717:Williamson's recordings were issued on
372:Williamson first recorded in 1937, for
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279:John Lee Curtis "Sonny Boy" Williamson
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1236:Murdered African-American people
1231:American blues harmonica players
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816:The Guinness Who's Who of Blues
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1201:Blues musicians from Tennessee
1191:People from Jackson, Tennessee
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332:or "the original Sonny Boy".
874:Mandel, Howard, ed. (2005).
376:, and his first recording, "
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1251:People murdered in Illinois
938:. Gibbs Smith. p. 89.
519:. The specific problem is:
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1206:Songwriters from Tennessee
969:The Rough Guide to Chicago
848:. The Dead Rock Stars Club
846:"The 1960s Lester Melrose"
770:Specialty labels, such as
746:Rare Sonny Boy (1937-1947)
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472:influence on blues music.
170:John Lee Curtis Williamson
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1211:Harmonica blues musicians
1138:Good Morning, School Girl
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736:(Side 2 only) (RCA, 1964)
567:Good Morning, School Girl
378:Good Morning, School Girl
342:Madison County, Tennessee
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903:Green, Jonathon (2002).
734:Big Bill & Sonny Boy
365:. In 1934 he settled in
78:"Sonny Boy Williamson I"
30:Not to be confused with
1241:American murder victims
1221:Country blues musicians
1216:Chicago blues musicians
340:Williamson was born in
25:Sonny Boy Williamson II
16:American blues musician
1226:American blues singers
1116:Sonny Boy Williamson I
1076:Sonny Boy Williamson I
1037:Sonny Boy Williamson I
330:Sonny Boy Williamson I
160:Background information
145:Sonny Boy Williamson I
966:McHugh, Rich (2009).
1152:Early in the Morning
882:. pp. 91, 107.
778:issued Williamson's
699:" (RCA Victor, 1948)
526:improve this section
515:to meet Knowledge's
394:Early in the Morning
336:Biography and career
311:Early in the Morning
63:improve this article
932:Barry, Sam (2009).
821:Guinness Publishing
819:(Second ed.).
326:Aleck "Rice" Miller
32:Sonny Bill Williams
1159:Stop Breaking Down
766:(RCA Victor, 2003)
727:RCA Victor Records
713:Compilation albums
697:Stop Breaking Down
398:Stop Breaking Down
315:Stop Breaking Down
23:1912 to 1965, see
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1080:Find a Grave
1017:. Retrieved
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983:. Retrieved
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811:Colin Larkin
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524:Please help
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445:Leland Tower
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437:Jimmy Rogers
433:Muddy Waters
429:Snooky Pryor
417:Junior Wells
409:Race Records
401:
380:", became a
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355:Yank Rachell
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322:Muddy Waters
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255:Years active
200:(1948-06-01)
198:June 1, 1948
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119:January 2019
116:
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61:Please help
56:verification
53:
36:
20:
1186:1948 deaths
1181:1914 births
772:JSP Records
760:(RCA, 1997)
754:(RCA, 1997)
748:(RCA, 1988)
742:(RCA, 1970)
534:August 2024
528:if you can.
491:Discography
482:Rice Miller
476:Name issues
421:Sonny Terry
237:Instruments
220:Occupations
1175:Categories
1019:October 4,
985:October 7,
951:October 7,
852:October 5,
844:Doc Rock.
786:References
307:Sugar Mama
290:blues harp
259:1930s–1948
229:songwriter
181:1914-03-30
166:Birth name
89:newspapers
403:Billboard
286:harmonica
243:Harmonica
510:require
382:standard
363:Arkansas
313:", and "
268:Bluebird
226:Musician
1068:at the
1041:Discogs
557:Singles
512:cleanup
465:robbery
386:Detroit
367:Chicago
346:Jackson
344:, near
205:Chicago
103:scholar
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264:Labels
246:vocals
212:Genres
190:, U.S.
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1123:Songs
283:blues
215:Blues
110:JSTOR
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