Performance · Other credits

Sonny Boy Williamson

real name John Lee Curtis Williamson

United States · 1912-12-05 – 1965-05-25

Sonny Boy Williamson is credited on 950 releases across 379 albums tracked on Gatefold, active 1951–2024 — the collector-built map of who actually made the music.

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950

Credits

379

Albums

Decades active

292

In collections

Biography

source

(NOTE: Not to be confused with Sonny Boy Williamson (Aleck "Rice" Miller), who recorded for Trumpet in 1951-1954, and for Checker/Chess from 1955. This artist also made recordings in Europe, some accompanied by blues rock groups The Animals and The Yardbirds.)
American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.
Born: 30 March 1914, Jackson, Tennessee, USA,
Died: 1 June 1948, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Often referred to as "the father of modern blues harp". He recorded for Bluebird and Victor 1937-1947. Already during his lifetime Sonny Boy Williamson (aka Rice Miller) was performing in the South as Sonny Boy Williamson, but as far as is known John Lee Williamson never contested this appropriation of his name.
His popular songs, original or adapted, include "Good Morning, School Girl", "Sugar Mama", "Early in the Morning", and "Stop Breaking Down".
John Lee Williamson died in a street mugging on Chicago's notorious South Side.
He was buried at his birthplace, at the former site of The Blairs Chapel Church, south-west of Jackson.

Bio from Discogs