Miller used various names, including rice miller and little boy blue, before calling himself sonny boy. Alex miller possibly december 5, 19122 may 25, 1965,35 known professionally as sonny boy williamson, was an american blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from mississippi. Helping out this fine harp player are such chicago. There are two harmonica playing bluesmen known as sonny boy williamson. For the sonny boy williamson who lived from 1914 to 1948, see sonny boy williamson i. Sonny boy williamson telecharger et ecouter les albums. The first great harmonica player of the modern blues era, sonny boy williamson stood right at the junction of country blues and the rapidly emerging urban blues sound, and williamsons signature songs like good morning school girl, sugar mama blues, ground hog blues and stop breaking down became virtual templates for the chicago blues. Buy mp3 music online sonny boy williamson the best. Sonny boy williamson sonny boy williamson in memoriam a1. Johnson shows him as edward william johnson, later known also as golden boy.
He was one of the few crooners to have played with robert johnson, the man who allegedly sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads. Sunny boy williamson s bluebird recordings 1938 is a terrific cd. Sonny boy williamson ii biography, albums, streaming. John lee sonny boy williamson i the subject of this discography, this is sonny boy williamson ii aleck rice miller, whom some tend to mix up with our. Overview v biography v discography v songs v credits v related v. Sonny boy williamson the essential sonny boy williamson. Highlyregarded blues singer and harmonica player, an unpredictable character, and a major figure of chicago blues. In fact, mayall has been quoted describing sonny boy as the jimi hendrix of the blues harp for his antics juggling the harp in his mouth midsolo. Find sonny boy williamson ii discography, albums and singles on allmusic. Alex or aleck miller known later in his career as sonny boy williamson, was an american blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. Listen to albums and tracks from sonny boy williamson. The first great harmonica player of the modern blues era, sonny boy williamson stood right at the junction of country blues and the rapidly emerging urban blues sound, and williamson s signature songs like good morning school girl, sugar mama blues, ground hog blues and stop breaking down became virtual templates for the chicago blues. And it is definitely worth owning if you already have his bluebird recordings 19371938 or his bluebird recordings 19391940, because it is really volume ii of those fine recordings.
He is often regarded as the pioneer of the blues harp as a solo instrument. John lee williamson died in a street mugging on chicagos notorious south side in june 1948. Join napster and access fulllength songs on your computer, mobile or home audio system. Mostly taken from his last years in the first half of the 60s, the 12 cuts here represent some of the best of williamson s juke joint and dancefloorfriendly mix. The real folk blues sonny boy williamson ii album wikipedia. The bluebird recordings 19371938 by sonny boy williamson on. One was an openhearted genial fellow who made the harp a fixture in chicago blues bands, and died very young. Mostly taken from his last years in the first half of the 60s, the 12 cuts here represent some of the best of williamsons juke joint and dancefloorfriendly mix. Music profile for sonny boy williamson, born 5 december 1899.
And it is definitely worth owning if you already have his bluebird recordings 19371938 or his bluebird. Sonny boy williamson 1963 keep it to ourselves storyville. Williamson i played the harmonica acoustically and was essentially a prewar artist. Alex miller 5 december 1912 24 may 1965 performed onstage as sonny boy williamson ii as a blues singer and harmonica player. Williamson established the blues harmonica as a lead instrument in the urban blues. Famous compositions include help me, eyesight to the blind and dont start me talkin. Golden stars goldies sonny boy williamson the blues of sonny boy williamson. Sonny boy williamson ii lyrics, songs, and albums genius. Sonny boy 2 hours and 10 minutes movie 2011 forbidden love. The album is a mixed bag of gems with billy bizor, joey long, sonny boy williamson, johnny winter and novel choices, suzie q, by gary sapone and the sonics saturday night at rockefellers various artists. This cd has 20 tracks taken from sonny boy williamsons singles, recorded on the checker lable, except for the first and last tracks which were on. Mayall, john williamson, sonny boy transatlantic blues. There were two men who used the name sonny boy williamson, and both made a huge contribution to the blues.
They tended to trade off, playing backup as part of the band on each others recordings. Sonny boy williamson and the yardbirds 1966 the real folk blues is an album by blues musician sonny boy williamson compiling tracks recorded in chicago between 1957 and 1964 which released by the chess label in 1965. The song, a midtempo twelvebar blues, is credited to williamson, willie dixon, and ralph bass and is based on the 1962 instrumental hit green onions by booker t. This cd has 20 tracks taken from sonny boy williamson s singles, recorded on the checker lable, except for the first and last tracks which were on. He was buried in his hometown, at the former site of the blairs chapel church, southwest of jackson. Sonny boy williamson first became famous as a blues harmonica player in 1941 on the groundbreaking king biscuit time radio program often credited as the first regularly scheduled blues radio show broadcast by station kffa in helena phillips county. The essential sonny boy williamson by sonny boy williamson. Although he has been reported to be jeff williamson, the birth certificate of his son charles e. Sonny boy williamson music, videos, stats, and photos. Sonny boy williamson was part of the stable of musicians associated with the chess brothers studio in chicago.
Highly regarded blues singer and harmonica player, an unpredictable. Explore releases from sonny boy williamson at discogs. This article is about the blues musician who lived from c. Williamson, sonny boy sonny boy williamson music skip to main content.
Sonny boy williamson ii telecharger et ecouter les albums. Again, this has nothing to do with that series and although i cannot imagine a john mayall without a sonny boy williamson ii aka alex rice miller coming first as an inspiration. Sonny boy williamson also appears in this compilation. All sides recorded in chicago with sonny boy williamson on vocals and harmonica. Highlyregarded blues singer and harmonica player, an unpredictable. Sonny boy williamson bye bye bird releases discogs.
Sonny boy williamson may refer to either of two 20thcentury american blues harmonica players, who both recorded in chicago. This dsd music was never released on a sacd, but it is available as a dsd download at nativedsd. He was one of the few crooners to have played with robert johnson, the man who al. He never really contested the appropriation of his name by rice miller sonny. Sonny boy williamson sonny boy williamson 1976, gatefold. Available on cd and download only from the document records store. Part of chess long line of introductory blues compilations, sonny boy williamson s real folk blues keeps up the high standard with another solid batch of classic chicago blues. Rice miller, sonny boy ii, began his association with chess records in 1955, when he was already at least 45 years old.
This 1952 recording for mississippis trumpet records features his own songwriting and expert blues harp playing. John lee sonny boy williamson all about blues music. Williamsons fame spread, particularly through europe, in the 1960s and has continued to grow since his death. Sonny boy williamson ii biography, albums, streaming links. It should only contain pages that are sonny boy williamson ii albums or lists of sonny boy williamson ii albums, as well as subcategories containing those things.
Oct 17, 2011 sonny boy williamson was part of the stable of musicians associated with the chess brothers studio in chicago. Williamson i played the harmonica acoustically and. Sonny boy williamson is thought by many american music enthusiasts to be one of the endall, beall blues legends. John lee curtis sonny boy williamson march 30, 1914 june 1, 1948 was an american blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. Sonny boy williamson ii album discography allmusic. Influenced by sonny boy williamson is harmonica playing, sonny boy williamson ii, the lead singer and harmonica player on this track, began performing under his name in the early 1940s in order to ride the waves of his success. This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. Find the latest tracks, albums, and images from sonny boy williamson. He was an early and influential blues harp stylist who recorded successfully in the 1950s and 1960s. He is not to be confused with the original sonny boy williamson, also a blues musician but of no relation. Under his own name, he was one of the most recorded. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
Sonny boy williamson and memphis slim in paris 2006. Alex or aleck miller ne ford, possibly december 5, 1912 may 24, 1965, known later in his career as sonny boy williamson, was an american blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. In fact, mayall has been quoted describing sonny boy as the jimi hendrix of the blues harp for. His best is a 1997 greatest hits compilation album by sonny boy williamson ii real name rice miller released by chess and mca records in may as a part of the chess 50th anniversary collection which released many albums titled his best for artist such as bo diddley, little walter, and others. Sonny boy williamson ii music, videos, stats, and photos. He played on hundreds of recordings by many preworld war ii blues artists. Shop for vinyl, cds and more from sonny boy williamson at the discogs marketplace. Illustrated john lee sonny boy williamson discography stefan wirz. The bluebird recordings 19371938 by sonny boy williamson. Alex or aleck miller,4 known later in his career as sonny boy williamson, was an american blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.
Aleck rice miller december 5, 1899 may 25, 1965, also known as sonny boy williamson ii, was an american blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. Released in 2007, jsps intensive, 100track tribute to chicago blues harmonica legend john lee sonny boy williamson 19141948 zeroes in on his earliest recorded works, dating from the years 19371939. Compare the albums sonny boy williamson i sonny boy williamson ii sonny boy williamson i 30 march 1914 1 june 1948 also known as john lee curtis williamson, was an american blues harmonica player, born in jackson, tennessee, whose first. Rather than confining the scope of the retrospective exclusively to records issue under his name, jsp has included 41 titles by musicians. Sonny boy williamson, byname of john lee williamson, born march 30, 1914, jackson, tennessee, u.
Sonny boy williamson i biography, albums, streaming links. Subsequent research has shown that miller was born aleck. They are colloquially referred to as sonny boy williamson i and sonny boy williamson ii respectively, but are of no relation. Help me is a blues standard first recorded by sonny boy williamson ii in 1963. Sonny boy williamson i biography, albums, streaming. Part of chess long line of introductory blues compilations, sonny boy williamsons real folk blues keeps up the high standard with another solid batch of classic chicago blues. Sonny boy williamson ii discography 19592011 at odimusic. Sunny boy williamsons bluebird recordings 1938 is a terrific cd.
Sonny boy williamson iii real name edward william johnson. Sonny boy williamson was, in many ways, the ultimate blues legend. By the time of his death in 1965, he had been around long enough to have played with robert johnson at the start of his career and eric clapton, jimmy page and robbie robertson at the end of it. He never really contested the appropriation of his name by rice miller sonny boy williamson ii, an arkansas bluesman who gained popularity in the 1960s. Sonny boy williamson sonny boy williamson to stream in hifi, or to download in true cd quality on. Album sonny boy williamson, sonny boy williamson qobuz. Find sonny boy williamson i discography, albums and singles on allmusic allmusic. When sold by, this product will be manufactured on demand using cdr recordable media. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and creative songwriting skills.
106 1432 96 441 404 1208 1074 782 807 352 1226 633 758 901 550 834 193 556 1316 793 1340 1202 910 759 65 1560 791 1316 122 1398 921 296 208 424 807 649 853 825 799 336 818 382