John Lee Hooker Jr.
John Lee Hooker, Jr.
John Lee Hooker, Jr. (born 1952) is an American blues musician. He is the son of influential blues singer John Lee Hooker (1917–2001). The younger Hooker's musical style is markedly modernized, featuring contemporary arrangements.
Born in Detroit, Hooker was performing live on local radio stations by the time he was 8 years old, and toured with his father as a teenager. He struggled with drugs and alcohol for several years before reviving his career with his debut solo album, "Blues with a Vengeance", in 2004. The album was nominated for a Grammy. A follow-up album, "Cold as Ice", was released in 2006.
Hooker's third album, "All Odds Against Me", was released on August 19, 2008. Marking a clear departure from his father's style of music, the album was nominated for a Grammy that year in the Best Traditional Blues CD category. An animated video for the song, "Blues Ain't Nothin' But a Pimp," produced by Paris-based studio Callicore, featured Hooker as a street-hardened character known as "Bluesman." The video was a 2009 Webby Award honoree for special effects.
Hooker's 2008 touring band included George Lacson (Bass), Jeff Horan (Guitar), Mike Rogers (Drums), and Gig Anderson (Keys).
(John Lee Hooker Jr. at Riverfront Blues Fest, Wilmington, Delaware 2008)