Junior Wells (born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr.; December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998) was an American singer, harmonica player, and recording artist. He is best known for his signature song "Messin' with the Kid" and his 1965 album Hoodoo Man Blues, described by the critic Bill Dahl as "one of the truly classic blues albums of the 1960s".[3] Wells himself categorized his music as rhythm and blues.[2]
Wells performed and recorded with various notable blues musicians, including Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, and Buddy Guy.[3] He remained a fixture on the blues scene throughout his career and also crossed over to rock audiences while touring with the Rolling Stones.[4] Not long before Wells died, the blues historian Gerard Herzhaft called him "one of the rare active survivors of the 'golden age of the blues'".[4]
He moved to Chicago in 1948 with his mother, after her divorce, and began sitting in with local musicians at house parties and taverns.[7] Wild and rebellious but needing an outlet for his talents, he began performing with the Aces, consisting of the brothers Dave and Louis Myers on guitars and the drummer Fred Below, with whom he developed a modern amplified harmonica style influenced by Little Walter.[7] In 1952, he made his first recordings when he replaced Little Walter in Muddy Waters's band and played on one of Waters's sessions for Chess Records in 1952.[7] His first recordings as a bandleader were made in the following year for States Records.[8] In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he recorded singles for Chief Records and its subsidiary, Profile Records, including "Messin' with the Kid", "Come on in This House", and "It Hurts Me Too", which would remain in his repertoire throughout his career. His 1960 Profile single "Little by Little" (written by Chief owner and producer Mel London) reached number 23 on the Billboard R&B chart, the first of his two singles to enter the chart.[9]
Wells told the following story, printed on the cover of Hoodoo Man Blues: "I went to this pawnshop downtown and the man had a harmonica priced at $2.00. I got a job on a soda truck... played hookey from school ... worked all week and on Saturday the man gave me a dollar and a half. A dollar and a half! For a whole week of work. I went to the pawnshop and the man said the price was two dollars. I told him I had to have that harp. He walked away from the counter – left the harp there. So I laid my dollar-and-a-half on the counter and picked up the harp. When my trial came up, the judge asked me why I did it. I told him I had to have that harp. The judge asked me to play it and when I did he gave the man the 50 cents and hollered 'Case dismissed!'" (1948)
Wells began to have severe health problems, including cancer and a heart attack, in 1997.[7] He died in Chicago on January 15, 1998, and was interred in the Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago.
^Adair, Don (February 24, 1995). "Indications Are That Junior Wells Is At His Best". Spokesman-Review. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
^ ab"Junior Wells". Chicago Tribune. January 17, 1992. Wells calls it simply "rhythm and blues. Blues is blues no matter where it's at-it's not Chicago blues or Memphis blues."
^Pruter, Robert; Campbell, Robert L.; Kelly, Tom. "The United and States Labels Part I (1951–1953)". Campber.people.clemson.edu. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
^In 1992 Wells recorded an instructional documentary-like video for guitarist's Arlen Roth's Hot Licks company that J. Geils called "the greatest piece of Americana he'd ever seen!" Whitburn, Joel (1988). Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 438. ISBN0-89820-068-7.
^ abcdRussell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. pp. 183–184. ISBN1-85868-255-X.
December 02, 2023
junior, wells, born, amos, wells, blakemore, december, 1934, january, 1998, american, singer, harmonica, player, recording, artist, best, known, signature, song, messin, with, 1965, album, hoodoo, blues, described, critic, bill, dahl, truly, classic, blues, al. Junior Wells born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr December 9 1934 January 15 1998 was an American singer harmonica player and recording artist He is best known for his signature song Messin with the Kid and his 1965 album Hoodoo Man Blues described by the critic Bill Dahl as one of the truly classic blues albums of the 1960s 3 Wells himself categorized his music as rhythm and blues 2 Junior WellsWells performing at the New Orleans Jazz amp Heritage Festival 1996Background informationBirth nameAmos Wells Blakemore Jr Born 1934 12 09 December 9 1934West Memphis Arkansas U S DiedJanuary 15 1998 1998 01 15 aged 63 Chicago U S GenresRhythm and blues 1 2 bluesOccupation s Musician songwriterInstrument s Vocals harmonicaYears active1950s 1997LabelsStates USA Chief Delmark Wells performed and recorded with various notable blues musicians including Muddy Waters Earl Hooker and Buddy Guy 3 He remained a fixture on the blues scene throughout his career and also crossed over to rock audiences while touring with the Rolling Stones 4 Not long before Wells died the blues historian Gerard Herzhaft called him one of the rare active survivors of the golden age of the blues 4 Life and career editWells may have been born in Memphis Tennessee and raised in West Memphis Arkansas some sources report that he was born in West Memphis 5 6 Initially taught by his cousin Junior Parker and by Sonny Boy Williamson II Wells learned to play the harmonica skillfully by the age of seven He moved to Chicago in 1948 with his mother after her divorce and began sitting in with local musicians at house parties and taverns 7 Wild and rebellious but needing an outlet for his talents he began performing with the Aces consisting of the brothers Dave and Louis Myers on guitars and the drummer Fred Below with whom he developed a modern amplified harmonica style influenced by Little Walter 7 In 1952 he made his first recordings when he replaced Little Walter in Muddy Waters s band and played on one of Waters s sessions for Chess Records in 1952 7 His first recordings as a bandleader were made in the following year for States Records 8 In the late 1950s and early 1960s he recorded singles for Chief Records and its subsidiary Profile Records including Messin with the Kid Come on in This House and It Hurts Me Too which would remain in his repertoire throughout his career His 1960 Profile single Little by Little written by Chief owner and producer Mel London reached number 23 on the Billboard R amp B chart the first of his two singles to enter the chart 9 Wells s album Hoodoo Man Blues released in 1965 by Delmark Records featured Buddy Guy on guitar 7 10 The two worked with the Rolling Stones on several occasions in the 1970s 10 Wells s album South Side Blues Jam was released in 1971 followed by On Tap in 1975 10 His 1996 release Come On in This House includes performances by the slide guitarists Alvin Youngblood Hart and Derek Trucks among others 10 Wells appeared in the film Blues Brothers 2000 7 nbsp Wells in Urbana Illinois 1983Wells told the following story printed on the cover of Hoodoo Man Blues I went to this pawnshop downtown and the man had a harmonica priced at 2 00 I got a job on a soda truck played hookey from school worked all week and on Saturday the man gave me a dollar and a half A dollar and a half For a whole week of work I went to the pawnshop and the man said the price was two dollars I told him I had to have that harp He walked away from the counter left the harp there So I laid my dollar and a half on the counter and picked up the harp When my trial came up the judge asked me why I did it I told him I had to have that harp The judge asked me to play it and when I did he gave the man the 50 cents and hollered Case dismissed 1948 Wells began to have severe health problems including cancer and a heart attack in 1997 7 He died in Chicago on January 15 1998 and was interred in the Oak Woods Cemetery Chicago Album discography edit indicates albums with Buddy Guy Hoodoo Man Blues 1965 It s My Life Baby 1966 Chicago The Blues Today vol 1 1966 You re Tuff Enough 1968 Coming at You 1968 Live at the Golden Bear 1969 Southside Blues Jam 1969 Buddy and the Juniors 1970 In My Younger Days 1972 Buddy Guy amp Junior Wells Play the Blues 1972 On Tap 1974 Live Recording at Yuhbin Chokin Hall 1975 Live at Montreux 1977 Blues Hit Big Town 1977 Drinkin TNT n Smokin Dynamite 1977 Pleading the Blues 1979 Got to Use Your Head 1979 The Original Blues Brothers 1983 Messin with the Kid vol 1 1986 Universal Rock 1986 Chiefly Wells 1986 Harp Attack 1990 1957 1966 1991 Alone amp Acoustic 1991 Undisputed Godfather of the Blues 1993 Better Off with the Blues 1993 Messin with the Kid 1957 63 1995 Everybody s Gettin Some 1995 Come On in This House 1996 Live at Buddy Guy s Legends 1997 Keep on Steppin The Best of Junior Wells 1998 Best of the Vanguard Years 1998 Masters 1998 Buddy Guy amp Junior Wells 1998 Last Time Around Live at Legends 1998 Junior Wells amp Friends 1999 Every Day I Have the Blues 2000 Calling All Blues 2000 Buddy Guy amp Junior Wells 2001 Live Around the World The Best of Junior Wells 2002 Live at Theresa s 1975 2006 Vanguard Visionaries Junior Wells 2007 References edit Adair Don February 24 1995 Indications Are That Junior Wells Is At His Best Spokesman Review Retrieved August 30 2021 a b Junior Wells Chicago Tribune January 17 1992 Wells calls it simply rhythm and blues Blues is blues no matter where it s at it s not Chicago blues or Memphis blues a b Dahl Bill 1996 Junior Wells In Erlewine Michael ed All Music Guide to the Blues The Experts Guide to the Best Blues Recordings All Music Guide to the Blues San Francisco Miller Freeman Books pp 274 276 ISBN 0 87930 424 3 a b Herzhaft Gerard 1992 Junior Wells Encyclopedia of the Blues Fayetteville University of Arkansas Press pp 360 362 ISBN 1 55728 252 8 Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara California Praeger p 163 ISBN 978 0313344237 Ratliff Ben January 17 1998 Junior Wells Central Player in Chicago Blues Is Dead at Age 63 New York Times Retrieved October 11 2010 a b c d e f Dahl Bill Junior Wells Biography AllMusic com Retrieved May 21 2009 Pruter Robert Campbell Robert L Kelly Tom The United and States Labels Part I 1951 1953 Campber people clemson edu Retrieved August 2 2016 In 1992 Wells recorded an instructional documentary like video for guitarist s Arlen Roth s Hot Licks company that J Geils called the greatest piece of Americana he d ever seen Whitburn Joel 1988 Top R amp B Singles 1942 1988 Menomonee Falls Wisconsin Record Research p 438 ISBN 0 89820 068 7 a b c d Russell Tony 1997 The Blues From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray Dubai Carlton Books pp 183 184 ISBN 1 85868 255 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Junior Wells amp oldid 1174741727, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
