John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker was one of the most distinctive and enduring figures in blues history, known for his hypnotic, one-chord boogie style and deep, rumbling voice. Born in the Mississippi Delta, he learned guitar from his stepfather Will Moore and migrated to Detroit in the early 1940s, where he recorded 'Boogie Chillen'' for Modern Records in 1948: a major hit that made him a national name. Unlike his Chicago contemporaries, Hooker maintained a raw, unstructured approach rooted in the Delta tradition; his personal sense of rhythm was so idiosyncratic that accompanists often had to chase him, because his pulse followed no one else's clock. He recorded prolifically under dozens of pseudonyms for multiple labels simultaneously throughout the 1950s. His career experienced multiple revivals, culminating in the 1989 album 'The Healer' which brought him mainstream recognition and a Grammy Award. He continued performing until shortly before his death in 2001 at age 83.