The legendary bluesman from the Mississippi Delta sang of loneliness and confusion. Neither polished nor urbane, his music was raw, primal emotion - and remained hypnotic and unchanged throughout his career.

"There are no superlatives to describe the profound impact John Lee left in our hearts," musician Carlos Santana said Thursday after learning of Hooker's death. "When I was a child he was the first circus I wanted to run away with."

The Rosebud Agency: John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker, the greatest of all bluesmen passed away peacefully in his sleep last night (June 20) at his home in the San Francisco Bay area, at the age of 83. Hooker influenced countless generations of musicians and inspired music fans around the world during his sixty year career. He was loved dearly by millions and we will all miss him greatly. Funeral and memorial arrangements will be announced shortly. We thank everyone for their kind wishes and condolences.

The John Lee Hooker Family

The Official John Lee Hooker Website

John Lee Hooker Discography. There are 900 different recording listed at this site.

Boom Boom Boom

John Lee Hooker: The coolest man in show business!

In the beginning was a stomping right foot, accompanied by a distorted electric guitar. A fast, simple rhythm that strikes a bridge from Africa to Mississippi, from the rainforest to the cotton fields, from prehistory WHAM! straight into the 20th century. Then the voice, deep as the darkness at the center of the earth; John Lee raps, 35 years before anyone would think about calling it that. And then the break: the guitar stops (the foot keeps stomping, relentlessly) and *twang* *twang* *twang* *twang* braaaaaang! Dead silence. Boogie Chillun! and the rhythm starts over again and each stomp, each bass note from the worn guitar is a hammer stroke on the chisel that is hewing rock'n'roll out of the ancient rock.

John Lee Hooker: The World's Greatest Blues Singer 1917-2001.

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This tribute to John Lee Hooker was originally posted at BookNotes upon the passing of the Boogieman. The orginal posting includes some pictures and has proved to be one of the most popular at BookNotes. Appolgies for broken links.