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Sonny Boy Williamson

John Lee Curtis "Sonny Boy" Williamson (March 30, 1914 – June 1, 1948) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. He is often regarded as the pioneer of the blues harp as a solo instrument. He played on hundreds of recordings by many pre–World War II blues artists. Under his own name, he was one of the most recorded blues musicians of the 1930s and 1940s and is closely associated with Chicago producer Lester Melrose and Bluebird Records. His popular songs, original or adapted, include "Good Morning, School Girl", "Sugar Mama", "Early in the Morning", and "Stop Breaking Down".

Williamson's harmonica style was a great influence on postwar performers. Later in his career, he was a mentor to many up-and-coming blues musicians who moved to Chicago, including Muddy Waters. In an attempt to capitalize on Williamson's fame, Aleck "Rice" Miller began recording and performing as Sonny Boy Williamson in the early 1940s, and later, to distinguish the two, John Lee Williamson came to be known as Sonny Boy Williamson I or "the original Sonny Boy".

Birth and Death Data: Born March 30, 1914 (Jackson), Died June 1, 1948 (Chicago)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937 - 1958

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, songwriter, harmonica, piano, speaker, composer

Notes: His compositions are often credited under his real name, John Lee Williamson.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 168 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-020844 10-in. 6/17/1938 Whiskey headed blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and mandolin vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-020845 10-in. 6/17/1938 Lord, oh Lord blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and mandolin vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-020846 10-in. 6/17/1938 You give an account Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and mandolin vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-020847 10-in. 6/17/1938 Shannon Street blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and mandolin vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-020848 10-in. 6/17/1938 You've been foolin' 'round downtown Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and mandolin vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-020849 10-in. 6/17/1938 Deep down in the ground Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica and guitar vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030848 10-in. 12/17/1938 Number five blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030849 10-in. 12/17/1938 Christmas morning blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030850 10-in. 12/17/1938 Susie-Q Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030851 10-in. 12/17/1938 Bluebird blues—part 2 Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist  
Victor BS-030852 10-in. 12/17/1938 Little girl blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030853 10-in. 12/17/1938 Low down ways Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030854 10-in. 12/17/1938 Goodbye Red Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030855 10-in. 12/17/1938 The right kind of life Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030856 10-in. 12/17/1938 Insurance man blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030857 10-in. 12/17/1938 Rainy day blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, composer  
Victor BS-030862 10-in. 12/17/1938 Next door neighbor Ramblin' Bob ; Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with guitar, piano, and talk speaker  
Victor BS-040525 10-in. 7/21/1939 Bad luck blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-040526 10-in. 7/21/1939 My little baby Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-040527 10-in. 7/21/1939 Doggin' my love around Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-040528 10-in. 7/21/1939 Little low woman blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-040529 10-in. 7/21/1939 Good for nothing blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-040530 10-in. 7/21/1939 Sugar mama blues no. 2 Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-040531 10-in. 7/21/1939 Good gravy Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica and guitar vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-040532 10-in. 7/21/1939 T.B. blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and piano vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
(Results 26-50 of 168 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Williamson, Sonny Boy," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116388.

Williamson, Sonny Boy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116388.

"Williamson, Sonny Boy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/116388

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