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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 76-100 of 168 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-064026 10-in. 4/4/1941 Mattie Mae blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-064104 10-in. 4/3/1941 Hobo blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band and talk instrumentalist, harmonica, speaker  
Victor BS-064105 10-in. 4/3/1941 It seems like a dream Yank Rachell Male vocal duet, with washboard band vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064106 10-in. 4/3/1941 Army man blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064107 10-in. 4/3/1941 38 pistol blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band and talk speaker, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064108 10-in. 4/3/1941 Worried blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064109 10-in. 4/3/1941 Biscuit baking woman Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064110 10-in. 4/3/1941 Insurance man blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064111 10-in. 4/3/1941 Up North blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band and talk speaker, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064490 10-in. 7/2/1941 I'm gonna catch you soon Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-064491 10-in. 7/2/1941 Million years blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064492 10-in. 7/2/1941 Shady Grove blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064493 10-in. 7/2/1941 Sloppy drunk blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064494 10-in. 7/2/1941 She was a dreamer Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-064495 10-in. 7/2/1941 You got to step back Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070143 10-in. 12/11/1941 Ground-hog blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-070144 10-in. 12/11/1941 Black panter blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-070145 10-in. 12/11/1941 Broken heart blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-070146 10-in. 12/11/1941 She don't love me that way Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with washboard band vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-070147 10-in. 12/11/1941 My black name blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with washboard band vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-070148 10-in. 12/11/1941 I have got to go Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with washboard band vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-070470 10-in. 12/11/1941 Yellow yam blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070471 10-in. 12/11/1941 Tappin' that thing Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070472 10-in. 12/11/1941 Rainy days blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070473 10-in. 12/11/1941 Peach tree blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
(Results 76-100 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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