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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 101-125 of 168 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-070474 10-in. 12/11/1941 She loves who she please Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070475 10-in. 12/11/1941 Bye bye blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070476 10-in. 12/11/1941 Loudella blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070477 10-in. 12/11/1941 Katy Lee blues Yank Rachell Male vocal solo, with washboard band instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070482 10-in. 12/12/1941 Throw a boogie woogie Joe Williams Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070483 10-in. 12/12/1941 North wind blues Joe Williams Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070484 10-in. 12/12/1941 Please don't go Joe Williams Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070485 10-in. 12/12/1941 Highway 49 Joe Williams Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070486 10-in. 12/12/1941 Someday, baby Joe Williams Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-070487 10-in. 12/12/1941 Break 'em on down Joe Williams Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor BS-074656 10-in. 7/30/1942 Love me, baby Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, piano, and imitation string bass vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-074657 10-in. 7/30/1942 What's getting wrong with you? Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, piano, and imitation string bass vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-074658 10-in. 7/30/1942 Blues that made me drunk Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, piano, and imitation string bass vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-074659 10-in. 7/30/1942 Come on baby and take a walk Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, piano, and imitation string bass vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor BS-076453 10-in. 5/5/1937 Sugar Mama blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica and 2 guitars composer, vocalist  
Victor E1VB-0493 10-in. 3/20/1951 Early in the morning Tampa Red Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet composer  
Victor D4AB-0324 10-in. 12/14/1944 Miss Stella Brown Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with piano, guitar, and traps vocalist, composer  
Victor D4AB-0325 10-in. 12/14/1944 Desperado woman Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, piano, guitar, and traps vocalist, composer, instrumentalist, harmonica  
Victor D4AB-0326 10-in. 12/14/1944 Win the war blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with piano, guitar, and traps vocalist, composer  
Victor D4AB-0327 10-in. 12/14/1944 Check up on my baby Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with piano, guitar, and traps vocalist, composer  
Victor D5AB-0338 10-in. 7/2/1945 Elevator woman Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, piano, guitar, and string bass vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor D5AB-0339 10-in. 7/2/1945 G. M. & O. blues Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, piano, guitar, and string bass vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor D5AB-0340 10-in. 7/2/1945 We got to win Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, piano, guitar, and string bass vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor D5AB-0341 10-in. 7/2/1945 Sonny Boy's jump Sonny Boy Williamson Male vocal solo, with harmonica, piano, guitar, and string bass vocalist, instrumentalist, harmonica, composer  
Victor D5AB-0354 10-in. 7/12/1945 Drop down blues Joe Williams Male vocal solo, with harmonica, guitar, and drums instrumentalist, harmonica  
(Results 101-125 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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