Big Joe Williams
American guitarist, recording artist, singer and songwriter / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Big Joe Williams?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
SHOW ALL QUESTIONS
Joseph Lee Williams (October 16, 1903 – December 17, 1982)[2] was an American Delta blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter,[1] notable for the distinctive sound of his nine-string guitar. Performing over five decades, he recorded the songs "Baby, Please Don't Go", "Crawlin' King Snake", and "Peach Orchard Mama", among many others, for various record labels.[3] He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame on October 4, 1992.[4]
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2010) |
Quick Facts Background information, Birth name ...
Big Joe Williams | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Joseph Lee Williams |
Born | (1903-10-16)October 16, 1903 Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, U.S. |
Died | December 17, 1982(1982-12-17) (aged 79) Macon, Mississippi, U.S. |
Genres | Delta blues[1] |
Occupation(s) |
|
Instrument(s) |
|
Labels |
Close
The blues historian Barry Lee Pearson (Sounds Good to Me: The Bluesman's Story, Virginia Piedmont Blues) described Williams's performance:
- When I saw him playing at Mike Bloomfield's "blues night" at the Fickle Pickle, Williams was playing an electric nine-string guitar through a small ramshackle amp with a pie plate nailed to it and a beer can dangling against that. When he played, everything rattled but Big Joe himself. The total effect of this incredible apparatus produced the most buzzing, sizzling, African-sounding music I have ever heard.[3]