Sonny Boy Williamson

Genres:	Blues
Descriptive "tags":	blues • harmonica blues • classic blues • delta blues • chicago blues
Decades Active:	1950s • 1960s • 1970s • 1980s • 1990s • 2000s

Biography

Aleck/Alex Miller, 5 December 1899, Glendora, Mississippi, USA, d. 25 May 1965, Helena, Arkansas, USA. Being a man who would never compromise a good story by affording undue attention to veracity, and mischievous to boot, Sonny Boy’s own various accounts of his life were never to be trusted and led to much confusion. This artist was also known as Alex Ford (after his mother’s maiden name), Willie Miller, Little Boy Blue and Willie Williams. Often referred to as ‘Sonny Boy Williamson II’ he was, in fact, older than John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson, whose name, and associated glory, he appropriated some time in the late 30s or early 40s. Why he felt the need to do so is odd in light of the fact that he owed John Lee Williamson nothing in terms of style or ability, and alongside the latter and Little Walter Jacobs, was one of the most innovatory and influential exponents of the blues harmonica. He was the illegitimate child of Millie...

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