Buddy guy and junior wells play the blues
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Junior Wells
Junior Wells created some of the toughest blues ever to come out of Chicago. Though a small man physically, his music was bold, cocky and aggressive, just like his personality. Junior Wells' blues career began when he was just a young teenager. Born in Memphis in 1934, Junior began playing harp while still a child. Moving to Chicago in 1946, he sought out the blues stars of the older generation including Tampa Red and Johnny Jones, who slipped young Junior into the blues clubs to sit in. "Little Junior" was a local star at the age of 15, leading a band that included the Myers Brothers, who later joined Little Walter in The Aces. Junior recorded as a sideman with Muddy Waters at 16, and began cutting singles under his own name at 19, including classics like “Hoodoo Man Blues” and “You Better Cut That Out.” When the great Little Walter, the harp player with Muddy's band, had his own hit with “Juke” and decided to start a solo career, Muddy called on young Junior to fill the place of the acknowledged master. Junior's tenure with Muddy was cut short by the draft
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Junior Wells Profile
Amos Wells Blakemore Jr, known professionally as Junior Wells, was one of the leading proponents of blues harmonica from the early 1950s onwards.
Born in Memphis in 1934, Wells became a proficient player at an extremely young age, and received his first big break when he replaced Little Walter, whose amplified harp playing was a strong early influence, in Muddy Waters' band.
Two of Wells' albums entered the Billboard R&B chart and he worked with many other famous blues and rock musicians throughout the 1960s, including The Rolling Stones and Buddy Guy.
Wells' style, although influenced by other Chicago blues harpists, was generally less overdriven than some of his contemporaries, featuring his trademark staccato riffs that echo his singing style.
Interestingly, many of Wells' tunes, especially those on Hoodoo Man Blues are played in second position on a D harmonica. Some critics have suggested that this was done for economic reasons, but it's more likely that Wells preferred the pitch and easier bendability of a D harp.
Wells' choice of harmonica in la
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Junior Wells
American blues singer and harmonica player (1934–1998)
Junior Wells | |
|---|---|
Wells, Chicago Illinois, c. 1984 | |
| Birth name | Amos Wells Blakemore Jr. |
| Born | (1934-12-09)December 9, 1934 West Memphis, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | January 15, 1998(1998-01-15) (aged 63) Chicago, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, harmonica |
| Years active | 1950s–1997 |
| Labels | |
Musical artist
Junior Wells (born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr.; December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998) was an American singer, harmonica player, and recording artist. He is best known for his signature song "Messin' with the Kid" and his 1965 album Hoodoo Man Blues, described by the critic Bill Dahl as "one of the truly classic blues albums of the 1960s".[3] Wells himself categorized his music as rhythm and blues.[2]
Wells performed and recorded with various notable blues musicians, including Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, and Buddy Guy.[3] He remained a fixture on the blues scene throughout his career and also crosse
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