Earl Hooker (January 15, 1930 – April 21, 1970) was an American blues guita… Read Full Bio ↴Earl Hooker (January 15, 1930 – April 21, 1970) was an American blues guitarist.
Born Earl Zebedee Hooker in Quitman County, Mississippi, his impoverished family moved to Chicago, Illinois when he was still an infant. Influenced by parents and relatives who played music, he was a cousin of John Lee Hooker and began playing guitar as a teenager. An instrumentalist, within a few years Hooker put together a band that toured the United States and made some of his first recordings for Sam Phillips at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. He eventually became an important part of the Chicago blues scene. Hooker played in the American Folk Blues Festival in England in 1969. Although he never received the public recognition to the same extent as some of his contemporaries, Jimi Hendrix proclaimed Earl Hooker as the "master of the wah-wah" and his talent was greatly respected by other notable musicians such as B.B. King, Ike Turner, Junior Wells, and Buddy Guy. Hooker played slide guitar on the 1962 Muddy Waters recording, "You Shook Me." He was the only slide player on a Muddy Waters recording besides Muddy himself. Hooker also helped popularized the double-neck guitar.
Earl Hooker died at the age of 40 after a lifelong struggle against tuberculosis, which is alluded to in the title of a 1972 compilation album of his work, "There's a Fungus Among Us." He was interred in the Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. His story was told in a 2001 book by author Sebastian Danchin titled Earl Hooker, Blues Master.
Born Earl Zebedee Hooker in Quitman County, Mississippi, his impoverished family moved to Chicago, Illinois when he was still an infant. Influenced by parents and relatives who played music, he was a cousin of John Lee Hooker and began playing guitar as a teenager. An instrumentalist, within a few years Hooker put together a band that toured the United States and made some of his first recordings for Sam Phillips at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. He eventually became an important part of the Chicago blues scene. Hooker played in the American Folk Blues Festival in England in 1969. Although he never received the public recognition to the same extent as some of his contemporaries, Jimi Hendrix proclaimed Earl Hooker as the "master of the wah-wah" and his talent was greatly respected by other notable musicians such as B.B. King, Ike Turner, Junior Wells, and Buddy Guy. Hooker played slide guitar on the 1962 Muddy Waters recording, "You Shook Me." He was the only slide player on a Muddy Waters recording besides Muddy himself. Hooker also helped popularized the double-neck guitar.
Earl Hooker died at the age of 40 after a lifelong struggle against tuberculosis, which is alluded to in the title of a 1972 compilation album of his work, "There's a Fungus Among Us." He was interred in the Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. His story was told in a 2001 book by author Sebastian Danchin titled Earl Hooker, Blues Master.
Anna Lee
Earl Hooker Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Anna Lee' by these artists:
Dream Theater Helpless child They invite your hands to fill their needs Wi…
FireKid Sinking sand When I sleep I see her ghost Siren's hand Pulli…
Grey Revell here comes anna lee flashing live wire eyes at me am i…
I Am The Avalanche Everyone I know All wrapping six-foot rope Around their tire…
JD Simo Anna Lee I want you for my own Anna Lee I…
Levon Helm Listen now children a story I'll tell Of a woman they…
Lucas Garrett Waking up for the day The world's in a different way The…
New Idea Society You said that you would find me. The sparks in your…
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Anna Lee If you were me Would you grab for all the…
Stickshift Rocketship Anna Lee, Do you really wanna be? In love with me? Suic…
Strung Out You hold this place inside my head you're a symphony…
The Bangles Gotta picture of you sittin' In the kitchen without a stitch…
The Brandos Anna Lee spends her time Staring out at nothing When the m…
The Dexateens Helpless child They invite your hands to fill their needs Wi…
The Exchange Started Off Started Off, on the right foot Reservation for o…
The Georgia Satellites Anna lee, she's a pain to me Well now, everything she…
The Steel Woods Anna LeeI think I wanna leave our little town Everything…
Tipsy Road A night With no claims No worries or regrets Future waiti…
West Trainz I rode my wild wild palomino Under a Voodoo creole moon Behi…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Earl Hooker:
Driftin' Blues Well I'm drifting and drifting, Like a ship out on the…
Drifting Blues Well I'm drifting and drifting, Like a ship out on the…
Farther Up the Road By Mary McCreary I've been working so hard, Just came home …
Little by Little You stay out all night till the break of day, you…
Rocking With The Kid What's this a-here goin all around town The people they say…
Sky Is Crying The sky is crying, Can you see the tears roll down…
The Sky Is Crying The sky is crying, Can you see the tears roll down…
This Little Voice I hear a little voice deep inside of me It whispers…
Universal Rock You stay out all night till the break of day, you…
You Got To Lose You got to lose You can't win all the time You got…
You Shook Me Hmm You know you shook me, baby You shook me all night…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Ed Makan
What a great track by Earl Hooker. One of many.
Simon Riordan
Heard this first on Two bugs and a Roach when I was nineteen in 1978. Down on my luck and ripe for the blues. This song started a life long passion for the blues and the great personalities like the earl who made it accessible to a white tramp like me.
Bryan Mannoia
one of the best covers off of one of the best blues albums by the very best slide player in history, Earl Hooker. it gets no better.
CrossBonesAlex
There are some great solos and backing on a Sonny Terry/Brownie McGhee album featuring Earl Hooker on guitar especially on Life Is A Gamble and Hole In The Wall if I remember correctly - correct me if not - great guitar player - excellent timing and tone
Bobby Bluz
Earl was a protoge of Robert Nighthawk but eclipsed Robert's guitar skills after spending a few years on the road with him. He was also a great vocalist until TB ruined his voice. BB King, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy and Hubert Sumlin all said Earl was the best Blues guitar player in history. Also on this cut are Freddie Roulette on lap steel and Louis Myers (of the Aces & Little Walter fame) playing harp.
Quent Gaines
elmore made it a awesong and its still good that earl did a good job as well
paul harris
Apart from being a great player, Earl is very personable. Check out Two Bugs and a Roach, which seems to be the origin of Stevie's Mary Had a Little Lamb.
James Hoskins
Mary Had A little Lamb is a Buddy Guy tune, straight up.
ViewTube
@James Hoskins Maybe Buddy got it from Earl :O Who knows!
James Hoskins
Maybe Earl copped it from Buddy when he stole the tubes from Buddy's amp.