In Chicago, Hutto took up the drums and played with Johnny Ferguson and his Twisters. He also tried the piano before settling on the guitar and playing on the streets with percussionist Eddie 'Porkchop' Hines. After adding Joe Custom on second guitar they started playing club gigs, and harmonica player George Mayweather joined after sitting in with the band. Hutto named his band The Hawks, after the wind that blows in Chicago. A recording session in 1954 resulted in the release of two singles on the Chance label and a second session later the same year, with the band supplemented by pianist Johnny Jones, produced a third.
Later in the 1950s Hutto became disenchanted with music and gave it up to work as a janitor in a funeral home after a woman broke his guitar over her husband's head one night. He returned to the music industry in the mid 1960s with a new version of the Hawks featuring Herman Hassell on bass and Frank Kirkland on drums. His recording career resumed with, first, a session for Vanguard Records released on the compilation album Chicago/the Blues/Today! Vol. 1, and then albums for Testament and Delmark. The 1968 Delmark album Hawk Squat! Which features Sunnyland Slim on organ and piano, and Maurice McIntyre on tenor saxophone, is regarded as his best work on album up to this point.
After Hound Dog Taylor died in 1975, Hutto took over his band the Houserockers for a time, and in the late 1970s he moved to Boston and recruited a new band which he called the New Hawks, with whom he recorded further studio albums for the Varrick label.[7] His 1983 Varrick album Slippin' & Slidin', the last of his career and later reissued on CD as Rock With Me Tonight, has been described as "near-perfect".
Death and legacyHutto returned to Illinois in the early 1980s, where he was diagnosed with cancer. He died in 1983, at the age of 57, in Harvey. He was interred at Restvale Cemetery, Alsip, Illinois.
In 1985 the Blues Foundation inducted Hutto into its Hall of Fame. His nephew, Lil' Ed Williams (of Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials) has carried on his legacy, playing and singing in a style very close to his uncle's.
There was also a bar in West Saint Louis County named after JB. They hosted a wide list of some of the best blues musicians.[citation needed]
A "J.B. Hutto" model guitar is often used to refer to a mid-1960s, Red, Montgomery Ward Res-O-Glas Airline Guitar. Although he was not a paid endorser, J.B. made the guitar famous by appearing with it on the cover of his Slidewinder album. This is the same type of fiberglass guitar later played by Jack White of the White Stripes.[citation needed]
Too Much Pride
J.B. Hutto & His Hawks Lyrics
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Just to buy me a drink of alcohol, honey
I went down 31st Street, now
Just to buy me a drink of alcohol, now
I told the old man to cut it half full a-water
But that old man, y'know, didn't-a put any drop at all in
So, I'm drinkin' mine straight alley can
I drinkin' my straight alley can, now
So I went jus' staggerin' down the street, now
Now but my head got so heavy
My eyes couldn't even give a-peepin', now
My baby tells me, 'Papa, Papa'
She says, 'Sonny Boy, you know you ain't no good at all now'
My baby tell me, 'Papa, Papa' now
She says 'Sonny Boy, you know you ain't no good at all'
She says, 'The reason you don't make me happy
Because you drink too much of this old alcohol now'
I said, 'But baby won't you go ridin' now
Oh, can I take you ridin' in my car now?'
I said, 'But baby won't you go ridin' now
Can I take you ridin' wit me in my car now?'
She said, 'But I'm scared you gonna drink alcohol
Says, Sonny Boy, then we wouldn't ride very far
The lyrics of J.B. Hutto & His Hawks's song "Too Much Alcohol" talk about the singer's excessive drinking problem and how it affects his relationship with his partner. The song starts with the singer going to a bar to buy a drink of alcohol but the bartender doesn't put any alcohol in his drink. So, he ends up drinking straight alley can and staggers on the street. He is so drunk that his head becomes heavy and his eyes can't stay open.
His partner expresses her concern regarding his drinking habit and how it affects their relationship. She tells him that he is not good at all because he drinks too much alcohol. The singer, trying to make things right, asks his partner to take a ride with him in his car. However, his partner refuses because she is scared that he would drink too much alcohol and they wouldn't ride far.
Overall, the song is a depiction of the singer's struggle with alcohol addiction and how it affects his relationship. The lyrics highlight the negative consequences of drinking too much alcohol and how it can ruin someone's life.
Line by Line Meaning
I went down 31st Street, now
I strolled down 31st Street
Just to buy me a drink of alcohol, honey
Simply to purchase some liquor, dear
I told the old man to cut it half full a-water
I instructed the bartender to dilute the drink
But that old man, y'know, didn't-a put any drop at all in
But the bartender didn't dilute it at all
So, I'm drinkin' mine straight alley can
That's why I drank mine neat from the alley can
See, an I went jus' staggerin' on down the street, now
Consequently, I stumbled down the street
Now but my head got so heavy
However, my head became unbearably heavy
My eyes couldn't even give a-peepin', now
Rendering me unable to see properly
My baby tells me, 'Papa, Papa'
My sweetheart addresses me 'Papa, Papa'
She says, 'Sonny Boy, you know you ain't no good at all now'
She declares, 'Sonny Boy, you're no good'
She says, 'The reason you don't make me happy
She elucidates, 'The cause of my unhappiness with you'
Because you drink too much of this old alcohol now'
Is due to your excessive indulgence in this beverage'
I said, 'But baby won't you go ridin' now
I implored, 'Won't you accompany me for a drive now'
Can I take you ridin' wit me in my car now?'
May I transport you in my vehicle'
She said, 'But I'm scared you gonna drink alcohol
She responded, 'I'm apprehensive that you'll consume liquor'
Says, Sonny Boy, then we wouldn't ride very far
Stating, 'Sonny Boy, we wouldn't travel very distant'
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Sonny Boy Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind