John Lee Ziegler 1929-2008
Ziegler's recordings appear on the follow… Read Full Bio ↴John Lee Ziegler 1929-2008
Ziegler's recordings appear on the following collections: Georgia Blues Today (issued by Flyright in 1981 and reissued by Fat Possum), John Lee Ziegler: The George Mitchell Collection Vol. 6 (the same tracks appear on The George Mitchell Collection 7-CD box set) plus Expressin' The Blues, Blues Sweet Blues, Georgia Blues Today and Cames So Far all on the Music Maker label.
Part of John Lee Ziegler's unorthodox style comes from the fact that he was a left-handed guitarist who played a right-handed guitar upside-down, with the bass strings at the bottom. Born in 1929 in Houston County, Ziegler started playing guitar at age 15 as a fluke: when his parents couldn't find him the bicycle he requested as a gift, they returned from Macon with a guitar instead. It didn't take Ziegler long to get good enough to play local clubs and house parties; he even spent some time in New York playing with a band. He also told Mitchell he'd spent some time with John Lee Hooker in Hawkinsville, Georgia. When Mitchell came across him in the late 1970s, Ziegler was still residing in Houston County, working as a plumber and playing at his house for any neighbors interested in stopping by to hear. He had one of the most diverse repertories of any Chattahoochee performer Mitchell encountered, playing John Lee Hooker songs, Sam Cooke's pop hits, and traditional Chattahoochee songs like "If I Lose Let Me Lose" all in his distinctive style. Ziegler could sing some gospel, but while a lot of the musicians Mitchell recorded had given up blues for the church, Ziegler was content in his choice to stick with secular music.
George Mitchell: John Lee had a spoons player named Rufus and people would gather out in the front yard and listen to them play as we'd be recording. And kids would be dancin' all over the yard. We recorded a version of John Lee doing "John Henry" where he shouts in the middle, "Look at that little kid dancin', there!" It was some scene. John Lee wanted his own record, which was fine by me, but I told him, "John Lee you got to come up with some more songs of your own. You can't just come record all this Lightnin' Hopkins, John Lee Hooker shit." And be did eventually come up with a bunch of new songs. He was a nice, gentle guy, but he was hard to deal with – he thought I was ripping him off, and wanted to get lawyers involved and all this shit – and the record never happened. But he was something else.
Ziegler's recordings appear on the follow… Read Full Bio ↴John Lee Ziegler 1929-2008
Ziegler's recordings appear on the following collections: Georgia Blues Today (issued by Flyright in 1981 and reissued by Fat Possum), John Lee Ziegler: The George Mitchell Collection Vol. 6 (the same tracks appear on The George Mitchell Collection 7-CD box set) plus Expressin' The Blues, Blues Sweet Blues, Georgia Blues Today and Cames So Far all on the Music Maker label.
Part of John Lee Ziegler's unorthodox style comes from the fact that he was a left-handed guitarist who played a right-handed guitar upside-down, with the bass strings at the bottom. Born in 1929 in Houston County, Ziegler started playing guitar at age 15 as a fluke: when his parents couldn't find him the bicycle he requested as a gift, they returned from Macon with a guitar instead. It didn't take Ziegler long to get good enough to play local clubs and house parties; he even spent some time in New York playing with a band. He also told Mitchell he'd spent some time with John Lee Hooker in Hawkinsville, Georgia. When Mitchell came across him in the late 1970s, Ziegler was still residing in Houston County, working as a plumber and playing at his house for any neighbors interested in stopping by to hear. He had one of the most diverse repertories of any Chattahoochee performer Mitchell encountered, playing John Lee Hooker songs, Sam Cooke's pop hits, and traditional Chattahoochee songs like "If I Lose Let Me Lose" all in his distinctive style. Ziegler could sing some gospel, but while a lot of the musicians Mitchell recorded had given up blues for the church, Ziegler was content in his choice to stick with secular music.
George Mitchell: John Lee had a spoons player named Rufus and people would gather out in the front yard and listen to them play as we'd be recording. And kids would be dancin' all over the yard. We recorded a version of John Lee doing "John Henry" where he shouts in the middle, "Look at that little kid dancin', there!" It was some scene. John Lee wanted his own record, which was fine by me, but I told him, "John Lee you got to come up with some more songs of your own. You can't just come record all this Lightnin' Hopkins, John Lee Hooker shit." And be did eventually come up with a bunch of new songs. He was a nice, gentle guy, but he was hard to deal with – he thought I was ripping him off, and wanted to get lawyers involved and all this shit – and the record never happened. But he was something else.
Used To Be Mine But Look Who Got Her Now
John Lee Ziegler Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by John Lee Ziegler:
Poor Boy Poor boy, I ain't got nowhere to go I'm worried, I'm…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@vincentbuccieri9305
There are Very Spiritual and Soulful Elements to This Mans Aproch to the Blues !
Very Gospel in Nature,
It Puts Me in a Good Place when I Listen to His Songs!
@mrs.peaches3624
Oh man how I miss my great uncle when your a youngin hearing those voices don't mean much until there gone so glad that he got the chance to record his💖💖💕
@TheBWJohnson
Well your loss was all our loss. But at the same time, all the recordings you were able to achieve have been a gift to anyone that cares for this history and this music. And these JLZ recordings may be some of the best pieces of music that few have yet to hear. All your photography and field work will be a testament to the REAL American culture long after the fashions come and go from style. With the deepest of gratitude for your continued search for truth......
@georgeleemitchell111
Sam Sweet was usually quite accurate; however, here, he misunderstood me about why the record never came about. It was clearly my fault. I had become busy with another project, and never got around to going to record his new material. I heard it at a festival in Atlanta where he played it for me. It is one the major regrets of my field recording career, because the man was fantastic!
@TheBWJohnson
one to re-visit every once and a while after the sun burns out and the bottle's full....
@nashwilliams5852
TheBWJohnson well said.
@nevillegriffiths4395
re-visiting once again, a musical tonic
@nevillegriffiths4395
Just came across 25 minutes film entitled a portrait of Jesse 'feel good' Fuller, puts a smile out there.
@TheBluesmanBlue
Wow amazing and for the two who gave MR John Lee Ziegler thumbs down evidently they don't know the Blues or don't have the ear for traditional music MR Ziegler 🎸gets ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐stars and BW JOHNSON get ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for posting this one
@TheBWJohnson
well thanks, bluesman. i see you have good taste. JLZ - one of the best. and don't forget George Mitchell - out there in the thick of it.