Perkins was born in Belzoni, Mississippi. He began his career as a guitarist, but then injured the tendons in his left arm in a fight with a chorus girl in Helena, Arkansas. Unable to play guitar, Perkins switched to the piano, and also switched from Robert Nighthawk's KFFA radio program to Sonny Boy Williamson's King Biscuit Time. He continued working with Nighthawk, however, accompanying him on 1950's "Jackson Town Gal".
In the 1950s, Perkins joined Earl Hooker and began touring. He recorded "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" (written by Pinetop Smith) at Sam Phillips' studio in Memphis, Tennessee. ("They used to call me Pinetop," he recalled, "because I played that song.") However, Perkins was only 15 years old in 1928, when Smith originally recorded "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie".
Perkins then relocated to Illinois and left the music business until Hooker convinced him to record again in 1968. Perkins replaced Otis Spann when he left the Muddy Waters band in 1969.[3] After ten years with that organization, he formed The Legendary Blues Band with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, recording through the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.
Perkins played a brief musical cameo on the street outside Aretha's Soul Food Cafe in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers, having an argument with John Lee Hooker over who wrote "Boom Boom." He also appeared in the 1987 movie Angel Heart as a member of guitarist Toots Sweet's band.
Although he appeared as a sideman on countless recordings, Perkins never had an album devoted solely to his artistry, until the release of After Hours on Blind Pig Records in 1988. The tour in support of the album also featured Jimmy Rogers and guitarist Hubert Sumlin. In 1998 Perkins released the album Legends featuring Sumlin.
Perkins was driving his automobile in 2004 in La Porte, Indiana when he was hit by a train. The car was wrecked but the 91-year-old driver was not seriously hurt. Until his death, Perkins lived in Austin, Texas. He usually performed a couple of nights a week at Nuno's on Sixth Street. In 2005, Perkins received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2008, Perkins received a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live In Dallas together with Henry James Townsend, Robert Lockwood, Jr. and David Honeyboy Edwards. He was also nominated in the same category for his solo album, Pinetop Perkins on the 88's: Live in Chicago.
The song "Hey Mr. Pinetop Perkins", performed by Perkins and Angela Strehli, played on the common misconception that Perkins wrote "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie":
Hey Mr. Pinetop Perkins
I got a question for you
How'd you write that first boogie woogie
The one they named after you
At the age of 97, he won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for Joined at the Hip, an album he recorded with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Perkins thus became the oldest-ever Grammy winner, edging out comedian George Burns who had won in the spoken word category 21 years earlier (Perkins had tied with Burns, at the age of 90, in 2004).
A little more than a month later, Perkins died on 21 March 2011 at his home in Austin. At the time of his death, the musician had more than 20 performances booked for 2011. Shortly before that, while discussing his late career resurgence with an interviewer, he conceded, "I can't play piano like I used to either. I used to have bass rolling like thunder. I can't do that no more. But I ask the Lord, please forgive me for the stuff I done trying to make a nickel." Along with David "Honeyboy" Edwards, he was one of the last two original Mississippi Delta blues musicians, and also one of the last to have a personal knowledge of, and friendship with, Robert Johnson.
Selected discography
1976: Boogie Woogie King (recorded 1976, released 1992)
1977: Hard Again (Muddy Waters)
1988: After Hours
1992: Pinetop Perkins with the Blue Ice Band
1992: On Top
1993: Portrait of a Delta Bluesman
1995: Live Top (with the Blue Flames)
1996: Eye to Eye (with Ronnie Earl, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and Calvin "Fuzz" Jones)[9]
1997: Born in the Delta
1998: Sweet Black Angel
1998: Legends (with Hubert Sumlin)
1998: Down In Mississippi
1999: Live at 85! (with George Kilby Jr)
2000: Back On Top
2003: Heritage of the Blues: The Complete Hightone Sessions
2003: All Star Blues Jam (with Bob Margolin et al.)
2003: 8 Hands on 88 Keys - Chicago Blues Piano Masters The Sirens Records
2004: Ladies Man
2007: 10 Days Out: Blues From The Backroads (with Kenny Wayne Shepherd and the Muddy Waters Band—Live)
2008: Pinetop Perkins and Friends
2010: Joined At the Hip (with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith)
2012: Heaven (with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith on one track and liner notes by Justin O'Brien)
Pinetop's Boogie Woogie
Pinetop Perkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is my own boogie woogie, do it like I tell you
Now, when I tell you to hold it, I don't want you to move a thing
And when I tell you to get it, I want you to Boogie Woogie
Hold it
When I tell you to hold it this time, I don't want you to move a peg
And when I tell you to get it, I want you to mess around
Or something
Stop now
Now, mess around
I want that gal with the red dress on, any kind of dress will do, to come over here and stand by this piano
Now, when I tell you to hold it, I don't want you to move a muscle
And when I tell you to get it, I want you to shake that thing
Or something
Hold it
Now, shake that thing
Pinetop Perkins's song "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" is a classic piano blues instrumental song where Perkins gives the listener a lesson in how to boogie woogie. The lyrics of the song are very simple and repetitive. It opens with Perkins giving a signal to the listeners that this is his own composition and they should do it like he tells them to do. He then proceeds to give instructions on what to do when he says, "hold it" or "get it", thus creating a call and response pattern throughout the song. He encourages the listeners to not move a thing during the first instruction to hold it, and then dance to the boogie woogie beat during the next instruction to get it. He repeats this pattern a few times and then asks for a girl in a red dress to come over and stand by the piano. He then instructs her to shake her thing when he says to get it.
The lyrics of the song are quite indicative of the type of music that boogie woogie is. Boogie woogie is a highly rhythmic form of blues piano playing that originated in the early 20th century in African American communities in the southern United States. The music is characterized by its ragtime-like bass lines and syncopated rhythms. The repetition and rhythmic pattern of the song create a lively and energetic feeling, perfect for dancing. The song also shows the importance of the call and response structure in African American music.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I want you all to know
I am about to introduce my own unique style of Boogie Woogie to you.
This is my own boogie woogie, do it like I tell you
I am the inventor of this particular style of Boogie Woogie and I want you all to play it exactly as I instruct you.
Now, when I tell you to hold it, I don't want you to move a thing
When I give the command to hold, it means that you should stop playing any instrument you have and remain still.
And when I tell you to get it, I want you to Boogie Woogie
When I give the command to get it, it means that you should start playing the Boogie Woogie in your strongest, most interesting way.
Hold it
Stop playing all instruments and remain still.
Now, Boogie Woogie
Start playing the Boogie Woogie musically utilizing your strongest skills.
When I tell you to hold it this time, I don't want you to move a peg
When I give the instruction to hold it again, it means don’t move or shake anything in the room.
And when I tell you to get it, I want you to mess around
When I say get it, I mean for you to change up the tune a bit, and play around with it to your liking.
Stop now
Stop playing right now and wait for further instructions.
Now, mess around
Play around with the tune and make it interesting.
I want that gal with the red dress on, any kind of dress will do, to come over here and stand by this piano
I want any woman wearing any sort of dress to come over and stand near the piano while I play so anyone can dance or enjoy the music.
Now, when I tell you to hold it, I don't want you to move a muscle
When I command you to hold it, I want all of you and the lady to remain still.
And when I tell you to get it, I want you to shake that thing
When I order you to get it, I expect you and the lady to dance and enjoy the music played on this piano.
Hold it
Stop moving and stay still.
Now, shake that thing
Start dancing, move your body, and enjoy the music being played at this moment.
Contributed by Isabella L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bettylewis4805
I was born in74 he’s my! GreatGrandad and I still remember him teaching my cousin how to play the piano and if I’m correct... the harmonica. At that time I thought nothing of it. Now I’m 44
@JoshHopkinsYT
Awesome :)
@MyMoppet52
Betty Lewis
What great memories. I was blessed to see him on his birthday one yr. He was amazing & dressed to sparkle. What a talent, Moppet
@FresnoDick
Too bad there seems to be no pre WWII version of this song.
@PIANOSTYLE100
Great that we have audios of all this stuff. I remember learning a little of this boogie back in the 70s from my piano teacher. This goes back to old ragtime like Scott Joplin..
@seanmackmcdonald6120
@FresnoDick Look up the actual original version by Clarence "Pine Top" Smith, released in 1928.
@NebukedNezzer
I have had the pleasure of being at a Pinetop Perkins's live concert. He deserves all praise we can give.
@MyMoppet52
NebukedNezzer YES! Thank you, Moppet
@liamogrady2277
Pinetop Perkins is a Legend hear his music in my head when I want some keyboard magic RIP Pinetop
@catdaddy3302
Pinetop was the kindest man I ever knew. He never had a enemy in this world.