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Welcome.
This site is dedicated to compiling a complete (if that’s possible)
list of all vinyl releases by one of the greatest and most influential
blues men to come out of the delta, John Lee Hooker. Hooker’s influence
on the Blues and Rock and Roll can still be felt to this day.
Several
years ago I decided I would like to obtain the complete discography
of my favorite blues artist on vinyl. I had no idea what I was getting
myself into………
His recordings have proven difficult to track down.
John Lee Hooker’s personal discography eclipses that of many of the
labels he recorded for in numbers of releases. Recording under several
aliases and constant label hopping has led to an incredibly vast discography.
A constant flow reissues, as John Lee was rediscovered by new audiences,
only complicate the picture further.
This site is a result of spending the last several years
piecing together bits of information from books, web sites, record
price guides, other collectors and fans. It is most assuredly a work
in progress so any information on additions, corrections or omissions
would be greatly appreciated. Jacket and label scans will be posted
where available as all pictures on this site are from my personal
collection.
Much appreciation
is given to Les Fancourt for his book Boogie Chillen’-A Guide To John
Lee Hooker on Disc (1992).
The discographical
information on this site is based in this book.
Much of the
information regarding label variations and release dates was found
at Both
Sides Now Album Discographies and Global Dog Productions Singles
Discographies.
Countless
questions were asked and answered by the knowledgeable members and
guests of both the Record
Collector’s Guild and the Blindman's
Blues Forum.
I owe a special
thanks to all the collectors and fans who have contacted me with questions,
corrections and information. I would also like to take time to personally
thank Alan Balfour, George Paulus,
Claus
Röhnisch, Robert Ford, Dave Sax and Robert Campbell
who have so willingly shared their knowledge with me in this endeavor
along with the ever elusive "Hollywood Phantom", who taught
me that there were names, faces and amazing stories within the matrix
numbers and record labels if I took the time to look.
This site is not for buying, selling or trading but is intended to serve as a discographical
tool for other collectors and myself. If I occasionally ramble on
and wax poetic I apologize but I am after all, first and foremost,
a fan.
Although at one point I was planning on adding a sessionography
to the site, after working on it for the better part of a year I have
decided against it. It was a difficult decision after putting so much
effort into it but in the end I came to realize that posting this
information would be little more than a plagiarization of other's
work. (Believe me it is a lot of work.)
If one wishes
to find this information Les Fancourt's discography is available at
Blues
& Rhythm
published
in the UK. Gary Hearne's discography, "Rock These Blues Away",
The Recordings of John Lee Hooker Since 1981 is also available for
download at the site and is an excellent supplement to the '92 discography.
The newly published, Blues Discography 1943-1970 and Bob McGrath's
The R&B Indies are valuable resources as well and both are available
from Eyeball Productions.
John
Lee Hooker-The Worlds Greatest Blues Singer
, a site operated by Claus Röhnisch, also has a fantastic
sessionography running the first Detroit demos to John Lee's final
recordings. The site also contains fantastic information on CD reissues
as well as some great audio and video links.
Robert Ford has graciously allowed me to post an excerpt from the
second edition of The Blues Bibliography. Published by Routledge,
this massive hardcover edition holds well over 25,000 entries on 1400
pages covering classic acoustic and modern blues and R&B artists
and is available on most on line book sites.
Click here to view the
John Lee Hooker entry in this bibliography.
Blues writer Jas Obrecht had posted his interview
with John Lee Hooker that first appeared in Living Blues in 1997.
Read this and many other interesting articles
at www.jasobrecht.com
Revision
Notes April 12, 2016
I am working (slowly) on updating outside links on the site. I am sure there are many on the various pages that I need to change as sites have moved, changed or simply no longer exist. I would appreciate any help in this area. That said, I also need to update the email links at the top of each page so please use the link on this page as it is the only one that is correct at the moment. I will be making addtions and corrections over the next few weeks and months.
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