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I went to this pawnshop downtown and the man had a harmonica priced at $ 2.00. I got a job on a soda truck... played hookey from school ... worked all week and on
Saturday the man gave me a dollar and a half. A dollar and a half! For a whole week of work. I went to the pawnshop and the man said the
283:
He moved to
Chicago in 1948 with his mother, after her divorce, and began sitting in with local musicians at house parties and taverns. Wild and rebellious but needing an outlet for his talents, he began performing with the
269:
to have that harp. He walked away from the counter ā left the harp there. So I laid my dollar-and-a-half on the counter and picked up the harp. When my trial came up, the judge asked me why I did it. I told him I
753:
642:
186:; December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998) was an American singer, harmonica player, and recording artist. He is best known for his signature song "
394:
Wells began to have severe health problems, including cancer and a heart attack, in 1997. He died in
Chicago on January 15, 1998, and was interred in the
1312:
1247:
1163:
316:", which would remain in his repertoire throughout his career. His 1960 Profile single "Little by Little" (written by Chief owner and producer
223:. Not long before Wells died, the blues historian Gerard Herzhaft called him "one of the rare active survivors of the 'golden age of the blues
850:
1317:
1267:
296:. In 1952, he made his first recordings when he replaced Little Walter in Muddy Waters's band and played on one of Waters's sessions for
254:, Wells learned to play the harmonica skillfully by the age of seven. Wells told the following story, printed on the cover of his album
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196:, described by the critic Bill Dahl as "one of the truly classic blues albums of the 1960s". Wells himself categorized his music as
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to have that harp. The judge asked me to play it and when I did he gave the man the 50 cents and hollered 'Case dismissed!'
728:
Wells calls it simply "rhythm and blues. Blues is blues no matter where it's at-it's not
Chicago blues or Memphis blues."
335:, featured Buddy Guy on guitar. The two worked with the Rolling Stones on several occasions in the 1970s. Wells's album
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215:. He remained a fixture on the blues scene throughout his career and also crossed over to
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in 1952. His first recordings as a bandleader were made in the following year for
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In 1992 Wells recorded an instructional documentary-like video for guitarist's
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749:
All Music Guide to the Blues: The
Experts' Guide to the Best Blues Recordings
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297:
293:
288:, consisting of the brothers Dave and Louis Myers on guitars and the drummer
247:
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Wells performed and recorded with various notable blues musicians, including
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292:, with whom he developed a modern amplified harmonica style influenced by
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354:
851:"Junior Wells, Central Player in Chicago Blues Is Dead at Age 63"
1013:
304:. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he recorded singles for
98:
945:
called "the greatest piece of
Americana he'd ever seen!"
243:(some sources report that he was born in West Memphis).
16:
American blues singer and harmonica player (1934ā1998)
828:. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 163.
324:, the first of his two singles to enter the chart.
699:"Indications Are That Junior Wells Is At His Best"
917:"The United and States Labels Part I (1951ā1953)"
915:Pruter, Robert; Campbell, Robert L.; Kelly, Tom.
1219:
308:and its subsidiary, Profile Records, including "
662:Live Around the World: The Best of Junior Wells
372:includes performances by the slide guitarists
1029:
994:The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray
823:
908:
470:Buddy Guy & Junior Wells Play the Blues
380:, among others. Wells appeared in the film
1313:20th-century African-American male singers
1036:
1022:
996:. Dubai: Carlton Books. pp. 183ā184.
987:
985:
983:
981:
784:
782:
606:Keep on Steppin': The Best of Junior Wells
31:
1248:Deaths from lymphoma in the United States
789:Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). "Junior Wells".
718:
716:
946:
788:
360:New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
353:
345:
991:
978:
848:
779:
1220:
743:Dahl, Bill (1996). "Junior Wells". In
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713:
1017:
883:
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877:
875:
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824:Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013).
726:. Chicago Tribune. January 17, 1992.
696:
1115:Live Recording at Yuhbin-Chokin Hall
742:
483:Live Recording at Yuhbin-Chokin Hall
406:ā indicates albums with Buddy Guy.
401:
265:price was two dollars. I told him I
817:
733:
13:
1318:20th-century American male singers
1268:People from West Memphis, Arkansas
870:
676:Vanguard Visionaries: Junior Wells
339:was released in 1971, followed by
14:
1334:
1263:Musicians from Memphis, Tennessee
849:Ratliff, Ben (January 17, 1998).
630:Last Time Around: Live at Legends
566:Undisputed Godfather of the Blues
502:Drinkin' TNT 'n' Smokin' Dynamite
312:", "Come on in This House", and "
1243:American blues harmonica players
1043:
887:
697:Adair, Don (February 24, 1995).
37:Wells, Chicago Illinois, c. 1984
350:Wells in Urbana, Illinois, 1983
246:Initially taught by his cousin
1303:Blues musicians from Tennessee
1253:Deaths from cancer in Illinois
956:. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin:
931:
842:
690:
1:
1323:20th-century American singers
953:Top R&B Singles 1942ā1988
683:
230:
219:audiences while touring with
919:. Campber.people.clemson.edu
826:Blues: A Regional Experience
797:University of Arkansas Press
754:All Music Guide to the Blues
656:Buddy Guy & Junior Wells
624:Buddy Guy & Junior Wells
578:Messin' with the Kid 1957ā63
235:Wells may have been born in
7:
600:Live at Buddy Guy's Legends
522:The Original Blues Brothers
396:Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago
320:) reached number 23 on the
10:
1339:
941:'s Hot Licks company that
643:Every Day I Have the Blues
636:Junior Wells & Friends
612:Best of the Vanguard Years
1308:Blind Pig Records artists
1258:Harmonica blues musicians
1185:Good Morning, School Girl
1155:
1136:
1106:
1051:
890:"Junior Wells: Biography"
792:Encyclopedia of the Blues
572:Better Off with the Blues
278:
143:
133:
125:
117:
91:
77:
57:
47:
42:
30:
23:
1293:Vanguard Records artists
1145:Chicago/The Blues/Today!
1088:Everybody's Gettin' Some
585:Everybody's Gettin' Some
427:Chicago/The Blues/Today!
389:
358:Wells performing at the
184:Amos Wells Blakemore Jr.
53:Amos Wells Blakemore Jr.
1288:Delmark Records artists
1283:Chicago blues musicians
1238:Blues revival musicians
446:Live at the Golden Bear
322:Billboard R&B chart
252:Sonny Boy Williamson II
1298:American blues singers
1273:Musicians from Chicago
1127:Live at Theresa's 1975
992:Russell, Tony (1997).
669:Live at Theresa's 1975
363:
351:
331:, released in 1965 by
276:
241:West Memphis, Arkansas
71:West Memphis, Arkansas
43:Background information
1096:Come On in This House
593:Come On in This House
458:Buddy and the Juniors
374:Alvin Youngblood Hart
369:Come On in This House
357:
349:
262:
190:" and his 1965 album
1171:Messin' with the Kid
1164:Early in the Morning
1076:Alone & Acoustic
759:Miller Freeman Books
559:Alone & Acoustic
528:Messin' with the Kid
516:Got to Use Your Head
386:, released in 1998.
337:South Side Blues Jam
310:Messin' with the Kid
188:Messin' with the Kid
121:Musician, songwriter
1278:USA Records artists
1199:Look on Yonder Wall
452:Southside Blues Jam
420:It's My Life, Baby!
383:Blues Brothers 2000
1068:Pleading the Blues
701:. Spokesman-Review
509:Pleading the Blues
496:Blues Hit Big Town
464:In My Younger Days
434:You're Tuff Enough
364:
352:
237:Memphis, Tennessee
221:the Rolling Stones
1215:
1214:
1206:You Don't Love Me
757:. San Francisco:
745:Erlewine, Michael
650:Calling All Blues
430:, vol. 1 ā (1966)
402:Album discography
366:His 1996 release
174:
173:
129:Vocals, harmonica
1330:
1060:Hoodoo Man Blues
1038:
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815:
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795:. Fayetteville:
786:
777:
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731:
730:
720:
711:
710:
708:
706:
694:
490:Live at Montreux
413:Hoodoo Man Blues
329:Hoodoo Man Blues
257:Hoodoo Man Blues
239:, and raised in
226:
198:rhythm and blues
193:Hoodoo Man Blues
136:
109:rhythm and blues
84:
81:January 15, 1998
68:December 9, 1934
67:
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50:
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1178:It Hurts Me Too
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958:Record Research
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530:, vol. 1 (1986)
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333:Delmark Records
314:It Hurts Me Too
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1192:Hey Lawdy Mama
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948:Whitburn, Joel
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856:New York Times
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835:978-0313344237
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724:"Junior Wells"
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327:Wells's album
302:States Records
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176:Musical artist
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85:(aged 63)
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1052:Studio albums
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1003:1-85868-255-X
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971:0-89820-068-7
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810:1-55728-252-8
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772:0-87930-424-3
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540:Chiefly Wells
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440:Coming at You
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306:Chief Records
303:
299:
298:Chess Records
295:
294:Little Walter
291:
287:
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261:
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253:
249:
248:Junior Parker
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126:Instrument(s)
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118:Occupation(s)
116:
110:
107:
105:
104:Chicago blues
102:
100:
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96:
94:
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87:Chicago, U.S.
80:
76:
72:
60:
56:
52:
46:
41:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1143:
1137:Compilations
1125:
1113:
1094:
1086:
1074:
1066:
1058:
1045:Junior Wells
1044:
993:
952:
933:
921:. Retrieved
910:
898:. Retrieved
888:Dahl, Bill.
860:. Retrieved
854:
844:
825:
819:
791:
752:
748:
727:
703:. Retrieved
692:
675:
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635:
629:
623:
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551:
546:Harp Attack!
545:
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507:
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481:
475:
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457:
451:
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381:
378:Derek Trucks
367:
365:
340:
336:
328:
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282:
271:
266:
263:
255:
245:
234:
205:Muddy Waters
202:
191:
183:
180:Junior Wells
179:
178:
135:Years active
83:(1998-01-15)
25:Junior Wells
18:
1233:1998 deaths
1228:1934 births
1107:Live albums
862:October 11,
799:. pp.
761:. pp.
209:Earl Hooker
1222:Categories
960:. p.
939:Arlen Roth
705:August 30,
684:References
318:Mel London
290:Fred Below
231:Early life
139:1950sā1997
64:1934-12-09
49:Birth name
1120:Buddy Guy
1081:Buddy Guy
923:August 2,
552:1957ā1966
343:in 1975.
213:Buddy Guy
1208:" (1965)
1201:" (1965)
1194:" (1965)
1187:" (1965)
1180:" (1962)
1173:" (1960)
1166:" (1954)
950:(1988).
943:J. Geils
894:AllMusic
658:ā (2001)
646:ā (2000)
626:ā (1998)
574:ā (1993)
562:ā (1991)
512:ā (1979)
504:ā (1977)
492:ā (1977)
486:ā (1975)
472:ā (1972)
460:ā (1970)
454:ā (1970)
442:ā (1968)
422:ā (1966)
416:ā (1965)
1122:, 1975)
1083:, 1991)
900:May 21,
801:360ā362
763:274ā276
747:(ed.).
618:Masters
250:and by
166:Delmark
1148:(1966)
1118:(with
1099:(1996)
1091:(1995)
1079:(with
1071:(1979)
1063:(1965)
1000:
968:
832:
807:
769:
678:(2007)
672:(2006)
664:(2002)
652:(2000)
638:(1999)
632:(1998)
620:(1998)
614:(1998)
608:(1998)
602:(1997)
596:(1996)
588:(1995)
580:(1995)
568:(1993)
554:(1991)
548:(1990)
542:(1986)
536:(1986)
524:(1983)
518:(1979)
498:(1977)
478:(1974)
476:On Tap
466:(1972)
448:(1969)
436:(1968)
362:, 1996
341:On Tap
279:Career
211:, and
182:(born
151:States
144:Labels
92:Genres
73:, U.S.
1156:Songs
390:Death
161:Chief
99:Blues
998:ISBN
966:ISBN
925:2016
902:2009
896:.com
864:2010
830:ISBN
805:ISBN
767:ISBN
707:2021
376:and
286:Aces
217:rock
78:Died
58:Born
962:438
272:had
267:had
227:".
156:USA
1224::
980:^
964:.
892:.
872:^
853:.
803:.
781:^
765:.
751:.
735:^
715:^
398:.
260::
207:,
200:.
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1197:"
1190:"
1183:"
1176:"
1169:"
1162:"
1037:e
1030:t
1023:v
1006:.
974:.
927:.
904:.
866:.
838:.
813:.
775:.
709:.
225:'
66:)
62:(
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