True story. He wasn't very tall. Quiet dignified friendly, but shy. He wore a suit. Brilliant blues man but he had trouble spelling my name. He printed his slowly.
Needs music from someone.
John Lee Hooker
I once met John Lee Hooker
He was playing in a bar
He pulled up in a limo
and 2 blonds got out the car
I said hey John Lee tell me
Cause I bet you seen a lot
Are you surprised that blues is big
He said no I'm really not
The thing about John Lee is that
He wernt no one's fool
And there's things about the blues
That just can't be learnt in school
I said please sign your photo
And write 'blues until you die'
But he didn't want to do that
At the time I wondered why
He had no education
Just a poor share cropper's son
And he didn't trust his spelling
Out in front of everyone
The thing about John Lee is that
He wernt no one's fool
And there's things about the blues
That just can't be learnt in school
@splittybooms Feb 2022
I can hear this in his style...that slow burn.
I used to sneak into my uncle's room and listen to all his music, and I remember discovering blues.
Him and BB are my favs. I haven't explored all of his catalog but I def have many songs that soak through me. Serves You Right To Suffer is one of my all-time favorites and the first time experienced that kind of slow plodding sad blues. And I can hear your lyrics in that style.
This is a great write on him. I do remember reading up on him back when I was exploring his stuff, but it all slipped my mind.
It did seem like he was like you describe; always pictured him as being a friendly quiet person.
@blindkiwi Feb 2022
Lovely ode to a great man. Hope someone puts a dirty growly blues to it. How how how how!