John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer and guitarist who recorded from 1948 to 2001. His discography includes recordings issued by various record companies in different formats.
In February 2022, it was announced that BMG had acquired Hooker's music interests from his estate. The agreement included his entire publishing catalog in addition to his recorded and performance royalty income, as well as a selection of Hooker's recorded catalog spanning Alone, Vol. 1 (1980) through to Black Night Is Falling (2020).
Singles in the charts
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | "Boogie Chillen'" | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1949 | "Hobo Blues" | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Hoogie Boogie" | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Crawlin' King Snake" | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1950 | "Huckle Up, Baby" | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1951 | "I'm in the Mood" | 1 | 30 | — | — | — | — |
| 1958 | "I Love You Honey" | 29 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | "No Shoes" | 21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962 | "Boom Boom" | 16 | 60 | — | — | — | — |
| 1964 | "Dimples" | — | — | 23 | — | — | — |
| 1990 | "The Healer" (with Carlos Santana) | — | — | — | 9 | 12 | 23 |
| "I'm in the Mood" (with Bonnie Raitt) | — | — | 14 | 22 | — | — | |
| 1992 | "Boom Boom" | — | — | 16 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | "Boogie at Russian Hill" | — | — | 53 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | "Chill Out (Things Gonna Change)" | — | — | 45 | — | — | — |
| 1996 | "Baby Lee" (with Robert Cray, from Lee TV commercial) | — | — | 65 | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
Selected albums
|
Title |
|
|
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | House of the Blues | Chess (1438) | 1951–1954 | |
| I'm John Lee Hooker | Vee-Jay (1007) | 1955–1959 | ||
| 1960 | The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker | Riverside (12-838) | 1959 | |
| Travelin' | Vee-Jay (1023) | 1960 | ||
| That's My Story | Riverside (12-321) | 1960 | ||
| The Blues | Crown (5157) | 1950s | ||
| 1961 | The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker | Vee-Jay (1033) | 1960, 1961 | |
| John Lee Hooker Plays & Sings the Blues | Chess (1454) | 1951, 1952 | ||
| 1962 | Folk Blues | Crown (5295) | 1950s | |
| Burnin' | Vee-Jay (1043) | 1961 | ||
| The Best of John Lee Hooker | Vee-Jay (1049) | — | ||
| 1963 | Don't Turn Me from Your Door | Atco (33-151) | 1953, 1961 | |
| The Big Soul of John Lee Hooker | Vee-Jay (1058) | 1962 | ||
| Live at Sugar Hill | Galaxy (8205) | 1962 | ||
| 1964 | The Great John Lee Hooker | Crown (5353) | 1948–1954 | |
| John Lee Hooker on Campus | Vee-Jay (1066) | 1963 | ||
| Concert at Newport | Vee-Jay (1078) | 1960 | ||
| Burning Hell | Riverside (008) | 1959 | ||
| Original Folk Blues | Kent (5025) | 1948–1954 | ||
| 1965 | ...And Seven Nights | Verve Folkways (3003) | 1965 | |
| 1966 | It Serve You Right to Suffer | Impulse! (A-9103) | 1965 | |
| The Real Folk Blues | Chess (1508) | 1966 | ||
| Live at Cafe Au Go Go | BluesWay (6002) | 1966 | ||
| 1967 | Urban Blues | BluesWay (6012) | 1967 | |
| 1969 | Simply the Truth | BluesWay (6023) | 1968 | |
| That's Where It's At! | Stax (2013) | 1961 | ||
| If You Miss 'Im...I Got 'Im | BluesWay (6038) | 1969 | ||
| Get Back Home | Black & Blue (333.023) | 1969 | ||
| 1971 | I Feel Good! | Carson (3662) | 1969 | |
| Hooker 'n Heat | Liberty (35002) | 1970 | ||
| Goin' Down Highway 51 | Specialty (2127) | 1948–1951 | ||
| Endless Boogie | ABC (720) | 1970 | ||
| 1972 | Never Get Out of These Blues Alive | ABC (736) | 1971 | |
| Live at Soledad Prison | ABC (761) | 1972 | ||
| 1973 | Kabuki Wuki | BluesWay (6052) | 1971 | |
| Born in Mississippi, Raised Up in Tennessee | ABC (768) | 1971 | ||
| 1974 | Free Beer and Chicken | ABC (838) | 1974 | |
| 1978 | The Cream | Tomato (2-7009) | 1977 | |
| 1980 | Sittin' Here Thinkin' | Muse (5205) | 1950s | |
| 1987 | Jealous | Pausa (7197) | — | |
| 1989 | Boogie Chillen | Official (86 029) | 1948–1954 | |
| The Healer | Chameleon (74808) | — | ||
| 1990 | The Hot Spot: Original Soundtrack | Antilles (422-846 813–2) | — | |
| 1991 | More Real Folk Blues: The Missing Album | Chess/MCA (9329) | 1966 | |
| Mr. Lucky | Point Blank (91724-2) | — | ||
| The Ultimate Collection | Rhino (R2 70572) | 1948–1990 | ||
| 1992 | Boom Boom | Point Blank (077778655329) | — | |
| 1993 | Everybody's Blues | Specialty (7035-2) | 1950–1954 | |
| 1994 | The Legendary Modern Recordings | Ace (1438) | 1948–1954 | |
| The Early Years | Tomato (9906/7-2) | 1950s–1960s | ||
| 1995 | Chill Out | Point Blank (724384010720) | — | |
| Alternative Boogie: Early Studio Recordings | Capitol (724383391226) | 1948–1952 | ||
| 1997 | Don't Look Back | Point Blank (724384277123) | — | |
| 2017 | Whiskey & Wimmen | Vee-Jay (0888072020580) | 1954–1964 | |
| "—" denotes that the recording year is unavailable. | ||||
Albums in the charts
|
Title |
| |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | House of the Blues | — | NC | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | |||||||||
| 1971 | Hooker 'n Heat | 73 | — | – | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Endless Boogie | 126 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||
| 1972 | Never Get Out of These Blues Alive | 130 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 1989 | The Healer | 62 | — | 17 | 9 | 6 | 38 | 15 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 1991 | Mr. Lucky | 101 | 25 | 13 | 27 | 9 | 16 | 10 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 1992 | Boom Boom | — | — | 35 | 84 | 37 | 41 | 20 | 15 | ||||||||||
| 1995 | Chill Out | 136 | 3 | 26 | 27 | 78 | 38 | 18 | 13 | 23 | |||||||||
| 1997 | Don't Look Back | 163 | 3 | 48 | 31 | — | 18 | 35 | 39 | 63 | |||||||||
| 1998 | The Best of Friends | — | 4 | — | 31 | 45 | 15 | 54 | 44 | — | |||||||||
| 2002 | Winning Combinations: John Lee Hooker & Muddy Waters | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2003 | Face to Face | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2007 | Hooker (box set) | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2015 | Two Sides of John Lee Hooker | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2018 | Early Recordings: Detroit and Beyond | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2020 | Live at Montreux: 1983 & 1990 | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||||||||
Footnotes
- Riverside initially issued the album as The Folk Blues of John Lee Hooker.
The original King LP 727 of 1960 and Alone LP on Specialty are missing on the sheet above.
References
- Stassen, Murray (February 16, 2022). "BMG Acquires Music Interests of Blues Icon John Lee Hooker". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
- ^ Whitburn 1988, p. 194.
- "John Lee Hooker – Singles". Official Charts. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- "Dutch Chart: John Lee Hooker – Nummer" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- "UltraTop: John Lee Hooker – Nummer (Flemish chart)" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- "New Zealand Charts: John Lee Hooker – Song". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 116
- Planer, Lindsay. "I'm John Lee Hooker – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 116; The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker (CD reissue notes). Berkeley, California: Original Blues Classics/Riverside Records. 1991. Back cover. OBCCD-542-2/RLP-12-838.
- Travelin' (Album notes). Vee-Jay Records. 1960. Back cover. VJLP 1023.; Murray 2002, p. 237
- Koda, Cub. John Lee Hooker: That's My Story – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- Thompson 2019, p. 309.
- Campbell, Al. John Lee Hooker: The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2019.; The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker (Album notes). Vee-Jay Records. 1961. Back cover. LP 1023.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 116
- Fink, Matt. John Lee Hooker: Folk Blues – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- Campbell, Al. John Lee Hooker: Burnin – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2019.; Murray 2002, pp. 238–239
- The Best of John Lee Hooker (Album notes). Chicago: Vee-Jay Records. 1962. Back cover. VJLP 1049.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 116
- Eder, Bruce. The Big Soul of John Lee Hooker – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2019.; Murray 2002, p. 241
- Live at Sugar Hill (Album notes). Galaxy Records. 1963. Back cover. 8205.
- The Great John Lee Hooker (Reissue CD notes). Tokyo, Japan: P-Vine Records. 1993. Back cover. R-300205.
- Campbell, Al. John Lee Hooker: On Campus – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2019.; Murray 2002, pp. 250–251
- AllMusic 1996, p. 116
- AllMusic 1996, p. 118
- Leggett, Steve. John Lee Hooker: Original Folk Blues – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
- ...And Seven Nights (Album notes). Verve Forecast Records. 1965. Back cover. FT-3003.
- Koda, Cub. John Lee Hooker: It Serves You Right to Suffer – Review at AllMusic
- AllMusic 1996, p. 116
- AllMusic 1996, p. 116
- AllMusic 1996, pp. 116–117; Urban Blues (CD reissue notes). Universal City, California: MCA Records. 1993. CD booklet. MCAD-10760.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 117; Murray 2002, p. 328
- AllMusic 1996, p. 117; Murray 2002, p. 237
- John Lee Hooker: If You Miss 'Im...I Got 'Im – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 117
- Eder, Bruce. "John Lee Hooker: I Feel Good! – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2019.; Leadbitter & Slaven 1987, p. 594
- AllMusic 1996, p. 117
- Roundup Newsletter. John Lee Hooker: Goin' Down Highway 51 – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2019.; Goin' Down Highway 51 (Album notes). Hollywood, California: Specialty Records. 1971. Back cover. SPS-2127.
- Koda, Cub. "John Lee Hooker: Endless Boogie – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved November 29, 2014.; Endless Boogie (Album notes). New York City: ABC Records. 1971. Inside cover. ABCD-720.
- Allan, Mark. John Lee Hooker: Never Get Out of These Blues Alive – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 8, 2023.; Never Get Out of These Blues Alive (Album notes). ABC Records. 1972. Back cover. ABCX 736.
- Thornton, Stuart (April 3, 2014). "Unearthing John Lee Hooker Live at Soledad Prison". Monterey County Weekly. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- Allen, Mark. John Lee Hooker: Kabuki Wuki – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2019.; Kabuki Wuki (Album notes). BluesWay Records. 1973. Back cover. BLS 6052.
- Born in Mississippi, Raised Up in Tennessee (Album notes). ABC Records. 1973. Back cover.
- Chadbourne, Eugene. John Lee Hooker: Free Bee and Chicken – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 14, 2019.; Free Beer and Chicken (Album notes). ABC Records. 1974. Slip cover. ABCD-838.
- Henderson, Alex. John Lee Hooker: The Cream – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- Schulte, Tom. John Lee Hooker: Sittin' Here Thinkin – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- Owens, Thom. John Lee Hooker: Jealous – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
- Boogie Chillen (Album notes). Copenhagen, Denmark: Official Records. 1989. CD booklet. 86 029.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 117
- Chadbourne, Eugene. "The Hot Spot [Original Soundtrack] – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 117
- AllMusic 1996, p. 117
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "John Lee Hooker: The Ultimate Collection (1948-1990) – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- AllMusic 1996, p. 117
- AllMusic 1996, p. 116
- AllMusic 1996, p. 118
- AllMusic 1996, p. 118
- AllMusic 1996, p. 118
- AllMusic 1996, p. 118
- Slawecki, Chris. "John Lee Hooker: Don't Look Back – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
- Whiskey & Wimmen (Album notes). Beverly Hills, California: Vee-Jay. 2017. CD booklet. 88072 02058.
- "John Lee Hooker: Chart history – Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- "John Lee Hooker: Chart history – Blues Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- "John Lee Hooker in der Österreichschen Hitparade – Alben" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- "Suchen nach "John Lee Hooker"" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- "John Lee Hooker in Dutch Charts: Albums" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- "John Lee Hooker in New Zealand Charts: Albums". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- "Sverigetopplistan – John Lee Hooker". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- "John Lee Hooker – Suchergebnisse in der Schweizer Hitparade" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- "John Lee Hooker – Albums". Official Charts. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
Bibliography
- Erlewine, Michael; Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Koda, Cub, eds. (1996). "Reviews". All Music Guide to the Blues. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books. ISBN 0-87930-424-3.
- Leadbitter, Mike; Slaven, Neil (1987). Blues Records, 1943–1970: A Selective Discography – Volume 1. England: Record Information Services. ISBN 978-0907872085.
- Murray, Charles Shaar (2002). Boogie Man: The Adventures of John Lee Hooker in the American Twentieth Century. New York City: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-27006-3.
- Thompson, Dave (2019). Goldmine Record Album Price Guide. Penguin Group. ISBN 978-1440248917.
- Whitburn, Joel (1988). "John Lee Hooker". Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. ISBN 0-89820-068-7.