Major Works
- One Way Out
- Don’t Start Me Talking
- Cross My Heart
- Nine below Zero
- Eyesight to the Blind
- Help Me
- Mighty Long Time
- Cool, Cool Blues
- Come On Back Home
- Stop Crying
- Eyesight To The Blind
- West Memphis Blues
- I Cross My Heart
- Crazy About You Baby
- Nine Below Zero
- Might Long Time
- She Brought Life Back To The Dead
- Stop Now Baby
- Mr. Downchild
- Sonny Boy’s Christmas Blues
- Pontiac Blues
- Too Close Together
- Radio Program (KFFA)
- Dust My Broom
Sonny Boy Williamson II: A Biography
by Dennis Ward (SHS)
Dennis Ward (SHS Researcher)
Sonny Boy Williamson was one of the most inspiring harmonica players. He also helped make the way for modern blues today. Some people said that he was very unpredictable and a good liar. Sonny was also consider to be a show-off because once on stage, he would put the whole harmonica in his mouth and still play a song. Sonny was known in most black households for being a radio star. He often used the name Alex “Rice” Miller. Sonny Boy Williamson began playing guitar and harmonica at the age of five and was performing in juke joints and clubs throughout Mississippi and Arkansas under the name Little Boy Blue by the early ’20s. During the ’30s, he played at the Grand Ole Opry and worked with legendary bluesmen like Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf and Robert “Junior” Lockwood. He took the name Sonny Boy Williamson in 1941 and became a regular on the King Biscuit Hour. Sonny and Lockwood were called the King Biscuit Entertainers. Later on, Sonny and Lockwood joined with Peck Curtis, Dublow Taylor, and Pinetop Perkins to become a band. (L.R.CHIN). Williamson didn’t start recording until 1951 when he signed with Trumpet in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1955 he signed with the Checker Chess label until the early 60’s. He moved to Chicago. Williamson then toured Europe as part of the American Negro Blues Festival with Willie Dixon, who was the talent coordinator, and Horst Lippman, the promoter, along with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Lonnie Johnson, Sleepy John Estes, Big Joe Williams, Otis Spann and others. Later Sonny Boy Williamson returned to England to tour the college circuit on his own with a young Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds as his backup band.
In 1965 he returned to Helena, Arkansas, where he died. Lillian McMurry had a headstone placed on his grave in 1980 which read: “Aleck Miller, Better Known As “Willie” Sonny Boy Williamson, Born Mar. 12, 1905, Died June 23, 1965, Son of Jim Miller and Millie Miller, Internationally Famous Harmonica and Vocal Blues Artist Discovered and Recorded By Trumpet Records, Jackson Miss. From 1950 To 1955.” However, according to William E. Donoghue, this biographical information is not true. Williamson added to the confusion when he recorded “The Story of Sonny Boy Williamson” for Storyville Records in Copenhagen in 1963 in which he proclaims “I was born, 1897, in a little town, Glendora, Mississippi”. Because of the many lies Sonny Boy told, there is much disagreement about his early life. Donoghue believes that Williamson, also known Alex “Rice” Miller, was probably born in 1912 and that he was only 53 when he died. Donoghue has done much research to verify this information.
Another researcher, Gayle Dean Wardlow, states that “Sonny Boy Williamson II was always a mystery blues artist” and that he was born on December 5, 1899, in lower Tallahatchie County near Glendora, Mississippi. Sonny Boy claimed to fans and blues researchers that he was the original Sonny Boy (John Lee Williamson) who came from Jackson, Tennessee, and recorded for Bluebird and later RCA Victor until he was killed in Chicago in the late 1940’s. Williamson had two sisters, Mary Ashford of Tutwiler and Julie Barner. His brothers are all dead. He was married for a short time to a woman named Margret, but they had no children. The sister named Mary Ashford verified that his real name was Alex “Rice” Miller before she died in a fire at the age of 89 in 1972. Five new CD reissues have been released in the past two years, proving that this mystery bluesman is still very popular thirty-three years after his death!
Timeline
- 1899,1910 or 1912: Williamson thought to have been born on the lower Tallahatchie County near Glendora, Mississippi, on the Sara Jones plantation.
- 1920’s: Williamson thought himself to play the harmonica.
- 1929: He claimed that he recorded for Ralph Lembo in Itta Bena, Mississippi.
- 1930: Williamson started going around the south playing in parks and other places.
- 1937: Williamson claimed that “Sonny Boy I” had stolen his name from him when he recorded “Good Morning, Little Girl.”
- 1941: Robert Lockwood and Williamson began playing each day at noon on KFFA radio station
- 1944: Williamson stopped performing for KFFA radio station.
- 1951: Williamson began recording for Trumpet record label.
- 1954: He moved to Detroit, Milwaukee, and to Cleveland.
- 1955: Williamson signed with Checker/Chess Record label.
- 1960’s: He stopped recording with Checker/Chess.
- 1963–1964: Williamson toured Europe as part of the American Negro Blues Festival.
- 1965: Returned to Helena, Arkansas, where he died on May 25.
Related Websites
- The only major website dedicated to Sonny Boy Williamson II contains a detailed discography covering over 40 full-length records by Sonny Boy plus numerous singles and 78’s, a list of all versions of all songs known to have been recorded by him, discussion of his unique harp style, with sample audio files, collection of photos, and a page of links and publications.
- All Music: Sonny Boy Williamson
- Biography of Sonny Boy Williamson
Bibliography
- Brown, Ashley, Popular Music, Volume 5, Long Island: Marshall Cavendish, pg. 581 “picture,” 784.5 mar v.5 (1990).
- Donoghue, William E., : “Keep it to Yourself: Sonny Boy Williamson.” Online.
- Ficara, Ken: “Aleck ‘Rice’ Miller: Sonny Boy Williamson.” Online.
- Larkin, Colin, The GuinneW Sonnyboy.html