Baby Boy Warren facts for kids

Baby Boy Warren (born Robert Henry Warren) was an American blues singer and guitarist. He was a very important musician in the Detroit blues music scene during the 1950s.

Who Was Baby Boy Warren?

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Robert Henry Warren was born in Lake Providence, Louisiana, in 1919. When he was just three months old, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He loved music from a young age.

He started playing music around 1931, after he left school. His two older brothers taught him how to play the guitar. In the 1930s, he played music in W. C. Handy Park in Memphis. He even played with famous blues musicians like Howlin' Wolf, Robert Lockwood Jr., and Little Buddy Doyle.

Around 1941, he was on a radio show called King Biscuit Time. This show was broadcast from Helena, Arkansas. He played alongside another blues legend, Sonny Boy Williamson II.

Moving to Detroit

In 1942, Baby Boy Warren moved to Detroit, Michigan. There, he worked for General Motors, a big car company. But he also kept performing as a musician, sharing his blues music with new audiences.

What Music Did He Record?

First Recordings

Baby Boy Warren started recording his music in 1949 and 1950 in Detroit. He released five singles on different record labels.

In 1954, he recorded more songs with Sonny Boy Williamson. These songs were released by Joe Von Battle's JVB label and also by Excello Records.

Later that same year, he recorded another single for the Blue Lake label. For this recording, he played with Boogie Woogie Red on piano and Calvin Frazier on guitar. He also recorded his own version of the Robert Johnson song "Stop Breakin' Down" for the Drummond label.

Later Career and Legacy

Returning to Music

Baby Boy Warren didn't play much music in the 1960s. But he started performing again in the 1970s. He played at the Detroit Blues Festival in 1971. He also performed at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival in 1973.

In 1972, he toured Europe with Boogie Woogie Red, sharing his blues music with fans overseas. From 1974 to 1976, he was a special performer with the Progressive Blues Band. This band was very popular in Detroit's blues clubs.

His Nickname and Family

Baby Boy Warren got his nickname "Baby Boy" from his older brothers when he was a child. He was one of twelve children in his family. He was married twice and had seven children. On some of his music releases, he was known by another name, Johnny Williams.

Musical Influences

Baby Boy Warren was greatly influenced by musicians like Little Buddy Doyle and Willie "61" Blackwell. He especially admired how they wrote their song lyrics. He also looked up to Memphis Minnie, a blues musician he knew in Memphis in the 1930s. Experts have said that Baby Boy Warren brought a "hip, literate humor" to his blues lyrics.

When Did He Pass Away?

Baby Boy Warren passed away from a heart attack at his home on July 1, 1977. He was buried in Detroit Memorial Park Cemetery in Macomb County, Michigan.