Jody Williams (blues musician) facts for kids

Joseph Leon "Jody" Williams (born February 3, 1935 – died December 1, 2018) was an American blues guitarist and singer. He played the guitar in a very special way. He used fancy string-bending, cool chord voicings, and a unique sound. His style was very important in the Chicago blues music scene during the 1950s.

In the mid-1950s, Jody Williams was one of the most wanted session guitarists in Chicago. A session guitarist is someone who plays music for recordings but is not usually the main artist. Most people outside the music world did not know him because his name was rarely on the records.

In 2000, he made a big comeback. This made people interested in his older music again. Many now see him as one of the greatest blues guitarists ever. Williams was known for choosing interesting chords. He often used an unusual open E tuning for his guitar. His friend Bo Diddley first taught him this tuning. In 2013, Williams was added to the Blues Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Jody Williams was born in Mobile, Alabama, United States. When he was five, his family moved to Chicago. His first instrument was the harmonica. But he changed to the guitar after hearing Bo Diddley play. They were both at a talent show.

Bo Diddley was seven years older than Williams. He took Williams under his wing and taught him the basics of guitar playing.

Music Career in Chicago

Playing with Blues Legends

By 1951, Williams and Diddley were playing music together on the street. Williams played guitar while Diddley sang. They also had Roosevelt Jackson on washtub bass. Williams gained experience by playing with many blues musicians. Some of these included Memphis Minnie, Elmore James, and Otis Spann.

After touring with West Coast piano player Charles Brown, Williams became a regular session player. He worked for Chess Records, a famous music company.

At Chess Records, Williams met Howlin' Wolf. Wolf had just moved to Chicago. Wolf hired Williams as the first guitarist in his new band. A year later, Hubert Sumlin joined Wolf's band too. Williams and Sumlin both played guitar on Howlin' Wolf's songs. These included "Evil Is Going On" and "Forty Four" from 1954. They also played on "Who Will Be Next" and "Come to Me Baby" in 1955. Williams also played guitar on Otis Spann's 1954 song, "It Must Have Been the Devil." This song also featured B.B. King, who was one of Williams's early heroes.

Solo Work and Famous Songs

Jody Williams started his solo career in December 1955. He released an upbeat song called "Lookin' for My Baby." He used the name Little Papa Joe for this song. The record company, Blue Lake Records, closed soon after. This meant another of his songs, "Groan My Blues Away," was never released.

By this time, many people wanted Williams to play guitar on their songs. His amazing guitar skills can be heard on Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?" This song was a hit for Checker Records in 1956. A rock musician named Marshall Crenshaw said Williams's guitar solo on "Who Do You Love" was one of the best ever.

In the 1950s, Williams also played lead guitar on other famous songs. These included Billy Boy Arnold's "I Ain't Got You" and "I Wish You Would." He also played on Jimmy Rogers's "One Kiss" and Otis Rush's "Three Times a Fool."

In 1957, Williams released "You May" on Argo Records. The other side of the record had an instrumental song called "Lucky Lou." The amazing opening part of "Lucky Lou" was copied by Otis Rush for his 1958 song "All Your Love (I Miss Loving)." Williams's influence on Rush was clear. Rush's guitar solo on Buddy Guy's 1958 song, "Sit and Cry (The Blues)," was almost exactly like Williams's playing on "You May."

Leaving the Music Business

Jody Williams became unhappy with the music business. Other musicians often copied his unique guitar parts without giving him credit. For example, he created a special guitar part for Billy Stewart's 1956 song "Billy's Blues." But Mickey Baker used this same part for the hit song "Love Is Strange" by Mickey & Sylvia.

Chess Records took legal action over this. But when the case ended in 1961, Williams did not get any credit or money. He later said he felt "ripped off." In the early 1960s, Williams played with his own group, the Big 3 Trio. But by the end of the decade, he decided to leave the music industry completely. He studied electronics and became a technical engineer for Xerox. He worked there for over 25 years.

Return to Music

Williams did not touch his guitar for many years. It stayed under his bed. Only after he retired did he think about playing again. "One day my wife said if I started playing again I might feel better," he told a newspaper.

In March 2000, he went to see his old friend Robert Lockwood Jr. play. This made him miss his music days. Back home, he listened to an old tape of himself playing. It made him cry and inspired him to pick up his guitar again.

He started playing in public in June 2000. He performed at a club during the 2000 Chicago Blues Festival. A producer named Dick Shurman encouraged him. Shurman later produced Williams's comeback album, Return of a Legend (2002). His playing on this album was still strong, even after thirty years away from music. A magazine called Vintage Guitar said he played with "verve and vigor" that sounded as good as his classic records.

Williams continued to perform around the world until 2014. He often played at big blues festivals. He also joined blues guitarist Billy Flynn at clubs in Chicago. Later, his health made it hard for him to play music.

Death

Jody Williams died from cancer on December 1, 2018.

Discography

Singles

• 1956 – "Looking For My Baby" / "Easy Lovin'" (Blue Lake 116) (as Little Papa Joe)
• 1957 – "You May" / "Lucky Lou" (i) (Argo 5274) (as Little Joe Lee)
• 1960 – "Five Long Years / "Little Girl" (Herald H-555) (as Sugar Boy Williams)
• 1962 – "Lonely Without You" / "Moanin' For Molasses" (i) (Nike 1013)
• 1963 – "Hideout" (i) / "Moanin' For Molasses" (i) (Smash S-1801)
• 1963 – "Time For A Change" / "Lonely Without You" (Jive J-1004)
• 1964 – "Time For A Change" / "Lonely Without You" (Yulando R-133-8665)

Albums

• 2002 – Return of a Legend (Evidence ECD 26120)
• 2004 – You Left Me In the Dark (Evidence ECD 26130)
• 2018 – In Session: Diary of a Chicago Bluesman 1954–1962 (Jasmine JASMCD 3100)