John Henry Barbee facts for kids
John Henry Barbee (born November 14, 1905 – died November 3, 1964) was an American blues singer and guitar player. He was born in Henning, Tennessee. He once said his real name was William George Tucker and that he changed it to honor his favorite folk song, "The Ballad of John Henry." However, official records show he was the son of Beecher Barbee and Cora Gilford.
Life as a Blues Musician
Barbee traveled around the American South in the 1930s. He sang and played slide guitar. He often teamed up with other famous blues musicians like Big Joe Williams and Sunnyland Slim in Memphis, Tennessee. Later, he went to Mississippi and played with Sonny Boy Williamson for several years.
In 1939, Barbee released two songs with Vocalion Records: "Six Weeks Old Blues" and "God Knows I Can't Help It." These songs sold well. Vocalion Records wanted him to record more, but Barbee had moved away from his last known location in Arkansas. He explained that he had to leave suddenly. Because of this, he stopped playing music professionally for a long time.
Return to Music
Barbee did not play music again until the early 1960s. This was a time when many people became interested in blues music again. A musician named Willie Dixon looked for Barbee and found him working as an ice-cream server in Chicago, Illinois.
In 1964, Barbee joined the American Folk Blues Festival. This festival went on a tour in Europe with other blues legends like Lightnin' Hopkins and Howlin' Wolf.
Later Years and Legacy
After the European tour, Barbee returned to the United States. He had been diagnosed with a serious illness. He used the money from the tour to buy his very first car. Sadly, he died of a heart attack in Chicago a few days later, on November 3, 1964. This was just 11 days before his 59th birthday. He is buried in the Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.
Years later, in 2010, the White Lake Blues Festival helped honor John Henry Barbee. The festival raised money to place a headstone on his unmarked grave. The event was a success, and a headstone was placed in June 2010.
Music Albums
- Portraits in Blues, vol. 9 (Storyville, 1964) - This was a studio album.
- Blues Live! 1964 (Storyville, 1985) - This album included live performances by Barbee and Sleepy John Estes.
- Blues Masters, vol. 3 (Storyville, 1994) - This was a collection of his songs.
See also
- List of blues musicians
- List of country blues musicians
- List of Delta blues musicians
