Junior Wells facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Junior Wells
Wells performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, 1996
Background information
Birth name	Amos Wells Blakemore Jr.
Born	(1934-12-09)December 9, 1934 West Memphis, Arkansas, U.S.
Died	January 15, 1998(1998-01-15) (aged 63) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Rhythm and blues blues
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, harmonica
Years active	1950s–1997
Labels	States USA Chief Delmark
Associated acts	The Aces Buddy Guy

Junior Wells (born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr., December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998) was an amazing American singer and harmonica player. He was known for his cool blues music. Many people remember him for his famous song "Messin' with the Kid" and his 1965 album Hoodoo Man Blues. One music expert, Bill Dahl, called this album "one of the truly classic blues albums of the 1960s." Junior Wells himself described his music as rhythm and blues.

Wells played and recorded with many other great blues musicians. These included Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, and Buddy Guy. He was always a big part of the blues music scene. He also became popular with rock fans when he toured with the Rolling Stones. A blues historian named Gerard Herzhaft once said that Wells was "one of the rare active survivors of the 'golden age of the blues.'" This means he was one of the few original blues legends still performing.

Life and Music Journey

Starting Out in Blues

Junior Wells might have been born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in West Memphis, Arkansas. Some people say he was born right in West Memphis. He learned to play the harmonica really well by the time he was seven years old. His cousin, Junior Parker, and another famous musician, Sonny Boy Williamson II, taught him.

In 1948, he moved to Chicago with his mom. There, he started playing music with local artists at house parties and small clubs. He was a bit wild, but he needed a way to show his musical talent. He joined a band called The Aces. This band had brothers Dave and Louis Myers on guitars and Fred Below on drums. With them, he created a modern way of playing the harmonica using amplifiers. He was inspired by another great harmonica player, Little Walter.

First Recordings and Hits

In 1952, Junior Wells made his first recordings. He took over from Little Walter in Muddy Waters's band. He played on some of Muddy Waters's recording sessions for Chess Records. The next year, he made his first recordings as the leader of his own band for States Records.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he recorded many songs for Chief Records. Some of his popular songs from this time include "Messin' with the Kid", "Come on in This House", and "It Hurts Me Too". He kept playing these songs throughout his career. In 1960, his song "Little by Little" became a hit. It reached number 23 on the Billboard R&B chart. This was his first song to make it onto the charts.

Working with Buddy Guy and The Rolling Stones

Junior Wells released his album Hoodoo Man Blues in 1965 with Delmark Records. His friend Buddy Guy played guitar on this album. Junior Wells and Buddy Guy worked together a lot. They even performed with the famous rock band, the Rolling Stones, several times in the 1970s.

Wells released more albums like South Side Blues Jam in 1971 and On Tap in 1975. His 1996 album Come On in This House featured other talented guitarists like Alvin Youngblood Hart and Derek Trucks. Junior Wells also appeared in the movie Blues Brothers 2000.

Junior Wells performing in Urbana, Illinois, in 1983.

The Harmonica Story

Junior Wells once shared a cool story about how he got his first harmonica. This story was even printed on the cover of his Hoodoo Man Blues album. He said: "I went to this pawnshop downtown and the man had a harmonica priced at $2.00. I got a job on a soda truck... played hookey from school ... worked all week and on Saturday the man gave me a dollar and a half. A dollar and a half! For a whole week of work. I went to the pawnshop and the man said the price was two dollars. I told him I had to have that harp. He walked away from the counter – left the harp there. So I laid my dollar-and-a-half on the counter and picked up the harp. When my trial came up, the judge asked me why I did it. I told him I had to have that harp. The judge asked me to play it and when I did he gave the man the 50 cents and hollered 'Case dismissed!'" This happened in 1948.

Later Life and Passing

In 1997, Junior Wells started having serious health problems, including cancer and a heart attack. He passed away in Chicago on January 15, 1998. He was buried in the Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.

Album Discography

† indicates albums with Buddy Guy.

See also

In Spanish: Junior Wells para niños