Lee Cooper (guitarist) facts for kids
Echford Lee Cooper Jr. (born around 1925 – died around 1966), known as Lee Cooper, was an American blues guitarist. Even though he had a short career and often worked behind the scenes as a session musician in the 1950s, many people say he was "overlooked and highly underrated."
Lee Cooper was likely born in Lexington, Mississippi, where he grew up. He started playing the electric guitar in Chicago in the 1940s. Musician Eddie Boyd, who later played with Cooper, said that Cooper was a very talented person.
By the early 1950s, Cooper often performed with Kansas City Red. He also played on many recordings at Chess Records. These recordings included songs by famous blues artists like Big Bill Broonzy and Washboard Sam. Music writer Cub Koda mentioned that Cooper's strong and energetic guitar playing, called "licks," were similar to those of Chuck Berry, even before Berry became famous.
In the mid-1950s, Lee Cooper became the main guitarist for Howlin' Wolf's band. He took over from Willie Johnson. Cooper played on many of Howlin' Wolf's most popular songs. Later, Hubert Sumlin took his place in the band. Cooper also played on recordings for other artists, such as Jimmy Witherspoon and Big Walter Horton. He was also a member of Eddie Boyd's band.
Eddie Boyd had high praise for Cooper. He said, "He was the best guitar I ever played with... just as good as any guitar player I ever heard." Boyd added that Cooper "could play, he could go from John Lee Hooker to Charlie Parker." This means Cooper could play many different styles of music, from blues to jazz. He was a very skilled and versatile musician.
Lee Cooper is believed to have passed away in Chicago in 1966.
Lee Cooper's Music Recordings
Lee Cooper played on several important blues recordings. Here are some of his notable works:
With Howlin' Wolf
- More Real Folk Blues (Chess, recorded 1953-1956, released 1967)
