Condition: AMG Artist Biography by Bill Dahl If there was a more immaculate slide guitarist residing in Chicago during the 1950s and '60s than Earl Hooker, his name has yet to surface. Boasting a fretboard touch so smooth and clean that every note rang as clear and precise as a bell, Hooker was an endlessly inventive axeman who would likely have been a star had his modest vocal abilities matched his instrumental prowess and had he not been dogged by tuberculosis (it killed him at age 41).
Born in the Mississippi Delta, Hooker arrived in Chicago as a child. There he was influenced by another slide wizard, veteran Robert Nighthawk. But Hooker never remained still for long. He ran away from home at age 13, journeying to Mississippi. After another stint in Chicago, he rambled back to the Delta again, playing with Ike Turner and Sonny Boy Williamson. Hooker made his first recordings in 1952 and 1953 for Rockin', King, and Sun. At the latter, he recorded some terrific sides with pianist Pinetop Perkins (Sam Phillips inexplicably sat on Hooker's blazing rendition of "The Hucklebuck").
Back in Chicago again, Hooker's dazzling dexterity was intermittently showcased on singles for Argo, C.J., and Bea & Baby during the mid- to late '50s before he joined forces with producer Mel London (owner of the Chief and Age logos) in 1959. For the next four years, he recorded both as sideman and leader for the producer, backing Junior Wells, Lillian Offitt, Ricky Allen, and A.C. Reed and cutting his own sizzling instrumentals ("Blue Guitar," "Blues in D-Natural"). He also contributed pungent slide work to Muddy Waters' Chess waxing "You Shook Me." Opportunities to record grew sparse after Age folded; Hooker made some tantalizing sides for Sauk City, WI's Cuca Records from 1964 to 1968 (several featuring steel guitar virtuoso Freddie Roulette).
Hooker's amazing prowess (he even managed to make the dreaded wah-wah pedal a viable blues tool) finally drew increased attention during the late '60s. He cut LPs for Arhoolie, ABC-BluesWay, and Blue Thumb that didn't equal what he'd done at Age, but they did serve to introduce Hooker to an audience outside Chicago and wherever his frequent travels deposited him. But tuberculosis halted his wandering ways permanently in 1970.

Earl Hooker ?– His First And Last Recordings

Label: Arhoolie Records ?– 1066 Format: Vinyl, LP, Stereo 
Country: US Released: 1972 Genre: Blues Style: Chicago Blues

TracklistHide Credits

A1 The Hook Bass Guitar – Geno SkaggsDrums – Bobby Johnson (13)Harmonica – Louis MyersPiano – Steve Miller (10) 4:55 A2 New Sweet Black Angel Bass Guitar – Geno SkaggsDrums – Levi WarrenPiano – "Pine Top" Perkins* 5:10 A3 Going On Down The Line Drums – Willie NixPiano – "Pine Top" Perkins* 2:20 A4 Original Sweet Black Angel Drums – Unknown ArtistHarmonica – Unknown Artist 3:10 A5 Guitar Rag Bass Guitar – Unknown ArtistDrums – Willie NixPiano – "Pine Top" Perkins* 2:50 B1 Earl's Boogie Woogie Drums – Willie NixPiano – "Pine Top" Perkins* 2:55 B2 Improvisations On Dust My Broom Bass Guitar – Dave MyersDrums – Arthur "Dogman" JacksonGuitar – Eddie Taylor (2) 7:40 B3 Improvisations On Frosty Bass Guitar – Dave MyersDrums – Arthur "Dogman" JacksonGuitar – Eddie Taylor (2) 6:40

Companies etc

• Copyright (c) – Tradition Music Co.

Credits

• Guitar, Vocals – Earl Hooker
• Producer – Chris Strachwitz
• Written-By, Arranged By – Earl Hooker

Notes

Track A1 recorded in Berkeley, California, July 18, 1969.
Track A2 recorded in Chicago, Illinois, November 12, 1968. 
Tracks A3, A5, B1 recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, July 15, 1953
Track A4 recorded probably in Memphis, Tennessee, 1952
Tracks B2, B3 recorded at Pepper's Lounge, Chicago, Illinois, September 10, 1969. 

This LP has been produces by Chris Strachwitz by exclusive agreement with Mrs. Mary Hooker.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Matrix / Runout (Side A engraved): ARHOOLIE 1066 A RE

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