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Sonny Boy Williamson II

This article is about the blues musician who lived from c. 1912 to 1965. For the Sonny Boy Williamson who lived from 1914 to 1948, see Sonny Boy Williamson I.
For other people named Alex Miller, see Alex Miller (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Sonny Bill Williams.

Sonny Boy Williamson II
Background information
Birth nameAlex (or Aleck) Ford (later known as Aleck Miller)[1]
Also known as
  • "Rice" Miller
  • Little Boy Blue
  • Little Willie
  • "Sonny Boy" Williamson
BornDecember 5, between 1897–1912[a]
Greenwood or Money, Mississippi, U.S.
Died(1965-05-24)May 24, 1965 (aged 52–68)[1]
Helena, Arkansas, U.S.
GenresBlues
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Instruments
Years activeMid-1930s–1965[2]
Labels

Alex or Aleck Miller (originally Ford, possibly December 5, 1912[3][a] – May 24, 1965),[4] known later in his career as Sonny Boy Williamson, was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.[2] He was an early and influential blues harp stylist who recorded successfully in the 1950s and 1960s. Miller used various names, including Rice Miller and Little Boy Blue, before calling himself Sonny Boy Williamson, which was also the name of a popular Chicago blues singer and harmonica player. To distinguish the two, Miller has been referred to as Sonny Boy Williamson II.

He first recorded with Elmore James on "Dust My Broom".[5] Some of his popular songs include "Don't Start Me Talkin'", "Help Me", "Checkin' Up on My Baby", and "Bring It On Home".[6] He toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival and recorded with English rock musicians, including the Yardbirds and Animals. "Help Me" became a blues standard,[7] and many blues and rock artists have recorded his songs.

  1. ^ a b "Sonny Boy's Lonesome Cabin". Sonnyboy.com. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Koda, Cub. "Sonny Boy Williamson". AllMusic. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  3. ^ "Sonny Boy Williamson". Mississippi Blues Trail. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  4. ^ Cochoran, Robert. "'Sonny Boy' Williamson II". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  5. ^ *"Dust My Broom". Encyclopedia of the Blues. University of Arkansas Press. 1992. ISBN 1-55728-252-8.
  6. ^ "The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson" (CD booklet). Sonny Boy Williamson II. Universal City, California: MCA Records. 1993. p. 23. CHD2-9343.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. ^ Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). "Help Me". Encyclopedia of the Blues. Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press. p. 450. ISBN 1-55728-252-8.


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