Music / Religion
John Lee Hooker Jr.
born 1952 · blues singer, songwriter, minister
Detroit-born son of John Lee Hooker who sang on local radio as a child, toured with his father, and later earned Grammy nominations with his own modern blues.
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
John Lee Hooker Jr. was born in Detroit in 1952, when his father was at the height of his Hastings Street fame. He was singing on local radio by the age of eight and toured with his father as a teenager, learning the business from the inside. His own path was delayed by years of substance abuse, and he did not release a solo record until 2004, when Blues with a Vengeance appeared and was nominated for a Grammy. He followed it with Cold as Ice (2006) and All Odds Against Me (2008), which received a Grammy nomination for best traditional blues album. His style is deliberately modern, with contemporary arrangements and, in later work, soul and gospel colors rather than his father's one-chord boogie. He has become an ordained minister, works in prison outreach, and has spoken publicly about his conversion.
Highlights
- Sang on Detroit radio by age eight
- Debut album Blues with a Vengeance (2004), Grammy-nominated
- All Odds Against Me (2008), Grammy nomination for traditional blues
- Ordained minister active in prison outreach