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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWELLS, Junior(b Amos Blackmore, 9 Dec. '34, Memphis TN; d 15 Jan. '98) Blues singer, played harmonica; often worked with guitarist/vocalist Buddy Guy. Taught himself harmonica, worked in streets for tips; to Chicago c'46, worked outside music; from late '40s worked in various groups called the Little Boys, the Three Deuces, the Three Aces; worked with Muddy Waters (replacing Little Walter '52--3), Memphis Slim; recorded with the Eagle Rockers on States '53--4, with Waters on Chess; toured US clubs late '50s, worked with Guy '58 and frequently thereafter. Recorded on small labels Shad, Profile, Chief; with Guy on Chess '60--61; recorded for Vanguard mid- '60s (LPs Comin' At You and It's My Life, Baby; tracks on several vols of Chicago/The Blues/Today); toured Africa for US State Dept '67--8 and Far East '69; recorded with Guy on Atlantic '68; toured with Canned Heat in England, Europe with Rolling Stones '70, recording for Barclay with Memphis Slim in France; appeared in UK film Chicago Blues '70, French films Blues Under The Skin and Out Of The Blacks Into The Blues '72; worked many jazz, blues and folk festivals: had become one of the most highly regarded Chicago bluesmen of his generation. Recorded for Delmark; prizewinning album Hoodoo Man Blues '66 had 'Friendly Chap' on guitar, Jack Myers on bass, Billy Warren on drums, Wells's own tunes 'Snatch It Back And Hold It', 'In The Wee Wee Hours', 'Hoodoo Man Blues', fine version of classic 'Good Morning Schoolgirl', etc. Other Delmarks were Southside Blues Jam, On Tap, Blues Hit The Big Town (latter with Waters, etc); portion of Tokyo concert '75 released on Bourbon label; States sides compiled on Universal Rock on Flyright (now on Delmark Blues Hit Big Town); other albums: Chiefly Wells on Flyright, In My Younger Days on Red Lightnin' (compilation of tracks with Earl Hooker, etc) and with Guy: Original Blues Brothers Live on Blue Moon, Drinking TNT And Smoking Dynamite '74 on Sonet with Bill Wyman on bass, Pinetop Perkins on piano, Dallas Taylor on drums. Pleading The Blues with Guy came out on Evidence, Undisputed Godfather Of Blues on GBW both '93; on Telarc with Better Off With Blues '93, Everybody's Gettin' Some '95 with guests incl. Bonnie Raitt and Carlos Santana, and Come On In This House '96, several slide guitarists guesting on tracks from blues classics to Tracy Chapman's 'Give Me One Reason'. The slick studio production on Telarc got a little far away from Hoodoo Man Blues, but Live At Buddy Guy's Legends '96 was back to the real stuff. |