Jody Williams (blues musician)
| Jody Williams | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joseph Leon Williams |
| Also known as | Little Papa Joe, Little Joe Lee |
| Born |
February 3, 1935 Mobile, Alabama, United States |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Blues |
| Instruments | Electric guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1954–1960s, 2000–present |
| Labels | Blue Lake, Argo, Nike, Jive, Smash, Yulando, Evidence |
Joseph Leon Williams (born February 3, 1935), better known as Jody Williams, is an American blues guitarist and singer. His singular guitar playing, marked by flamboyant string-bending, imaginative chord voicings and a distinctive tone, was influential in the Chicago blues scene of the 1950s.
In 2013, Williams was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.
In the mid-1950s, Williams was one of the most sought-after session guitarists in Chicago, yet he was little known outside the music industry since his name rarely appeared on discs. His acclaimed comeback in 2000 led to a resurgence of interest in Williams’ early work, and his reappraisal as one of the great blues guitarists.
Born in Mobile, Alabama, United States, Williams moved to Chicago at the age of five. His first instrument was the harmonica, which he swapped for the guitar after hearing Bo Diddley play at a talent show where they were both performing. Diddley, seven years his senior, took Williams under his wing and taught him the rudiments of guitar. By 1951 Williams and Diddley were playing on the street together, with Williams providing backing to Diddley's vocals, accompanied by Roosevelt Jackson on washtub bass. Williams cut his teeth gigging with a string of blues musicians, notably Memphis Minnie, Elmore James and Otis Spann. After touring with West Coast piano player Charles Brown, Williams established himself as a session player with Chess Records.
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