Junior Wells

Junior Wells carved out a place in Chicago blues history with his expressive mouth harp, gruff voice and R&B-informed attack. Born in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1934, Wells took to music at a young age: by the time his family moved to Chicago in 1948, the 14-year-old was already a hard-spitting harmonica player. After stints in The Aces and Muddy Waters’ backing band, he went solo and eventually scored his trademark hit: 1960’s “Messin’ With the Kid”. With his appearances at Theresa’s Lounge becoming one of the hottest gigs in Chicago, Wells teamed up with guitarist Buddy Guy to record his 1965 debut, Hoodoo Man Blues. Its ferocious swing reinvented Chicago blues, and the duo continued remoulding the form on 1972’s soul-inspired Buddy Guy & Junior Wells Play the Blues. Wells and Guy would collaborate into the ’80s before refocusing on their solo careers. In the final decade of his life, Wells released adventurous sets like 1996’s Come On In This House. Arriving two years before cancer and a heart attack claimed his life, the unique mix of country blues and folk music exudes all the toughness and humour of his finest work.