Hooker, John Lee

1917 – He was born on the 22nd day of August this year in Coahoma County near Clarksdale, Mississippi.

1921 - His parents separated.

1922 – His mother married William Moore, a blues singer who provided John's first introduction to the guitar (and whom John would later credit for his distinctive playing style).

1923 – His natural father died; and at age 15, John ran away from home, never to see his mother and step-father again.

1930 – He lived in Memphis where he worked on Beale Street and occasionally performed at house parties.

1948 - He found himself in Detroit this year working at Ford Motor Company. His recording career began also  in this year when his agent placed a demo tape, made by Hooker, with the Bihari brothers, owners of the Modern Records label.

1962 – His best known song also include "Boom Boom."

1980 – He appeared and sang to the movie "The Blues Brothers."

1989 – He joined with a number of musicians, including Keith Richards and Carlos Santana to record "The Healer", which won a Grammy award.

1991 – He is a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1997 - He opened a nightclub called "John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room", after one of his hits.

2000 – He was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

2001 - He fell ill just before a tour of Europe this year and died soon afterwards at the age of 83.