Giles Robson and Jim Basnight join me on episode 136 for a retrospective on Alex ‘Rice’ Miller (aka Sonny Boy Williamson II).

Information on Sonny Boy’s early life is sketchy. Sonny Boy was likely born in 1912 and had a hard upbringing working on a plantation before becoming a travelling musician. Arriving in Helena, Arkansas, he found fame performing on the King Biscuit Time radio show before making his first recordings with Trumpet Records at age 38 in 1951. Sonny Boy made his classic cuts for Checker Records (a subsidiary of Chess) in 1955.

He then toured Europe in 1963/64, becoming a celebratory in England and having a huge impact on the British Blues Boom.

Returning to Helena, where he died in 1965, Sonny boy is one of the true giants not only of the harmonica but also the blues, with his charismatic vocals, songwriting and enigmatic charm.

Links:

Giles Robson: https://gilesrobson.com

Jim Basnight: https://www.jimbasnightmusic.com/

Extract from Bill Donohue biography: https://www.furious.com/perfect/sonnyboy.html

Chris Strachwitz remembers Sonny Boy: https://arhoolie.org/chris-strachwitz-remembers-sonny-boy-williamson/

Bob Corritore photo gallery of Sonny Boy: https://bobcorritore.com/photos/sonny-boy-williamson-ii/

Sonny Boy discography: https://sonnyboywilliamson2.blogspot.com/2013/08/sonny-boy-williamsons-chronological.html

Macie J Blues blogspot on Sonny Boy: https://sonnyboywilliamson-maciejblues.blogspot.com/

Videos:

Sonny Boy live in Manchester: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GwiJTa-620

Possibly the late Chris Strachwitz recordings of Sonny Boy: ‘Last Sessions’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLco7ZmxqUs&t=10s

Live in Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yhcNEgd3uI

Concert from the Jazz House, Wiesbaden, Germany, November, 1963: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGGR5l4zOzw&t=1s

Playing with the Chris Barber Band in the UK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euSd5TtPe68

‘Solo Harp’ album, containing the recordings from home of German photographer Stefanie Wiesand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6RkAlhX7fg

Robbie Robertson recalls meeting Sonny Boy shortly before he died: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90-O6c20PLk

The grave of Sonny Boy, with comments from Giles Robson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-XQwpBTGRI

Bye Bye Bird in Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZArN9y5qZc

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