Junior Wells (born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr.; December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998) was an American singer, harmonica player, and recording artist. He is best known for his song "Messin' with the Kid" and his 1965 album Hoodoo Man Blues, which critic Bill Dahl called "one of the truly classic blues albums of the 1960s." Wells called his music rhythm and blues.

He performed and recorded with many well-known blues musicians, including Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, and Buddy Guy. He was a regular performer in the blues community throughout his career and also played music that appealed to rock fans while touring with the Rolling Stones. Shortly before his death, blues historian Gerard Herzhaft said Wells was "one of the rare active survivors of the 'golden age of the blues.'"

Early life

Wells was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in West Memphis, Arkansas. Some sources say he was born in West Memphis instead.

He was first taught by his cousin, Junior Parker, and by Sonny Boy Williamson II. By the age of seven, Wells had learned to play the harmonica well. He shared a story that was printed on the cover of his album, Hoodoo Man Blues.

Career

He moved to Chicago in 1948 with his mother after her divorce and started playing with local musicians at house parties and taverns. He was wild and rebellious but found a way to use his musical talents. He joined a group called the Aces, which included brothers Dave and Louis Myers on guitars and drummer Fred Below. Together, they created a modern style of playing the harmonica using amplification, inspired by Little Walter. In 1952, he replaced Little Walter in Muddy Waters's band and recorded music for Chess Records. His first recordings as a band leader were made the next year for States Records. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he recorded songs for Chief Records and its smaller company, Profile Records. These songs included "Messin' with the Kid," "Come on in This House," and "It Hurts Me Too," which he continued to perform throughout his career. His 1960 Profile single "Little by Little," written by Chief owner and producer Mel London, reached number 23 on the Billboard R&B chart, becoming one of only two of his songs to appear on the chart.

In 1965, Wells released an album called Hoodoo Man Blues through Delmark Records. The album included Buddy Guy on guitar. The two later worked with the Rolling Stones in the 1970s. Wells also released an album titled South Side Blues Jam in 1971, followed by On Tap in 1975.

In 1996, he released an album called Come On in This House, which included performances by slide guitarists Alvin Youngblood Hart and Derek Trucks. Wells also appeared in the film Blues Brothers 2000, released in 1998.

Death

Wells started having serious health issues, such as cancer and a heart attack, in 1997. He passed away in Chicago on January 15, 1998, and was buried in Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago.