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Detroit Junior

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Detroit Junior
Birth nameEmery Williams, Jr.
Born(1931-10-26)October 26, 1931
Haynes, Arkansas, United States
DiedAugust 9, 2005(2005-08-09) (aged 73)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
GenresChicago blues, electric blues[1]
Occupation(s)Pianist, singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Piano, vocals
Years active1950s–2005
LabelsVarious

Emery "Detroit Junior" Williams, Jr. (October 26, 1931 – August 9, 2005)[2] was an American Chicago blues pianist, vocalist and songwriter. He is known for songs such as "So Unhappy", "Call My Job", "If I Hadn't Been High", "Ella" and "Money Tree". His songs have been covered by Koko Taylor, Albert King and other blues artists.

Career

Born in Haynes, Arkansas,[2] Detroit recorded his first single, "Money Tree", with the Bea & Baby label in 1960. His first full album, Chicago Urban Blues, was released in the early 1970s on the Blues on Blues label.[1] He also has recordings on Alligator, Blue Suit, The Sirens Records, and Delmark.

Detroit Junior began his career in Detroit, Michigan, backing touring musicians such as Eddie Boyd, John Lee Hooker, and Amos Milburn. Boyd brought him to Chicago in 1956, where he spent the next twelve years. In the early 1970s, Detroit toured and recorded with Howlin' Wolf.[1] After the death of Wolf in 1976, Detroit returned to Chicago, where he lived and performed until his death from heart failure in 2005.[2] He was a weekly regular at Chicago blues club's B.L.U.E.S. and Kingston Mines.

He was survived by his wife Ella, and brothers Keith and Kenneth H. Williams. Kenneth H. Williams is a songwriter, guitarist and noted audio engineer currently engineering for Erykah Badu, Donald Glover Jr. AKA Childish Gambino and many others.

Discography

Albums

Year Title Record label
1990 Chicago Urban Blues Mango
1995 Turn Up the Heat Blue Suit
1997 Take Out the Time Blue Suit
2003 8 Hands on 88 Keys - Chicago Blues Piano Masters The Sirens Records
2004 Live at the Toledo Museum of Art Blue Suit
2004 Blues on the Internet Delmark

[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Steve Leggett. "Detroit Junior". Allmusic. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed July 2010
  3. ^ "Allmusic ((( Detroit Junior > Discography > Main Albums )))".
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