Blues legend John Lee Hooker died in his sleep at his home in Los Altos, CA on June 21, 2001.

John Lee Hooker was born in Clarksdale, MS, and learned guitar as a teenager from his musician stepfather, Will Moore. In the mid-30's, Hooker was a gospel singer and a blues man while living in Memphis, TN. After moving to Detroit, MI, he worked as a janitor at a car plant by day and played at clubs like the Forest Inn and Club Basin by night, all the while making a name for himself as a popular blues act.

Modern Records talent scout Lee Sensation signed Hooker in 1948 for his label, and a debut recording session was set up in a local recording studio, with just John Lee and a guitar. The self-penned "Boogie Chillen" set the tone for his primitive, intense blues style and became a huge U.S. hit.

From 1949-1954 John Lee recorded 70 singles on 21 different labels, under 10 different names, including Texas Slim, Delta John, Johnny Lee, Johnny Williams and John Lee Booker. In 1964 the UK found the blues; many of Hooker's tunes, like the song "Dimples," were recorded by the Animals, and John Lee visited England to appear on the hit teen show "Ready Steady Go."

Over the years John Lee Hooker performed with such legendary musicians as Howlin Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Buddy Guy, Johnny Winters, Bob Dylan, Big Mama Thornton, Lightnin Hopkins, Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Robert Cray, Carlos Santana, George Thorogood, and Bonnie Raitt.

Hooker also appeared in the movie "The Blues Brothers," and his music was featured in Steven Spielberg's Academy Award winning movie "The Color Purple."

On February 24, 1995, Hollywood's RockWalk was honored to present John Lee Hooker for induction into the RockWalk for his endless contributions to the art form and his constant and never-ending inspiration to musicians throughout the world. His stark, fierce vocal and guitar combination made him a one of a kind. We will miss him.