Little Joe Blue

Little Joe Blue (September 23, 1934 – April 22, 1990)[1] was an American electric blues singer and guitarist. His musical style was often compared to B. B. King.[1]

Little Joe Blue
Birth nameJoseph Valery, Jr.
Born(1934-09-23)September 23, 1934
Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States
DiedApril 22, 1990(1990-04-22) (aged 55)
Reno, Nevada, United States
GenresElectric blues[1]
Occupation(s)Guitarist, singer
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals
Years activeLate 1950s–1990
LabelsKent, Jewel, Checker, Evejim and others

His most notable track was "Dirty Work Going On",[2] which was written by Ferdinand "Fats" Washington,[3] and originally recorded by Little Joe Blue in 1966. It was released by Checker Records.[4] The track peaked at No. 40 in the US Billboard R&B chart.[5]

Career

He was born Joseph Valery, Jr. in Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States.[1] He was brought up in Tallulah, Louisiana, before he relocated in 1951 to Detroit, Michigan, to work in the automobile plants.[6] He also spent over two years in Korea, having been drafted in the United States Army in 1954.[6]

Returning to Detroit, he formed the band the Midnighters in the late 1950s. He moved to Los Angeles, California, where he cut some records for Kent, Jewel and Checker Records in the 1960s.[1] His 1966 song, "Dirty Work Going On" (US Billboard R&B, No. 40),[7] was covered by Magic Sam,[8] and Shakey Jake Harris,[9] and by Willie Kent & His Gents.[10]

In 1975, he travelled to Europe to take part in the American Blues Legends tour and album recording, organised by the UK-based Big Bear Records.[11]

Little Joe Blue recorded for various labels, including Evejim Records, throughout the 1980s.[1] He played at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1974, travelled to Europe in 1982, and appeared at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1986.[12]

Little Joe Blue's Greatest Hits (1996), a two-album set available on CD via Evejim, included (among others) the tracks "Dirty Work Going On", "Encourage Me Baby", "Don't Start Me to Talkin'" and Little Milton's "How Could You Do It to Me".[13]

He died in Reno, Nevada, United States,[1] in April 1990 at the age of 55, from stomach cancer.[6] He had two children: one son and one daughter.

Discography

Studio albums
  • Southern Country Boy (Jewel, 1972)
  • Happy Here - "Earthy Blues" (Space, 1973)
  • Best Of The Blues (Kris, 1978)
  • It's My Turn Now (Empire Enterprise, 1984)
  • Dirty Work Going On (Evejim, 1987)
  • I'm Doing All Right Again (Evejim, 1989)

Collaborative albums

Compilation albums
  • Blue's Blues (Jewel, 1987)
  • Greatest Hits (Evejim, 1996)
  • The Very Best Of Little Joe Blue (Collectables, 2006)
  • Dirty Work Goin' On (Black & Blue, 2008)[14]

See also

References
  1. "Little Joe Blue - Biography & History - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  2. "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 18 June 1966. p. 20. Retrieved 9 August 2018 – via Google Books.
  3. "Dirty Work Going On - Little Joe Blue - Song Info - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  4. "Little Joe Blue - Dirty Work Going On". 45cat.com. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  5. "Little Joe Blue". Billboard.com. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  6. Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Blues (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 0-85112-673-1.
  7. "Little Joe Blue Songs • Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography • Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  8. "Magic Sam - Rockin' Wild In Chicago". Discogs.com. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  9. "Live at Sylvio's: 1968 - Magic Sam, Shakey Jake - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  10. "Willie Kent Discography". Williekentblues.com. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  11. "Illustrated Big Bear Records discography". www.wirz.de. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
  12. "Valery, Joseph, Jr. [Little Joe Blue] (1934–1990)". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  13. "Greatest Hits - Little Joe Blue - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  14. "Little Joe Blue - Album Discography - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
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