Jody Williams (blues musician)
Joseph Leon "Jody" Williams (February 3, 1935 – December 1, 2018) was an American blues guitarist and singer. His singular guitar playing, marked by flamboyant string-bending, imaginative chord voicings and a distinctive tone, was influential in the Chicago blues scene of the 1950s.
Jody Williams | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joseph Leon Williams |
| Also known as | Little Papa Joe, Little Joe Lee |
| Born | February 3, 1935 Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | December 1, 2018 (aged 83) Munster, Indiana |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Electric guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1954–1960s, 2000–2014 |
| Labels | Blue Lake, Argo, Nike, Jive, Smash, Yulando, Evidence |
In the mid-1950s, Williams was one of the most sought-after session guitarists in Chicago, but he was little known outside the music industry, since his name rarely appeared on discs. His acclaimed comeback in 2000 led to a resurgence of interest in his early work and a reappraisal as one of the great blues guitarists. Williams was known for his imaginative chord selection, characterized by raised fives, and minor sixths and minor sevenths with flattened fives. He usually played with an unusual open E tuning, originally taught to him by Bo Diddley. In 2013, Williams was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.