Little is known about the childhood of Sonny Boy Williamson

Little is known about the childhood of Sonny Boy Williamson. What we have here is misinformation, legends and hypotheses. Sonny Boy was born as a myth, no past, no present, no future. Only one name on the blues scene of the Mississippi. Your date of birth is another unknown, because he gave contradictory information about yourself.

Sonny Boy recorded a song called''The Story of Sonny Boy Williamson'', citing dezembro from 05 from 1897 as the date of his birth. However, nothing guarantees that this is true. He was an astute man rude field. Born in Glendora, in the state of Mississippi, a small village in Tallahatchie County. At 7 he was playing the harmonica and worked in cotton fields. At that time, Sonny Boy has played religious songs and polkas on harmonica.

But their history in the blues would only really start in 1951 when Lillian McMurry, the owner of Trumpet Records, offered him the opportunity to record his first 78 record called "eyesight to the blind." Soon after, other recordings came. At that time, Sonny Boy Williamson was already a star of local radio. He had a radio program KFFA of Helena, Arkansas, which went on air from 12:15 to 12:30 and was sponsored by the King Biscuit Corn Meal. The program was called "King Biscuit.Time" and it was exactly this program Sonny Boy that BB King had the first opportunity to show his talent as a bluesman. Others came later as Walter Horton, Little Walter, Fenton RobinSOM ...

Sonny Boy was invited for Chess Records, through its owner, Leonard Chess to join the cast of the record. At this point, he had already recorded by several different companies, among them, RCA, Sun and Ace. But it was at Chess Records, Sonny became a living legend. Suddenly, everyone heard about Sonny Boy everywhere, from the state of Florida to Texas. Then came "Don` t Start Me to Talkin ', "the biggest commercial success of Sonny Boy in the U.S.. Then the classic "Help Me" and "Nine Below Zero".

In 1962, Sonny Boy was invited to participate in a tour of Europe called "American Negroes Blues Festival, staying in London because of its great success. The following year, a new version of the festival happened, this time with the name "American Blues Festival, organized by Willie Dixon. The success of Sonny Boy Williamson was so great that many groups of the London scene practically begged to play with him. Among these newcomers were from The Yardbirds Eric Clapton, The Animals Eric Burdon, The trinitys Jimmy Page, Ciryl Davies, Chris Barber and Roland Kirk. Sonny was a myth that time, a god of harmony, labeled him as Eric Burdon in 1963.

At this point, Sonny Boy dressed like an English gentleman, impeccable suits, gloves, hat and umbrella were part of his clothing. Our old man was a celebrity in London, but something inside your heart crying out to return to the old town of Helena, Arkansas. He presented the death coming. He returned home in April 1965. The host of The King Biscuit Time, Sonny Payne, asked Sonny Boy Williamson the reason for your return home, since it was a success in Europe and was earning a lot. money there. Sonny Boy said: "I went home to die. I want to die in my land."

According to some, Sonny had gone fishing with them the day before his death and rescued a girl from drowning in the River. The friends thought the effort was too much for the old heart of bluesman sexagenarian. Soony's health was already compromised by a very cirrhosis caused by alcoholism. According to Robbie Robertson, former lead singer of The Hawks (later The Band), Sonny spitting blood often. Bleeding already gave signs that the end would be brief.

On May 25, 1965, Sonny Boy Williamson was found dead in his apartment, there are meters KFFA radio, where he had returned to lead the program that became notorious in the region of the Mississippi. Your drummer, O. J. Peck Curtis was found dead in bed. Sonny Boy Williamson died of a heart attack during sleep. Died a myth, a legend was born. Legend Sonny Boy Williamson. King of Harmonic.

NINE MYSTERIES ON SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON
1 - What is the true date of birth of Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller)?
2 - When (year and time) and which format of the "Little Boy Blue Radio Show" that Sonny Boy Williamson had 30 years in radio WEBQ in Eldorado - IL. ?
3 - There are documents showing that Sonny Boy Williamson was arrested in 1930 and 1938 (as he relates in the song "Fattening Frogs from Snakes")? What is the charge / What is the sentence?
4 - How was the child of Sonny Boy Williamson? Because there are no reports on this phase of your life?
5 - When Sonny Boy Williamson found Robert Johnson? Under what circumstances? Sonny Boy actually witnessed the death of Robert Johnson was poisoned in 1938?
6 - When and why Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) adopted the name of the former and late Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee Williamson)?
7 - Sonny Boy Williamson II actually participated in a jam session with Glosson and Bailey in Memphis?
8 - The band The Hawks, who later adopted the name "The Band" participated in a jam session with Sonny Boy in May 1965 (the month of death of Sonny Boy)?
9 - When was the wife of Sonny Boy Williamson II (Mattie), discovered the real name of Sonny?
Antonio Carlos Cabrera
http://www.nanton.com.br/sonnyboy/index_sonny.htm