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 | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Electric guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1954–1960s, 2000–2014 |
| Labels | Blue Lake, Argo, Nike, Jive, Smash, Yulando, Evidence |
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.
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.[1] 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.[1] In 2013, Williams was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.[2]