John Henry Barbee (November 14, 1905 – November 3, 1964)[1] was an American blues singer and guitarist. He was born in Henning, Tennessee.[1] He claimed that he was born William George Tucker[2] and that he changed his name with the commencement of his recording career, in tribute to his favorite folk song, "The Ballad of John Henry", but this claim is not supported by census records, in which he is registered as the son of Beecher Barbee and Cora Gilford.[3]