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icon Lonnie Brooks, whose music Rolling
Stone called, “witty, soulful and ferociously
energetic…simply astonishing guitar work,” died on Saturday, April 1,
2017 in Chicago, according to his son, Ronnie Baker Brooks. He was 83. Guitar Player described
him as “…like a fire-and-brimstone preacher, testifying the blues from the
bottom of his soul.”
With his “booming, gritty vocals and fierce six-string firepower” (Chicago Tribune), Brooks created an instantly
recognizable signature sound. It combined Chicago blues, rock ‘n’ roll, Memphis
soul, swampy Louisiana grooves and country twang into a style that his fellow
musicians called “voodoo blues.” He was inducted into the Port Arthur
Historical Society Hall Of Fame in 2001 and the Blues Hall Of Fame in 2010. On
June 12, 2012 Mayor Rahm Emanuel declared Lonnie Brooks Day in Chicago.
Lonnie Brooks was born Lee Baker, Jr. on December 18, 1933. Over the course of
his 60-year career, he recorded 11 full albums and dozens of 45s for a number
of labels. His career began in Port Arthur, Texas in the mid-1950s. Recording
under the name Guitar Junior, he scored a string of regional hits, including Family Rules and The Crawl for the
Goldband label.
The success of his singles led to numerous southern tours and a busy
performance schedule that included dancehalls, juke joints and roadhouses
across Texas and Louisiana. In 1959, Lonnie befriended the great Sam Cooke, who
suggested his move to Chicago. Once settled, he changed his name to Lonnie
Brooks (Chicago already had a Guitar Junior) and became infatuated with the
sound of deep Chicago blues. He soon landed a job as a sideman with blues
hitmaker Jimmy Reed, with whom he toured and recorded. Brooks cut a handful of
singles throughout the 1960s, as well as appearing on a number of Chicago blues
and R&B recording sessions. He played nightly in the bars on the South and
West sides of Chicago and in Gary and East Chicago, Indiana. In 1969, Capitol
Records released Brooks’ first album, Broke
an’ Hungry, under his old stage name, Guitar Junior.
In 1978, Brooks recorded four songs for Alligator Records’ Grammy-nominated Living Chicago Blues
anthology. This led to a full contract with the label. His Alligator debut, Bayou Lightning, was
released in 1979. The album, along with Brooks’ roof-raising live performances,
brought him to the attention of Rolling
Stone, which ran a six-page feature on the legendary musician. The album
won the prestigious Grand Prix du Disque Award from the 1980 Montreux Jazz
Festival. While appearing in Montreux, Lonnie befriended country star Roy
Clark. Clark was so impressed with Lonnie that he arranged an appearance for
Lonnie on the popular country music television show Hee Haw.
Constant touring in the U.S. and abroad kept Brooks in the public eye. His
scorching 1980 live performance of Sweet
Home Chicago on the Blues
Deluxe album (resulting in Brooks’ second Grammy nomination) is now
considered the quintessential version of the song. A 1982 trip to Germany
resulted in an hour-long Lonnie Brooks special shown on German television. BBC
radio broadcast an hour-long live performance across all of Great Britain in
1987. Brooks spent the summer of 1993 on a national concert tour with B.B.
King, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Junior Wells and Eric Johnson. In 1995 Eric
Clapton honored Brooks by inviting the bluesman on stage for an unforgettable
impromptu jam at Chicago’s Buddy Guy’s Legends club. In 1998 alone, he appeared
in the film Blues Brothers
2000, performed on The
Late Show With David Letterman and co-authored (along with his son
Wayne Baker Brooks and music scribe Cub Koda) the book Blues For Dummies.
His final two releases, 1996’s Roadhouse
Rules and 1999’s Lone
Star Shootout (recorded with fellow Gulf Coast blues veterans Long
John Hunter and Phillip Walker), showed Brooks at his very best — an
electrifying guitarist with full-throated vocals, clever original songs, and a
dedication to having fun. His recording of It’s
Your World from Roadhouse
Rules was featured in an episode of HBO’s The Sopranos. In 2008,
Brooks appeared in the film The
Express — The Ernie Davis Story. Lonnie also appeared in two
award-winning Heineken beer commercials.
Among Brooks’ proudest accomplishments was the success of his talented
guitar-playing sons, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Wayne Baker Brooks. Lonnie always
encouraged and mentored the boys as they were growing up. Ronnie even toured
with his dad while still a teenager. Both Wayne and Ronnie lead their own bands
and have released critically acclaimed recordings. In 2011 and 2012, Lonnie,
Ronnie and Wayne toured as The Brooks Family Dynasty, showcasing three
world-class blues guitarists — a father and his sons — standing shoulder to
shoulder, delivering thunderous performances. Lonnie’s last recording
appearance was as a guest on Ronnie’s latest album, Times Have Changed.
Lonnie Brooks’ larger-than-life personality and abundance of pure talent made
him beloved worldwide, leading The
Chicago Tribune to declare his music “a joyful paean to the
power of the blues.“
Brooks is survived by sisters Erma, Geraldine, Jerryline, Carol, Patricia
(preceded him in death), brothers Herman, Cliff, Joe, MC (all preceded him in
death), Ahal and Willie, Shirley, mother of his son Lee Baker III and daughter
Linda Baker Williams (preceded him in death), Jeannine, mother of his sons
Ronnie Baker Brooks, Wayne Baker Brooks, Russell Baker, Robert
Lauderdale and daughters Denise Baker Parker, Jackie Graham and Gina Baker
Landers, with a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great
grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
The family would like to thank all of his worldwide fans for their love,
support and loyalty over his 60 year long career.
Funeral arrangements are pending.