Teddy Lee Hooker

Born in Ohio, at age five my sister Freda was married to John Lee Hooker. One day while he was practicing he placed his guitar down. I went in and strummed the guitar only to be amazed at the sound coming out of the amp! He came back in and I ran out thinking I was in big trouble. He came in the next day with an acoustic guitar and said "this is yours now leave mine alone". He showed me a few chords and I was hooked. I never put it down often sitting beside him when he was playing trying to copy his groove. Him and my sister parted ways but he had left his mark on me. At the age of nine I saw T. Bone Walker and I knew that I wanted to be a BLUES GUITARIST! My parents couldn't afford guitar lessons so I had to teach myself. I obtained as much music as I could and listened to everything. At age 11 I heard Jimi Hendrixs' Red House and I felt that same feeling I did when I first strummed John Lees' guitar. Soon after, my father purchased me my first electric guitar. Over the next few years I became exposed to Jazz and met an incredible Guitarist named Bill DeARango who opened my ears forever and taught me how to improvise and phrase. Through all my years I've have met and played with some incredible musicians of all styles but the Blues is what is burned in my soul. It always comes back to John Lee. Muddy Waters once stated that there was not many young Blacks carrying on the music which is our culture and represents so much. My passion is to carry that torch and along the way put my mark on the music for future generations to come. Thank You Muddy, Robert, Wolf, T.Bone, and all who have come before and after for this music. John Lee Hooker I will love you forever!!!!!!