SMOKEY WILSON
Downhome Mississippi Blues guitarist Smokey relocated to LA in his mid-thirties and opened the Pioneer Club in Watts, where he fronted the house band and booked the hottest Blues acts around. Smokey was born in the Mississippi Delta where he played with Big Jack Johnson and Frank Frost before taking his juke-joint boogie style Westwards. Smokey’s voice had a strong resemblance to Howlin’ Wolf, and he played loud guitar, cutting an album in 1977 which has only recently come to light. Appearing on stage with many Blues Legends, he played at several Blues festivals in California before his 1993 album, ‘Smoke’n’Fire’ brought him to wider attention, following up with ‘The Real Deal’ two years later and four more albums since then. Smokey’s two earlier albums ‘Push’ and ’88th Street Blues’ have been re-issued in the light of his new popularity, he died in his sleep on September 8th 2015. Smokey took a long time to burst into flames, but talent doesn’t care how old you are!
