In the dusky haze of American music, one figure looms large like an ancient oak—gnarled, twisted, and impossibly resilient. John Lee Hooker, born on this day in 1917, cast his shadow across the blues like a man conjuring spirits, his voice and guitar a shivering invocation. Hooker wasn't merely a musician; he was a conjurer, pulling rough-hewn truths from the deep wells of the human condition.

Originally released in 1998, The Best of Friends marks a significant milestone in the illustrious career of blues legend John Lee Hooker. This seminal album highlights Hooker's late-career collaborations with an array of esteemed musicians including Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, and Bonnie Raitt. Twenty-five years later, the album remains a vivid testament to Hooker's enduring vitality and the deep respect he commanded from the musical community.

Originally released in 1998, The Best of Friends marks a significant milestone in the illustrious career of blues legend John Lee Hooker. This seminal album highlights Hooker's late-career collaborations with an array of esteemed musicians including Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, and Bonnie Raitt.

Craft Recordings’ 60th anniversary special reissues for Burnin’, the electrifying blues album from John Lee Hooker, are out today. The albums include the original recording of Hooker’s highly influential signature hit “Boom Boom” and feature members of the legendary Funk Brothers (Motown Records’ celebrated house band).

Craft Recordings celebrates the 60th anniversary of John Lee Hooker’s electrifying blues album, Burnin’, with several special reissues.

Craft Recordings is pleased to reissue John Lee Hooker’s widely acclaimed album, The Healer, on vinyl and CD, after more than a decade of being out of print.

Craft Recordings is proud to reissue The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker, a showcase of traditional (folk/country) sound and one-chord blues all with John Lee Hooker’s smooth baritone vocals. Unaccompanied and playing acoustic instead of his usual amplified guitar, Hooker recorded a wonderfully varied set of deep Delta blues, moans, boogies, one field holler, and even a bit of hokum. Due out August 2nd, The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker was cut from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.

Craft Recordings, the Catalog division of Concord Bicycle Music, is proud to announce the release of King Of The Boogie, a career-spanning retrospective, honoring blues icon John Lee Hooker. Due out September 29th, the five-CD set delves deep into the catalog of the influential artist, featuring not only his iconic hits, but also rarities, live recordings and several previously unreleased tracks.

The son of a sharecropper, blues legend John Lee Hooker was one of the very first artists to break out of that genre and become a world-wide force. He based his sound on a driving boogie beat and lyrics that sometimes seemed to come from another world. To begin the centennial celebration of Hooker's birth year, Vee-Jay Records, a division of Concord Bicycle Music, will release WHISKEY AND WIMMEN: JOHN LEE HOOKER'S FINEST on March 31.