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John Lee Hooker: The Boogie Man

Documentary about the astonishing contribution of American singer-songwriter John Lee Hooker to 20th-century music, told in his own words and those of his friends and family.

John Lee Hooker was one of the greatest bluesmen of the 20th century. Born into poverty and racial segregation, he lived through a monumental time in American history.

This is the story of a cultural icon, and his far-reaching impact on popular music, told in his own words and those of his family and closest collaborators.

Interviews with Keith Richards, Van Morrison, Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Robert Cray tell how an illiterate man from the rural and impoverished backwaters of the Mississippi Delta influenced their own musical journey. We reveal his part in bringing the Blues to a new generation of young British musicians and how, in turn, those musicians introduced young, mainstream Americans to their own cultural heritage.

His is an astonishing tale of survival and creativity, ingenuity and reinvention - of a man who became a superstar against extraordinary odds. It is also the story of modern America, portrayed through the incredible and touching journey of a singer-songwriter who has left an indelible mark on today鈥檚 music.

59 minutes

Last on

Sat 27 Apr 2019 01:55

Clip

Music Played

  • John Lee Hooker

    Behind The Plow

  • John Lee Hooker

    Hummin' The Blues

  • Elmore James

    Everyday I Have The Blues

  • Muddy Waters

    I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man

  • John Lee Hooker

    Burning Hell

  • John Lee Hooker

    Hoogie Boogie

  • Louis Jordan

    Caldonia

  • John Lee Hooker

    Dimples

  • John Lee Hooker

    Don't Go Baby

  • John Lee Hooker

    Mambo Chillun

  • John Lee Hooker

    Everybody Rockin'

  • The Animals

    Boom Boom

  • James Brown

    Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)

  • Canned Heat

    On The Road Again

  • Canned Heat

    Fried Hockey Boogie

  • John Lee Hooker, Canned Heat

    Burning Hell

  • John Lee Hooker, Canned Heat

    Boogie Chillen No. 2

  • Shirley & Company

    Shame Shame Shame

  • John Lee Hooker, Carlos Santana

    The Healer

  • John Lee Hooker

    I'm In The Mood

  • John Lee Hooker

    Think Twice Before You Go

Credits

Role Contributor
Director Todd Austin
Executive Producer Min Clough

Broadcasts

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