Detroit Junior
Birth nameEmery Williams, Jr.
Born(1931-10-26)October 26, 1931
Haynes, Arkansas, United States
DiedAugust 9, 2005(2005-08-09) (aged 73)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
GenresChicago blues, electric blues[1]
Occupation(s)Pianist, singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Piano, vocals
Years active1950s–2005
LabelsVarious

Emery "Detroit Junior" Williams, Jr. (October 26, 1931 – August 9, 2005)[2] was an American Chicago blues pianist, vocalist and songwriter. He is known for songs such as "So Unhappy", "Call My Job", "If I Hadn't Been High", "Ella" and "Money Tree". His songs have been covered by Koko Taylor, Albert King and other blues artists.

Career

Born in Haynes, Arkansas,[2] Detroit recorded his first single, "Money Tree", with the Bea & Baby label in 1960. His first full album, Chicago Urban Blues, was released in the early 1970s on the Blues on Blues label.[1] He also has recordings on Alligator, Blue Suit, The Sirens Records, and Delmark.

Detroit Junior began his career in Detroit, Michigan, backing touring musicians such as Eddie Boyd, John Lee Hooker, and Amos Milburn. Boyd brought him to Chicago in 1956, where he spent the next twelve years. In the early 1970s, Detroit toured and recorded with Howlin' Wolf.[1] After the death of Wolf in 1976, Detroit returned to Chicago, where he lived and performed until his death from heart failure in 2005.[2] He was a weekly regular at Chicago blues clubs B.L.U.E.S. and Kingston Mines.

He was survived by his brother Kenneth H. Williams, who is a songwriter, guitarist and audio engineer, currently engineering for Erykah Badu, Childish Gambino and others.

Discography

Albums

YearTitleRecord label
1990Chicago Urban BluesMango
1995Turn Up the HeatBlue Suit
1997Take Out the TimeBlue Suit
20038 Hands on 88 Keys - Chicago Blues Piano MastersThe Sirens Records
2004Live at the Toledo Museum of ArtBlue Suit
2004Blues on the InternetDelmark

[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Detroit Junior Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2005 July To December". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
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