A blues guitarist, Hooker developed his unique primal style in his teens, setting an unforgettable raw mood in songs like Boom Boom, Boogie Chillen, and in over 100 albums, some recorded under different names. In 2000 he won his fourth Grammy — for Lifetime Achievement.
“All you need to hear from John Lee Hooker is a growl,” remembers Alex Andreas, manager of the John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom club in San Francisco. “One ‘Hey! Hey!’ One raspy, gritty growl from John Lee Hooker, and it’s enough to turn a crowd inside out.” Hooker died June 21 at home in California. He was 80.